Hi,
On page 34 of the Straits Times is an interesting article that discusses about the topic.
The last two paragraphs appeal the most to me, and I'd like to share with both teachers and students.
Instead of trying an integrated education from theoretical first principles, why not begin with questions which require the coordination of different knowledges to answer? "Who are we? What is the nature of human nature? How should we be related to the planet on which we live? How are we to live together satisfactorily? What is the relationship between nature and nurture? If we start with these problems..., we can bring together information from a great number of at present completely isolated disciplines."
Such a pragmatic approach might be something we might adopt in our quest for a "holistic" education - an approach that begins with the questions: So why do you want to know different things? What for?
For me as an educator, I must constantly remind myself that I am teaching not because the content is in the prescribed syllabus. It will be helpful for students to motivate themselves to develop a sense of curiosity and to study for the sake of acquiring a better understanding of the world around them.
Thanks.
P.S. I realised that it is through students' questions that I am able to teach and write better.
Cheers,
Wen Shih