The Principle Of Holistic Development

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

The four principles enable teachers to develop learners with high order thinking capacity which can encourage learners to think deeply and critically. Higher-order thinking by students involves the transformation of information and ideas. This transformation occurs when students combine facts and ideas and synthesise, generalise, explain, hypothesise or arrive at some conclusion or interpretation (Department of Education, Queensland, 2002, p. 1). According to Oxford Dictionary (2012), learners mean someone who is still learning to learn something. Learners are self-directed and responsible for their own learning (Elias & Merriam, 1984).The one thing we know about learners is that they are all have different styles of learning. Styles of learning of the learners can be categorized into 3 styles of learning which are visual, auditory and kinesthetic. The ways teachers teach the students with different learning styles enable the students as learners to reach their potentials and ability. For visual learners, they but the ways teachers initiates them to learn are very important as learners in this 21st century are expected to have characters such as learners centered, media-driven, adaptable, data rich and flexible.

The first principles in KBSR curriculum is integrated approach. It is an approach where knowledge, skills and values are combined to integrate the physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual aspects. How this principle can affect learners’ development in schools? There are 4 ways which teachers can apply in the classroom. The first one is skills cohesion. In skills cohesion, it is divided into two parts; in one subject and between subjects. In KBSR curriculum, there are 4 mains basic skills which are stressed by the teachers. Firstly, in one subject skills cohesion, it is means where from the 4 basic skills; there will two combinations of skills in that one subject. For example, in English subject, teachers assign a task which made students involved in speaking and writing. Teachers ask students to write short story about any topic and then the students present the story in front of the class. Furthermore, skills cohesion between the subjects is when there is an integration of skills such as drawing in Arts subject and Historical subject. Then, the second one is infusion which is integration of various knowledge areas and across subjects and also infusion of moral values. For example, in Science subject, calculation of mathematics is also taken place as doing experiments or projects which may use arithmetic skill. Moral values can be infused by the teachers as they highlighted the importance of values such as respect, care, togetherness and others. Next is integration of two elements. There are three aspects which included in this way of principles. They are curriculum and co-curriculum, knowledge and practice and the last one is previous experiences and new experiences. As for co-curriculum and curriculum for example the uniform body and sports, there are activities which occur in and outside the classroom also. Next, knowledge that had been learnt in classroom such as sewing or gardening can be applied in their real life. Lastly is the element across the curriculum. The elements are including the language across the curriculum and thinking skills across the curriculum. In language across the curriculum, students are able to learn about one language in that one particular subject. When students learn about Science subject or Mathematics subject, they will automatically learn English language as the teaching will be in English. In the mean time, students can learn two things; the subject and also the language. One of the theories that can be applied in order to achieve this principle of integrated approach is learn to learn through singing. For example, when a teacher wants to teach English subject, teacher can include singing activity in the teaching and learning process in classroom for example singing the nursery rhymes or children song. Through the singing, teacher can teach them the content of learning by choosing suitable and appropriate song. In the mean time, teachers also can teach the children about the vocabulary of English. Other than that, in order to make the learners reach their potentials and abilities, teachers can teach the students based on their learning styles; visual, auditory and kinesthetic. For example, teachers can use all the three learning styles to teach Arts subject. The activity that students will learn is painting. Firstly, in the beginning, for the visual learners, teachers must come out with example of interesting ready-made painting that will attract the visual learners. Then after that, teachers may show a power point presentation on the steps on good painting as well as with clear explanations for all the students. Teachers have to make sure that the students understand and able to apply the steps smoothly. After the explanations, teachers may also need to demonstrate the steps of painting or give roughly explanation to the students. Right after that, students are given the opportunity to try the painting on their own. Teachers use formative assessment in order to identify whether the students understand the learning process.

Secondly is the principle of holistic development of an individual. Holistic development means that learners can use their potentials, ability and talents as a whole in maximum including all these four aspects; physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. As teachers, in order to implement this principle, they need to be creative. The teacher’s main instructional task is to create activities or environments that allow them opportunities to engage in higher-order thinking. (Department of Education, Queensland, 2002, p. 1). Therefore, teachers should create as much as interesting activities and different kind of approaches in order to enhance students’ development in classroom. In addition to that, teachers also should aware of students’ talents and potentials. This is because; students will never realize their abilities on their own. So, teachers play a very important role in order to elicited students’ potentials and abilities. Students who have achieved holistic development might use their talents and abilities to maximum including all the development. For example, an athlete who has a great achievement in sports, excellence academic achievement, good attitude and moral and also motivated learners are said to have a holistic development. According to Albert Bandura theory of learning, it emphasize on the importance of observing, modeling the behaviours, attitudes and emotional reaction of others. It also explains students behavior in the interaction between cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences. This theory said that students learn from 3 aspects; observation, imitation and modeling. From all these three aspects, teachers may create a holistically individual. Oxford Dictionary 2013 defined observation as the action or process of closely observing or monitoring something or someone where imitation is defined as the action of using someone or something as a model and modeling is defined as a thing used as an example to follow or imitate. Normally, children learn best through observation. They tend to observe the environment.

