e t i e s k c ü R r e d Pedagogical Section f u

a at the n o i s r e V e h c s t u e D Journal

Michaelmas 2019, No. 67 Imprint

The Journal of the Pedagogical Section

Publisher: Pädagogische Sektion am Goetheanum Postfach, CH-4143 1 Tel.: 0041 61 706 43 15 Tel.: 0041 61 706 43 73 Fax: 0041 61 706 44 74 E-Mail: [email protected] Homepage: www.paedagogik-goetheanum.ch Editors: Florian Osswald, Dorothee Prange, Claus-Peter Röh Correction: Angela Wesser Cover picture: Waldorf 100 Festival Berlin, Tempodrom, Japanese drum group from Kyoto invites to join in, Photo Charlotte Fischer

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Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Index

Index

3 Foreword Dorothee Prange

5 Review Conference ‘First Teachers Course‘ in Dornach Colleen O‘Connors

7 Whole Class Study (translated by John Weedon) Christof Wiechert

11 Tasks of the Pedagogical Section at the Goetheanum Claus-Peter Röh

15 Friends of Nana Göbel

23 International Association of Early Childhood Philipp Reubke

27 Learning to be the Change – The International Forum in Berlin, September 2019 Trevor Mepham

29 International Forum for Steiner/Waldorf Education Worked out by the (Hague Circle) on Education in the Digital World International Forum

35 Agenda

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 1 Review Conference ‘First Teachers Course‘ in Dornach

Goetheanum in Summer Bandana Basu, Participant of the Waldorf 100 Centenary Conference 'The First Teachers' Course'

2 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Foreword

Foreword

Dear Colleagues,

In our last edition, Waldorf 100, with all its gratitude? We tend to wish anyone having a events and celebrations, was still in full swing birthday all the very best for their new year and our journal bore witness to that fact! of life, or for the next decade. What are our Now we are having to acknowledge that desires for the Waldorf Movement? What 2019, the year of Waldorf 100, is nearly over. have we learnt in the past 100 years? What can we improve? Where are we being called It was back in November 2014 that initial on to make changes? Where do our strengths ideas emerged and preparations of the major and weaknesses lie? conferences began – Waldorf 100 World Early Childhood Conference 2019, the (class) As part of the conference on the first teach- teacher and upper school (high school) con- ers’ course at the Goetheanum we were able ferences, and the Waldorf 100 Centenary to experience that the three courses which Conference ‘The First Teachers’ Course’. We gave to the first 12 teachers also directed our gaze to the deepening work in order to prepare them for the new school of the study of human experience and child provided a sound basis for us to tackle the study. The project ‘Bees & Trees’ evolved with above questions. So much can be gleaned a view to being adaptable for all ages – from from these seminars! Participants spent 9 Kindergarten to Upper School. The Interna- joyful and enthusiastic days studying them tional Forum provided a location where the and working with them. Colleen O’Connors’ many initiatives could be gathered together. article offers a detailed report. Waldorf 100 came into being. Now we are in a position to offer many different publica- In addition to the study of human experience, tions (www.waldorfbuch.de), some of which child study has been another deepening task are in fact already available in English. over the years. Many schools have initiated new ways of working with these. A col- The celebrations at the Uhlandshöhe in league’s request inspired Christof Wiechert to Stuttgart and the event at the Tempodrom in write an article about class study. Berlin on 19th September provided the final climax. They were huge events with many Also in this edition, we are introducing three wonderful performances by younger and institutions, their objectives and specific older pupils, addresses, live music, celebra- areas of work: tions of colour, joy and coming together. IASWECE, Die Freunde der Erziehungskunst And what now? (Friends of Waldorf Education) and the Peda- gogical Section. A question that kept popping up right from the beginning of the preparations for the The most recent gathering of the Interna- 100th birthday was: What are we actually tional Forum, which we presented to you in celebrating? Are we simply marking the past some detail in Journal No. 66, took place in 100 years? Is it a celebration of joy and Berlin. Trevor Mepham, the group’s co-ordi-

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 3 Foreword nator, is offering us more insight into this whichever stage of development it may be. meeting. This will be a great help for us.

We have continued to work with the charter Please do send us these!!!!!! and the 10-point working document on questions of digitalisation. The translation of Much has happened this past year. So many the charter into English, which was out- wonderful events have taken place. But more standing in the last journal, is included in questions are also evolving for our continued this edition. work and development of the task of educa- tion. Let us enter the next 100 years of Wal- In November, a group of people at the dorf Pedagogy with joy and courage! Goetheanum will be working on a media cur- riculum. Please send us a media curriculum We wish you happy reading and much joy for from your country or your school, at your work with your pupils!

Your Pedagogical Section

4 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Review Conference ‘First Teachers Course‘ in Dornach

Waldorf 100 Centenary Conference – ‘The First Teachers Course’

Colleen O’Connors, teacher at High Mowing School, USA

The conference is over, and most participants tions of Human Experience, Practical Advice have taken cars, trains, and planes back to to Teachers, and Discussions with Teachers their homes, or have moved on to vacation once again presented as the original chrono- destinations. The human spiritual activity, the logical unit. This intentionality has also re- human feeling life, and the human deeds still sulted in a new, rather chunky, printed edi- resonate in the halls of the Goetheanum, and tion of all fourteen days that includes a large will radiate from there out into the world (and appendix with additional study material and not ‘just’ the Waldorf-world) long after the facsimiles. At the moment this is only avail- summer sun descends from its zenith, through able in German, but the English translation is the fiery justice of Michaelmas, to illuminate nearly complete, and funds for a Spanish from within ‘the turning point of time’ at the translation are being sought. nadir of the northern hemisphere’s solar cal- endar. What will reawaken come spring de- The work groups, loosely structured accord- pends on each and every one of us. ing to language (German, English, Spanish), served to ‘digest’ the content of the most re- Approximately 300 participants from roughly cently delivered lecture in a very free, inter- 40 nations brought their languages, their active way. We had 90+ minutes to do so, cultures, their gifts, and their questions to and from the four group leader meetings, it Dornach. From kindergarten teachers to the became clear that each of the eleven groups European council lobbyist for Waldorf edu- approached this task in various ways. As one cation, an eclectic, vivacious, and striving of our group’s three leaders, our challenge group of individuals streamed into the Foun- was, having just ‘received’ the lecture of the dation Stone auditorium each morning at day (or half-day), to quite spontaneously 8:45 to experience music and/or to create the vessel in such a way that best begin our day. This was followed by the served the content of the lecture and the morning lecture, a coffee break, the work- group. With a lively mix of artistic activities groups, and the plenum. After a delicious (We had a eurythmist in the group – thank lunch courtesy of the ‘Speisehaus’ and a you, Mona!), partner and small-group con- wonderfully long midday break (2 hours and versations, walks, quiet reflective moments, 15 minutes), the pattern was repeated on and full group discussions we grew succes- five of the nine days again in the afternoon. sively together as we strove to expand our The ‘Brazilians’ enlivened the start of the af- understanding of the human. ternoon sessions by teaching us various cirandas. Including the first and the last day, In the first half of the plenum, two groups four days were half-days allowing for rest, were pre-selected to ‘present’ something out some sightseeing, and much networking. of their workgroups. These presentations also ‘grew’ in the course of the nine days, becom- Each lecturer was tasked with bringing a day ing a key part of the collegial digestion and of the first teachers course alive; Founda- integration processes. The second half of the

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 5 Review Conference ‘First Teachers Course‘ in Dornach plenum was held as a space for individual and creative energies; teachers carrying con- contributions and questions, often gently di- cerns for the children in their care, and for rected by an impulse idea or inquiry by the world we all share. I have often heard the Claus-Peter Röh or Florian Osswald. question, “What is Waldorf?” This conference was Waldorf at its best – a movement, in the This ‘free-form’ conference was an experi- truest sense of the word, spanning the globe, ment for all of us, and the Pedagogical Sec- increasingly aware of itself and the tasks tion and conference planners demonstrated that require the continued cultivation of the much needed courage of our times to allow senses, of common sense, of consciousness, space for collegial exchange within the not only of the expressions, but also of the framework of the conference. Much in keep- underpinnings of our common human expe- ing with Steiner’s 1919 example, we didn’t rience. just listen. We worked, spoke, moved, cre- ated, and attempted to penetrate the indica- As we continue to celebrate Waldorf 100, let tions given. With a finger on the pulse of us deeply feel awe, gratitude, and our collec- today, we approached the question, “What is tive and individual responsibility – the ‘abil- the next one hundred years of Waldorf edu- ity to respond’ – for cultivating the teachers, cation asking of us?” helping the children grow, supporting the parents and healing the world in which we I feel blessed to have attended this confer- wish to celebrate Waldorf 200. ence, and to have met so many sincere and dedicated educators; teachers full of love Thank you all.

