Since 2010, Originateve has been assisting educational organizations in several countries with the assessment and development of holistic curriculum and instructional models, methodologies, facility and classroom enrichment design as well as community building based on cultural spotlighting and recovery where loss of cultural identity is evident.  Holism refers to the entirety of the being.  Holistic educational approaches are designed to provide comprehensive frameworks for human development in relationship and stewardship to the local ecology, depth and richness of culture and community accountability to future generations, and conscious service to the supersensory elements that govern the cosmos below, above and beyond our comprehension.  While many cultures across the globe still maintain a holistic lifestyle that could be called regenerative and responsible to their place, people and spirit, many more examples of homogenous, superficial specialization seem to be the stubborn convention predicting certain ruin of both the ethnosphere and biosphere of our planet. 

The move toward holism in many facets is a difficult one precisely because it challenges us to rethink our current lifestyle and in many cases suggests we return to more humble methodologies practiced by our ancestors; methods abandoned for the sake of the ‘progress’ promised by industrialized markets.  Yet, time and again, we see the tradeoff of knowledge, aptitude, health, community, and culture which deteriorate into broken and lazy artifacts of the once utilized capacity of humans for art, praise, song, story and a stunningly proficient memory that served as the wisdom necessary to govern our communities over multi-generational scopes.  As we initiate the effort to build, within ourselves, our peers, and our villages, contemporary practices toward regeneration, there are some clear strategies that might be followed to avoid surrendering such a vision prematurely. 

Originateve is assisting to populate a global community of interconnected educational institutions dedicated to regenerative practices for the local ecology and agriculture, the social and political climate, the international tapestry of cultures, and the planet as a whole organism.  Originateve achieves this goal by verifying and celebrating educational organizations working toward membership through a five-stage certification program that builds towards a comprehensive, cyclical system of methodologies, curricular design, contemplative practice, community integration, and spiritual contribution. The following is a rubric to frame specific considerations in order to guide and certify schools in the asian continent in accordance with the principles of Holistic Practices in Cultural and Ecological Regeneration in regards to the environments they prepare and maintain for learning as well as the instruction and delivery of methodologies endorsed for Holistic Learning. 

Components of Certification

• A thorough and emerging self-assessment concerning administration, staff, mentors, parents, and community
• A comprehensive onsite review by an Originateve leadership team
• Development and adherence to a strategic plan for continuous improvement and progress through the 5 stages of holistic growth

Benefits of Originateve Certified Affiliates

• A self-study certification process that fosters a culture of life-long learning, community accountability, and regenerative improvement
• High-quality Professional Development designed within a proven advancement model into holistic practices and regenerative design
• Membership in a network of regenerative models who support one another through the sharing of learning resources and assessment designs including curriculum and instructional components
• Assistance with the recruitment and placement of qualified mentors for staffing
• Provides assurance to families that the school leadership accesses and synthesises a depth of global professional voices when processing goals
• Opportunity for international study exchanges and fellowships for students, mentors and administrators 
• Access to scholarships and grants through Originateve for students, parents, mentors and leadership
• Discounted membership fees to the International Council of Holistic Education and Learning

Eligibility for Originateve Certification

To be eligible as a candidate for Originateve Certification, an educational institution must meet all of the following requirements at the time of application:

• All board members and Administrative leadership have signed the Oath to the Path toward Holism 
• Organization is a member of the International Council of Holistic Education and Learning (ICHEL)
• Must be seeking certification for all program levels served by the Originateve model and the Pathway to Holism
• School must employ Originateve Certified Mentors as their instructional staff.  Probationary instructional staff may be hired who are enrolled in an approved Originateve Certified Mentor Training Program.  An Originateve Certified Mentor Training program may be designed onsite if at least one mentor is Master Mentor Certified.  The Master Mentor reserves the right to approve or deny candidates for the training program.  All candidates must complete the certified mentor training within 9 months of their hiring date.  

