A holistic child is one that is comprised of a mind, body, spirit, and soul. The child is a unity of these facets that bring life into the world with identity, meaning, and purpose. A holistic child is how each person is born, and how you remain authentically yourself- if you maintain alignment. Each person holds these facets as they inevitably intertwine through the the spirit, which gives life to the mind, which controls the body, which acts out the will, and that affects the soul. In other terms, your spirit gives you life and mental curiosity, which wisdom shares with the body to act through good or bad decisions, and those actions affect the soul of your entire being.
At NADOL ACADEMY™ this entanglement is embraced as part of the educational process, and with each phase of development, your child deserves the opportunity to flourish. In respect for each individual journey, there are foundational steps of alternative educational philosophies that we believe provide the best framework to allow flourishing; they are as follows:
0-3yr. Montessori: organization, toy rotation, focused play, toys of wood
3-6yr. Reggio Emilia: colors, imagination, paint, nature, and play
6-9yr. Charlotte Mason: 20min classes, notes, repetition, organization
Though some children will lean more into a specific philosophy, the resources and support these options provide give the core features that we find most beneficial to the development of each holistic child: the nature interactions, child-lead subjects/topics of interest, and never allowing them to forget play in balance with structure. As the parent and teacher behind this, we personally believe that speaking with children in an elevate vocabulary (collegiate), saves time and allows your child to show their abilities. If you speak in baby-talk, they learn, then have to relearn the proper advanced vernacular, but if you speak in an elevate vocabulary, they will not need to relearn, leaving more brain space and power to add different content.
If you believe that baby-talk nourishes the child, then the counter is that when the child knows the correct vocabulary, it is easier for them to incorporate the baby-talk, being able to switch when desired. The mind of your child will reach as high as it can, if a ceiling is not presented, and most adults forget that no matter what a child is taught, they learn. Our perspective is that to allow them to meet your desired expectation as a future adult of society, teaching a holistic child becomes an adventure that leaves you as a follower, and guider of safety. In this role parents are removed from entertaining, and pushed to learn more of about their child, their interests, and their capabilities. In addition, it is not necessary to keep children in same aged classrooms. Just as with vocabulary, a mixed age setting removes the ceiling and again your holistic child is able to thrive where they can.
The way you teach your child in the beginning does not have to be the end, but when you teach your child with the end in mind, holistic alternative education becomes the beginning.
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