Download or read book The Spirit of the Waldorf School written by Rudolf Steiner and published by SteinerBooks. This book was released on 1995 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 6 lectures and an essay, 1919-1920 (CW 297) World War I destroyed the structures, values, and self-confidence that created the seeming greatness of the nineteenth century. In its place stood ruins and the shards of a civilization. In response to this, Emil Molt--the director of the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Factory and a student of Rudolf Steiner--decided to establish a school to educate people who could create a new culture. Thus, the Waldorf school movement was begun. Rudolf Steiner agreed to act as the school's consultant, and his insights guided the school in accomplishing this ambitious task. The goal of this education was that, through living inner work guided by the insights of Rudolf Steiner, the teachers would develop in the children such power of thought, depth of feeling, and strength of will that they would emerge from their school years as full members of the human community, able to meet and transform the world. These lectures occurred around the opening of the first Waldorf school. They serve as an excellent, inspiring introduction to Waldorf education as a whole. Here Steiner outlines--with freshness, immediacy, and excitement--the goals and intentions of a new form of education and speaks to parents of prospective students. He explains the school's guiding principles and describes how parents must participate, with understanding and interest, in the awakening of their children's creative forces so that a healthier society can come about. Contents: Introduction by Robert Lathe and Nancy Whittaker The Intent of the Waldorf School The Spirit of the Waldorf School A Lecture for Prospective Parents Supersensible Knowledge and Social Pedagogical Life The Social Pedagogical Significance of Spiritual Science Spiritual Science and Pedagogy The Pedagogical Objective of the Waldorf School in Stuttgart An essay by Rudolf Steiner from the Journal The Social Future German sources: Die Waldorfschule und ihr Geist (GA 297); "Die p dagogische Zielsetzung der Waldorfschule in Stuttgart," from Soziale Zukunft, Feb. 1920 (GA 24).

Download or read book The Kingdom of Childhood written by Rudolf Steiner and published by SteinerBooks. This book was released on 1995 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: These seven intimate, aphoristic talks were presented to a small group on Steiner's final visit to England. Because they were given to "pioneers" dedicated to opening a new Waldorf school, these talks are often considered one of the best introductions to Waldorf education. Steiner shows the necessity for teachers to work on themselves first, in order to transform their own inherent gifts. He explains the need to use humor to keep their teaching lively and imaginative. Above all, he stresses the tremendous importance of doing everything in the knowledge that children are citizens of both the spiritual and the earthly worlds. And, throughout these lectures, he continually returns to the practical value of Waldorf education. These talks are filled with practical illustrations and revolve around certain themes--the need for observation in teachers; the dangers of stressing the intellect too early; children's need for teaching that is concrete and pictorial; the education of children's souls through wonder and reverence; the importance of first presenting the "whole," then the parts, to the children's imagination. Here is one of the best introductions to Waldorf education, straight from the man who started it all. German source: Die Kunst des Erziehens aus dem Erfassen der Menschenwesenhiet (GA 311). SYNOPSIS OF THE LECTURES LECTURE 1: The need for a new art of education. The whole of life must be considered. Process of incarnation as a stupendous task of the spirit. Fundamental changes at seven and fourteen. At seven, the forming of the "new body" out of the "model body" inherited at birth. After birth, the bodily milk as sole nourishment. The teacher's task to give "soul milk" at the change of teeth and "spiritual milk" at puberty. LECTURE 2: In first epoch of life child is wholly sense organ. Nature of child's environment and conduct of surrounding adults of paramount importance. Detailed observation of children and its significance. In second epoch, seven to fourteen, fantasy and imagination as life blood of all education, e.g., in teaching of writing and reading, based on free creative activity of each teacher. The child as integral part of the environment until nine. Teaching about nature must be based on this. The "higher truths" in fairy tales and myths. How the teacher can guide the child through the critical moment of the ninth year. LECTURE 3: How to teach about plants and animals (seven to fourteen). Plants must always be considered, not as specimens, but growing in the soil. The plant belongs to the earth. This is the true picture and gives the child an inward joy. Animals must be spoken of always in connection with humans. All animal qualities and physical characteristics are to be found, in some form, in the human being. Humans as synthesis of the whole animal kingdom. Minerals should not be introduced until twelfth year. History should first be presented in living, imaginative pictures, through legends, myths, and stories. Only at eleven or twelve should any teaching be based on cause and effect, which is foreign to the young child's nature. Some thoughts on punishment, with examples. LECTURE 4: Development of imaginative qualities in the teacher. The story of the violet and the blue sky. Children's questions. Discipline dependent on the right mood of soul. The teacher's own preparation for this. Seating of children according to temperament. Retelling of stories. Importance of imaginative stories that can be recalled in later school life. Drawing of diagrams, from ninth year. Completion and metamorphosis of simple figures, to give children feeling of form and symmetry. Concentration exercises to awaken an active thinking as basis of wisdom for later life. Simple color exercises. A Waldorf school timetable. The "main lesson." LECTURE 5: All teaching matter must be intimately connected with