Fees Associated with Accreditation

Cost of Consultation and Certification for each Stage $800 USD /initial year 

Additional Site Certification: $350.00 USD /per site initial year

Re-Certification   $250.00 USD /per site annually

(for schools that do not advance within 1 year)

Holistic Regenerative Environments of Learning 

Stage 1

WOOD SCHOOLS

Wood Schools represent the initial agreement toward publicly adopting a philosophy and approach of Holism by demonstrating a substantial shift in their direction and practice towards becoming Holistic and Regenerative Environments of Learning. Truly there are many organizations that engage in a few or perhaps several angles of regeneration but Originateve certified schools are committed to being challenged to push holism beyond the word-play of marketing and into a visceral lifestyle–step by step.  Eagerness to co-operate and grow is evident yet often stems from idealisms lusciously spoken of but rarely put into practice effectively. In order for Wood Schools to thrive a personal awareness of regeneration with regard to individual lifestyles must shift into participation. This personal growth across faculty, student body and into the homes of support families is a co-mingling of roots being developed. Undoubtedly, viewed across the landscape of the institution, growth will appear anything but uniform.  However, those shoots that are slow to grow may wither, add to the humus of the soil of decay that the institution will need to draw its nutrients from, or they may take a different calendar to sprout and jump into the symphonic diversity of the forest.  Those that last through the year of Wood School will become the first season biosphere which will protect the growth to come. In this, a Wood School, begins to understand the role of a community committed to high standards of holistic practices. Like the shoot of bamboo, Wood Schools are defined by their strength and flexibility.  Wood Schools have a fresh relationship with holistic designs and approaches. This is a time of newness and challenge as ingrained routines begin to be uprooted so that new growth may occur. They are tasked with laying the structural, intellectual, professional, emotional and spiritual foundation for their educational environment to thrive in. Wood Schools begin to acknowledge the financial and ecological impact of faulty and family practices that stem from centuries of environmental exploitation becoming aware of the starved for culture of giving.

Stage 2

 FIRE SCHOOLS

The intensity of change in Fire Schools is evident in the heat of struggle that many will face with peers, family and community as un-sustainable lifestyles are identified and plans to navigate in a different direction are set in motion.  For institutions that are newly organized, this may look like a loss of some faculty that decide they cannot continue a commitment to change.  In long standing organizations this is best done through a formal process of distributing clear expectations for faculty change and consistent follow-up, in writing, on the instructional culture to implement those changes authentically.  Over the course of this stage, the administration and staff will feel the burn of accountability to their own statements and commitments.  Administration, for instance, cannot simply expect staff to change while they continue old habits of destruction. Simultaneously, staff that say one thing publicly and do another in privacy will feel the burn of a spotlight on their contradictions. Yet there is a warmth that emerges as these expected outbursts and explosions balance out into a steady glow of embers ready to cook with.  Fire Schools are environments that were carefully kindled into dynamic energy breeding learning havens. It is in this phase of growth that prosperity firstly and most often becomes evident. The restless dynamic of a strong fire flickers full of creativity. Fire Schools blaze with recruitment and expansion but must take care not to burn out.  Holistic methodologies move from novel to routine as systems of maintaining adequate fuel for regeneration are conceived and specialized around the unique learning community that is emerging.  

Stage 3

EARTH SCHOOLS

Earth Schools can look back on past achievement and clearly conclude that they are not the same entity that began the journey toward holism.  Having lived with, grown from and developed routines around holistic and regenerative practices., they can now imagine the contours of the future learning community.  Earth Schools have two years worth of holistic assessment data with which to begin to refine the authentic assessment models and inform the school and community in the tasks of Curriculum Development and Cyclical Mentoring.  In the Earth School  stage, organizations shift their focus and perspective from inward growth and transformation to outward impact and change.  Having adopted a student body to a regenerative vision, proven a staff and leadership with the loyalty, determination and behavior necessary for holistic instruction and assessment, and established a reliable presence in the community known for innovation and stewardship, it is time for the organization to do the heavy work of building a community organization.  Strong voices of empathy and accountability now begin to call on those outside the organizational walls while remaining steadfast to the purpose and oath.  The ritualized ceremonies of cyclical mentoring have adopted local distinctions that add to relevance and leverage to both the learners and mentors.  The new challenge of staying involved in the emerging richness of the holistic practice is combined with a broadening of outreach that will be the support mechanism for future growth.   By this stage, living classrooms, where the physical environment is its own instructor,  are the norm and evidence of continued refinement is universal.  Assessment methods are authentic.  Instructors are comfortable crafting holistic lesson plans and are able to skillfully implement a minimum of three cognitive content areas and differentiated emotional and spiritual goals at any given time. Earth Schools have an evolving portfolio of financial sustainability and are successfully pursuing creative approaches to alternative currencies in order to achieve regenerative models within their local and intersecting communities.  Their educational activities and wild-crafting are well into demonstrating a greater value for the natural world than simply what can be stripped and sold for immediate short term gain.

