Holistic education is an approach to pedagogy that can meet the needs of a variety of learners. In its most basic form, holistic education encompasses four pillars: intellectual, spiritual, emotional, and physical.  These pillars are seen as interconnected – operating within and against one another. As such, holistic education emphasizes the whole learner – not just one aspect.

In line with the Department of Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, we believe that learning is an experiential, organic process.  In addition, “an aesthetic perspective and the process of building knowledge through inquiry” are integral to both education and life itself (Karsten, 2014). Holistic learning then calls for students to be at the center of inquiry and knowledge.

Constructivism is a learning theory that embodies many of the principles of holistic learning and education. Fundamentally, constructivism states that people construct their own knowledge of the world through experience and reflection (Geiser, 2012).  It is an active process through which knowledge is constructed from and shaped by experience. Authentic tasks, experiences, settings, and assessments, are complimented by an emphasis on problem solving, reflection, and understanding.