EDUCATION FOR COMPLETE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: HUMANISTIC OR  'HOLISTIC EDUCATION' (cognitive paradigm)

Holistic education is the practice of freedom for creativity and productivity or 'work'.

 theme: The word 'education' is derived from the Latin 'educare' meaning 'to educe' or bring out from latency... facilitate the realisation of potentiality.  Education as 'holistic education' is the art of cultivating the spiritual and therefore 'moral' dimension of the developing child  as well as all the other dimensions of the human potentiality or 'human nature'...  psychological, emotional, intellectual, physical and and moral or 'spiritual'.. Holistic education is a philosophy of education which is derived from the whole-system perspective of the human organism as a social organism... reconnects with nature because it is based entirely on the fundamental principles of natural human growth and moral development - a product of evolution through natural selection. Holistic education or 'humanistic education' is socially responsible because it is committed to human empowerment... (human disempowerment is the source of wickedness or 'evil'). Holistic education is involved with theory in practice or 'praxis'. As praxis holistic education is pedagogy of love... love as fostering of spiritual growth... unconditional love or 'universal love'. Holistic education is involved with the integration of  the spiritual or 'moral' dimension of human nature... moral education

 "Holistic education ....is more concerned with drawing forth the latent capacities and sensitivities of the soul than with stuffing passive young minds full of predigested information. It is an education that prepares young people to live purposefully, creatively, and morally in a complex world." (Miller et al. The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times Brandon, VT: Holistic Education Press, 1993 p. 17)

traditional education...                                                                                                                                                   home

human organism as  social organism...   human growth and human needs...   spiritual needs or 'metaneeds'...   motivation theory...  

The foundational concepts of holistic education...

teaching around interconnecting themes or 'thematic teaching'... 

freedom for creativity and productivity or 'work'...

implications for education...  quotations...

holistic education as moral education...

Traditional education is about power... academic curriculum condenses the world into instructional packages. molds young human beings into future workers or citizens...  encouraging competition in the classroom as preparation for competition of the

workplace. Reliance on textbook information as source of knowledge... memorisation of 'facts'... intelligence is conceived in terms of abstract problem-solving skill.

 "The lecture-based passive curriculum is not simply poor pedagogical practice. It is the teaching model most compatible with promoting the dominant authority in society and with disempowering students." (Paulo Freire Politics of Education p. l0)

Education and culture are interrelated. Education as function of culture: growth of the individual depends on the extent to which the culture facilitates the growth process.

  "It is not possible to have a truly meaningful education for the 'humanization' of society without the scientific recognition of the intrinsic nature and value of what it is to be human. A humane environment which is supportive of the individual's intrinsic needs is conducive to their development into mature individuals with self-discipline, self-confidence and self-responsibility. Education for complete development means that it must be geared to the child's psychic needs and capacities. Sound psychic development is adversely affected by fear of extensive punishment, external discipline and the overemphasis of forced learning. Fear creates hostility and hypocrisy. Fear paralyzes endeavor and authenticity of feeling. Fear prevents proper emotional development. Fear of an inhumane environment prevents the proper development of an individual's humanity. It is possible to have a truly meaningful wholistic education if it is based on the wholistic paradigm which implies the scientific recognition of the human inner life. The wholistic worldview permits a global view of the human being as a 'totality of body, soul and spirit.' Scientific discoveries of the interrelations of body, soul and spirit are reflected in a new educational paradigm. The new pedagogical methodology recognizes that the child's learning experiences and learning difficulties are global in nature. The global view of the child and the learning process "can provide a secure theoretical and practical foundation for a holistic education that directs itself to educate the whole person for the whole of life." (Gerald Karnow)

Holistic education is based on the philosophy of 'holism' from Greek 'holos'...encompasses... involves the integration of multiple layers of meaning and experience through direct engagement with the environment...   the person gains sense of identity , meaning and purpose in life through connections with the community and the natural world.

 "I believe that the single most powerful contribution that the holistic education movement is making to the field of educational theory is the power of the metaphor of holism, i.e. of being aware of the parts, the sum of the parts, and that which is more than the sum of the parts. Further work is obviously needed to develop a more comprehensive theoretical framework that gives sufficient attention to all the important dimensions of human experience and education." (David Purpel. "Holistic Education in a Prophetic Voice" in Miller et al. The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times. Brandon, VT: Holistic Education Press, 1993  83)

 The foundational concepts of holistic education are the same as those of holistic health care. Emphasis on the importance of a perception of the person as a whole in terms of the interconnectedness of body, mind and moral consciousness or 'conscience' ('spirit')... fosters the growth and integrity of children from birth to adulthood... the recognition and respect for the individual's potential responsibility for health of body, mind and spirit... their own well-being or 'wellness'... their own striving for wholeness... mature growth or 'self-actualisation'.. and therefore on their own education...  provide environmental conditions which foster the individual's needs for physical and psychological personal growth towards high level wellness... personal growth... psychological, emotional, intellectual, spiritual....

cals forth reverence for life... love of learnin g... through direct engagement with the environment... nurtures a sense of wonder (Montessori spoke of 'cosmic education' as education for sense of oneness with the universe... enchantment of learning. The holistic educator values the many 'paths of learning'... Each path is specific to the individual concerned, to the situation, to the social and historical context. The art of teaching and learning lies in the responsiveness to the diversity of needs of evolving human beings. Holistic education is humanistic education

