Some Differences between Traditional and Integral Education
The teacher is a taskmaster
Teachers are guides, helpers, and co-learners
In the Integral classroom the content and mode of learning is
decided together with the children; individual choices are welcomed
and respected
Product based goals are test scores and degrees
Process based - integral development of the child includes: discovery
of life-purpose, exploration of inner nature, joy of learning
for its own sake
By becoming aware of their unique capacities, not only will students
be academic achievers, they will further become aware of their
life purpose
Classrooms have up to 36 children with one teacher
Ratio is 12 students to one or more teachers
Small class size and individual attention allow for the "minimum
syllabus" (or the standard academic achievement expected in most
academic institutions of a certain age group) to be easily and
comfortably met during the year and then the child goes on to
create an individual syllabus for themselves, based on their own
interests and personal development
The teacher asks questions with yes/no or one or two word answers
Teachers ask open ended questions
Open questions help to create self awareness in children and help
them to reflect on their outlook in life
Children are compared with each other, often seen in grading
Teachers help the child to gain confidence in his own capacities
Comparison with other children erodes confidence; when a child
is helped to observe him/herself they learn to make conscious
choices
The teacher see mistakes as a waste of time
Learning can take place through trial and error, risk taking is
encouraged
Making mistakes is a natural by-product of learning and allows
the child to understand there is always more room for improvement
Children are told what to do
Learning is seen as self discovery and self development
In the Integral classroom, students are given time for space and
reflection
The teacher teaches the same lesson to every one in the class
Teachers provide opportunity for the child to make real and conscious
choices and is allowed a variety in content of learning
By offering choices, the students’ become aware of their own likes
and dislikes; their own capacities and difficulties and helps
them find their own way to maximum self-development
The child is given consequences by the teacher
Teachers help the child to see that their choices have consequences
The responsibility for learning shifts more and more to the child
as the child grows
The teacher scold, excessively praise, or judge children through
tests and examinations
Teachers help the child to strive for perfections through their
own inner qualities
Children learn to look within themselves, become self-aware, courageous,
and intrinsically motivated with a genuine love of learning
The teacher uses the same standards to decide how to teach the
class
Teachers are tasked with having a deep understanding of each individual
student in the class and guides them according to their own capabilities
and uniqueness
Children are honored for their own development and unique qualities
and the curriculum is fitted to their personal needs and interests
Children learn through rote memorization and lecture in the classroom
Children are provided with hands on experience so that they can
relate things to themselves and connect them to their own lives
When children learn experientially, it gives them an innate understanding,
and they can grasp, connect to, incorporate, and expand this information
to help them learn further