Download or read book Soul Economy written by Rudolf Steiner and published by SteinerBooks. This book was released on 2003-03 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 13 lectures, Nuremberg, June 17-30, 1908 (CW 104) Initiation enables a person to see, understand, and communicate what may be observed with spiritual eyes. St. John's text arises from such an initiation. It addresses the fundamental questions of existence that every human being asks: Where are we? Where have we come from? Where are we going? And because it arises from esoteric Christian vision, it emphasizes the task of the individual: What am I, and what is my purpose now in this era of cosmic and human evolution? These talks by Rudolf Steiner unveil the mysteries of John's vision and show it to be a profound description of Christian initiation. As Rudolf Steiner says, "The deepest truths of Christianity may be considered quite naturally in connection with this document, for it contains a great part of the mysteries of Christianity--that is, the profoundest part of what may be described as esoteric Christianity." Steiner shows that the messages to the seven churches and the unsealing of the seven seals must be understood as an initiation text. Based on his initiation and on spiritual science, Steiner interprets John's insights into cosmic and human history. In this way, the spiritual images of John's writing--the twenty-four elders, the sea of glass, the woman clothed with the sun, the vials of wrath, the lamb and the dragon, the new heaven and the new earth, and the number of the beast--all take on new meaning. Since the previous painful century has closed, these important words have even greater meaning and significance. Readers interested in contributing their moral will to future generations cannot afford to pass them by. Includes images of the seven apocalyptic seals painted by G. Rettich in 1907, following sketches by Rudolf Steiner. This volume is a translation from German of Die Apokolypse des Johannes (GA 104).

Download or read book Education for Adolescents written by Rudolf Steiner and published by SteinerBooks. This book was released on 1996 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 8 lectures, Stuttgart, June 12-19, 1921 (CW 302) In these eight talks on education for teenaged young people, Steiner addressed the teachers of the first Waldorf school two years after it was first opened. A high school was needed, and Steiner wanted to provide a foundation for study and a guide for teachers already familiar with his approach to the human being, child development, and education based on spiritual science. Steiner's education affirms the being of every child within the world of spirit. This approach works within the context of the child's gradual entry into earthly life, aided by spiritual forces, and children's need for an education that cooperates with those forces. Some of Steiner's remarks may be controversial, but unbiased study will lead to an appreciation of the profound thought and wisdom behind what is presented here. German source: Menschenerkenntnis und Unterrichtsgestaltung (GA 302).

Download or read book Steiner Waldorf Pedagogy in Schools written by Martyn Rawson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-05-24 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers a comprehensive exploration of Steiner or Waldorf pedagogy and practice in schools. Drawing on key research, it traces the origins of Steiner education from the original Waldorf school and shows how this approach has since been adapted and applied in educational settings around the world. Outlining the educational philosophy of Steiner education, the book considers its unique features, such as its commitment to a pedagogical anthropology that takes the whole developing human being into account – body, mind and spirit – and the developmental approach that arises out of this. It sets out the specific curriculum and teaching approach alongside vignettes of teaching and learning situations adopted in Steiner educational settings to show how the approach works in practice. Offering a critical perspective on this teaching style, Rawson examines the contributions that Steiner education has made in different cultures and looks towards future developments in China and other Asian countries. Considering all aspects of Steiner education, this book is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the fundamental elements of this approach and its continuing relevance within the educational landscape.

Download or read book Teaching Mathematics in Rudolf Steiner Schools written by Ron Jarman and published by . This book was released on 1998-06 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A resource book for Waldorf teachers which covers the Class 1 to 8 Steiner-Waldorf maths curriculum. Features include: " ... how arithmetic can be introduced effectively in the early years so you can start teaching with confidence ... Draws number work from everyday life to stimulate children's interest and enthusiasm ... Gives examples for you to devise your own exercises ... Indicates how mixed ability teaching can be improved ... Relates maths to other subjects and to children's development."