 "Much of the criticism of 'open' or 'humanistic' or 'holistic' education has been directed toward its perceived lack of academic rigor. I would suggest that this is partly due to the acritical position of some advocates of 'child-centered' curriculum, who in their desire not to impose adult directive upon students, fail to work with them to uncover why particular social forms exist, how they are maintained, and who benefits from them. A truly transformative education could be a mutual and collective effort to unveil the hidden codes embedded in the everyday experience of the students which explicate the underlying paradigm that frames their present reality. Beyond this decoding of the common reality structures, educators could then work with students to enable them to actively particapte in the reconstruction of their socal reality. ... For too long the inner world of children has been suppressed or denied, and this is a serious flaw in our eductional thinking that holistic educators seek to remedy. In our enthusiasm to nurture the subjectivities of children, I hope that we don't forget that it is in the immmediate world of symbols and shared mutual dialogue that genuine cultural transformation will occur.. The potential of wholistic education is to develop capacity to reason critically and compassionately, incorporating and transcending dualistic and suppressed forms of consciousness to achieve a more fully developed mode of awareness." (Miller et al. 1993 The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times Brandon, VT: Holistic Education Press, 109)

 The conceptual basis of a wellness philosophy represents the foundation for the five dimensions of high level wellness. These are self-responsibility, nutritional awareness, physical fitness, stress management, and environmental sensitivity. A wellness lifestyle enriches life, develops the character as well as the body, increases mental alertness, self-awareness, confidence and personal self-esteem.

Sound educational policy is based on the need for children to understand their own needs. Pedagogical methods designed around the 'wellness philosophy' and the 'wellness lifestyle' are efficient for the purpose of organizing a curriculum around the children's own needs. On the whole, an effective education would be based on the proper consideration for the individual's needs for wholeness

holistic education is based on faith in the child’s integrity...  integration of  the spiritual dimension of human nature .... spiritual freedom in education... person-centered education... education for optimal human development... collaboration in the classroom... teachers help learners feel connected...  use real-life experiences

 as source of knowledge...  teacher encourages reflection and inquiry to keep the 'flame of intelligence' alive... teacher accomodates differences amongst children... bringing out the unique potential of each ...    "The potential of wholistic education is to develop capacity to reason critically and compassionately, incorporating and transcending dualistic and suppressed forms of consciousness to achieve a more fully developed mode of awareness." (Kathleen Kesson. "Critical Theory and Holistic Education: Carrying on the Conversation" in Miller et al. The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times. 109)

 "Holistic education returns us to the Latin root meaning of the word 'education' - to lead forth what is naturally within the human being." (Miller et al. The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times 11)

Themes of holistic education -connection, relatedness, integration in human experience-the individual person is seen not as an isolated atom but as a nexus of intrinsic connection to social, cultural, biological, and spiritual environments.

 Human existence is woven into the fabric of the natural world. -people create meaning and culture consequently evolves. We interpret our experience through language and metaphor, and although cultures tend to reify these interpretations and render them static, it is posssible to develop a critical consciousness that challenges the hegemony of the dominant culture. This is Purpel's 'prophetic voice'. The major purpose of schooling until now has been to preserve the hegemony of the established culture to induct each new generation into the dominant worldview 'banking' (Freire) education. But we can conceive of education as a genuine community of learning in which new meanings, new metaphors are generated. -sense of reverence toward nature and life - respect for diversity, spontaneity and the inherent wisdom of organic growth - it is essential that we draw on our deepest source of renewal and creativity: the imagination. The holistic critique calls for an integration of rational, empirical, analytical modes of knowing with the imaginative and intuitive modes of knowing(Miller 20-23)

The focus of holistic education is on relationships: between linear thinking and intuition.. between different domains of knowedge... themes of holistic education -connection, relatedness, integration in human experience-the individual person is seen not as an isolated atom but as a nexus of intrinsic connection to social, cultural, biological, and spiritual environments.

"We live in an historical period characterized by the rapid disintegration of accepted value systems and conceptual frameworks. The existential crisis provoked by such dissolution can inspire the 'recycling of medieval ontologies' for modern use - leading us to cling to Absolutist philosophies in a desperate effort to stave off chaos.... The solution from the perspective of a critical theory, is the development of a reason liberated from the shackles of both superstition and instrumentalism, a reason capable of incorporatig the nonrational, suppressed aspects of consciousness without sacrificing its critical capacity. This I believe is also the task of holistic educators." (Kathleen Kesson in Miller Renewal of Meaning in Education 102)

Whole system perspective of the human organism as a social organism The human organism evolved as a social organism... depends for survival on the proper development of a social brain with specialised functions of social awareness and social responsibility... social intelligence... indigenous wisdom required for adaptation to changing social environment. Development of social intelligence is a function of holistic learning which involves the simultaneous development of cognitive faculties and moral consciousness or 'conscience'. Development of conscience depends on education in a social environment which fosters growth through learning. Learning is natural when it is based on the intrinsic human need for intellectual and moral or 'spiritual growth' i.e. mature growth or 'self-actualisation'... a function of the wholistic or 'global' functioning of the brain. The principles of brain functioning are the fundamental principles of wholistic learning.

The wholistic functioning of the brain is the basis for fundamental principles of human development and holistic philosophy of education.

Motivation theory... biological basis of motivation

The growth needs... relationship between needs and motivation for growth through learning. Deprivation of intrinsic values (meta-needs)... more perceptual learning to the increase of insight and understanding, to knowledge of self and to the steady growth of personality, i.e. increased synergy, integration and inner consistency. Change becomes much less an acquisition of habits or associations one by one, and much more a total change of the total person, i.e. a new person rather than the same person with attributes added. Policies and programs which counteract children's motivation for learning: Every living child has the inborn right to the psychological and intellectual personal growth which is needed for a life of health and human dignity.

  Both physical needs and spritual metaneeds have a biological basis...these needs are the innate motives which are biologically built into the constitution of the human species.... instinctive...All the instinctive needs of the human organism -basic physiological needs, basic psychological needs and spiritual

To resolve problem of motivation stress the importance of the respect for human needs for growth and development... lower and higher psychological needs... 'growth needs' ... Wholistic education is based on biological and psychological needs of the human organism.  Problem of motivation in 'educational crisis'.

