The hole in holism : a critical appraisal of the "holistic development of learners" with specific reference to the emotions
Date
2008-06-23T09:20:51Z
Authors
Dix-Peek, Dominique
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Abstract
The National Curriculum Statement argues that it takes all of the different components of
the individual into account when attempting to educate each learner. It states that one of
the goals of the National Curriculum Statement is to promote the “holistic development
of learners”, and within this area to take each learner’s emotions into account. This is a
bold statement that has many practical implications for the learner, the educator, and the
lecturers in teacher training programmes.
There appears to be very little guidance provided in the National Curriculum Statement
or teacher training programmes with regards to how one should take the “holistic
development of learners”, and specifically the emotions into account. For this reason,
this research focuses on whether it is possible to prepare teachers to take the “whole
child” into account, with particular reference to the emotional dimension of the learner.
The research also focuses on whether educators in schools feel adequately prepared to
look at the emotions, and what different factors come into play when attempting to look
at the both the emotions and the “holistic development of learners”. In order to do this,
the current research focuses on Life Orientation, since it appears to be the subject that is
most able to deal with the cognitive, spiritual, physical social and emotional needs of the
learners. With the purpose of achieving the abovementioned objectives, the researcher
conducted a qualitative research study which involved the interviews of six Life
Orientation Educators from six different public schools in the Northern Suburbs of
Johannesburg; as well as three lecturers who lecture Life Orientation at the University of
the Witwatersrand.
The findings of this research report indicate that most of the educators and lecturers who
participated in the research feel inadequately prepared to take the emotions, and the
holistic development of learners, into account in the teaching /learning process. There
are a number of reasons for this. First, many participants felt that both the emotions and
holism are implied within the curriculum. However, the participants felt that there is not
an explicit explanation for what these elements of the individual are. As a result of the
lack of a coherent explanation of the different elements of the individual, the participants
felt that it is difficult to teach the non-cognitive aspects of the individual. Second,
because the emotions and holism are implicit rather than explicit, it was felt that there are
no clear indications provided by the National Curriculum Statement, or in the Life
Orientation courses or workshops on how it is possible to teach or assess the whole child,
and the emotions specifically.
Description
Keywords
Emotions, Holism, Holistic development, Life orientation, National Curriculum Statement, Affect, Feelings