The Purpose and Goals of Holistic Education
(English and Mandarin Chinese)

The purpose of holistic education is to prepare students to meet academics and living challenges. The philosophy of educating the whole person, beyond core academics – is gaining momentum in learning circles. Many schools are realizing that students need more than just academic rigor. Holistic education is a comprehensive approach to teaching where educators seek to address the students’ emotional, social, ethical, cultural, and intellectual needs in an integrated learning environment. 

Holistic education is based on a learning philosophy that benefits to students, teachers, schools, and communities. Students are empowered to improve their educational outcomes and gain the life skills necessary to take on a successful professional career and live a happy, balanced life.

The Role of a Teaching Assistant in Holistic Education
(English and Mandarin Chinese)

Education professionals, including teaching assistants, play a significant role in instructing the whole person. The responsibilities of an educator go beyond the teaching of core academics. It requires them to work closely with school administrators and parents/guardians to develop a child. An African proverb aptly puts it, “It takes a village to raise a child.” All adults, including teaching assistants and non-teaching assistants, must be involved in building children holistically. 

Holistic Elements of Child Development
(English and Mandarin Chinese)

What is child development? As children get older, they develop in various ways covering physical, intellectual, social, and emotional changes. It is the process that every child goes through and includes everything from physical skills such as sitting and standing to social and emotional skills such as smiling or forming relationships with others. This session provides a broad perspective on holistic education. 

Establishing a Stimulating Environment for Holistic Education
(English and Mandarin Chinese)

Lessons conducted in a safe, supportive, and stimulating environment will allow students to utilize their strengths to develop every aspect of their lives. While holistic education is guided by one overarching philosophy, teachers may employ several methods and strategies to create a holistic learning environment. 

Essential Life Skills Students Don’t Learn at School – Part 1 & 2
(English and Mandarin Chinese)

School is the place where students spend a great amount of time during the developmental stages of their lives. Yet, despite having acquired a great deal of knowledge, they often enter adult life unprepared. An education should involve learning life skills that a person will carry with them after their K-12 education to navigate relationships and careers and be a well-rounded, successful person. 

That is because many critical life skills are never taught at school. And, if educators and parents do not find ways of teaching these life skills to students, they may spend their entire lives not learning the life skills. 

There’s much more to life than core academic subjects. What follows is a basic curriculum in life that a child should know before reaching adulthood. These two sessions provide a list as a starting point that you can add to this list.  

Job-Alike Sessions (English and Mandarin Chinese)

This session provides an excellent opportunity to share resources/information and engage in discussions among education professionals with similar job responsibilities, broaden their perspectives, share knowledge, and network regionally.