The Holistic Side Of Things

Retrieved from: http://www.contrax.com/high-impact-learning-ideabook/learn-center/articles/Type/Research/a-holistic-multi-level-analysis-identifying-the-impact-of-classroom-design-on-pupils-learning.stml
            
            As someone who has spent a majority of his time in a traditional setting, I enjoyed reading about the more unorthodox classrooms. The one that stood out to me the most was the holistic curriculum due to the fact that I have never really looked into this school of thought. In fact, the small section found in Chapter 1 is the most I have ever read about it. Although spirituality does play a part in it, I originally thought that this form of learning simply consists of spending time outdoors and becoming one with nature. Obviously, there is much more to the practice.

            Holistic education consists of many practices that are not common in the Western world. For example, Interweaving Curriculum And Classroom Assessment gives the example of a Michelle Metcalfe, who used storytelling to teach her students an unfamiliar language. As the text puts it, “The purpose is to ‘acquire’ the language, not ‘learn’ the language” (Drake, 2014, p.6). In a way, the students are learning in reverse. In most classrooms, they would learn the words before and then hear or read them in the form of the story. This is a method that I would not have previously associated with holistic education, which is why I started thinking about how effective the holistic curriculum can actually be.

The Success Academy Approach to Teaching and Curriculum. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN-bjKTsLy8             

             Interestingly enough, on the very day that I was writing this blog post, The Globe And Mail published an article that discusses what holistic schools are all about. The piece talks about Bayview Glen School, a Toronto private school that caters to students under the age of three, and the ways in which it focuses on the individual rather than the group of pupils. In fact, the article goes on to mention how, “The school’s administration pays close attention to the makeup of each class, she says, taking into consideration each child’s birth month and family environment, including birth order” (Rook, 2015). Even though this particular example features extremely young children, it still suggests that viewing the student as a whole can have some serious benefits.

            Unfortunately, testimonies from parents and teachers are not enough evidence to support the benefits of holistic education. In their 2015 article “Effects of a holistic, experiential curriculum on business students' satisfaction and career confidence”, Arran Caza, Holly H. Brower and Julie H. Wayne discuss how students who partake in an alternative curriculum have higher satisfaction and career self-efficacy. They go on to say, “We found that a holistic, experiential curriculum that explicitly incorporates components intended to give students the opportunity to ‘practise business’ benefitted those students by improving their self-efficacy and feelings of career preparedness” (Caza, 81, 2015). Essentially, the students see value in partaking in a curriculum that allows them to learn in a way that helps develop all of them (rather than just a portion of them). Things like work experience, group work and more made their learning experiences positive ones.

  Retrieved from: http://www.learningandviolence.net/learning/holistic.htm

            When looking back at my time as a student, I would have like to have had more holistic experiences. Since we still do not have time travel, I feel like the next best thing is to ensure that I give my future students some holistic experiences. While I do not plan on introducing a full holistic curriculum, I believe it is important to include lessons, projects and assignments that embrace this school of thought. After digging around a little, I found that this particular website gives some good tips when it comes to planning a holistic lesson. I even found a lesson plan for a holistic social studiesassignment (which included a bit about my second teachable, geography) and it is interesting to see how it differs from the traditional essay.

            Even though it made up a small portion of the chapter, that tidbit on holistic education really made an impact on me. Hopefully, it sticks with me as I move forward towards a career in teaching.

Caza, A., Brower, H. H., & Wayne, J. H. (2015). Effects of a holistic, experiential curriculum on business students' satisfaction and career confidence. International Journal of Management Education,13(1), 75-83. http://journals2.scholarsportal.info.proxy.library.brocku.ca/pdf/14728117/v13i0001/75_eoahecbssacc.xml

Drake, S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving Curriculum and Classroom Assessment: Engaging the 21^st Century Learner. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.

Rook, Katie. (2015, September 23). Early-learning schools create an environment to address the whole person. The Globe And Mail. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/early-learning-schools-create-an-environment-to-address-the-whole-person/article26495709/