 Lack of motivation is due to lack of recognition of needs. Key to motivation is recognition of the developmental needs - needs and 'metaneeds' - of the human organism.

Human growth and human needs... importance of cultural environment  

The person's intellectual and spiritual needs,...needs for growth or 'metaneeds'... like the basic needs, have a biological basis. For their actualization, the metaneeds require a growth promoting cultural environment. Metamotivation by the metaneeds can be lost in a culture which does not approve of human nature... cultural environment which denies them acknowledgement as part of human nature. A cultural environment which respects the human organism's basic psychological needs fosters self-actualisation. A cultural environment which respects the human organism's instinctive 'metaneeds' as well as basic psychological needs, fosters the individual's 'metamotivation' towards full human awareness or  'humanness'.

Understanding of the biological nature of the spiritual needs or 'metaneeds' is of paramount importance to the education of the human organism. For growth towards fullest humanness, both deficiency needs and growth needs must be met. Deprivation of the metaneeds during development results in value-starvation and leads to value-hunger and dehumanization. The failure to acknowledge the metaneeds for growth constitutes the external cultural force which deprives the individual of conditions essential to personal growth. Resulting internal forces of repression, denial and reaction responses inhibit metamotivation for growth through learning. 

 Education which is based on respect for human needs including the metaneeds is 'holistic education'.

A wholistic education is possible within the context of the worldview of a wholistic science. It is possible to have a truly meaningful wholistic education if it is based on the wholistic paradigm and the scientific recognition of the human inner life. Scientific recognition of the human inner life validates the necessity of freedom in education.

How improve the quality of education for children so as to insure their complete intellectual and emotional development? Education for complete development means that it must be geared to the child's psychic needs and capacities. Sound psychic development is adversely affected by fear of extensive punishment, external discipline and the overemphasis of enforced learning. Fear creates hostility and hypocrisy. Fear paralyzes endeavor and authenticity of feeling. Fear prevents proper emotional development. Fear of an inhumane environment prevents proper human development. An environment which is supportive of the intrinsic needs of the human organism is a humane environment - one which is conducive to the development of children into mature individuals with self-discipline, self-confidence and self-responsibility.

 Lack of motivation is due to lack of recognition of needs. Key to motivation is recognition of the developmental needs - needs and 'metaneeds' - of the human organism.

The growth needs   Every living child has the inborn right to the psychological and intellectual personal growth which is needed for a life of health and human dignity. Children do not become human beings with the attributes of humanity unless provided with the education which is conducive to their proper psychological development. Political institutions, including schools and universities, which are committed to people's goals for wholeness and self-actualization provide the environmental conditions necessary for fostering personal growth, both emotional and intellecual. A wholistic approach to education emphasizes the importance of a perspective of the whole person and the interconnectedness of body, mind and spirit. The wholistic approach is relevant to educational policy which fosters the growth and integrity of children from birth to adulthood. With the proper consideration for people's needs, many potential social problems are avoided. A wellness lifestyle enriches life, develops the character as well as the body, increases mental alertness, self-awareness, confidence and personal self-esteem. Sound educational policy is based on the need for children to understand their own health needs. Pedagogical methods designed around the 'wellness philosophy' and the 'wellness lifestyle' are efficient for the purpose of organizing a curriculum around the children's own needs. Recognition, acknowledgement and respect for the instinctive metaneeds as well as the basic psychological needs constitute the external cultural forces which foster metamotivation and growth towards self-actualization and full humanness or 'experiential richness'. The capacity for growth through experiential richness is 'teachable'. It is possible to 'teach' for growth to full humanness by the replacement of deficiency with growth motivation or 'metamotivation'. Education based on the human capacity for growth motivation incorporates the instinctive human yearnings for goodness, truth and perfection. It is possible to formulate educational programs on the basis of the instinctive needs of the human organism to function fully within a society. In order to foster the human capacity for metamotivation essential for social intelligence, it is essential that education be designed within the framework of a wholistic description of the human organism as a social organism. The aims of education are connected with developmental needs - spiritual 'metaneeds' as well as physiological and psychological needs...Education for the growth needs of each individual human organism stimulates intrinsic motivation ...fosters growth and results in vision and wisdom...

 Proper psychological growth requires freedom from dogmatic beliefs  Children naturally strive to become adult human beings... achieving adulthood is achieving self-realization or 'self-actualisation'. The striving towards self-realization is biologically based...genetic.  hereditary.

... relationship between needs and motivation for growth through learning. Deprivation of intrinsic values (meta-needs)... increase insight and understanding, knowledge of self and to the steady growth of personality, i.e. increased synergy, integration and inner consistency. Change becomes much less an acquisition of habits or associations one by one, and much more a total change of the total person, i.e. a new person rather than the same person with attributes added. Policies and programs which counteract children's motivation for learning:

Depends on favorable social environment or 'education'  The lack of proper education hinders development towards self-realization. It restricts the individual's achievement of mature adulthood characteristic of the human being and of humanity. Children do not become human beings with the attributes of humanity unless provided with the education which is conducive to their proper psychological development. Political institutions, including schools and universities, which are committed to people's goals for wholeness and self-actualization provide the environmental conditions necessary for fostering personal growth, both emotional and intellecual.

A wholistic approach to education emphasizes the importance of a perspective of the whole person and the interconnectedness of body, mind and spirit. The wholistic approach is relevant to educational policy which fosters the growth and integrity of children from birth to adulthood. Sound educational policy is based on the need for children to understand their own health needs

With the proper consideration for people's needs, many potential social problems are avoided.

