What is Holistic Education? A new educational paradigm for a conscious society
It’s an obvious issue that today's society needs a change in educational paradigm urgently. On the one hand, there are increasing cases of depression, drug consume or even suicide among teenagers (Cervantes & Hernández, 2008; Vicario & Romero, 2005). On the other hand, the pollution to which we are subjecting the planet Earth, gender violence or social inequality are other indicatives that show us that something doesn’t work.
Mechanistic paradigm vs holistic
paradigm
There are many educational laws that are being implemented with the intention of improving the quality of education. Without going into what is understood by “educational quality” I'll say that most of the current educational laws are developed on the base of the principles of the past centuries educational systems. It's a mechanistic paradigm focused almost exclusively on the development of the cognitive dimension of the human being. This biased and partial educational practice focuses on a external product to the human being. However, it’s no secret that the person is a complex unit made up of different dimensions interconnected between them
On the other hand,
different psychological theories (such as multiple intelligences or learning
styles) and principles of New Education (such as transversality or the student
as the center of the teaching-learning process) justify the implementation of
the holistic model. All these aspects are included in the World
Declaration for Holistic Education for the XXI Century developed by Gallegos
(2005), which is articulated through 13 main points:
1. A new educational paradigm
2. Learning communities
3. Multiple intelligences and learning styles
4. Educational integrity
5. Universal love
6. Win-win in education
7. Education for sustainable development
8. The human being is a multidimensional being
with a spiritual heart
9. Education as a process of evolution of
consciousness
10. Transdisciplinarity
11. Comprehensive, permanent and meaningful
learning
12. The new mission of the educator
13. Moral development
These points can be found developed in the video below. [Please, note that the video is in Spanish].
Considerations about Holistic education
The implementation of a holistic education
requires a deep change regading the way of understanding education. The manner
in which education is understood is conditioned by the perception that one has
about life and this, in turn, of the level of consciousness developed by the
individual. Thus, the level of consciousness of each human being emerges as a
key point for this new educational paradigm to be successfully implemented,
since we are all part of education.
Some key points such as the new role of the
teacher, the new configuration of learning communities, education as a process
of evolution of consciousness or transdisciplinarity, require a new look from
each one towards oneself and towards life. Only the integration of this
different approach would facilitate the successful achievement of the holistic
educational model, since, in Jaurès’[1] said, you can only teach it is what you are. It isn’t
possible to teach what you want, what you say or what you pretend you know.
Furthermore, this new way of understanding education requires that the
different agents that make up the educational community, such as teachers,
parents and administrations, work in teams directing all their actions,
interests and efforts in the same direction, towards the same objective. : the
integral development of the human being.
Although most of us probably think that holistic education is an ideal educational model, we have to be aware that its implementation depends, to a large extent, on the involvement that each of us has in relation to our own personal development. So, I wonder... are we prepared for this new educational paradigm or do we prefer to remain the current paradigm knowing its consequences? Are we willing to face the changes, challenges and responsibilities derived from a new level of consciousness or do we prefer to stay in our comfort zone? I invite you to leave your reflections on these questions if you feel so.
REFERENCES
Cervantes, W., & Hernández, E. M. (2008). El suicidio en los adolescentes: Un problema en crecimiento. Duazary, 5(2), 148-154.
Delors, J. (1996). Learning, the Treasure Within: Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-First Century. París: UNESCO.
Gallegos, R. (2005). Declaración Mundial por la Educación Holística para el Siglo XXI. [Recuperado de https://studylib.es/doc/4998227/declaraci%C3%B3n-mundial-por-la-educaci%C3%B3n-holista]
Gluyas, R. I., Esparza, R., Romero, M. C. & Rubio, J. E (2015). Modelo de Educación Holística: Una Propuesta para la Formación del Ser Humano. Revista Electrónica Actualidades Investigativas en Educación, 15(3), 1-25.
Vicario, H., & Romero, A. R. (2005). Consumo de drogas en la adolescencia. Pediatría Integral, IX, 2, 137-135.
IMAGES
(In Pixabay)
Gordon Johnso; Clker-Free-Vector-images; Lacy Molnár; OpenClipart-vector; luc Mahler; Rafael Javier; Wokandapix; Moteoo; Eommina; Graphicmama-Team; Mary Pahlke; Gingio Giannone; Hans Kretzmann; Yogendra Singh
[1] Phrase extracted from a conference that Jean Jaurés carried out around the years 1894-1895 and which was subsequently published under the title Idealism and materialism in the conception of History.