Traditional Educational Philosophies that Meet Contemporary Success Criteria

The philosophy of holistic education is not new. Learning is about educating the whole person. Looking at subjects as disconnected components seldom achieves great results. Learners need an environment that consists of a seamlessly integrated curriculum, with concepts traversing subjects to connect with the real world application. They need positive connections with the community that encourages them to learn from every experience and rise to levels higher than ever before. Finally, they need to be understood with compassion, and their learning needs addressed with a well-rounded approach. Their learning preferences are paramount to the learning process and leads to their world that grows everyday, presenting new ideas, motivating them to think, experiment, and learn for life.

The philosophies of prominent educationists Charlotte Mason and Rudolf Steiner are exemplary models of a holistic education approach. British educator Charlotte Maria Shaw Mason proposed a system of liberal education that equips learners with a broad range of skills and a strong sense of ethics. She promoted high moral standards and self-control, leading to a strong character. Her idea of education was “instruction, opportunity, and wholesome occupation”. Mason believed that “education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life”. She upheld a child-centered approach and encouraged the use of facts, ideas, worthy thoughts, and inspiring tales from a young age. Her famous concept of “living books” refers to those types of books that are written in a way that they “spark” a child’s imagination.

Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher who also promoted holistic education from a different perspective. Although some of his theories are regarded as problematic, his concept of experiential learning is quite interesting. He enforces the “making, doing, creating, and producing” according to the learner’s developmental age. His learning approach is focused at developing a “lifelong love of learning” and strong morals and ethics. He encourages lessons based on themes that imbibe “artistic, practical, and intellectual” content. He encourages wonderful strategies such as meaningful teaching, learning through example and thriving in loving and stable relationships. Steiner upholds teaching creatively using art, stories, poetry, role play, drama, technology, nature, and physical movement. Learners get the opportunity to develop a broad skill set and positive traits such as cooperation, sharing, observation, and sustainability.

Research evidence indicates that math and language proficiency is dependent on gross and fine motor skills. Scientific literature is replete with several fascinating connections between the different aspects of the mind and body that make the complex process of learning possible in a diverse population of learners. Physically active lessons, visio-motor coordination, and agility are just a few aspects of mind-body connections that lead to academic achievement. Designing lessons plans that factor in physical movement and hands-on approaches allow better focus and concentration. In essence, it prepares the learning on a path to life-long learning.

References

https://www.steinerwaldorf.org/steiner-education/what-is-steiner-education/

https://www.childmags.com.au/education-the-steiner-approach/

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/edutrends-india/ecce-the-mind-body-connection-in-learning/