Volume 2 : Issue 4 (2015)

HOLISTIC EDUCATION: A NEEDFUL SYSTEM OF EDUCATION FOR LEARNERS

Holistic education recognizes the innate potential of every student for intelligence, creative, systemic thinking. It actively engages students in the teaching/learning process and encourages personal and collective responsibility. Holistic education is an eclectic and inclusive movement, which emerged in the mid-1980s as a response to the then dominant worldview of mainstream education. It is an educational paradigm that integrates the idealistic ideas of humanistic education with spiritual philosophical ideas. It incorporates principles of spirituality, wholeness, and interconnectedness along with principles of freedom, autonomy, and democracy. Holistic education theorists assume an integration of what most progressive and democratic movements in education have proposed should be kept separate, namely, spirituality and humanistic ideals. Holistic education focuses on the fullest possible development of the person, encouraging individuals to become the very best or finest that they can be and enabling them to experience all they can from life and reach their goals. These experiences or achievements can be rare, special and deeply meaningful experiences for the individual or could represent a position, role or vocation that they perceive as unique or special and is an important goal in their life. Understanding that support which once came from traditional families, religion, or the old tribes no longer exist, holistic education seeks to modify learning of human goodness, personal greatness, and the joy of living both in trials and in successes. Pressure from competition in school, after-school activities, and the social pressure to look a certain way, as well as the violence which typically accompanies school children, both physically, psychologically, and emotionally, takes away from a child's ability to learn. Holistic education rectifies this. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the meaning, objectives, features, strategies, tools, me/hods, necessity and effects of holistic education.

Holistic education, features of holistic education, methods and toots used for holistic education, necessity and effects of holistic education

Forbes, Scon H. (2003). Holistic Education: An Analysis of its Ideas and Nature. Brandon, VT. Hare, JR. (2006). Towards an Understanding of Holistic Education in the Middle Years of Education. Journal of Research in Education. 5: 301-22.IIolistic Education Press. Miller, R. (1991). Introduction in Miller, R. (Ed), New Directions in Education, pp 1-3, Brandon, VT. Book Chitkara, M. G.(2007). Education and Human Values. A. P. H. Publishing Corporation, New Delhi, India Website Exploring Holistic Approaches for Early Childhood Educators. http://wvAv.raiselearning.com.au/blogs/new s/5818384-exploring-holistic-approaches-for-early-childhood-educators