A compelling call and an insightful analysis! In The Power of the Whole, Sean Slade presents a powerful case against focusing on individual things and invites us to focus on the whole in education.
— Yong Zhao Ph.D., University of Kansas
We are surrounded by the world with its systems and intersections, but we rarely look at it to see what is right in front of us. We also rarely look at it and consider what we can learn from it. Sean Slade’s book The Power of the Whole does just that, taking what is apparent in our world, and applying it to our education system. With our infatuation with immediate things, we often miss the bigger picture. Sean Slade’s book takes us on a journey about the big picture - from the world around us to the world of education. A must-read for any educator, parent, policymaker, or anyone interested in learning about the big picture of education.
— Michele Borba, Ed.D., educational psychologist, and author of Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine
The Power of the Whole is confronting, convincing and compelling. In a hyper-connected world, the power of the whole person, the whole system, and the whole ecosystem is power desperately needed for everyone in the service of education and learning.
— Anthony Mackay, board co-chair, National Center on Education and the Economy, Washington, DC
Through this book, Sean offers a paradigm shift in our thinking and approach. An opportunity for us to see each child as a whole person with the capacity and potential to shape our society and planet.
— Vishal Talreja, co-founder and trustee of Dream a Dream, Bangalore, India
The complex nature of education has led us to break it down into more manageable parts. Consequently, we can’t see the forest for the trees anymore. The Power of the Whole shows why we need a clearer big picture view of education and how holistic approaches in teaching and leading will pave the way to better and fairer education. Whether you are teacher, parent, or policymaker, this is a must-read book to reimagine what education could be.
— Pasi Sahlberg, author of Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland