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"The price of freedom is to be true to yourself"

Recognize that how we think is so much more important than what we think.

Holistic Learning

Holistic Learning is based on the principle of interconnectedness and wholeness. Thus the learner/student is seen as a whole person with body, mind, emotions and spirit. Holistic Learning seeks to develop approaches to teaching and learning that foster connections between subjects, between learners through various forms of community.

Holistic Learning also seeks a dynamic balance in the learning situation between such elements as content and process, learning and assessment, and analytic and creative thinking. Finally, Holistic Learning is inclusive in terms of including a broad range of students and a variety of learning approaches to meet their diverse learning needs.

Fundamental Principles and Key Concepts

Connectedness

The concept of an interconnected reality which originated in the philosophy of holism and was further developed through ecology, quantum physics and systems theory.

  		• Interdependence - The function of each part of a system is mutually dependent on the functioning of other parts and the system as a whole.

  		•  Interrelationship - A complex network of relationships exists among the parts of a system and with other systems.

  		•  Participatory - The observer is always intimately connected to their environment, creating the reality they "observe".

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    Non-linearity - Complex patterns of interaction, described through feedback loops, self-organising systems or chaos theory, are more common than simple linear cause-and-effect interactions.

     

    Wholeness

    The concept that "the whole is more than the sum of its parts". Whole systems have emergent properties that can't be deduced by studying their components.

    		• Whole systems - Thinking about whole systems involves shifting our attention from the parts to the whole, from objects to relationships, from structures to processes, from hierarchies to networks. It also includes shifts of emphasis from the rational to the intuitive, from analysis to synthesis, from linear to non-linear thinking.

  		•  Multiple perspectives - Complex systems interact in complex ways and can be seen from many different points of view. There is no "one answer".

  		•  Independence - Systems can operate as largely independent autonomous wholes - that can be far from equilibrium with their environment.

  		•  Multiple levels - Systems often include a network or holarchy of sub-systems that interact in complex ways.


    Being

    Being is about fully experiencing the present moment; it is about inner peace, wisdom and insight; it is about being honest and authentic.

    		• Fully human - A recognition of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions of being human.

  		•  Creative expression - A recognition of the importance of opportunities for creative expression of individuals and communities.

  		•  Growth - Transformation and growth allow each person to reach for the highest aspirations of the human spirit.

  		•  Responsibility - Personal and collective discernment and responsibility for choices and actions at local, global and cosmic levels.