Designing and Building a Holistic Environment for Learning

Crucial to the Holistic model of learning is the design and building of a healthy environment for learning to take place. Way too often in traditional education, this is deemed a vagary or capriccio. In our one-lane-fast-track-get-the-most-for-your-penny ways there is no time for the preparation of the holy grounds on which learning will take place, let alone for the ritual and ceremony that must open the channels for the divine to speak down and into us and henceforth us in return. We live in times of "I have paid my monies. I have opened my mouth. Now feed me". It should be no surprise that the results are so short-rooted.

But what is meant by "Designing and Building a Holistic Environment for Learning."

Consider how much of the routines of modern life contain substantial meaning. How often are our actions something worth composing a story designed to preserve a path for our children and grandchildren to use as an example of sustainable culture? Professional instructors know well this death as articulated in the cries of boredom. Why are some learners plagued by boredom? What constitutes an exciting learning environment? How much does such entertainment cost? What are the correlations affecting motivation?

Motivation has long since been attributed to the ability to see or find relevance. If students are provided an environment that stimulates relevance and meaning, self discovery and curiosity become the fuel for study. However, many modern and wealthy educational models have short-cut the development of relevance with attractive gimmicks in the same way that advertisements may lure consumers to purchase. The environment and delivery of content has become increasingly technological, bright, fast, and selfish, providing instantaneous gratification like candy - a quick boost void of lasting nutrition.

Spotlight Plus is the second program opened in Jinan, China. It seeks to foster a vibrant learning environment. Non-surprisingly it is beginning to attract others to its' bustling hive. For the past 2 weeks, Summer Dong, 26, soon-to-be intern of the Originateve Internship for Mentors in Holistic Education, has opted to wake up early on her day off and join our class to co-exist in the learning/teaching environment that we, a group of 10 vibrant children of ages 5-8, one of 19, one of 27 and one of 33 (me:)), have been designing and building together. Here are some of her words on yesterday's stocking sewing class:

"Today I joined the PLUS class again. Henry moved me a lot when we quilting the Christmas stockings. The first time around, he spent one minute trying to pass the thread through the needle. Then he spent at least three minutes trying to make a knot. He tried many times but never gave up. I even can not believe that this six years old boy has so much patience and focus. When he sewed he followed the Christmas song and swinged his head. He seems to relish it. He used three threads to sew his stockings. The last time, he found the way to knot quickly. When he finished he watch his stockings very carefully. Obviously, he was very pride. He had a very meaningful class."

As a kindergarten teacher from China, Summer is writing in her second language. It should go without saying that the vocabulary she used to write this reflection on yesterday was full of rich and brave novelty (stocking, swing, needle, thread, quilt, knot, sew etc...) Once done this blog entry I will work on editing and correcting a few things about her use of English. Alas!! Learning and growth do not end in a cyclical Holistic Environment that seeks to seize every moment as a chance to learn by stimulating "relevance and meaning, self discovery and curiosity".