A new book titled “Holistic Education, Part 1: Enduring Principles and Practices” edited by Kelli Nigh of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in Canada, and Duyen Can of the VNE University of Languages and International Studies in Vietnam, explores the origins, theory and practical dimensions of holistic teaching and learning. “It invites scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to consider education not merely as a means of instruction, but as a transformative process aimed at cultivating wholeness in persons, communities, and the wider world.”
The book, published by Emerald Publishing includes many perspectives on holistic education, the connection between spirituality and education, embodied learning, and the importance of being a global citizen. Throughout these four sections, there are eighteen chapters written by thirty global leaders in holistic education who provide their unique perspectives.
The collection includes a chapter by Mirian Vilela and Sam Crowell, called : “Holistic Education and the Earth Charter: An Earth-Centric Model of Transformative Learning for Planetary Citizenship,” which reflects on the Earth Charter’s transformative vision of interconnectedness and relationship and describes “how Earth Charter’s holistic pedagogy can be one way to reimagine education for the times.”
This chapter displays how the Earth Charter’s vision and purpose require an educational approach that is holistic, and leads to individual identity that is inseparable from one’s responsibility to other global citizens. Their perspectives on holistic sustainability education make a strong argument for the relationship between personal growth and global citizenship. This chapter also provides global perspectives, using experiences from the global south that support the Earth Charter’s practice of decolonial praxis.
Overall, the argument made by Mirian Vilela and Sam Crowell supports the purpose of this book by helping to advance the field of holistic education through their diverse perspectives and applied experiences with holistic education with the Earth Charter.
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