Holistic Education

It could be seen in many countries that the role of education is missing and different stakeholders in education favors on exam-oriented teaching and learning process. Therefore, most of the students spend most of their time on study and it becomes merely subject-based learning and the development of human’s mind and the acquisition of knowledge are neglected somehow. In order to deal with that issue, holistic learning is introduced by westerns scholars in the 1970 which lead to the all around development of an individual and achieve three domains in learning: cognitive domain, affective domain and psychomotor domain. 

I have a chance to learn more about holistic education in one of the alternative school called Roong Aroon School. Roong Aroon School which is one of the successful alternative schools using the Holistic education approach in Thailand. Roong Aroon school is initiated by the lead of Associate Professor Prapapat Niyom, with the purpose of improving the quality of the learners.

Roong Aroon school offers a holistic learning process,the Buddha, Dharma Approach,which links factual knowledge to the learners’ life. Learning by doing, integrative learning contexts will nurture the insight learning awareness and cultivate the sustainable relationship to others It is also emphasized on Thailand tradition culture education, meanwhile improve the students’ foreign language skills. There are some important innovative teaching and learning processes applying in Roong Aroon school in order to reach the holistic learning practices: 

(1)Deeper learning which aim to nurture one’s inner learning capacity in order to promote wisdom-based learners by practicing mindfulness cultivation, self reflection, mediation, spiritual arts, public volunteer services, etc. 

(2)Learning by Doing aims to practice with hands-on activities in the real situation, through activity-based, problem-based, project-based, and research-based though learning unit integrated with real life experiences, to promote the self-directed and self-reliance learner.

(3)Communicative learning aims to the sharing of knowledge and understanding in building up learning organization or community of practices, through group learning, discussion, dialogue, knowledge-management, community sharing, group meeting, people mapping, ICT presentation, to promote the social engagement and learning partners with sustainability.

In my opinion, that kind of school is really out of the box and alleviate the suffocation of current classroom, examinations, grades and scores and prepare to meet the upcoming challenges of the 21st century education. However, there is still a long road to go in order to adapt holistic education in every schools ! 

Culture of John Kotter's Penguins

I read a book called Our Iceberg is Melting by John Kotter which it is a fable featuring with penguins. In particular, those penguins are living on an iceberg with a strong belief that “Our Iceberg will never melt” and there is a possible threat to those penguins observed by a common penguin called Fred. The whole fable is about how they went through to change that threat by applying eight step process of successful change:

Create a sense of urgency: In order to deal with stone-headed and conservative penguins to see what has happened on the ice berg and how urgent it was, Fred came up with the idea of using a model and presented to others with the help of Alice who firstly believed what Fred observed.

Pull together the guiding team: A team of five members was formed up by Louis, Head Penguin, in order to emphasize on urgency and find out solutions.

Develop the change vision and strategy: The team met with a seagull and thought of the alternative solution for the colony, however, it was totally a different life styles of penguins to become nomad colony as they did not used to so that it would be a big change for them.

Communicate for understanding and buy-In: Since the team had made up their minds for nomad colony solutions, it became a big step for them to make the colony realize as there were many penguins who still did not believe them. The team used creative ways  such as posters to communicate with those penguins.

Empower others to act: After communicating, they attempted to encourage others to be part of them and participate in reaching to the solution.

Produce Short-Term Wins: Then, they accomplished their short-term goal by getting participation from some penguins and it would lead to other left penguins to join with them.

Don't let up: When the colony had moved to other ice berg, they become not like they used to be living in one place for a long time as they would be always looking for better places for the colony.

Create a new culture: It became their new culture moving for better living conditions and they would like to keep doing so in future as well.

I feel like it is really a great exemplary to see through what an organization like and how to move to change an organization. It could be said that there is no main character in that fable, all the five members in the team are characters and they possess different potential and skills to lead to a change. It is also highlighted the possible supportive and opposing character which would both delay and push to a change. Anyway, the team does change the culture of the colony.

Could we assume that it is Culture Revolution? Culture Evolution? And what culture do the team change would it be Dominant culture? Or Subculture?