Holistic education has been making the headlines for a long time now; however, it seems more in the context of early childhood education than in the context of formal school education. A holistic approach to education is as important for grown-up children as it was important for them during their childhood. It is a process that should continue until they feel their global citizenship in the contemporary world.
What is a Holistic Approach to Education?
Holistic education focuses on every aspect of a student’s development. It goes beyond academics to focus on their social, emotional, physical, and ethical development such that their learning outcomes give a more comprehensive view of their progress and growth. High school students in India will get many benefits if their school decides to adopt this holistic approach to their learning.
Given below is a list of some benefits that a holistic approach to education holds for students:
1. The key to holistic development of students is ensuring students’ overall well-being.
This is to say, in order for high school students in India to develop holistically, their overall well-being is of utmost concern. That includes their academic performance, interpersonal relationships (with parents and peers), emotional well-being, and ethical knowledge. The work of a holistic approach to education is to make this happen, and the role of teachers is immense in this work.
2. Students get to form a positive bond with their teachers.
Rather than teachers becoming the sources of information, students on the way to attaining global citizenship in the contemporary world find that teachers have to transform into facilitators of knowledge in the holistic approach. This will help them form a positive bond with their teachers and reciprocate with an equal effort on their part. Holistic development of students comes from this bond that gets formed. Both the teachers and the students create an environment conducive to learning. Teachers have to take the lead initially, though.
3. A positive school environment that is full of project-based and self-directed learning takes birth.
Project-based learning (PBL) is indispensable to holistic development, both in early childhood education and formal school education. When the teacher indulges students in this kind of learning that depends a lot on self-directed learning, students get to develop problem-solving skills and connect with the local and the global world around them. This connection helps students develop a sense of empathy and compassion for others, beneficial to the human race in the long run.
To Conclude
Holistic education is a must for today’s learners, and it cannot be dispensed with if the schools, educators, and teachers want to prepare their students for the 21st century. Project-based learning is very important in this regard. Teachers should engage their children with group projects that help them connect to the local community as well as the global one. Self-awareness too must be taken into consideration when talking about holistic education.
Self-directed learning in terms of social and emotional intelligence is the key to the future. A holistic approach to education can help you equip students with this key.