Holistic Approach in Education: Some Considerations

Holistic Approach in Education: Holistic Approach in Education: Some ConsiderationsSome Considerations

Dr. S.P.MohantyDr. S.P.MohantyLecturer In EducationLecturer In Education

Department Of EducationDepartment Of EducationRavenshaw University, Cuttack, OdishaRavenshaw University, Cuttack, Odisha

Email: Email: spmcuttack@gmail.comspmcuttack@gmail.com

Holistic Education: What it is?Holistic Education: What it is?

Prepares for lifelong learningfor a productive life in which their skills and

attributes are constantly challenged, developed and applied

Collaboration rather than competition in classrooms, teachers help young people feel the world of human relations

UNESCO (1996):Learning to know implies learning how to learn by

developing one's concentration, memory skills and ability to think

Learning to do: Education can equip people to do different types of work needed in the future either in paid employment and self-employment

Learning to live together: people will be able to work collectively for a common goal

Learning to be: The complete fulfillment of man, in all the richness of his personality, the complexity of his forms of expression and his various commitments - as individual, member of a family and of a community, citizen and producer, inventor of techniques and creative dreamer

Holistic EducationHolistic EducationMiller (1991):Intellectual, emotional, social, physical, creative

aesthetic and spiritual potentialscollaborative learning based on relationships

within learning community (i.e. teacher and students)

Learning beyond the classroom transactionsbroadening the horizon of knowledge i.e.

Understanding the world.examine critically the cultural, moral and political

contexts of their lives.to think differently, to think creatively and reflect

on their own values.

Aspects of Holistic EducationAspects of Holistic Education

The Learners and Knowledge Construction:Active learnerLearners actively construct their own knowledge by

connecting new ideas to existing ideasChild-centred’ pedagogy by giving priority to their

experiences, their voices, and their active participation

School and Classroom Environment:Children perceive their world through

multiple senses School: colourful, friendly, and peaceful, with

lots of open space offering with small nooks and corners, animals, plants, flowers, trees, and toys

Creation of an inclusive environmentEducational transaction has to shift from the

benefactor (teacher) and the beneficiary (pupil) to a motivator and facilitator and learner

Common physical discomforts in the schools (NCF, 2005):

Long walks to school, Heavy school bagsLack of basic infrastructure, including support, Books for

reading and writing.Badly designed furniture that gives children inadequate

back support and cramps their legs and knees.Time tables that do not give young children enough

breaks to stretch move and play, and that deprives older children of play/ sports time, and encourage girls to opt out.

Especially for girls, the absence of toilets and sanitary requirements.

Corporal punishment-beating, awkward physical postures

Holistic development is not possible with this environment

The Teacher Teacher autonomy is essential for ensuring a learning

environment that addresses children’s diverse needs, As the learner requires space, freedom, flexibility, and respect holistic teacher is a facilitator of learning

concept of knowledge as a process of reasoning and of continuous learning, i.e., infinite in stead of treating knowledge as content, i.e., finite

Sometimes teachers lack basic pedagogic skills (explaining, asking appropriate questions, understanding of the processes of learning and class-management).

teacher education programme needs to be restructured on the basis of pedagogical skills as neither pre-service nor in-service training is addressing the issue.

Curriculumlearning of self-respect and self-esteemRelationship :social literacy and emotional literacy

for relationships learning to ensure long-term successseeing the beauty (aesthetics)Linguistic potential of children: Bilingual proficiency

raises the levels of cognitive growth, social tolerance, divergent thinking and scholastic achievement (NCF, 2005).

Connecting to life outside schoollearning is shifted away from rote to methodsoverall development of childrenflexible and integrated with classroom learning

Curriculum Structure

Process of Stage Specific Assessment Early Childhood Stage: assessment be of purely

qualitative judgments of children’s activities in various domains and health , physical development, based on observations through everyday interactions

Higher Classes, the students need to be aware that they are being assessed : more examinations, projects reports, self-evaluation techniques for assessing the physical, mental, socio-emotional and spiritual developments

Assessment of Learning summative in nature carried out at the end of a unit, semester or year. Assessment For Learning improve pupil learning.help pupils master learning goals. formative in nature, takes place all the time in the

classroom, a process that is embedded in instruction

Enhancement of ICT skill: with ICT skillsFamily Environment: play and learn at their

homes with their parent’s supervision Self-learning Environment: without itClassroom Environment: do his work

from anywhere and doesn’t restrict him to the classroom

HOLISTIC EDUCATION MAKES YOU WHAT

YOU ARE

FROM WHAT YOU WERE NOT

Thank You