A wellness lifestyle enriches life, develops the character as well as the body, increases mental alertness, self-awareness, confidence and personal self-esteem. Pedagogical methods designed around the 'wellness philosophy' and the 'wellness lifestyle' are efficient for the purpose of organizing a curriculum around the children's own needs. Recognition, acknowledgement and respect for the instinctive metaneeds as well as the basic psychological needs constitute the external cultural forces which foster metamotivation and growth towards self-actualization and full humanness or 'experiential richness'.

The capacity for growth through experiential richness is 'teachable'. It is possible to 'teach' for growth to full humanness by the replacement of motivation by ego needs - 'deficiency motivation' - with growth motivation or 'metamotivation'. Education based on metamotivation incorporates the instinctive human yearnings for goodness, truth and perfection. It is possible to formulate educational programs on the basis of the instinctive needs of the human organism to function fully within a society. In order to foster the human capacity for metamotivation essential for social intelligence, it is essential that education be designed within the framework of a of the human organism as a social organism... 'holistic perspective'.

Knowledge through self-knowledge based on need to transcend limitations of self-interest   aims of education are connected with developmental needs - spiritual 'metaneeds' as well as physiological and psychological needs...Education for the growth needs of each individual human organism stimulates intrinsic motivation ...fosters growth and results in vision and wisdom...

 "If man is to have confidence in values, he must know himself and the capacity of his nature for goodness and productiveness... Improved self-knowledge - and clarity of ones values - is coincident with improved knowledge of others and clarity of their values." (Erich Fromm. Man For Himself l77)

"It has frequently been suggested that the pursuit of self-knowledge is inherently a selfish one that detracts from an involvement with, and contribution to, society. However such criticism is not valid inasmuch as the product of this work is necessarily a transcendence of limited self-interest. Concern with the general good of one's fellow beings and a desire for harmony with the broader universe is intrinsic to the work. Eric Schumacher writes: 'It is a grave error to accuse a man who pursues self-knowledge of 'turning his back on society.' The opposite would be more nearly true: that a man who fails to pursue self-knoweldge is and remains a danger to society, for he will tend to misunderstand everything that other people say or do, and remain blissfully unaware of the significance of many of the things he does himself. (See Eric Schumacher A Guide for the Perplexed. New York, Harper and Row, l977) " (Walsh 199)

Connection between growth needs... metaneeds... intrinsic motivation... normalisation... psychological value of work... The biologically based 'metaneeds' come under the rubric of subjective biology ... Consequently the education of the spiritual needs, the 'metaneeds,' can be fostered through the acknowledgement, encouragement and enforcement of the individual's instinctive metaneeds ....yearning for truth, beauty etc. and the individual's capacity for 'metamotivation' ...spiritual life is instinctoid, all the techniques of 'subjective biology' apply to its education... human creativity and productiveness or 'work'.

Holistic education is socially responsible education ...  education for renewal of eroded human values which transcend economics and are necessary for responsible action... education for peace and communion in the world.

Implications for education:

Recognition, acknowledgement and respect for the instinctive metaneeds as well as the basic psychological needs constitute the external cultural forces which foster metamotivation and growth towards self-actualization and full humanness or 'experiential richness'. The capacity for growth through experiential richness is 'teachable'. It is possible to 'teach' for growth to full humanness by the replacement of deficiency with growth motivation or 'metamotivation'. Education based on the human capacity for growth motivation would incorporate the instinctive human yearnings for goodness, truth and perfection. It would be possible to formulate educational programs on the basis of the instinctive needs of the human organism to function fully within a society. In order to foster the human capacity for metamotivation essential for social intelligence, it is essential that education be designed within the framework of a wholistic description of the human organism as a social organism... includes metaneeds Education which includes the metaneeds is 'holistic education'. Aim of holistic education is to foster personal maturity through development of human potential

  Education as the fostering of natural human development... Education is ...should be ...an aid to life. "Not in the service of any political or social creed should the teacher work, but in the service of the complete human being, able to exercise in freedom a self-disciplined will and judgement, unperverted by prejudice and undistorted by fear." Maria Montessori. To Educate the Human Potential. Adyar, Madras, India: Kalakshetra Publications, 1961.3)

 "The discoveries of Rudolf Steiner concerning the interrelationships of body, soul and spirit represent a new educational paradigm which ... can provide a secure theoretical and practical foundation for a holistic education that directs itself to educate the whole person for the whole of life." ("Gerald Karnow "Educating the Whole Person for the Whole of Life" Holistic Education Review, Spring, 1992)  

 'Brain-based wholistic education' implies an eductional practice and pedagogy which is based on natural wholistic learning. Wholistic learning is natural because it is compatible with the natural functioning of the brain. A product of millions of years of evolution, the natural learning function of the brain involves the simultaneous processing of multitudinous stimuli in a complex environment. An individual naturally perceives reality and learns within the context of a given physical, social and cultural environment. The individual's 'individuality' is a natural result of the learning process - the 'education' - which takes place within the context of a cultural environment.

BALANCED PERSONALITY

  "In the real mastery of life, there is no suppression of emotion. There is a direct recognition of the emotional state. This does not mean that emotion must be suppressed. On the contrary, the emotional state must be recognized in order to put it in the right perspective.  A person who is master of his own life is committed to doing always what is important to do, independent of emotional experience. For the development of creative initiative, the senior force is creation. The emotions must remain subordinate to the creative process. Louis Pasteur said that " a man of science may hope for what may be said of him in the future, but he cannot think of the insults -or the compliments or his own day."" It is important to be true to yourself and your purpose in life. What is creative behavior? Ask "what result do I want to create? Focus on the result". Fromm "Man for Himself" page 76

References:

 David Purpel, 1989. The Moral and Spiritual Crisis in Education: A Curriculum for Justice and Compassion in Education. Masschusetts, Bergin and Garvey Publishers, Inc. Walsh Beyond Ego: Transpersdonal Dimensions in Psychology

Connection between growth needs, metaneeds, intrinsic motivationONNECTION BETWEEN GROWTH NEEDS ... METANEEDS ...INTRINSIC MOTIVATION...NORMALIZATION AND WORK (PSYCHOLOGICAL VALUE OF WORK) The biologically based 'metaneeds' come under the rubric of subjective biology ... Consequently the education of the spiritual needs, the 'metaneeds,' can be fostered through the acknowledgement, encouragement and enforcement of the individual's instinctive metaneeds ....yearning for truth, beauty etc. and the individual's capacity for 'metamotivation' ...spiritual life is instinctoid, all the techniques of 'subjective biology' apply to its education.

Holistic education is person-centered education 

CONNECTION BETWEEN HIERARCHY OF NEEDS (SUBJECTIVE BIOLOGY) AND INTRINSIC MOTIVATION (DESIGN OF CURRICULUM) It should be possible to design an educational curriculum around the instinctive needs of 'subjective biology' - the metaneeds as well as the basic physiological and psychological needs. The curriculum would be based on children's instinctive motivation to satisfy the basic needs for self-respect and self-esteem in the process of self-actualization. The curriculum would include opportunities for experiential enrichment through metamotivation to satisfy metaneeds. Children are naturally curious. Children are intrinsically motivated by their curiosity, Curiosity is the source of the motivation which comes from within - 'intrinsic motivation'. Children depend for their continued motivation on adult approval. 'Brain-based wholistic education' implies an eductional practice and pedagogy which is based on natural wholistic learning. Wholistic learning is natural because it is compatible with the natural functioning of the brain. A product of millions of years of evolution, the natural learning function of the brain involves the simultaneous processing of multitudinous stimuli in a complex environment. An individual naturally perceives reality and learns within the context of a given physical, social and cultural environment. The individual's 'individuality' is a natural result of the learning process - the 'education' - which takes place within the context of a cultural enviroment.  

Quotations: 

 "The extreme form of rational ideology is the debasement of nature and the total alienation of man from nature. With Hitler, the rejection of Enlightenment reason - exaltation of nature. "Hitler appealed to the unconscious in his audiences by hinting that he could forge a power in whose name repressed nature would be lifted. In this way, repressed natural drives were harnessed to the needs of Nazi rationalism... To debase thought and exalt nature is a typical fallacy of an era of rationalization. Opposing the Enlightenment by regressing to earlier stages, says Horkheimer( Eclipse of Reason NY: Oxford University Press) will not alleviate the permament crises we have created, but can lead to ever more barbaric forms of social domination. Likewise we are cautioned, against the revival of past theories of objective reason. We live in an historical period characterized by the rapid disintegration of accepted value systems and conceptual frameworks. The existential crisis provoked by such dissolution can inspire the "recycling of medieval ontologies" for modern use - leading us to cling to Absolutist philosophies in a desperate effort to stave off chaos. ...The solution from the perspective of a critical theory, is the development of a reason liberated from the shackles of both superstition and instrumentalism, a reason capable of incorporatig the nonrational, suppressed aspects of consciousness without sacrificing its critical capacity. This I believe is also the task of holistic educators." (Kathleen Kesson. "Critical Theory and Holistic Education: Carrying on the Conversation" in Miller et al. The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times. p.102)

references:

Ron Miller Ph.D. Editor Holistic Education Review What are Schools For? Holistic Education in American Culture "...a powerfuol exposition and critique of the historical context and cultural/philosophical foundations of contemporary mainstream American education. It focuses on the diverse group of personcentered educators of the past two centuries and explores their current relevance to the new challenges facing education in the post-industrial age."

Guide to Resources in Holistic Education "...a comprehensive annotated list of organizations, publications, training programs, and other resources ibn holistic/person-centered education. Includes Montessori and Waldorf resources, Whole Language materials, peace and global  education, environmental education, home schooling, children's rights and welfare, and more.

 New Directions in Education: Selections from Holistic Education Review "A finely tuned selection of over thirty articles from the first ten issues of Holistic Education Review, most of which are no longer in print. They are listed under five major themes: philosophical foundations, a global perspective, rethinking some old problems, new goals for education, holistic education in practice. It also includes original introductory essays by editor Ron Miller, as well as a holistic education glossary and reading list."

Enhanced learning depends on teaching based on knowledge of brain functioning.
 

           TEACHING FOR MAP LEARNING OR 'THEMATIC TEACHING'

 Thematic teaching is powerful and effective because it integrates learning with life.   

"Thematic teaching involves the perception and creation of 'thematic maps' which are themes in 'mental space,' mental representations of interactive relationships. An effective teacher elicits the learner's intrinsic motivation. Locale learning, or map learning, is a brain-based learning process of the brain's spatial memory system. Motivated by the innate need to make sense of experience the brain is activated globally. The senses and emotions are stimulated as well as the intellect. Learning activities engage a wide range of neurons in different areas of the brain and there is little stress on specific groups of neurons. Teaching 'to the brain' or 'thematic' teaching is based on the recognition and understanding of brain-based learning. Unifying themes are used to understand the relationships between subjects. Boundaries between subjects are crossed. Specific items, events, concepts or issues are studied within the context of the different subject areas. Understanding of the subject areas is facilitated. Teachers' lesson plans are designed to motivate the learners. Evaluation is complex and integrated with the learning process. Engaging their natural brain-based curiosity, learners become intrinsically motivated and deeply involved. Learning becomes a creative process, and a source of joy and excitement. With an increased understanding of issues in different contexts learners will remember the learned information for a long time and be able to apply it to new learning situations. Teaching methodologies for brain-based learning recognize the emotional and instinctive needs which are associated with intellectual concepts. They spell out the need to acknowledge information on brain functioning in designing the curriculum encourage holistic brain-based approaches because they acknowledge the brain's ability to relate vast amounts of information to what is already 'in' the learner through the identification of patterns and relationships among the sciences, humanities and the arts. With a shift in paradigm to a systems approach, it becomes possible to view the learning process in all its complexity. Improvements in educational theory result in effective methodologies such as thematic teaching, whole-language approaches to literacy, and the integration of the curriculum. Research in the neurosciences challenges some strongly held beliefs: "The brain does not separate emotions from cognition, either anatomically or perceptually.""the belief that teaching can be separated into the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains." "the notion that learning must take place through rote memorization," the idea of "teaching to behavioural objectives (as it) ignores other functions of the brain and other aspects of memory and learning." The emphasis on facts and outcomes may prevent real understanding and the transfer of learning. (vii) (Geoffrey Caine and Renate Numella Caine Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain.Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1991.)

What is learning? The learning process is a natural function of the brain. The brain's function is to search for meaning in experience and to 'make sense' of unfamiliar stimuli or 'learn'. Human learning is an instinctive survival oriented capacity which evolved as a vehicle for behavioural adaptation to the changes of social environments. Social adaptation depends on a process of growth through creative learning which involves the emotions as well as the intellect. The need to make sense of experience stimulates the desire to know or 'curiosity'. Curiosity is naturally stimulated by challenge and complexity and elicits motivation which is intrinsic to the organism i.e. 'intrinsic motivation'. Intrinsic motivation or 'self-motivation' is the basis for the deep involvement which is characteristic of the creative process. Learning experiences which engage the brain's natural potential for creativity are a source of excitement and joy.
 

The new cognitive paradigm: cognition is a function of physiological processes The attention of educators is being drawn away from the traditional paradigm of the behavioural sciences and towards the findings of brain research or 'neuroscience'. Over the past several decades the science of the brain or 'neurobiology' has merged with the science of the mind or 'psychology' to produce the new science of 'psychobiology'. Psychobiology is concerned with the biological basis of the mental functions of learning or 'cognition'. The process of cognition is a natural function of the brain involving the continuity of information from one part of the brain to another i.e. 'information flow'. Information flow involves physiological functions such as the propagation of electrochemical signals or 'nerve impulses' along nerve cells or 'neurons' and their transmission across the interconnections between them, the 'synapses'. Modification of synaptic connections - 'synapse modification' - results in changes in existing neural networks and the creation of new ones. This accounts for the brain's potential for change or 'neuroplasticity'. The physiological functions of learning constitute the basis of mental functioning or 'mind': interrelated processes of remembering, separating, organizing, comparing, integrating and evaluating mental data i.e. 'analysis'; detecting relationships and making connections i.e. 'synthesis'. Analysis and synthesis occur simultaneously in a natural mental process of 'immersion' in which new learning experiences are embedded in the totality of previous experience and connnections are made between new information and information which has already been processed. Application of principles of brain functioning to learning theory results in the creation of new concepts for the so-called 'cognitive paradigm' of teaching. Teaching involves the orchestrated integration of different learning experiences.

'Natural learning' or 'experiential learning' is brain-based learning' Teaching methods of the cognitive paradigm are confluent with the brain's rules for learning i.e. 'brain-based learning'. Brain-based learning is defined in terms of the natural function of the brain: to 'make sense' of unfamiliar stimuli... to 'search for meaning' in experience i.e. natural learning' or 'experiential learning'. The brain is a natural 'meaning maker' with an instinctive urge to make sense of experience or 'understand' i.e. 'curiosity'. Curiosity is a survival oriented capacity which is naturally stimulated by challenge and complexity and elicits motivation which is intrinsic to the organism i.e. 'intrinsic motivation'. Intrinsic motivation or 'self-motivation' activates optimal functioning of the brain i.e. 'optimal learning' or 'optimalearning'. Optimal learning accounts for the deep involvement which characterises the creative process.

Global functioning of the brain... natural capacity for 'holistic perception' The brain's function as meaning maker is a natural physiological process of information processing which involves the interdependent activity... the interactivity... of the left and right cerebral hemispheres. The cerebral hemispheres interact via the 'corpus collosum'. It is the interaction... the interconnectedness of the specialized hemispheres which allows for the integral functioning of the brain. The integrated functioning of the cerebral hemispheres is the basis for the global or 'holistic' functioning of the brain. The brain is activated as a whole. In its attempt to make meaning of the environment, the brain responds 'holistically' to environmental stimuli, perceiving and creating connections between parts and the whole. Its natural capacity to make connections... to perceive and process parts and wholes simultaneously i.e 'holistic perception'. Holistic perception results in the interaction of parts and wholes - the parts containing the whole and the whole containing the parts. As a result of the brain's natural capacity for holistic perception, its activity as a whole adds up to more than the sum of its parts in the form of characteristic 'emergent properties' such as 'moral consciousness' or 'conscience'  - the human 'soul'. The human conscience evolved as a vehicle for behavioural adaptation of the human organism as a social organism i.e. 'adaptability'.

The understanding of 'emergent properties' of the brain is of significance to holistic brain-based learning theory.  

Human adaptability as social adaptability depends on moral consciousness or 'conscience'. The human organism is a social organism and human adaptability is social adaptability which depends on cultivation of the capacity for accurate evaluation of the social environment  leading to effective decision-making and successful adaptation i.e. 'social intelligence. Social intelligence is a function of 'mature growth' or 'self-actualisation'. Self-actualisation is a function of the unfolding of human 'values for living' - the 'social values' or 'morals' i.e. 'moral intelligence' or 'morality'. Morality is the human moral faculty which depends on motivation by the 'metaneeds' i.e. 'metamotivation'. Metamotivation engages development of 'conscience' which depends on creativity and productivity or 'work'. Meaningful work is the vehicle for growth motivation or 'self-actualisation' which involves the harmonisation of psychic forces - emotions and intellect - and frees the individual from the limitations of the 'ego-life' allowing them to live in the spiritual realm of human existence i.e. 'ego-transcendance'. Ego-transcendance is prerequisite to effective socialisation.

Thematic teaching is based on the recognition and understanding of the global functioning of the brain. The use of global themes as organizers of meaning stimulates the brain to make connections. The brain is activated 'globally'. The physiological basis for global activation is the interactivity of the two cerebral hemispheres. The activation of the brain's natural function of global learning is the basis for brain-based learning or 'optimal learning'. Optimal learning the learner is stimulated to make optimal use of the brain's natural ... capacity to make connections... use to full advantage the natural function of the brain as meaning maker.. In order to maximize optimal learning, the teacher functions in the integration or 'orchestration' of all learning experiences. New learning experiences are embedded in the totality of previous experience in the natural mental process of 'immersion'. The immersion process involves formation of associations between each new piece of information processed by the brain with the rest of the learner's current and past learning experiences. To ignore the brain's global functioning is to reduce its capacity to make connections and understand relationships.
Thematic teaching methods teach to the brain's natural potential to thrive on complexity. They teach to the natural function of the brain as a pattern detector which perceives parts and wholes simultaneously. A complex and rigorous content becomes intellectually challenging if it is presented in a meaningful context. The learner is stimulated to make optimal use of the brain's natural capacity to make connections.. .to integrate new experience with learned experience... to see global relationships, to extract meaningful patterns... interrelationships ... to perceive the 'patterns which connect'. Learning is focused on the brain's natural capacities of comparing, patterning and categorizing which stimulate its capacity for making connections. The learner analyses a contextual reality and recognizes connections between the various components so that they can be perceived as different dimensions of a total reality. This learning methodology is confluent with the brain's natural capacity for the simultaneous perception of parts and wholes or 'holistic perception'.
The brain's capacity for holistic perception can be represented in terms of themes in mental space or 'thematic maps'. Thematic maps can be used to integrate the various experiences in different learning contexts such as the classroom, the school, the local community, the national community and the global community. With understanding of issues in meaningful contexts - for example, historical and political themes in the context of current events - the learner is able to apply what they learn to new learning situations. The emphasis on understanding themes in real life contexts makes the subject matter meaningful and creates new depth. Opposites and dualisms can be made to disappear and illogical paradoxes and dichotomies can be resolved. In this way problematic situations can be made challenging and motivation for learning can be enhanced

Pedagogies based on the stimulation of intrinsic motivation are compatible with the natural functioning of the brain or 'brain-compatible'. Brain compatible pedagogies are based on the recognition and encouragement of the brain's natural potential for complex learning. They recognize the emotional dimensions of learning and teach for knowledge that makes sense to the learner i.e. meaningful knowledge or 'natural knowledge'. Natural knowledge results from the brain's capacity to organize information on the basis of its recognition of patterns. The brain is a pattern detector which can perceive interactive relationships or 'themes'. Teaching which focuses on themes
as organizers is 'thematic teaching'. Thematic teaching involves the organization of subject matter around central unifying themes or 'global themes'. Global themes are based on essential concepts that have universal application and used as organizers of meaning for understanding content. The scope of a theme is larger than the scope of a subject. Use of themes makes it possible to introduce material from other subject area and from real life experience. In this way the different subject areas can be related to each other and learning be made meaningful in a real life context. The integration of learning with life is the basis for the power and effectiveness of thematic teaching. Learning which focuses themes capitalizes on the brain's instinctive drive to make sense of unfamiliar stimuli and thus derive meaning from experience.
 

Teaching to the brain: curriculum design  The brain's capacity for holistic perception can be represented in terms of themes in mental space or 'thematic maps'. Thematic maps integrate the various experiences in different learning contexts... family, school, local community, national community, global community. The understanding of issues in meaningful contexts - such as political history in the context of current events - makes it possible to apply what is learned to new learning situations. Emphasis on understanding of themes in real life contexts creates new depth and makes for meaningful subject matter. When presented in a meaningful context, complex and rigorous content becomes intellectually challenging. Motivation for learning is enhanced. Learning is focused on the brain's natural capacities for comparing, patterning and categorizing which stimulate its capacity to make  connections, to integrate new experience with learned experience, to see global relationships, to extract meaningful patterns, to perceive interrelationships as the 'patterns which connect'. The learner analyses a contextual reality and recognizes connections between the various components so that they can be perceived as different dimensions of a total reality. This learning methodology is confluent with the brain's natural capacity for the simultaneous perception of parts and wholes. With 'holistic perception' opposites and dualisms disappear so that illogical paradoxes and dichotomies can be resolved and problematic situations become creative opportunities. To ignore the brain's global functioning is to reduce its capacity to make connections and understand relationships.

Thematic teaching: learning is made meaningful in real life contexts based on the stimulation of 'intrinsic motivation' are compatible with the natural functioning of the brain. They are 'brain-compatible'. Brain compatible pedagogies are based on the recognition and encouragement of the brain's natural potential for complex learning. They recognize the emotional dimensions of learning and teach for knowledge that makes sense to the learner i.e. 'meaningful knowledge' or 'natural knowledge'. Natural knowledge results from the brain's capacity to organize information on the basis of its recognition of patterns. The brain is a pattern detector which simultaneouslyperceives 'parts and wholes... 'interactive relationships'  or central unifying 'themes'. Teaching which focuses on themes is 'thematic teaching'. Thematic teaching is based on the understanding of the global functioning of the brain. They teach to the natural function of the brain as a pattern detector. They teach to the brain's natural potential to thrive on complexity. They capitalize on the brain's instinctive drive to make sense of unfamiliar stimuli and thus derive meaning from experience. Thematic teaching involves the organization of subject matter around 'global themes' based on essential concepts that have universal application and used as 'organizers of meaning' for understanding content. The scope of the theme is always larger than the scope of the subject making it possible to connect with content other subject areas. In this way the different subject areas can be related to each other and learning be made meaningful in the  context of real life experience. The integration of learning with life through the use of 'global themes' stimulates the brain to make connections or 'create'.  Learning experiences which engage the brain's natural potential for creativity are a source of excitement and joy. Therein lies the power and effectiveness of thematic teaching.
         

