This sort of holistic nonsense has been around for decades. It's based on an ideology that has no relationship to the modern world or to the human condition. One can only hope no-one in an Education Department is reading this article, otherwise teachers will be burdened with yet another silly fad.

I hope other comments will be more considered than those highly biased and superficial ones from 'Senior Victorian', who clearly is uncomfortable with 'holistic' thinking and action - the ideas presented certainly ring true for me - as a Professor of Education with 40+ years of teaching and research experience - I suggest 'Senior Victorian' and any other doubters actually visit a 'democratic school' and witness the difference

Senior Victorian,

This sort of "holistic nonsense", as you call it, has been around for millenia - it's the way that humans evolved and developed their potential.

You're right, however, that it hasn't any relationship with the compartmentalised modern West. Modern education systems feed the status quo, offering up processed fodder to the machine.

Have no fear that anyone in education will take any notice. "Education" is the primary furnace that fuels an unsustainable system - one that encourages gross excess in life....which apparently is all that really matters to us.

Let them count tanks or flowers, as long as they learn to count I suppose.

''what in the current educational system is enabling any of this to happen?'

That's the crux of the problem. It's a system. Systems don't fit well with independence. It will always be the case.

I suppose we could play pretend and just rename teachers to educational facilitators and enablers. That should do the trick.

Poirot has the right idea with the home schooling but not everyone has the opportunity or aptitude. Best in that case to make more conforming consumers to keep the engine running. Actually the system of conforming consumers keeps you able to make your choices Poirot. If everyone did it and the system broke down it might not be as easy for you. Just saying;-)

In the end though I reckon given your attitude and your kids intelligence, even if they were thrown to the system they would end up free spirited enough to be individuals.

Oranges and Lemons from the bells of... Where DID I learn that and where did it come from...

Why am I not surprised you're a Professor of Education, micradania? I too have 40+ years experience in school education. I've worked in, consulted to and visited schools of all types, including so-called 'democratic' schools. I've worked in an education faculty at a university and been responsible for supervising the school practice of student teachers. I've seen the damage done to teachers and students by this sort of theorising and by the failure of teacher training institutions to teach the basics of teaching and classroom management.

Houellie,

You're a good example of an above average intelligence. Your particular way of looking at the world sets you apart. You come across as uncommonly wise, as if you see things that pass the rest of us by. I know you honed your craft in school - not by conforming - but by looking at everything through the distilling prism of cynicism.

I was a good student. I learned all the basic disciplines and considered myself fairly intelligent. And yet, when I look back at my seventeen year-old self I see someone who was only ever primed for popular culture. It wasn't until I went looking for my own knowledge that I ever imagined all the stuff I had been missing....you know what I mean.