Stage 4
METAL SCHOOLS

Metal Schools have extracted the ore from their practice and are in the process of forging tools and structures that are designed from the synthesis of several years worth of learning and documentation of process.  Metal Schools have stood the test of time and heat,  demonstrating strength and longevity of innovation and persistent attributes of regenerative practices manifested in holistic manners for a period no less than 2 full Lunar years.  Due to their leadership, Metal Schools accept a deeper role of the responsibilities initiated as an Earth School of local and cosmopolitan community members including: hosting events and guest instructors, pioneering cultural preservation and lifestyle with the local community and civic organizations and existing as a regenerative ethno-botanical/ ethno-zoological living classroom.  Metal schools are financially self-reliant due to an assortment of funding avenues.   In house production of educational activities might begin to  generate an income with handmade regenerative practice products.  They have refined an interaction between their natural ecology where by sourcing produce for wild-crafting actually improves the environment rather than stripping it of its value.  Furthermore, Metal Schools demonstrate wise business-oriented trends towards demonstrating exemplary organization and stability that would encourage the larger globe in which Holistic schools are sprouting. Metal Schools are conductive of energy in their nature and therefore are agents of change and transformation to those who come into contact with them and enjoy their mentorship.  

Stage 5

WATER SCHOOLS

Water Schools are vibrant, liquid manifestations of the possibilities Holistic Regenerative Environments of Learning which perpetuate communities whose goal is to facilitate life. Water Schools are oases of life, culture, art, literacy, lore, scholarship, music, food, empathy, compassion, brokenness, aptitude, support, and patience.  Their resources are vast but not used for petty gain.  They are wise yet subtle in their delivery. Water Schools are able to provide material and financial support to fledgling Wood Schools and are required to take a new school on as a support project every year to mentor and model the process for regeneration.  Water Schools incubate individuals on their journey toward cyclical learning and regenerative contribution while coaching Regenerative Practices in their surrounding communities. Abundance comes with great power and the responsibility to bring about life to barren stricken lands. Yet this power is controlled and reserved for timely use.   They are institutions vital to the cultural richness and diversity of the local area being and epicenter of events and efforts to promote and recover culture.  These schools are financially regenerative and utilize a strong, diverse palette of revenue generating threads.  For their community and network, Water Schools have established recontextualized value to the degree that half of their support portfolio, perhaps more, comes from alternative currency to cash.

Holistic and Regenerative Instruction

Holism is the intention behind speaking to and developing one’s consciousness, community and ecology.  Holism acknowledges the balance that comes from identifying areas of avoidance and investing in shortcomings through measured invitation to growth.  Holism cannot possibly look the same to everyone due to its honoring of the whole being as an individual.  The individual is honored by the community and realizes that collective strength comes from a dynamic whole of diverse perspectives, strengths , skills and wisdom.  Holism begins with connections.  Mentors must usher and await transformation utilizing three or more cognitive pathways simultaneously with emotional and spiritual development.

Regenerative Instruction employs an awareness and drive toward and beyond sustainability.  Regenerative lifestyle shifts are modeled by the instructor, faculty, staff and administration of the institution with the intention to radiate into the broader emerging community.  Individual, group and community processes are seen as ecological in nature and intention toward replenishing and improving the learning and community environments, physically and relationally, are constant goals.