Programme 367, John P. (Jack) Miller on Holistic Education (22-5-19)

Presented and produced by Seán Delaney

Theme tune by David Vesey

On this week's programme I speak to John P. (Jack) Miller, of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, and author of of The Holistic Curriculum, about holistic education. Among the topics discussed on the programme are:

• What is holistic education?
• In a tradition from indigenous people, Buddha, Socrates, Plato, Rousseau, Emerson, Thoreau, Peabody and Tolstoy up to Waldorf, Montessori and Reggio Emilia.
• How The Equinox Holistic School in Toronto was inspired by and follows the ideas in Miller’s book, The Holistic Curriculum. The story of the school is told here.
• Use of textbooks and a holistic curriculum
• What is the experience of a holistic curriculum like for a student?
• Autonomy for children in holistic education settings
• Characteristics of teachers to teach holistically
• Difference between teaching a subject holistically and teaching the same subject conventionally
• Planning for holistic teaching
• James Bean and integrated curriculum
• Susan Drake and integrated curriculum
• Relationship between holistic education and wisdom
• The difference between contemplation and reflection and mindfulness
• Religious education and spirituality education
• The work of Thomas Moore on Spirituality and Education; also Parker Palmer and Rachel Kessler