Logopedagogy: A holistic educational approach for the 21st century

Language: English

Title of the original: Logopedagogika: Holistični vzgojno-izobraževalni pristop za 21. stoletje

Logopedagogy is an innovative approach in the field of pedagogy that prepares all participants for a meaningful life. It is essential reading and understanding for every teacher or educational worker. The book reveals that children and young people are not only objects that need to be filled with goals and standards, but that each individual sitting in the school desk is a person with all his or her own characteristics, right just as a teacher is a person with his or her own characteristics. Each person must be in tune with physical, mental and spiritual areas so that his/her life can be meaningful.

This is an extremely current and relevant content, both at the national and international level, as it addresses the weak points of the educational system in the Republic of Slovenia, which is in need of in-depth and thorough renovation, and at the same time offers a comparison with some European school systems.

A thorough renovation always starts with the foundation. In the Slovenian context, we have been observing for a long time that the foundations of the educational system are weak and in need of renovation. Action is no longer a matter of goodwill (political or otherwise) but is a necessity at this moment. Upbringing, education, and mental health are the three pillars of every society, culture, and every individual, on which everything stands. Yet, these pillars are currently the most shaky and fragile.

Upbringing, education, and mental health are fundamental areas of every society, which is why a publication that covers solutions to problems in these areas is also relevant for global science.

The goal of education and the entire educational process should be: a fully functioning, integrated, meaningful, and fulfilled person; according to the current development characteristics. This is possible only within the framework of a holistic approach, which perceives the child not only as a cognitive/rational being, but as an indivisible whole of physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions.

The holistic approach has been promoted and encouraged by UNESCO and the European Commission for decades, and it is time to start implementing it into school systems. Only by fully considering the child holistically can we understand their personality, needs, pressures, desires, etc. This way, we can more easily, efficiently, and quickly address mental health issues among children, as there is an increasing prevalence of violent behavior and chemical and non-chemical addictions among young people, indicating a complete neglect of the mental health of children and adolescents.

Logopedagogy is based on a holistic approach based on Frankl's logotherapy, which focuses on the meaning of human existence and on the individual's search for the meaning of life. With such an approach, we help children develop their personality and potential in all three dimensions (physical, mental, and spiritual) and help them find meaning in life, because the current school system only offers them goals and content that they have to remember and demonstrate the memorized content on tests.

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