6 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Whole Class Study

Discussing the State of a Class Community or the so-called Whole Class Study

Christof Wiechert

Introduction to be worked through, which should be ad- In the world-wide school movement, there is dressed on another occasion. a growing awareness of the significance of the child (or pupil) study. It is the instrument A whole class study should take place as a initiated by Rudolf Steiner to enable teachers matter of course, when one class teacher to take educational issues into their own hands over to another, or when a class moves hands through discussions in their own cir- on to the upper school. cles. Child studies are being carried out at an increasing number of schools, enabling the The Picture schools to resolve the educational challenges In the first step of the child study process we themselves; so there seems to be less need to endeavour to understand the child as a pic- ‘outsource’ them. ture of his- or herself. Once this has hap- pened, we endeavour to understand this pic- In this context the question of the whole ture from the forces that have created him class study comes up more and more fre- or her. Once this has been done, we will quently. Would there also be a format for strive to find helpful measures in education the discussion of a class as with the child itself. These are the well-known three steps. study? There is one. It is simply of a com- pletely different nature from the child or In a whole class study the approach is a dif- pupil study. ferent one. In order to understand a class community, another level needs to be found. A whole class study will generally be called This is easy to follow, for you cannot under- for, when the subject teachers are having stand the gestalt (constellation) of a class difficulties dealing with a particular class. community by studying the individual pupils. The subject teachers then get together with Now you have to change to a different level, the class teacher and discuss their questions a meta-level. and problems. This new level can be found by making the Such an undertaking will easily come un- characteristics of the class community visi- stuck socially, as either people discuss the ble. These characteristics are easy to dis- pupils who cause them difficulties, or else cover; they are outer characteristics. If these they come up against the class teacher and are seen collectively in their variety, a picture see in them – implicitly or explicitly – the of the class community actually appears on a cause of the difficulties in question. different level.

In this case we are touching on the right re- The process consists of first gathering these lationship between the subject teacher and characteristics and afterwards viewing how the class teacher. It is an area that is waiting they inter-connect and sound together. We

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 7 Whole Class Study do not need to be put off by the fact that a 4. What is the position of the children in lot of the characteristics are really obvious their families? and simple, they are just rarely viewed in Are we faced with a class of just only chil- their inter-connectedness. dren, or are we dealing with children who come from families, in which several children It is not always necessary to track down all live in one household? In the past, you would the characteristics; sometimes after a few have pupils from families with five children attempts you sense how a picture of a class or more in the class. Such children from rela- arises without the individual children or tively large families bring special social skills pupils needing to stand out. into the class community. Only children have a different path ahead of them in this re- Characteristics which define the Gestalt spect and are more reliant upon a well-func- of a Class Community are as follows: tioning class community.

1. What is the ratio of boys to girls? 5. Is there a one-sided weighting of Everyone knows from experience that a quite temperaments? definite “boys’ class” has a different dynamic If a class community reaches a certain size, momentum from a girls’ class. Girls behave say from twenty pupils upwards, it will sel- quite differently in a class dominated by dom be the case that a particular tempera- boys, from the way they do in a “girls’ class”. ment predominates. However, a tempera- So do boys. If there is a rough balance, boys ment may predominate and set the pace of and girls are more neutral in their relation- activity. If there is a group of real sanguines ship to one another. in a class, the whole class will feel it. Like- wise, if a solid group of phlegmatics is pres- 2. What is the distribution of birthday ent in the class, the teacher will notice it dates? quickly. Is there a more-or-less even spread of birth- day dates, or are there a lot of winter birth- 6. How are talents and gifts distributed? days or spring birthdays in a class? Or do we This is a big subject. Thus, from Class four or have a problem with celebrating birthdays, five onward, the individual talents and gifts because so many birthdays are in the sum- start to appear. They may be gifts of an intel- mer, i.e. in the holidays? Now a winter class is lectual kind, for example, a lot of pupils who something quite, quite different from an au- are good at maths; or are there strong musi- tumn class. (With older classes, i.e. upper cal talents? Or, are there particularly sporty school, we can look at the mixture of zodiac types among the children or children with a signs in this context). strong imagination, good painters? In a nut- shell, the individualisation of gifts and their 3. What is the ratio of younger to older emerging will affect the class community. pupils within the class? Are there mainly children in the class, whose 7. The parents and the parental homes ages lie in the middle, or are there a lot of In connection with what has been men- young children, or older ones? Children, who tioned under point 6 above, the parents play are almost too young, give the class a partic- an important role. The question of how gifts ular colouring that is different from when a and talents are connected with heredity and majority of pupils are older. how this becomes more individual in the

8 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Whole Class Study course of time is still a little researched area stances of their imaginations being “fired up in the art of education. The laws of heredity by the subject” are really noticeable. from a spiritual scientific viewpoint were portrayed in outline by Steiner in 1910/11 in With this background in mind the achieve- lectures in Nürnberg, Düsseldorf, Munich and ments of the class should be viewed in all Basel (Erkenntnis und Unsterblichkeit, GA subjects. 69b, Dornach 2013). 10. The Biography of the Class That is one viewpoint. Another is the cultural Obviously, having one class teacher through milieu, in which the parental homes are em- to Class 7 will have quite a different impact bedded. Yes, indeed, even the character of on a class community from having three dif- the environment plays a role. Is it rather ferent class teachers. urban or rural? Is the school in a city near a university, or is the environment more indus- 11. The Class Teacher trial? All these factors enter into the life of This whole study will be rounded off by look- the children and thereby into the class com- ing at the class teacher as well. Was the situ- munity. ation such that the abilities of the pupils were able to unfold? Did the class teacher 8. To summarise all the above, does the have the right aptitudes to connect with the class have rather an intellectual, class? Did he or she have their temperament artistic or social character? so much under control that all the pupils These concepts are not to be taken too nar- could feel at home in the classroom? Was the rowly. Nonetheless, this can be felt. Now it is teacher there for the pupils and unfettered the task of the art of education to take into by idiosyncrasies that are unhelpful in teach- account of all these viewpoints and to bring ing? And above all, was it possible to create a about the individualisation of the pupils in a climate of wanting to learn? socially harmonious way. 12. The Result 9. What arouses interest in the Class Once these parameters have been contem- Community? plated, a dynamic constellation (Gestalt) of If the pupils are older, from Class six on- the soul-spirit nature of the class community wards, it will be possible to observe which can be developed and comprehended. subjects awaken enthusiasm. We have seen classes that found Norse mythology boring, What does such a Gestalt look like? but were on the edge of their seats learning about the Greeks. Others have found only The result could look, for example, like this: the Romans somehow exciting. And when Class X has a sanguine-sporty keynote, not so the sciences are introduced from Class 6 on- inward, not so artistic, but open and keen to wards, what effect does that have? learn. In the class there are several really bright sparks present, who, to some extent, set Or is the class community interested, above the tone for how the others should behave. all, in all aspects of languages? The girls – in the minority – have this some- what tomboyish, sporty manner in their inter- Of course, the interaction with the teacher actions with one another and with the boys. plays a major role, yet nonetheless, these in- They have no time for the finer points of liter-

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 9 Whole Class Study ature or for the fine arts, but are very open for Or: Class XY has a decidedly aesthetic lean- anything musical. The task with this class ing. There are a lot of blond, bright children, would be to develop the more inward qualities well-behaved and well-mannered, great tal- as well, for instance, in the history lesson. ents for drawing, painting and language. There is a lovely balance between boys and Or like this: Class Y has a decidedly rough char- girls. The achievements of the class are above acter. Several lads, not the most gifted, dictate average, despite the prevalence of a leisurely the manner of speaking and a lot of pupils are atmosphere. All the teachers like coming to unhappy about it. The girls are actually always this class, with the result that teachers need on the defensive. The talents are very scat- to be sparing with their compliments for tered, yet they do not come out, as there is a them to avoid making them vain. kind of dictate of several lads who believe that getting good results is not ‘cool’. Several pupils There is a lot of light in this class; a class play do not feel at ease in this context. It will be should provide a bit of fire. necessary to involve the ringleaders of this rough way of speaking in the lessons through May these suggestions give a picture of how, specific tasks and by examining what they quite apart from looking at individual pupils, have achieved on an ongoing basis so that the the being of a class community can be ap- way of speaking changes. A lot of pupils hope proached. for a different style in the lessons.

10 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Tasks of the Pedagogical Section at the Goetheanum

Tasks of the Pedagogical Section

Claus-Peter Röh

Introduction Christmas Conference. At its centre was the With the Waldorf 100 events worldwide, the School of Spiritual Science, whose sections work of the Pedagogical Section at the focused their research on the various fields Goetheanum has also become 100 years old. of life: While section leaders were appointed The core task of maintaining and further de- for other areas of life, Rudolf Steiner himself veloping Rudolf Steiner's pedagogical im- was in charge of pedagogy. The reason for pulse gives rise to the various areas of the this was the founding of the first Waldorf work of this section. They range from re- School in Stuttgart four years earlier. There searching the contents of colloquia, school the director of the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette conferences and workshops to coordinating factory, Emil Molt, had joined forces with cooperation with associations, universities and had asked Rudolf Steiner and training centres of the international to speak to the workers during the post-war school movement. The polarity between in- riots. Steiner's plan for the future to enable wardly deepening work and outwardly every child to receive a basic human educa- reaching effects on contemporary events is tion in a 'standard school' led to the question one of the oldest aspects of Waldorf Educa- of whether he would be prepared to found tion: on the one hand, it derives its standards and run such a school. After his promise and of concrete daily education entirely from the intensive preparations, Steiner held three nature of the developing young person. At basic pedagogical courses for the newly re- the same time, in this concreteness, she con- cruited teachers in September 1919: stantly places herself anew in the public, present life. In the interplay of both direc- • The Foundations of Human Experience tions Waldorf Education gains its ability to previously Study of Man.1 develop over time: The pupils themselves carry their imprint of the present into the • Practical Advice to Teachers2 lessons. At the same time, educators, teach- ers and parents experience and question • Discussions with Teachers3 their relationship to cultural and contempo- rary events. Subsequently, the first "Free Waldorf School" opened with 252 pupils, of whom 191 came Brief Outline of the History of the from the Waldorf-Astoria. What it meant to Pedagogical Section realize a new school principle that was revo- One year after the fire at the first lutionary for that time, not only as an ideal, Goetheanum, the General Anthroposophical but also in the daily work with the pupils and Society was re-established at the 1923/24 the staff, can perhaps only be guessed at

1 R. Steiner, Allgemeine Menschenkunde, CW (GA) 293 2 R. Steiner, Methodisch-Didaktisches, CW (GA) 294 3 R. Steiner, Erziehungskunst – Seminarbesprechungen und Lehrplanvorträge, CW (GA) 295

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 11 Tasks of the Pedagogical Section at the Goetheanum today in the situation of a new school foun- The archetype of the further development of dation or a career entry: An infinite number one's own pedagogical activity described of courageous steps into the previously un- here leads to a first field of work of the Ped- known were to be taken and processed from agogical Section. Where desired by colleges, the perception of the young people and the school visits with joint conference work take teaching situations. place. The most important topics requested today are included: On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Waldorf school movement and a confer- - Work on a renewed community building ence of the Pedagogical Section on the "1st in the college: How are new steps of co- Teacher Course" in July 2019, a newly revised, operation possible and how important is synoptic special edition of these three self-administration? courses was developed and published.4 – Deepening work on anthropology: How Conference as a Living University: do the anthropological archetypes and "Continually finding something new" thoughts gain pedagogical effectiveness? The colleagues of the first founding period described Rudolf Steiner's interest in attend- – The ability to perceive in everyday peda- ing classes and how he always encouraged gogical life: How do we encounter the in- them to take such an interest in young people. dividuality of young people today? The new editing and publication of the con- ferences5 by Christof Wiechert and Andrea – Concrete practice at the steps of the chil- Leubin reflects the liveliness of that time of dren's discussion: How does space arise pedagogical redevelopment: What was expe- for the essential in the community of rienced in class was compiled and processed in knowledge? (see following chapter) such a way that new insights and approaches developed from the descriptions. Thus what – Questions about the nature of the art of was gained in studies and research steps was education: How does teaching become combined with immediate experience. In this artistic in its method? sense, for Steiner, the teacher conferences were "actually the ongoing living university … – Questions about dealing with media, a they are an ongoing seminar. … who in this curriculum for media education way, by teaching, by educating, at the same time, on the one hand, gets the deepest psy- In addition to school visits and working chological insight into direct practice from meetings, colloquia and conferences at the the handling of teaching … for himself out of Goetheanum are organised by the Pedagog- the practice of teaching, will continually find ical Section in order to further deal with something new. New for itself, new for the these topics. whole teaching staff with whom all the expe- riences, all the insights … are to be exchanged At the moment these are the regular work- in the conferences."6 shops on meditative practice, on anthropo-

4 R. Steiner, Allgemeine Menschenkunde, Methodisch-Didaktisches – Seminar, Studienausgabe, 2019 5 R. Steiner, Konferenzen mit den Lehrern der freien Waldorfschule 1919 – 1924, Neuherausgabe 2019 6 Ibid.

12 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Tasks of the Pedagogical Section at the Goetheanum logical topics in the art of education and the learning? How can young people today find Förderlehrertagung, which will be held in Oc- their individual ability to express themselves tober 2019 together with the Medical Section in language? The work will be reflected in a on the topic "Promoting Learning as an Inter- conference in Wuppertal/Germany (28 Feb- action of Spiritual and Physical Forces". ruary – 1 March 2020).

At Trinitatis the annual meeting of religious Study of Man and School of Spiritual Science education teachers takes place, as well as the With the establishment of the General An- in-depth training week every second year. throposophical Society at the 1923 Christmas Conference, Rudolf Steiner placed the School Every 4 years the World Teachers' Conference of Spiritual Science at the centre of research takes place, for which the International Con- expanded by anthroposophy. It became the ference of the Waldorf Education Movement task of the Pedagogical Section to research is responsible. After Easter 2022 the 11th of and further develop the art of education these conferences will take place. The the- which had previously been designed and matic orientation is emerging. founded in 1919. More and more the question of the connection between the path of the On the Deepening Free University and general anthropology is Essential characteristics of Waldorf Education emerging: How is it possible to gain in-depth are derived from the fact that in the living insights into anthropology from the perspec- process of teaching the human being always tive of the School of Spiritual Science? faces the human being. As the whole person acts in the teacher on the whole young person, Challenges of Waldorf Education Today – inner attitudes of interest, direction, determi- Questioning Traditions nation, empathy or contemplation play a deci- A glance at current events makes it clear that sive role in the success of the education. In this the development of the smaller child in par- sense, the question of inner training and self- ticular needs intensive attention today. Here education of one's own free will is one of the the task for the Pedagogical Section is to foundations of the individual Waldorf teacher focus more on the first seven years of life. and one of the core tasks of the Pedagogical Cooperation with the international kinder- Section. Against this background, articles, texts garten movement is important at this point. and slogans for teachers and pupils were com- piled in book form. It is available under the title Middle School "Zur meditativen Vertiefung des Lehrer- und Another research area concerns the peda- Erzieher-Berufs" from the Pedagogical Section. gogy of the Middle School. In the encounters with the colleges in the school movement, Research Approaches the need to look at the developmental situa- From what has been described so far, the tion and the methodology of the middle Pedagogical Section has developed various school classes became apparent. The work of research approaches, the common basis of an initiative group in this field of research which is its own human development: will lead to a thematic booklet.

Language Development Training as a Waldorf Teacher How can the developmental forces inherent The future of Waldorf Education is decided in in the language be more closely involved in classroom lessons – a now deceased "col-

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 13 Tasks of the Pedagogical Section at the Goetheanum league" pointed to one of the greatest chal- weltweit"7 cooperation is reflected in the lenges facing the Waldorf school movement. history of the school movement. The focus is thus on a large field of research: the training of future Waldorf teachers. How The Pedagogical Section plays a leading role can training be structured today in different in the International Conference of the Wal- parts of the world in order to train teachers on dorf Education Movement (Hague Circle) as a the basis of anthroposophy and who work forum of responsibility for the common per- with good specialist knowledge, joyfully and ception of the school movement in the with an interest in every single young person countries and parts of the world. in the schools (kindergartens are one of them)? Organisation of the Pedagogical Section There are many other questions and con- As far as the organisation of the Pedagogical cerns, but the above mentioned areas are the Section is concerned, the linchpin is its office ones that are currently in focus. at the Goetheanum. Here the threads come together, appointments are checked and al- The "Journal of the Pedagogical Section", the located and the website is updated to make communication organ of the section, which current activities such as conferences and is sent to all schools and many private ad- events visible. dresses by post and/or electronically, gives an impression of current topics that concern us On behalf of the International Conference, in the section. the website www.waldorf-resources.org was set up, providing a platform, research ap- Cooperation Partners in the International proaches and results of the Waldorf School School Movement movement in German, English, Spanish and In order to achieve the educational goals Chinese to colleagues. mentioned above, one of the central tasks of the Pedagogical Section is to promote and The work of the Pedagogical Section is finan- expand cooperation with the organisations cially supported by free donations from vari- and associations which represent the con- ous countries, above all by contributions cerns and further development of Waldorf from Germany via the Bund der Freien Wal- Education. This is done with the federations dorfschulen and Switzerland via the Arbeits- and associations of different countries all gemeinschaft, as well as by endowments for over the world, as well as with the Friends of certain projects and by the provision of Waldorf Education in Berlin, the Interna- premises at the Goetheanum. All funds tional Kindergarten Association, the Interna- earned by the Section leaders outside the tional Association in Eastern Countries and Goetheanum through visits to schools or the European Council. In Nana Göbel's book participation in conferences, etc., go entirely "Die Waldorfschule und ihre Menschen to the Section.

7 Nana Göbel, Die Waldorfschule und ihre Menschen, Geschichte und Geschichten, 1919 – 2019, Edition Waldorf 2019

14 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Friends of Waldorf Education

Friends of Waldorf Education

Nana Göbel

In 2019, the Waldorf movement will have tional Conference of Waldorf Schools". Pre- shaped education and teaching in Germany liminary talks had already taken place in for one hundred years. Waldorf education Stuttgart in 1969 during the 50th anniversary has been part of the Swiss education system celebrations; Pentecost 1970 was the date for almost as long and, above all, continu- for the first meeting in The Hague. The Inter- ously, as well as the education systems in national Conference owes its short name to Holland and England – albeit in very differ- this venue. Secondly, together with Dr. Man- ent ways. In these almost one hundred years, fred Leist, Ernst Weißert founded the the Waldorf movement has contributed "Friends of Waldorf Education" in order to many elements of content and methodology create a mutual support instrument and an to the state school in the kindergarten and organisation for the legal protection of school sector, so that these are now a natural schools. While he invested a lot of attention part of all public schools in Germany. in the development of the Hague Circle, he had no time for the Friends of Waldorf Edu- In 1969, the 50th anniversary of the Indepen- cation. But he won many former pupils of dent Waldorf School on the Uhlandshöhe in the Waldorf School on the Uhlandshöhe as Stuttgart was celebrated in a large ceremony. members and, with Günther Ziegenbein and In addition to the colleagues from the Ger- Armin Scholter, also board members. The man Waldorf schools, many representatives fourth member of the board was Dr. Manfred of the Waldorf school movements in the Leist, legal advisor to the Federation of Inde- neighbouring countries were invited. Ernst pendent Waldorf Schools. And the members Weißert, successor of Dr. Erich Schwebsch in received the magazine "Erziehungskunst", the leadership of the Federation of Indepen- whose editors were Leist and Weißert, as a dent Waldorf Schools and nestor of the Wal- morning gift. The activity was limited to this. dorf School Movement after World War II in Germany, had – as so often – the right feel- At the beginning of the 1970s – as the after- ing for the moment. In the meantime, the math of the so-called 1967/68 events – ef- differences in the Anthroposophical Society forts were even made in the Waldorf Schools that had disturbed development for decades to establish more pupil participation and had been settled – and so the cooperation contribution. Tentative, politely presented with the Dutch and English colleagues was democratic aspirations, which were certainly again possible without any excitement. This heard. In 1973, supported by Stefan Leber at moment should not be missed. our Pforzheim Waldorf School and by Ernst Weißert in the Association of Independent Ernst Weißert linked two initiatives to this Waldorf Schools, we began with Baden- moment of development of the school Württemberg and then with student confer- movement. Together with Wim Kuiper from ences. In 1975, this was followed by the first the Vrije School in The Hague he founded the international Waldorf student conference in subsequent "Hague Circle" or the "Interna- The Hague. The theme of this conference,

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 15 Friends of Waldorf Education which was attended by more than five hun- with the Bund der Freien Waldorfschulen dred pupils and alumni, was Rudolf Steiner's when they were still residing on the first idea of the World School Association, which floor of the Burschenschaftshaus between we had already dealt with in detail during the Waldorf School on the Uhlandshöhe the preparations. How can this wonderful and the Mensahaus of the Christian Com- pedagogy be available not only to one (edu- munity. And so it remained for the next ten cational) elite, but to as many people as pos- or fifteen years. The work always took place sible from different backgrounds and differ- in close cooperation with the German Wal- ent economic conditions? We found that the dorf school movement. idea of the World School Association had to become practical. We were a small group From the very beginning, we were concerned from the preparation of the Hague School about the future viability of mankind. The Conference: Andreas Büttner, Christa Ger- motives were not small. Not at all. We were aets, Jean-Claude Lin, Andreas Maurer, Paul and are convinced that humanity needs an Vink and myself. education that draws on the right relation- ship between the physical and spiritual In spring 1976, we visited Ernst Weißert and worlds in order to maintain its future viabil- presented our motives to him. We spoke with ity. It needs an education in which everyone great enthusiasm about the World School involved, parents, children and teachers, can Association, about freedom in education and see themselves as citizens of these two asked for its approval and support for a cor- worlds. Our hypothesis is that the Waldorf responding initiative. The result was his offer School is the basis for a healthy human de- that instead of founding something new, we velopment. And all people need this healthy could rather take over the association development. That is why we wanted to sup- "Friends of Waldorf Education", for which he port kindergartens and schools financially had no time; this happened very quickly. An- from the very beginning in order to enable as dreas Büttner and I were elected to the many children and young people as possible board, Andreas Büttner took over the man- to enjoy this pedagogy. To this day, we are agement and Dr. Manfred Leist made sure not interested in being a classic development that we didn't make any nonsense. At this aid organisation, because we do not concen- time the association had a donation volume trate on typical developing countries and of about 10,000 DM per year. typical development tasks. From the very be- ginning, our aim was to make Waldorf Edu- Shortly afterwards, we renamed the associ- cation accessible – especially to children who ation "Freunde der Erziehungskunst Rudolf do not come from financially strong homes. Steiners" and we were very accommodating We wanted a school in which children from to Ernst Weißert by not using the name different backgrounds could be taught to- Weltschulverein. There was a lot of un- gether. Only in this way, we thought, can a pleasant history of the anthroposophical society grow, which does not consist of lay- movement attached to him. The "Freunde ered beings without mutual understanding, der Erziehungskunst Rudolf Steiners" thus but in which through friendship from child- emerged entirely from the developments of hood later trenches can be overcome. There the German Waldorf school movement – was also a second strong motive: freedom in from both the teacher and the pupil sides. education. Already in the 1970s there were And at the beginning they shared an office fierce efforts by early education on the one

16 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Friends of Waldorf Education hand, and centralized exams on the other many in the 1920s and 1930s there were no hand, to contain the possible and if possible, state subsidies. Even in the reconstruction precious educational and trust situation be- years after World War II, it was American tween teacher and pupil from the free re- care packages that helped children and sponsibility of the teacher into regulated les- teachers survive. In comparison, we have it sons. Now we knew from our own experience very pleasant today, unlike our neighbours in that inner freedom can be exemplified and Switzerland, England or Italy, who essentially that it is an important and important role have to get by without state subsidies. That's model. We did not want state regulations, why our support is always in demand. which today appear to be quite normal and unspectacular. We wanted the preservation In 1976 we set up the International Relief of freedom in education and a protective Fund, a fund to which general and unre- wall around the Waldorf schools; the latter, stricted donations flow and from which so to speak, a chain of lights of people who kindergartens and schools as well as curative would rise if education and upbringing were education institutes and training centres can too restricted. We had no idea then how in- be financially supported. While it was rela- sidious the regulatory processes would be tively easy in the 1980s to get general free and how unnoticed the need for freedom donations to answer the most urgent ques- would give way to a seemingly iron law. tions, in the 2010s it became much more dif- ficult. We are observing a trend reversal in When we began this work in 1975/76, there donor behavior, although the major catas- were 47 Waldorf schools in Germany and 126 trophes are excluded. More and more people worldwide (as of August 1976). At first the – regardless of the amount – want to be in- inquiries came from Western Europe and the formed as closely as possible, sometimes they USA. We helped many English Waldorf also want to control what happens to 'their' schools during the first years, helping to buy money. Less and less is simply given as a gift the Highland Hall Waldorf School in Los An- to lift the other into the position of a free geles (the last instalment of the purchase person, i.e. also of a person who is allowed to had to be financed, otherwise everything make mistakes. In addition, the average would have been lost) or, after the fire, a new amount of donations is lower than in the Pine Hill School building in Wilton, New 1980s and 1990s, although people actually Hampshire. Even then, we in Germany were have more money at their disposal. The irra- in the comfortable position of being able to tional nature of the way money is handled get state subsidies for running our school can be read off well from this. The expansion because of our constitution. The first Wal- of our work could therefore only take place dorf School in Stuttgart, on the other hand, through the participation of more and more had to get by without such subsidies and people. could only exist until its closure in 1938 be- cause many friends and supporters co-fi- The work of the Freunde der Erziehungskunst nanced it regularly with donations. Without runs parallel to the expansion and growth of outstanding generous personalities such as the worldwide Waldorf movement. It has Emil Molt and the donations of up to 5,000 grown with it – in corresponding waves. The domestic and foreign members of the Associ- actual expansion of the Waldorf school ation for a Free Education, the school would movement began in the mid to late 1980s. not have been financially viable. Even in Ger- After 1989, a completely new school move-

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 17 Friends of Waldorf Education ment emerged in Central and Eastern Europe, ment cooperation in cooperation with the which still presents us with some challenges German Federal Ministry for Economic Coop- today. With incredible speed the ideas of a eration and Development (BMZ). In recent 'free school system' were seized and kinder- years, Waldorf schools and institutions for gartens and schools were founded. To this curative education and social therapy in day, schools in many Central and Eastern Eu- South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, Ghana, Geor- ropean countries cannot finance their coop- gia, India, Kenya, Romania and Vietnam have eration any more than their public relations been supported to the tune of millions. One work. In Hungary, for example, this has to do of the things that made it possible to erect with the now ruling Fidezs Party and its na- the buildings of many African Waldorf tional orientation, which views free schools schools was this extremely helpful financing with suspicion. Actually from the beginning option. Without the work of the Friends of until today we support the federations of Waldorf Education, many schools in Africa Waldorf schools in Romania, Hungary, Poland, would not have any buildings. Of course, Ukraine and enable them to have a secre- these are especially the schools for children tariat, travel to schools and public relations of poorer sections of the population, which work, sometimes also education. Only in the are also supported by us in the running costs. Czech Republic do the schools have sufficient Three of the four large middle-class Waldorf funds to finance their cooperation them- schools in South Africa did not need such selves. Due to the very slow economic change, support. This financing possibility also has which always arrives last at the teachers or great advantages for the curative education doctors and state employees, many of the and social therapy movement. The Michaelss- Central and Eastern European Waldorf chule in Tiflis/Georgia could be built just as Schools and kindergartens were dependent successfully as the social therapy facility in on our donations and our mediation of fur- Sighnaghi/Georgia or the curative education ther funds for the refurbishment and renova- school in Simeria/Romania or the social ther- tion of their school buildings – and some of apy day facility in Medellin/Colombia or the them still are today. Because everything they Camphillheim in Hue/Vietnam. Sometimes, can afford themselves must flow into the however, such public funds do not suit the salaries, which are too low anyway and do not country or institution – and then other sup- make a tidy life possible. The freedoms of the port services from the Friends of Waldorf Ed- first years have long since passed and the ucation are necessary. During the many years governments of these states are increasingly we have repeatedly provided financial sup- devising stricter control instruments, so that port for construction projects, partly and elaborate political activity is necessary in gladly in cooperation with other aid organi- order to at least maintain a small space of sations and foundations. In 2006, with such freedom in which Waldorf education can be support, it was possible to complete the con- practised less, sometimes more. Today we are struction of the new Waldorf School in far away from the dream beaches of freedom Bangkok, Thailand, to co-finance the prop- in education, as they appeared for a short erty of the Sloka School in Hyderabad, where time in 1989/1990. now more than 600 pupils come and go, but also to provide construction assistance for Since 1988 the Freunde der Erziehungskunst the three other schools in Hyderabad as well have been supporting Waldorf education as for the Waldorf School in Chengdu, China. projects within the framework of develop- The latter projects are pilot schools which

18 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Friends of Waldorf Education have had a significant impact on the devel- travelled first through Germany and several opment of Waldorf education in China and European countries (Switzerland, Denmark, India. The project also helped with the recon- Sweden, Finland, England, France, Spain and struction of the kindergartens in Timisoara, Portugal) and then, in 1996, through various Romania and with the extension and renova- Asian countries. It certainly made a signifi- tion of the Waldorf schools in Smolensk and cant contribution to the awareness of Wal- Woronesh, Russia, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kaza- dorf Education in Korea, Thailand, the Philip- khstan, Dnjepropetrowsk and Krivoj Rog, pines and India. It was only after this Ukraine and in Tbilisi, Georgia or in Yerevan, exhibition and the events associated with Armenia. With donations and loans the pio- the exhibitions, some of which were organ- neer school in Kibbuz , Israel was sup- ised jointly with the Goethe Institutes, that ported as well as many other Israeli schools in the first Waldorf Schools were established in their first construction phase. Over the these countries. These were the birth times decades, large sums have flowed to Latin for Waldorf Education in Asia. In 1997, the America, first to Brazil, then to Argentina series of such activities was followed by the (schools in Buenos Aires, schools in Patagonia film "Moments into the Future", a first at- and the Cordoba area), as well as to Chile, tempt to bring the educational reality to life Peru and Mexico. The requests for support for through the example of selected schools in construction projects are increasing rather Israel, Brazil, Russia, South Africa and Ger- than decreasing, because schools (almost) many. Unfortunately, the film was not as only work in houses. However, it is becoming successful as the exhibition. more and more difficult to find larger sums for this purpose, also because our foundation Despite our high ideals, we never developed partners are withdrawing more and more the work of the Friends of Waldorf Education from school construction financing. in an abstract way, but always according to the actual questions, possibilities and chal- A milestone in the development of the work lenges. We have retained this way of working of the Friends of Waldorf Education was the regardless of who took over the manage- invitation by UNESCO to the International ment. After Andreas Büttner, Justus Wittich Conference for Education 1994 in Geneva, took over the management, followed by the biennial conference of the Ministers of Christian Schulz and Winfried Tauer. Justus Education of all UNESCO member states. and Claudia Wittich worked as board mem- There we presented Waldorf Education to an bers for several years, then Bernd Ruf and international audience. We developed an ex- later Andreas Schubert joined them. For hibition entitled "Waldorf Education World- some time, opportunities arose for public wide" and, in collaboration with Karl Lierl, a events in which Waldorf Education could be catalogue which was later translated and presented to a wider audience or even to a published in 17 languages. The exhibition specialist audience. In November 1996, the and catalogue became known in the school Friends of Waldorf Education together with movement as the UNESCO exhibition, al- the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and the Sticht- though they were of course the exhibition ing INI, Amsterdam, organized a symposium and catalogue of the Friends of Waldorf Edu- in New Delhi, where representatives of Wal- cation. At the end of the Geneva conference, dorf Education met with representatives of under the patronage of Federico Mayor, then various educational alternatives in India. Ex- Director General of UNESCO, the exhibition citing parallels to Waldorf Education could

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 19 Friends of Waldorf Education be discovered in the approaches of Mahatma China. Christof Wiechert, who was head of Gandhi or and Rabindranath the Pedagogical Section at the Goetheanum Tagore. In November 1998 we organised a during most of these conferences, gave the follow-up event on Waldorf Education to- daily in-depth lectures. The cooperation with gether with the Goethe-Institut in Delhi, him was also very close and valuable in many where the dialogue could be deepened. In other areas. These Asian Waldorf teacher con- May 2000, the Friends of Waldorf Education ferences were and are milestones for the co- together with the German-Bulgarian Forum operation of kindergartens and schools in and the Goethe-Institut organised a sympo- Asia, for mutual trust and growing recogni- sium on Waldorf Education in Sofia (Bul- tion. In the future, some regions will probably garia), the first public event on Waldorf Edu- hold their own regional meetings. This has al- cation in this country. While Waldorf schools ready started successfully for the Chinese- have been successfully established in other speaking world, because since 2010 large countries in this region since 1990 – for ex- Waldorf conferences have been held every ample there is now a school movement with two years alternately in Taiwan and China for 42 member schools in Hungary – tender be- all Chinese-speaking Waldorf kindergarten ginnings in Bulgaria took a very long time. To and Waldorf school teachers from these this day it is difficult to lead a healthy, inde- countries as well as from Hong Kong, Singa- pendent life there. pore and Malaysia with an average of five hundred participants. The Friends of Waldorf In the middle of the 1990s, the first pioneer Education are intensively involved in the de- schools were established in Asia in the last velopments in this region. In the last five to stage of growth of the 20th century. Since eight years, for example, we have financed 1997 – always following the anthroposophi- the coordination team for mentoring and cal conferences – on my initiative and there- training activities in China in the kinder- fore under the direction of the Friends of garten and school sector in ideal cooperation Waldorf Education, " Tables" on Wal- with IASWECE (International Association of dorf Education have been held in Asia every Waldorf Kindergartens) and the Pedagogical year. There the cooperation of the Asian Section at the Goetheanum. In the meantime kindergarten and school movement was pre- there are eight kindergarten and five teacher pared and all common questions, especially training centres – all established as three- education and training, were discussed. In year in-service block courses. This is why the 2005 the first Asian Waldorf Teacher Confer- mentors from Germany and abroad have to ence took place in the Ci Xin Waldorf School do a great deal of work, because only with in Lo Tung (Province I-Lan, Taiwan), a seven this block training can satisfactory work be full days lasting further education and deep- done in the long run. We have therefore been ening. Until 2017 an Asian Waldorf Confer- working for years to place experienced ence (AWTC) was organised every two years kindergarten teachers as mentors. This field by a local partner together with the Friends of work can and must be expanded much fur- of Waldorf Education. In May 2007 220 Wal- ther in order to ensure the quality of the Wal- dorf teachers worked together in Nakhon dorf school movement, which will be the Nayok/Thailand, 2009 in Manila/Philippines, largest in one or two decades. 2011 in Hyderabad/India, 2013 in Seoul/ Korea, 2015 already more than 400 in Fujino/ To mark the 30th anniversary of the Friends Japan and 2017 more than five hundred in of Waldorf Education, we published a com-

20 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Friends of Waldorf Education memorative publication in 2001 entitled is exemplary for this training. A three-year "Waldorf Education Worldwide" with an transition period began in 2016, during overview of the Waldorf schools and kinder- which responsibility was to be gradually gartens that had existed up to then. The transferred to local trainers. After that, it be- richness, colourfulness and seriousness of came clear that a further transition period one of the largest free school movements in was necessary. We financed the Masters-of- the world became visible for the first time. Art course in Oslo for the future kinder- And it marked the turning point of the 21st garten trainer Silviah Njagi, who had worked century with its new pedagogical challenges in the Waldorf Kindergarten Kileleshwa for and its speed and sometimes superficiality almost twenty years, just as we helped many characterized by the new possibilities of net- other pioneers and future supporters of their working and communication. The 21st cen- Waldorf school movements with scholarships tury will bring new and difficult challenges to finance their training. Victor Mwai will for kindergarten teachers, with whom we coordinate the training of Waldorf teachers will certainly still have a lot to do. in East Africa and will hopefully soon also carry it out himself. Another region in which the Friends of Wal- dorf Education are very active is East Africa. These are great moments when, for example, In April 2010, the Rudolf Steiner School in an inheritance opens up a whole new and Nairobi-Mbagathi celebrated its 20th an- beautiful field of work. We owe a large niversary in a room financed and just com- amount to the violinist Bela Herskowits, who pleted by the Friends of Waldorf Education comes from Transylvania and has ended his in cooperation with the BMZ. It was a big endangered adventurous life in Australia. musical festival, which was combined with With him we were able to set up a revolving the regular conference of the East African "Israel Fund" in consultation with the Israeli Waldorf teachers. At these meetings, held al- Waldorf Forum. In this way we can support ternately in Kenya and Tanzania – once there the young Waldorf schools in Israel, which was also a meeting in Uganda – kindergarten are not yet recognised and therefore not yet teachers and teachers meet, most of whom subsidised, in financing their school build- already know each other through their joint ings. By the way, a donation from the training. The three-year training for partici- Gemeinnützige Treuhandstelle in Bochum in pants from Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya 1984 enabled us to set up a comparable re- takes place in block seminars at the Steiner volving "South America Fund", which still School Mbagathi outside Nairobi under the provides important services today and has direction of Peter van Alphen for class already been rolled over several times. In Is- teacher training and Ann Sharfman for rael we supported the first Arab Waldorf kindergarten training. The financing is coor- School in Shafar'am since its foundation in dinated by the Friends of Waldorf Education; September 2007 with a first class and 13 in addition to the Friends of Waldorf Educa- children. The mentality there often brought tion, our partner organisations Acacia and us to despair; nevertheless we carried the Sanduko a Ndege as well as some founda- school through financially – and that was re- tions such as Evidence are involved. The fact ally expensive. After all, it is the Arab pioneer that a "Train the Trainers" programme was Waldorf school. In September 2015 it was fi- started in good time to prepare teachers in nally possible to obtain state recognition and the region for their future training activities subsidy for this school. In the meantime

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 21 Friends of Waldorf Education other teachers are teaching there and the the financing of students in education, founding teachers mostly work at Jewish child sponsorships, courses and conferences, Waldorf schools. It remains to be seen school buildings, common tasks in the school whether any of the loans we have given will associations is still a fundamental pillar of flow back. the work. However, many other tasks have been added. The article by Bernd Ruf re- The idea of WOW-Day (Waldorf-One-World) ports in detail on two other tasks: voluntary was born in 1994. On the first WOW-Day services and emergency education. In addi- pupils from numerous schools took part and tion, the promotion of curative education collected money for Waldorf educational so- and social therapy institutions abroad has cial work in Colombia, Brazil and Chile. The been added; communication and network- idea originated in the tradition of the "Op- ing within the World School Movement, erasjon Dagswerk", a day on which pupils which is among others in our newsletters from all Norwegian schools earn money for and newsletters, but also in the editorial of- charitable purposes. In 1994, twelve schools fice of the World School List (which from from 5 countries took part; in 2015, 188 2018 includes both schools and kinder- schools from 32 countries took part. A total of gartens); as well as the placement of men- 4.7 million euros for needy children in various tors, course providers and teachers in countries in Africa, Latin America, Eastern Eu- teacher training; participation in regional rope and Asia could be generated by 2018. The and national conferences and meetings; following small examples may show how this Advice on legal and economic issues – also campaign is raising awareness of the situation in crisis situations; networking with other of children today. Pupils from the Hungarian sponsors; cooperation on questions of Waldorf School in Vác, for example, collected trademark law as well as the development money for a small school initiative in Free- of features and characteristics of Waldorf town, Sierra Leone, which a committed social education; assistance in setting up national worker had originally founded for uprooted forums or federations for Waldorf educa- former child soldiers, whereas pupils from the tion and many other things. Italian Waldorf School Citadella were com- mitted to Chechen refugee children in Kaunas, We still wish for close cooperation with the Lithuania. Through WOW-Day, pupils not only Waldorf movement in Germany, which con- learn to take an interest in a foreign cultural tinues to support us to this day and is an es- world and to get involved with others, but sential pillar of our existence. We very much also experience what it is like to organise hope that more and more cooperation be- themselves collectively and put their own tween German Waldorf Schools and Waldorf ideas into practice. In addition, the network- Schools abroad will be established so that ing of the Waldorf school movement is pro- teachers and pupils can participate in the moted and individual schools are supported in joyful, stimulating and sometimes exciting their public relations work. experience of a globalised world, a globalised world that must become much more humane The tasks of the Friends of Waldorf Educa- and dignified. It will only become so through tion have changed over the years. Of course, our help.

22 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 International Association of Early Childhood

The International Association for Steiner/Waldorf Early Child- hood Education (IASWECE) or: Why does Worldwide Cooperation of Waldorf Early Childhood Educators make sense?

Philipp Reubke

Hardly any other professional group has less above all the exchange about new develop- to do with globalisation. Hardly any other ments and research tasks to international group has to turn in this way to the here and groups", wrote Helmut von Kügelgen in the now with undivided attention and practical preamble of the statutes adopted at that dexterity. In hardly any other profession does time.2 Those in the field of educational re- one's absence have such serious conse- search and the exchange of good educa- quences. Nursery teachers, kindergarten tional practices who work only in the context teachers, caregivers and their few male col- of a national culture simply lack a few per- leagues may still have this in common with spectives – those of their colleagues from the farmers, who have similarly grown into many other countries and cultures. the field of their activity and can hardly take a holiday. Another reason is the nature of the young child. We adults are specialised in the lin- So why a world association for this particular guistic, cultural and political context in professional group? which we live, influenced, standardised and specialised. The child is open to everything, is Were the colleagues who founded the “Inter- not yet specialised and the longer he or she national Association of Waldorf Kinder- retains this openness, the greater his or her gartens” in 1969 just following a modern development will be. "In a few years, the trend?1 children will leave the levels of consciousness of childhood, their children's land, and im- The objective reasons they formulated at the merse themselves in the limitations of their time were: greater efficiency and realization social and state circumstances."3 It may of a social ideal, an ideal of humanity and therefore make sense as early childhood edu- education that can only be achieved through cators to occasionally "emerge" from na- worldwide cooperation. tional limitations and, in exchange with col- leagues from other countries, to cultivate in "The fruitfulness of worldwide cooperation themselves that which is generally human across all linguistic, political and religious and, above all, manifests itself in the small borders is a proven experience. This concerns child: unlimited interest.

1 Klara Hattermann, Freya Jaffke, Helmut von Kügelgen. See for instance, Monika Ley (editor): Ein Werden- der sein – Helmut von Kügelgen, ein Kämpfer für die Kindheit. Stuttgart 2016, Or Susan Howard, (editor): Love as the Source of Education – the Life and Work of Helmut von Kügelgen, Spring Valley, New York 2016. 2 Accessible on the IASWECE website: https://www.iaswece.org/about-us/our-goals/ 3 Helmut von Kügelgen, “Zum Jahr des Kindes 1979“ (The Year of the Child), in Erziehungskunst 1979, 7/8.

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 23 International Association of Early Childhood

The colleagues who founded the Association image of the child to be seen in the child has of Kindergartens almost 50 years ago were been distorted and degraded".7 particularly concerned about the social ideal of Waldorf Education: an organisation of so- The desire to work internationally became cial connections which is not based on hier- concrete from the very beginning: educators archy, control and reward, but on the moti- and lecturers from Germany became active vation of each individual for their work, as in many European countries, as well as in well as mutual interest and appreciation. An Peru, Namibia, New Zealand and the USA and organisation that gives the individual free- in the collegium of the association, in the so- dom for his initiatives and in which the indi- called "Kuratorium" there were also always a vidual voluntarily strives to keep the whole few colleagues from other countries. With in consciousness.4 It does not make much this form of work the many new kinder- sense to only stand up for this social ideal in gartens that were founded all over the world the context of one's own country: "This is in the 80s and 90s could be accompanied. why they [the Waldorf institutions] are After 1989, the beginning of Waldorf Educa- united by a common cultural mission that tion in Eastern Europe could be actively sup- transcends all national, linguistic and reli- ported. The Whitsun conferences, which gious borders".5 were held annually in Hannover and were al- ways aimed at an international audience, Finally, one reason for worldwide coopera- had unforgettable highlights in the 90s with tion is that those who advocate early spe- over 800 participants and an inspiring at- cialisation, standardisation and control of mosphere of new beginnings. Starting in the young child at various levels also operate 1984, every 7 years, world conferences for globally. This ranges from the still child- educators have taken place at the friendly fashion of early intellectualisation Goetheanum in Dornach with more than and early formal learning to the occupation 1000 participants each time. of children's playtime with digital media6 and openly violent practices. Many years ago With the new century new questions were Helmut von Kügelgen understood how to asked by the members of the Kuratorium: formulate this particularly emphatically: "No Couldn't the association also legally become one in our century [the twentieth] has been a world association in which not only the acted against as ruthlessly, as cruelly, despite German delegates have the right to vote? good will, or with such lack of understand- Couldn't the experienced educators from ing, as the children. The concept of child- non-German-speaking countries carry more hood has been deprived of its magic, the responsibility?

4 These social ideas of Steiner are known under the slogan "threefolding". The preamble of the Association of Waldorf Kindergartens states: "The entire educational movement must never forget that, in this sense, it is not only a pioneer in educational questions, but also in the comprehensive field of the social renewal movement "the threefold social organism". 5 Preamble, https://www.iaswece.org/about-us/our-goals/ 6 Important partners who help to raise awareness for the impact of digital media in early childhood are Paula Bleckmann and her colleagues who design the website: http://www.echt-dabei.de/. In English- speaking countries, for example, it is Commercial Free Childhood at http://www.commercialfreechild- hood.org/ 7 Helmut von Kügelgen, "Zum Jahr des Kindes 1979” (The Year of the Child). See above.

24 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 International Association of Early Childhood

In 2005 this led to the founding of the "Inter- seriously: regular exchange between the var- national Association for Steiner/ Waldorf ious pedagogical specialists gives Waldorf Early Childhood Education" (IASWECE), which Education a greater possibility to radiate into pursues the same goals in a different legal the world.14 form.8 Its members are Waldorf country asso- ciations (today 34 members, with Vietnam Other questions being worked on by the newly added in May 2018)9, that send one or IASWECE Council: In which part of the world more representatives to the collegium, which are there new initiatives that need pedagog- is now called Council, for terms of seven ical help and advice? Who can help? What is years. Twice a year the Council meets and the quality of education and training in the tries to form a picture of the situation of the different countries?15 Which training courses Waldorf movement for the little child in the need financial or pedagogical support? A different parts of the world through reports, form of worldwide pedagogical and financial discussions and study work.10 solidarity is sought: Experienced pedagogues, who have a surplus of enthusiasm and good This has practical consequences: Which top- ideas, can help where these qualities can be ics should be taken up for research, publica- used well, and the member countries, who tions and conferences? (Recently it has been can afford to pay a high membership fee the topic of "sleep"11 , now increasingly "edu- (each member country determines the cation and digital media",12 and the newest is amount of their fee themselves!), help to fi- "forms and quality of cooperation"13. In this nance projects in the field of education and context, the IASWECE Council has been con- training, where the prevailing social injustice cerned about cooperating more closely with is manifested in a great lack of money.16 the worldwide school movement and to call on kindergartens and schools all over the 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the world to take Steiner's important suggestion founding of the first Waldorf School and the

8 The IASWECE was founded in Chatou/France, but is decentralized in its work. It currently has one employee in Belgium, two in the USA, one in Germany and one in France. 9 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, North America (Canada, Mexico, USA), Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzer- land, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vietnam 10 The names of the IASWECE Council members can be found here: https://www.iaswece.org/about-us/how- we-work-together/ 11 See https://www.iaswece.org/news-events/resources-iaswece-meetings-sleep/ 12 For example, here is a lecture of IASWECE coworker Clara Aerts at a conference in Prague in May 2018 on this topic : https://vimeopro.com/kameramancz/lidskost/video/272270693. Various press and research arti- cles on the topic here / https://www.iaswece.org/links-to-research-and-press-articles/ 13 The theme of the Waldorf 100 World Education Conference in April 2019 at the Goetheanum emerged from this. 14 The International Forum (Hague Circle) and IASWECE work together on various topics (trademark law, training, conferences); there was a joint meeting in May 2018, others are planned. 15 IASWECE organises international colloquia every two years for lecturers in Waldorf training centres. The last one took place in Ireland in October 2018. Interested parties can write to [email protected]. 16 The projects supported by IASWECE can be found here: https://www.iaswece.org/home/apply-online/ . You can subscribe to the free IASWECE Newsletter here: https://www.iaswece.org/iaswece-newsletter/

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 25 International Association of Early Childhood

50th anniversary of the founding of the "In- for this or that child at least once a day, that ternational Association of Waldorf Kinder- is, to "find the spirit"? Does everyone find gartens". How are the many people today within themselves the strength that makes who are scattered all over the world inter- the community alive and dynamic? ested in the ideas of Steiner's anthropology and who, inspired by it, want to take up their These questions prompted the IASWECE daily educational practice continuously in a Council to propose the topic "Inner Freedom new way? What do they need today from a – Social Responsibility: Finding Ways into a worldwide movement, especially for their Human Future" for the Waldorf 100 World "here and now"? Let's not kid ourselves: Conference on Education. Many Waldorf crèches and kindergartens work in extremely difficult financial and per- It took place from 15 to 19 April 2019 at the sonnel conditions and would need money Goetheanum and was very well received with above all. But the lack of money can have 1100 participants. The theme of the confer- other causes besides the global social injus- ence is a continuation of a theme that was tice quoted above. For example, it can have close to Helmut von Kügelgen's heart. He something to do with a lack of dynamism, a spoke in countless lectures about "trust as the lack of joyful charisma and a lack of motiva- most precious commodity of humankind". In tion on the part of the people who support the preamble to the statutes, he put it this the institution in question. Do the forms of way: "The trust based on common goals and cooperation help to strengthen these dy- aspirations and the cooperation realised in all namics? Or do they prevent personal initia- areas of social life is the great asset of the In- tive? Does the social structure help that ego- ternational Association of Waldorf Kinder- ism cannot "let off steam"?17 Does it help gartens, which is to be preserved, protected every educator to do something appropriate and cared for".

17 Remark by Michaela Glöckler at the Whitsun Conference 2018 in Hannover.

26 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Learning to be the Change – The International Forum in Berlin, September 2019

Learning to be the Change – The International Forum in Berlin, September 2019

Trevor Mepham

Giving voice to an “expression of a common and screen-based media, the approach and will towards cross-border, inter-cultural co- arrival of forms of artificial intelligence and operation”1 is one way of describing the pur- the implications of these developments for pose and core task of the International social life and education. An over-arching Forum. The Hague Circle came into being 49 question that these technologies prompt us years ago, in 1970. At the time, war raged in to ask and to share is that of our human south-east Asia, and political protest, turbu- identity and human purpose. From another lence and calls for social change rang out in corner, the primary ‘operational’ task for the Europe, North America and China and an in- Forum is how this body can support and as- ternational Waldorf movement barely ex- sist the new, raw, spontaneous Waldorf ini- isted. In more recent times, the Hague Circle tiatives that spring up around the world, in has adopted its current name, The Interna- almost any location and circumstance. tional Forum for Steiner Waldorf Education (https://www.waldorf-international.org/en/), In Berlin this autumn, alongside the extraor- and in the meantime, the schools’ movement dinary finale of the Waldorf 100 celebrations has become a truly world-wide network at the Tempodrom, the Forum colleagues spanning six of the earth’s seven continents. were keenly aware that, while there are many steps and deeds that lie behind us, the In 2019, the members of the Forum number world and, indeed, the human spirit are mov- 45; they meet twice a year, over a period of 4 ing into an age of exponentiality, where pos- days. And so, in the gentle warmth of golden sibilities, risks, opportunities and challenges September days, the International Forum are present and approaching at every bend in came to Berlin, a European city that has un- the river. dergone waves of radical change, evolution and social transformation over the last 75 The Waldorf 100 strap-line – Learn to years. As part of the celebrations to mark 100 Change the World – has a worthy partner in years, or 3 generations of Waldorf education, a quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi over the International Forum commissioned a 100 years ago: “Be the change you wish to new publication2 consisting of articles from see in the world”. Although they never met, around the world, focusing on an under- Gandhi and Steiner were contemporaries. In standing of the human being from a Waldorf a lecture given in Stuttgart on 16th October perspective. Other areas of recent work for 1923, Steiner3 referred to Gandhi’s closing the Forum include the issues of digitalisation statement before a colonial judge in his trial

1 Zdrazˇil, T. and Kullak-Ublick, H. (2019), The Understanding of the Human Being in Waldorf Education across the World’s Diverse Cultures, edition waldorf, Stuttgart, p. 7 2 Ibid. 3 Steiner R (1983), A Comprehensive Knowledge of Man as the Source of Imagination in the Teacher, in Deeper Insights into Education, Anthroposophic Press, Hudson, New York

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 27 Learning to be the Change – The International Forum in Berlin, September 2019 for sedition in 1914 as being the act of a powerful weapon which you can use to “great soul”, in which inner truth collides change the world.” with outer facts. Social renewal, care and respect for each and 50 years later, in a court-room in Pretoria, in every child and young person and the under- a witness statement to a court and a judge standing that education is a universal need, a acting on behalf of the Apartheid regime, human right and an art – these are some of Nelson Mandela said the following: “During the ideas that flow from the well-spring of my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this Waldorf education. These principles form a struggle of the African people. I have fought 'cri de cœur' and a powerful binding agent against white domination, and I have fought for colleagues across the world’s diverse cul- against black domination. I have cherished tures. True understanding between people is the ideal of a democratic and free society in a more potent force than tolerance for each which all persons live together in harmony other. The harmonisation of inner truth and and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal outer facts is the imperative of our times. which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if Being the change is a natural result of learn- needs be, it is an ideal for which I am pre- ing to change the world. Interest, enthusiasm pared to die.” Here again, the gap, or chasm, and love are the human gifts that will get us between inner truth and outer facts is starkly there. evident. After more than 27 years of captiv- ity and as President of South Africa, Mandela The International Forum will hold its next stated his view that, “Education is the most meeting in Madrid, in May 2020.

28 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 International Forum for Steiner/Waldorf Education (Hague Circle) on Education in the Digital World

International Forum for Steiner/Waldorf Education (Hague Circle) on Education in the Digital World

Worked out by the International Forum

Media have always contributed to the experience of the world and of society shaping of human thoughts and culture. that cultivates all senses. Media education in the form of spoken and written language, and mathematical lines 4. Media education based on child develop- of thoughts (algorithms) have traditionally ment starts by strengthening children's both been a fundamental element of school relevant social, communicative and intel- education. Today, our everyday lives are lectual abilities (indirect media educa- pervaded and shaped by digital technolo- tion), adding abilities and competencies gies, bringing new challenges for society, in in media use (direct media education) at particular for pedagogy and education. a later stage. Economic interests threaten to unilaterally dominate the discussion about what kind of 5. A media education curriculum based on education children and teenagers need for children's developmental tasks in kinder- a life in the digital world. Only a form of garten and primary school years will education based on child development will therefore emphasize real primary experi- empower young people to use modern ence for the children and the mastering media creatively and effectively. We there- of analog media like handwriting. Later fore call for framework conditions that will grades will build up from this foundation allow us to implement the following princi- with active media work on digital devices ples: and stimulate a conscious use of media based on self-reflection. 1. Media maturity is an educational goal of central importance. It can only be reached 6. Kindergartens and schools must be able through an educational practice aiming to decide on the structure and imple- towards the development of an autono- mentation of their media education mous personality in each child. programs with the greatest possible discretion. We must therefore ensure 2. Responsible media education focuses on that they have the right and the oppor- the opportunities and risks of media use, tunity to work only with analog media and on the ethical challenges it poses; it in the first years of school. Starting aims towards anchoring children in them- from junior high level, schools should selves and in the world so firmly that they be assisted in providing modern media will learn to use modern media in an au- as technical equipment, introducing tonomous and reflective way. media usage that supports educational processes. 3. A healthy and sustainable school educa- tion will therefore start by fostering a di- 7. Education and pedagogy serve individu- verse, immediate, direct and individual alization. Economic and commercial in-

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 29 International Forum for Steiner/Waldorf Education (Hague Circle) on Education in the Digital World

terests should not determine the educa- It is the general consensus and declared goal tional system. of any contemporary pedagogical system that at the end of their school education, 8. Digital civilization brings new challenges children should be able to meet the demands for the protection of freedom and per- of life in a digital world. What should be de- sonal dignity. Starting from junior high bated, however, are the methods employed level, pupils should start to learn how al- to reach the educational goal of "media ma- gorithms work, about data protection, turity". We consider a healthy physical and the rights of use of intellectual property, mental development of each child to be a the risks of commercial manipulation in prerequisite for an autonomous use of particular when revealing personal data, media. This will lay the foundation for an ac- information and images as well as respect tive, individually designed life and conse- for the dignity and privacy of others. quently for independent media use.

9. Modern media unlock new forms of com- On 2. Responsible media education focuses munication, creative and artistic oppor- on the opportunities and risks of media tunities and entrepreneurial pursuits. use, and on the ethical challenges it poses; With the help of projects where pupils it aims towards anchoring children so can try and evaluate their creative ideas firmly in themselves and in the world that individually or in teams, schools should they will learn to use modern media in an educate about this type of productive use autonomous and reflective way. of media that goes beyond information sourcing and information exchange. There is no doubt that digital technologies bring great progress to mankind. Their oppor- 10. Modern media raise ethical and epistemic tunities are yet to fully tapped. They will questions concerning the significance of shape civilization in the 21st century. Con- human encounters, the concrete relation- cepts for media education should therefore ship with our environment, the relation consider its questionable and detrimental between statements and judgements and side effects such as loss of reality (delusion), actual facts, the issue of personal responsi- online addiction, manipulation, debasements bility, transhumanism, privacy protection, and ridicule, and social autism. The risks en- decision-making and the question whether tailed upon the use of digital media increase and how far one would like to participate in opposite proportion to the child's age and in digital civilization. Consequently, high- lack of experience. Telescreen media are often school level education should encourage "time eaters", for they steal important time the use of media and the opportunities and from children that should be used for pursu- risks of digitization of all areas of life in our ing individual activities, robbing them of the civilization on a meta level. chance to acquire abilities necessary to cope with the real world. The experience of borders Annotations and consequences taking place in space and On 1. Media maturity is an educational time are constituent of any experience of the goal of central importance. It can only be self. Just as you cannot eat enough to feel reached through an educational practice satisfied in virtual space, no healthy physical aiming towards the development of an au- and mental maturation of the child takes tonomous personality in each child. place while exposed to the digital screen

30 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 International Forum for Steiner/Waldorf Education (Hague Circle) on Education in the Digital World world. A comprehensive strengthening of the direct media education aims at integrating personality is a prerequisite for a self-deter- digital media mainly in educational processes mined and ethically responsible use of digital at school, establishing a productive and media. committed use of media to gain information, to design, and to interact with others, com- On 3. A healthy and sustainable school ed- plementing out-of-school media activities ucation will therefore start by fostering a geared mainly towards entertainment and diverse, immediate, direct and individual communication. On the other hand, direct experience of the world and of society that media education must convey to pupils the cultivates all the senses. importance of not just naively trusting im- ages and statements found in the digital An indirect media education forms abilities network, that they cannot control the use of that are important in the age of digital tech- information revealed in the internet, and nologies: focused attention, differentiated that they should not use these media in a perception, self-discipline, initiative, and harmful, manipulative way. above all a general education which allows each person to recast information into On 5. A media education curriculum based knowledge. These abilities are formed in the on children's developmental tasks in direct relationship between the self and the kindergarten and primary school years as world. In the face of increasing cyberbullying proposed by Waldorf education will there- it is therefore of pedagogic importance to fore emphasize real primary experience for offer real areas of experience to the children the children and the control of analog where they can practice interacting with media like handwriting. Later grades will others with respect and mindfulness. In the build up from this foundation with active face of ecological challenges, it is also im- media work on digital devices and stimu- portant to allow children to develop a direct, late conscious use of media based on self- sensorial relationship with the surrounding reflection. world. Only then will they be able to under- stand that it is worth protecting. Media education based on child develop- ment stimulates diverse primary experiences On 4. Media education based on child de- in pre-school years and teaches analog tech- velopment starts by strengthening chil- niques in the lower grades. Until about the dren's relevant social, communicative and eighth year of life, the focus for child devel- intellectual abilities (indirect media educa- opment is on physical development, devel- tion), adding abilities and competencies in opment of gross and fine motor skills, of media use (direct media education) at a language, the formation of the senses later stage. and/or sensory motor skills. The increasing body control correlates with the structural Indirect media education cultivates the so- development of the brain. A healthy brain cial, communicative and ecological skills that development therefore requires a varied ex- are particularly needed in this age of digital perience of the world with all the senses and communication networks. It lays the founda- lots of physical activity. Starting from the tions for the constructive use of digital twelfth year, children develop a more ra- media that will help solve technical, social tional, formal operational thinking. Only and ecological problems. On the one hand, then does it makes pedagogical sense to

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 31 International Forum for Steiner/Waldorf Education (Hague Circle) on Education in the Digital World stimulate a deeper understanding of digital To achieve the goal of setting up a responsi- processes and devices and of the principal ble, reasoned, and self-determined use of functions of information technologies. The media as outlined above, educational poli- first foundations can be taught without the cies must guarantee that the use of digital use of digital devices at all (e.g. CS Un- media is not mandatory for toddlers and plugged), and children need no tablet com- early school children. The focus of the cur- puter or other electronic device to under- rent discussion on digital technologies ig- stand algorithms. Computational thinking nores the fact that the control of "old" can be introduced by analog means. Hard- media, in particular of writing, is an indis- ware and software come into play when the pensable prerequisite for a mature use of intellectual and ethical requirements have digital information technologies. Media ed- been built to use them creatively and pur- ucation still starts with learning to write posefully in everyday school life. Digital and read; because mastering script is the tools must then be integrated in a meaning- basic skill upon which all further media ma- ful pedagogical concept. Teenagers should turity must build. Increasingly, digital preferably be given the opportunity to ac- processes are replacing analog ones. In this tively use digital media by creating their development, basic concepts of old, analog own video films for instance, or designing technologies are often transferred to digital their own websites and publishing texts on- ones. Understanding analog technologies line or by producing a radio feature on a therefore continues to be essential for school topic. This is when they should try to grappling with their expansion through dig- integrate information into processes of cog- ital technologies. We call for public funds to nition and contexts. Starting at the age of be invested in a good teacher education approximately sixteen, teenagers are able to first, and in an adequate design of kinder- think and act responsibly. Media maturity is gartens and schools, before purchasing dig- being developed on this basis, as now ques- ital devices. We also call for good continued tions of the relationship between man and learning opportunities to build media com- artificial intelligence, questions of transhu- petency in parents and teachers, so they will manism, of differentiated levels of commu- become model users. It is absurd that there nication, of diffuse responsibility and the is no money for the renovation of dilapi- shaping of our society are being addressed dated school buildings, while there is more and explored. than enough funding to equip schools with digital devices. This must stop. Starting On 6. Kindergartens and schools must be from junior high level, it is necessary to pro- able to decide on the structure and imple- vide the technical equipment required for mentation of their media education pro- using digital media, and this must be sup- grams with the greatest possible discretion. ported by public funds. This is part of a We must therefore ensure that they have sound learning infrastructure which in- the right and the opportunity to work only cludes buildings and rooms but also re- with analog media in the first years of sources and adequate staffing. school. Starting from junior high level, schools should be assisted in providing On 7. Education and pedagogy serve indi- modern media as technical equipment, in- vidualization. Economic and commercial in- troducing media usage that supports edu- terests should not determine the educa- cational processes. tional system.

32 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 International Forum for Steiner/Waldorf Education (Hague Circle) on Education in the Digital World

Objectives to equip pre-schools and schools portunities and entrepreneurial pursuits. with digital infrastructures are by no means With the help of projects where pupils can motivated only by educational aspects and try and evaluate their creative ideas indi- worries about the future viability of society, vidually or in teams, schools should edu- but without a doubt are also driven by com- cate about this type of productive use of mercial interests. A critical, consumption-con- media that goes beyond information sourc- scious, and self-determined use of media is not ing and information exchange. in anyone's economic interest, but rather in the interest of the person's autonomy. It can only Schools must increase their efforts to intro- be built when the pedagogical setting is pro- duce pupils to a more productive and active tected from the influence of those who make use of digital media. In particular, the new money with digital technologies and networks. forms of teamwork and collaborative pro- With its commitment to promote individual- duction, of exchange and documentation ization, Waldorf education sees the strength- must be considered. Media competency can ening of freedom of teaching as a prerequisite be broadened through projects such as film for a renewal of society through proactive, cre- and audio productions, programming or app ative and socially responsible individuals. development. The focus here is not the use of educational software, but independent On 8. Digital civilization brings new chal- creation as a path to understanding. The lenges for the protection of freedom and schools need support to fulfil this educa- personal dignity. Starting from junior high tional mandate and to establish the neces- level, pupils should start to learn how algo- sary technical and personal resources. rithms work, about data protection, the rights of use of intellectual property, the On 10. Modern media raise ethical and risks of commercial manipulation in partic- epistemic questions concerning the signifi- ular when revealing personal data, infor- cance of human encounters, the concrete mation and images as well as respect for relationship with our environment, the rela- the dignity and privacy of others. tionship between statements and judge- ments and actual facts, the issue of per- It must be the central concern of any media sonal responsibiity, transhumanism, privacy education targeting self-determined person- protection, decision-making and the ques- alities to develop the technical and social as- tion whether and how far one would like to pects of digital media for critical, problem- participate in digital civilization. Conse- focused reflection and for their viable use for quently, high-school level education should the benefit of all. This requires not only theo- encourage a differentiated reflection on in- retical and cognition-oriented education, but dividual use of the media and on the oppor- also practical experience. It is necessary to tunities and risks of digitization of all areas generate alertness and sensitivity for the of life in our civilization on a meta level. threats to privacy and personality through re- flection and experience, but also to gain a Promoting individualization is at the core of perspective for the further development of Waldorf education. The connected autonomy digital civilization serving a common welfare. of the individual is based on self-reflection and reflection on our surrounding conditions. On 9. Modern media unlock new forms of Digital civilization can potentially threaten communication, creative and artistic op- human dignity, privacy, free decisions and

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 33 International Forum for Steiner/Waldorf Education (Hague Circle) on Education in the Digital World opinions. It requires new societal rules and/or must be shaped and structured. The discourse the transfer of those norms that enable indi- necessary to achieve this development in- vidual human existence to expand into new cludes education and must be started at school dimensions. In other words: digital civilization by the teenagers growing into the world.

34 Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 Agenda

Agenda

2019

15 – 17 November 2019 High School Conference of the Pedagogical Section

2020

(all conferences mentioned here are only in German)

17 – 18 Januar 2020 Weiterbildungstage der Schweizer Lehrer

14 – 16 Februar 2020 Tagung zur Meditativen Praxis

5 – 7 Juni 2020 Trinitatistagung

17 – 19 Juni 2020 Faustschülertagung

Pedagogical Section, Journal No. 67 35