Thoughts on holistic education

Have been thinking about "holistic [or is it wholistic?] education". It is the latest "in thing" in the singapore education scene. I started by assuming that "whole" consists of "parts" and directed my thoughts to what constitute these "parts". We can easily rattle off a few: academic, sports, music, arts, science, ... But as soon as you finish off this list, you can think of something you leave out in other domains of education, such as computer literacy, social adeptness, cross-cultural savvy etc. In other words, the list does not end. it soon became clear that this is not the way to go for a parent who is thinking about which "parts" in the holistic education my children are missing out on. Because it leads to an add-on mentality: trying to squeeze out more and more time in the children's already crowded daily schedule for more and more of these "parts" we think they are deficient in. I switch my thoughts then on what is the "whole" instead. It cannot simply be the aggregation of the "parts", else we fall back to the add-on mentality. It should be something that stands above the "parts" and serve as an organizing principle of life that ties all the "parts" together, rendering them meaningful for a higher purpose. To me, this "whole" is the value system we uphold and should be the consistent theme of our emphasis to our children as parents - both in word and deed. The other "parts", whether they be academic results, performance in sports etc, must be subordinated to this greater principle and goals of education. To me, being a Christian, this "whole" is naturally the Christian life-and-world view. It is about living our lives conscious that we are subject to our creator God and seeing all events of the world as an unfolding drama of His plan. It is this "whole" that gives coherence to all the other "parts" of education. For example, studying science becomes meaningful under this view because it educates us about the beauty/order that God created; learning to be sociable across communities is necessary because interpersonal contact to all classes of God's people is the primary means that He ordains for our mutual experiential growth of knowledge about living in this world. It is very important to me as a parent to hold on firmly to this "whole" because it is easy - in this busy life of competing priorities - to lose sight of it and allow the less important "parts" to usurp its place. It is also a reminder that other subordinate contents of education are not ends in themselves, but opportunities for me to lead my children to constantly revise this organizing theme: God provides meaning to every branch of knowledge and experience; and we can only find full satisfaction in Him.