One of the methods that teachers implement by using this theory is play based activities. It is generally agreed that important cognitive, social, emotional, linguistic, and physical skills are developed through children's play (Owocki,1999). Vygotsky (1978) emphasized the importance of a more experienced other in the play environment; in other words, the teacher, parent, or more mature player has a key role in guiding the literacy development of children through play. Therefore, in classrooms, play based activities should be conducted by teachers. Only then the process of observation, imitation and modeling process will run smoothly. Play is described as child directed, active with a minimum of role. Other than that, it is also acts as a medium by which learners can learn through exploration, observing, improvisation, acting out and others. Play based activities such as puzzles, (games)initiates students’ physical development, intellectual, spiritual and also emotional. The reason is that through play based activities, they can learn to act, interact and exploring which will make them use their physical, emotional and intellectual. During play-based learning, the teacher's role is to first to observe and then to guide, participating in the play and intervening as appropriate to extend children's thinking or enrich their talk so that they will make improvement. For example, if teachers conduct role play activities which shows meaningful situation, teachers can model positive behaviors by themselves such as talk nicely, use proper body language and tell morale of the situation also. By doing that, students will observe the teachers act. In addition, in the role play, the other students that watched the acting out of their friends will tend to imitate the positive behavior if the teachers give positive feedback for the play. It may encourage the other students also to join the play next time. Other than that, play-based activities can also enhance students’ creativity, enhance communication skill and develop cognitive skills also. On the spiritual aspect, teachers should stress more on the morale and behavior of the learners. In classroom, teachers can teach students moral education for non-Muslim and Pendidikan Islam for Muslims. In addition to that, in order to make the lesson more interesting, maybe teachers can play movies or short story and then ask the students what they understand and what the lesson learnt they can get through the clip. The lesson will be much more effective if students can express their understanding right after they watch. Therefore, teachers will know whether the learning outcomes are achieved or not. Other than that, teachers also should encourage positive values to the students so that they can get positive input in classroom and apply them in the students’ daily life. Next is, teachers also can make recitation of prayer when starting and ending of class teaching as a conditional process which will make students used to it.

As in lined with the essence of National Philosophy of Education that is education is a continuous process towards further developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, in order to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically, balanced and harmoniously, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God, the principle of life-long learning is a very crucial things to be implemented in school. What does life-long learning means is learning that is pursued throughout life: learning that is flexible, diverse and available at different times and in different places, anytime and anywhere, Delors (1996). Lifelong learning is seen as the continuous building of skills and knowledge throughout the life of an individual. It is also happened in one’s lifetime as an experience. These experiences could be formal (training, counseling, tutoring, mentorship, apprenticeship, higher education, etc.) or informal (experiences, situations, etc.) It is about knowledge that students may apply in their life. Learning in schools can occur whether in formal or non-formal study. Lifelong learning can help a person to communicate well in society, resolving conflicts between peers and community through the cultivation of creativity, responsibility and competent. Lifelong learning focused on the process of learning to learn and also on the ability of a person to have continuity in learning. School is a very important medium for lifelong learning. This is because; schools allow children at the early age of 7 to attend schooling which will become the first institution for the students to acquire knowledge with the help of teachers. After the schools, teacher also plays important roles as to help students in the lifelong learning. As an example, teachers are to instill knowledge to the students, motivate students’ learning and also nurture students’ reading culture. Teachers need to initiate the students’ interest towards learning as to prepare them to face challenges in the future as community, employees and others. Knowledge can be gain through continuous reading, conversation with peers, surfing the web for articles such as articles about education, health and environment. According to Vygotsky, children depend on adults and tools that they may provide to help them in learning. Therefore, in classroom teaching, teacher should assist students in their lifelong learning at school in order to stimulate the potentials and ability of those students. Teachers can apply teaching method such as facilitating method in classroom teaching. According to Vygotsky, in order to rationalize the action and experience to meet the challenge they are facing, scaffolding processes progresses from external communication to meta cognitive development help learners to search for its meaning, especially in planning directing and evaluating the situational reality. In the progression of facilitating learning, scaffolding allows the learners to execute the work with the help of their friends or teachers as it acts as a social support to them.

In classroom, teachers

How to facilitate learners to nurture their interest in learning? Facilitate the students as learners regarding the usage of ict. Learners will find it more interesting to learn by using technology. For example, teachers can motivate the learners to use laptop in class. By using laptops or computers, teachers can facilitate them to use the word processing such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Power Point and Microsoft Excel. Learners are not only can enhance their skills in using word processing but also typing skills. In the future, they can use all these skills when they pursue their study when doing assignments or in the workplace. There are a lot of advantages that those skills that they had learnt will advantage them. In the meant, with the internet connection via laptops or computer, it enables access to the internet that will bring about many benefits to the students. For example, learners may gain more knowledge as there is a lot of information available on the World Wide Web to be explored. They may read articles, journal study, or about anything that will enhance their interest in reading. With the help of teachers, learners can learn many things that will develop both in cognitive development and social development. For examples, learners can learn how to use email as a fast-pace communication, manage blog for business or study purpose and browse for news and entertainment. Such learning can enrich the learners’ knowledge so as to make them knowledgeable, intellectual person and competitive.

Lastly is the principle of one education for all. This principle offers same education curriculum for all students starts from the students of Standard 1 to Standard 6 for primary school, where Form 1 to Form 5 for secondary school. As in Malaysia, there are 3 different races which are Indian, Malay and Chinese. Therefore, the medium of teaching and learning is irrespective to these 3 schools type. Even though there are 3 different types of schools, the content of learning in school are all the same with each other so that all of the students can receive the same knowledge transfer to them. There are three learning areas that have been emphasize on this curriculum; communication which focus on basic skills, man and his environment focuses on three components which are spirituality, values and attitudes, and lastly individual self-development focuses on living skills, arts, health and co-curriculum.

In conclusion, teachers play a very important roles in order to develop students as learners which .