Old educational paradigms rely on information which cannot be obtained anywhere else but at school. This is no longer the case in the 21st century. The teacher is not the only one who can give us knowledge in a certain area; he or she competes and even lags behind many other sources.
The old education system is based mainly on academic knowledge and the assessment system that measures it. However, this leads to negatives for children such as an “A-grade student syndrome”, burnout, fear of making a mistake and pursuit of perfectionism. The digital age is driving a huge change in the world and is making it increasingly challenging for educators to prepare students for a future which is difficult to predict. This requires that institutions innovate and redesign not only their programs, but overall concepts.
This is the time of holistic teaching approach. It considers the student as a whole person rather than only addressing their academic knowledge.
Svetlina Education Group is the first institution in Bulgaria that brought up the topic of holistic education ten years ago. That’s a long time which we invested in the search for sources of information and tools that we integrated in our programs and this is how we drew many conclusions from practice. We have been working in the field of holistic education for ten years so that only today can we say “we know what works and what doesn’t”. We know how to turn concept into working tools, leave words behind and make way for the practice which gives results.
How do we achieve it?
We outlined the main specifics of holistic education at different ages. At a preschool age where human potential can be unlocked in a most powerful way, this is related to a development of the body, mind, emotions, society and senses; activities related to the left and right brain hemisphere, recognition and reproduction of basic emotions, design thinking, adaptability to the environment. For pupils and schoolchildren, in addition to academic field, we also work on social skills, emotional skills, health, awareness and mental attitudes, life skills, ecology, creativity. Here we place things such as online security, time and money management, empathy, communication, social responsibility, confidence, sexuality, etc. When outlining the main specifics, we only give examples to families but it is their responsibility to Inform us about their priorities.
How does it happen in practice?
Svetlina has a calendar with specific topics, specific tools and integrations in the dynamics of children with different deadlines, repetition and regularity.
How do we track progress?
Thanks to our authorial assessment system where, in addition to focusing on academic development, we measure development in holistic terms, students work on a portfolio or personal branding for adults where they prepare their own growth plan and develop self-reflection and self-motivation skills.
What are the results?
Study stress is reduced; it is replaced by the desire to go to school. Internal motivation increases. The stress of tests is reduced; it is replaced by the knowledge that self-worth is not measured by a mark or grade and in a single test. Change of mindsets: success and failure, or the way we look at mistakes. Development of different types of intelligence - emotional, social, environmental, rather than only academic intelligence, and seeking a balance between them all. High intrinsic motivation and self-reflection.
Can we start from infancy?
We apply the holistic approach successfully with children in our kindergartens, too. This age is of key importance for the personality development and unlocking children’s full potential. Our latest project www.edutalents.me aims to make modern preschool education accessible to more parents and their children. There you will find video lessons for the development of children from 2 to 6 years old and these lessons are given by specialists with practical experience, as well as video lessons for infants from 0 to 36 months, mainly containing care and development tips for parents. www.edutalents.me има за цел да направи съвременното предучилищно образование достъпно за повече родители и техните деца. В него ще откриете видео уроци за развитие на деца от 2 до 6 г. – водени от специалисти с практически опит. Както и видео уроци за периода 0 – 36 м. основно със съвети за грижа и развитие, предназначени за родители.