"Dee Dickinson, "Successful Learning for the 21st century" from On the Beam, Winter l990, New Horizons for Learning )(a non-profit international human resources network organized in l980 as a clearinghouse for sucessful innovations in teching and learning.)

see classic writings by montessori, steiner, krishnamurti and general holistic literature... theodore roszak, fritjof capra, charlene spretnak, ken wilber

journal on holistic education: encounter: education for meaning and social justice holistic education press, brandon vermont

      holistic education as education for normal growth THE PROCESS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH WORK: NORMAL GROWTH or  'NORMALISATION'

".... man by his very nature and of his own accord strives toward self-realization, and his set of values derives from such striving." Growth is only possible with the assuming of self-responsibility. The criteria for morality depend on the needs for individual growth. Attitudes which are conducive to a person's growth are 'moral' and those which are obstructice to a persons growth are 'immoral.' Growth and self-realization are not possible without truthfulness to oneself. (Shakespeare Be true to thyself and thou will not be false to any man Hamlet) This is the 'morality of evolution'.

Disciplinary measures are injurious to growth. Through growth, one outgrows undesirables attitudes. Growth is a function of increased understanding of one's human nature. Self-knowledge is the means of setting free those forces which are responsible for growth. Self-realization is the natural product of growth through freedom to learn. Working for one's personal growth is a law of nature. REAL SELF "that central inner force, common to all human beings and yet unique to each, which is the deep source of growth."

 Normalization is the result of unhampered psychic human growth.

 "Children who have been prevented from developing fully often show character traits that disappear when they become normalized through work. A common one is possessiveness. In the normalized child, his freedom to take an interest in all kinds of things leads to his focusing his attention not on the things themselves, but on the knowledge he derives from them."(Montessori The Absorbent Mind 219) In the unnormalized individual the desire to possess is accompanied by a desire to destroy. With normalization, desire to possess becomes transformed into desire for knowledge.

 Maria Montessori's scientific studies of young children confirmed that character building is the child's own achievement. ...character building is the child's own achievement. Children construct their own characters...(which)...result from a long and slow sequence of activities carried out by the child himself...No one can 'teach' the qualities of character... put education on a scientific footing so that children can work effectively without being disturbed or impeded... Good character is necessary for effective learning. Without character there is no 'drive' or concentration. With concentration, the child interacts with his environment. Without the power of concentration, the individual becomes enslaved by the environment. With concentration comes perseverence. The unfolding of character is entirely natural - with critical periods like the period of cocoon construction in the caterpillar. The critical period for character formation is between ages three and six - called the 'constructive' period. "The child's own strongest instinct is to free himself from adult control. It is not a matter of 'will' but a natural 'law'. The natural laws of growth and formation are to be respected for children to build character, the inner self. Montessori showed

Character building is a matter of natural creation... education is an aid...characteristics related to the value system are developed through spontaneous activity in a prepared environment. Adults must help the child to function freely in this environment. This help corresponds to the intrinsic needs inherent in the pattern of development, and follows his own tempo. under these conditions the child is urged from within towards certain specific activities which he performs with great concentration and joy. These activities are linked to the inner formation of functions that only later are integrated and appear as manifest characteristics. ...scientific observations of children at work indicated that the 'normal' being of the child is expressed through activity..."children have a capacity for free development when mental oppression is removed and the spirit is allowed to grow. " normalization ... development was shown to derive from natural 'laws' of development...'normalized' behavior because it is normal when a child is allowed naturally to expand their consciousness of the three principles - observation, individual liberty and preparation of the environment. A profound inner preparation takes place in the child as he grows. Because the emergence of the 'normalized' child is natural and universal... the 'normalization' of the child as a great hope for a fundamental change in society and for the future of humanity. Normalization comes through concentration on a piece of work. For this we must provide 'motives for activity' so well adapted to the child's interests that they provoke his deep attention. ...The essential thing is for the task to arouse such an interest that it engages his whole personality.... Only 'normalized' children aided by their environment, show in their subsequent development those wonderful powers ofspontaneous discipline, continuous and happy work, social sentiments of help and sympathy for others.. Activity freely chosen becomes their regular way of living....An interesting piece of work, freely chosen, which has the virtue of inducing concentration rather than fatigue, adds to the chid's energies and mental capacities and leads to self-mastery. ...the first essential for the child's development is concentration. It lays the whole basis for his character and social behavior. He must find out how to concentrate, and for this he needs things to concentrate upon. This shows the importance of his surroundings, for no acting on the child from outside can cause him to concentrate. Only the child can organize his own psychic life. None of us can do it for him. It is is here that the importance of our schools lies. They are places in which the child can find the kind of work that permits him to do this... concentration and work for character development...character building is the child's own achievement..."Children construct their own characters...they result from a long and slow sequence of activities carried out by the child himself between the ages of three and six.....no one can 'teach' the qualities of character...The only thing we can do is to put education on a scientific footing so that children can work effectively without being disturbed or impeded." Good character is necessary for effective learning. Without character there is no 'drive' or concentration. With concentration, the