Development of students by the teachers through holistic education

Holistic education does not exist in a single, consistent form. It emphasizes the education of the student beyond the confines of the classroom and moves the concept of a child-centred educational approach to a much more radical programme of education. It is best described as a group of beliefs, feelings, principles and general ideas that share a family resemblance. It is more than the education of the whole student and addresses the very broadest development of the whole person at the cognitive and affective levels. Holistic education focuses on the fullest possible development of the person, encouraging individuals to become the very best or finest that they can be and enabling them to experience all they can from life and reach their goals. These experiences or achievements can be rare, special and deeply meaningful experiences for the individual or could represent a position, role or vocation that they perceive as unique or special and is an important goal in their life. This could be described as the vision of holistic education. The aim of holistic education must be to prepare students for a fulfilling and productive life in which their skills and attributes are constantly challenged, developed and applied as part of their lifelong learning. It is an educational journey of personal discovery starting within formal education and then continuing throughout life. The learning and life experiences are continuous with individuals gaining in different ways from the various situations and demands that they are presented with. It could be argued that this is the aim of any good educational system. This is not disputed but while there remains a predominant focus on the value of a knowledge-based educational system the advantages of holistic education will not be realized.