Holistic learning is an extensive approach to teaching where teachers seek to manage the emotional, social, ethical, and academic needs of students in a coherent learning format.
Importance is placed on a positive atmosphere in schools and providing academic and non-academic support to students. Students are taught to contemplate their actions and how they impact their community- globally and locally, and how to learn from the community around them.
Teachers often engage students in assignments that apply critical-thinking skills toward solving real-world problems.
History of Holistic Learning?
Holistic learning is a new movement that was developed in the 1980s to counteract the existing learning structure that was perceived as mechanistic. However, it is believed that the theory of educating based on a person’s entire experience has roots in ancient concepts, including those of Greek and native indigenous cultures, and has gained importance over the past century. There have been several different approaches based on whole-person education in the 20th century.
Methods of Holistic Learning:
The goal of holistic learning is to cultivate a developing child’s physical, emotional, moral, psychological, and spiritual attributes. It provides opportunities that are personalized to a child’s skills and feelings. Lessons are conducted in a safe, supportive environment that allows students to recognize their individual strengths. While holistic learning is guided by one philosophy, teachers can employ a number of methods and strategies to create a holistic learning culture.
Methods such as Experiential Learning where hands-on educational experiences are provides to students or Self-Guided learning where teachers allow students to learn at their own pace and whatever method the child is comfortable with allows students to grow not just academically but also is able to face challenges in the outside world schools serve as a focal point for community participation, social, development, and academic activities.
How teacher involvement helps in Holistic Learning?
Healthy Student-Teacher Relationships
When teachers are able to form strong bonds with students, their performance in class and engagement is positive. Students have a higher chance of success when they feel safe in a learning environment. Teachers should foster strong relationships by responding to students’ strengths and needs and by acting in a culturally sensitive manner. Students should be allowed to help develop classroom rules and take on leadership roles. This encourages trust and communication among students and increases their motivation to do well.
Encouraging Self-Confidence
Students must feel they belong in school and have the potential to achieve.Teachers can help build self-confidence by providing different opportunities for students to learn and communicate what they understand. Teachers should be able to recognize students’ unique strengths and treat all students equally. Student motivation can be enhanced by making sure that lessons are relevant to students’ lives and realistic.
Incorporating Emotional Reflection
Sometimes for a teacher, it’s not always easy to look beyond academic performance to nurture the mental and emotional well-being of a child. To encourage emotional understanding in daily routines, teachers should provide certain time for students to reflect, contemplate, or meditate. Effective listening and observational skills might be the subject of lessons to promote empathy.
What are the benefits of Holistic Learning?
Holistic learning is based on a philosophy that brings a number of benefits to students, teachers, schools, and communities. Students are empowered to improve their academic prospects and gain the life skills necessary to succeed in their careers.
Here are 3 benefits of Holistic learning:
- Improved Academic Achievement: Holistic education can improve the academics of students regardless of background by catering to each students learning style and providing a supportive educational environment. The brain capacity of a student is increased when he/she feels physically and emotionally safe and has a good connection with the teacher.
- Better Mental and Emotional Well-Being: In a safe and supportive environment, where social and emotional learning is emphasized along with academics, students have a chance of imbibing qualities of self-awareness, confidence, and a sense of responsibility.
- Developing Problem-Solving Abilities: Students who are assigned with solving real-world problems that exist around them develop strong critical-thinking skills. These hands-on experiences give students the required skills that they will need in their careers, such as how to gather information, analyze, communicate effectively and how to collaborate and work with others.
Children not only require academic lessons, they need a system that helps them understand emotions, relationships and mental duress as well as develop resilience and team spirit. Holistic learning boosts the morale of a student so that they can go on to achieve success in their careers while becoming upstanding citizens of the society who contribute to the growth and development of the country.
The holistic development of students is therefore crucial from the start of their academic years.
