We separate curriculum into fragments and instruction into short lessons. The brain processes parts and wholes simultaneously. Many decades ago this dynamic unity was illustrated in stress theory. More recently this unity has been confirmed in such fields as psycho-neuroimmunology and in some brain research. Why wholeness matters Recognition of wholeness is crucial for educators because some of the basic human functions and capacities that we seek to develop and nurture, in students and in ourselves, are the properties of wholeness.
Creativity is an example.
At the heart of any intelligence is a capacity to deal with parts and wholes simultaneously, and it is by working with the whole person that this simultaneous functioning becomes possible. Moreover, research is beginning to show that self- organization focuses around core beliefs, values, and purposes. All humans form mental models through which we then interpret all our additional experience. Although it is possible to program minds and teach for memorization, complex learning demands more. Such learning depends on the teacher's facilitation of the student's self-organization.