Download or read book Towards the Deepening of Waldorf Education written by Rudolf Steiner and published by . This book was released on 2017-06 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rudolf Steiner worked closely with the teachers of the first Waldorf school, which opened in 1919 in Stuttgart, Germany. This book contains the esoteric information that Steiner gave to the teachers, published for a general audience for the first time, in association with the Pedagogical Section Council of North America.Previously reserved exclusively for teachers, the book includes verses for children and teachers, the presentation at the opening of the Stuttgart Waldorf school, and accompanying essays by experienced teachers, discussing the significance of Steiner's words.This linen-bound hardback book is a treasure for any Waldorf teacher and those interested in Waldorf education, with the aim of bringing responsible freedom to teachers and, through them, to children.

Download or read book NATURE SPIRITS written by RUDOLF STEINER and published by Rudolf Steiner Press. This book was released on 2016-09-05 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on knowledge attained through his highly-trained clairvoyance, Rudolf Steiner contends that folk traditions regarding nature spirits are based on spiritual reality. He describes how people possessed a natural spiritual vision in ancient times, enabling them to commune with nature spirits. These entities - which are also referred to as elemental beings - became immortalised as fairies and gnomes in myth, legend and children's stories. Today, says Steiner, the instinctive understanding that humanity once had for these elemental beings should be transformed into clear scientific knowledge. He even asserts that humanity will not be able to reconnect with the spiritual world if it cannot develop a new relationship to the elementals. The nature spirits themselves want to be of great assistance to us, acting as 'emissaries of higher divine spiritual beings'.

Download or read book The Education of the Child written by Rudolf Steiner and published by SteinerBooks. This book was released on 1996-05 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 18 lectures in Dornach, January 9 - February 22, 1920 (CW 196) In the vast range of Rudolf Steiner's lectures, jewels of all kinds lie hidden in plain sight, awaiting only our discovery of them. Such lectures contain a kind of wisdom not found anywhere else. And sometimes, as in What Is Necessary in These Urgent Times, they also have a translucency and conviction that makes them transformational. In early 1920, political, economic, social, and spiritual chaos was everywhere. The old world had fallen apart and would need to be rebuilt. Anthroposophy, too, had to be remade. Recognizing this, Rudolf Steiner tirelessly working for the "threefold social order," establishing the first Waldorf school, helping to create businesses, and addressing the talented, educated, and idealistic young people who were beginning to turn toward Anthroposophy for answers. In these lectures, Steiner speaks in the new, direct "Michaelic" way, seeking the path to a new way of doing Anthroposophy. Throughout the critical situation of the time, he never lost his sense of humor or his compassion and equilibrium. His tone is warm, relaxed, and intimate. Rather than following a strictly predetermined path, he speaks directly from the heart about what concerned him. He stresses that the task of spiritual science is to awaken us to reality and to a true understanding of life that sees through illusions and understands the ever-present potential of evil. Speaking both esoterically and exoterically, he returns repeatedly to the importance of community, of meeting one another face-to-face, heart-to-heart, as individuals. Thus, rather than seeking power and control, we are called to cultivate trust and receptivity. This takes a spiritual transformation. We must learn to live this present life in the context of our greater spiritual life, which extends from before birth through earthly life and into the life after death that precedes our next birth. At the same time, we must come to know the Christ, who is to be met only in community. Selfishness, egotism, has no part in the new way: "When someone is alone Christ is not there. You cannot find Christ without first feeling a connection to humanity as a whole. You must seek Christ on the path that connects you with all humankind.... To be connected only with your own inner experiences leads you away from Christ." Steiner deals with many other important themes, as well, including "imperialism," the initiate behind Shakespeare, Bacon, and James I--makers of our modern age--and well as fascinating, initiatory remarks on reincarnation, esoteric physiology, and psychology. Running throughout the talks is the earnest admonition to be true to the spirit and the call to come to our senses and not fall prey to self-pity. Now, as it was then, the world needs us to be awake spiritually, and we need the world to be awake spiritually. There is nowhere to hide. What Is Necessary in These Urgent Times is a translation from German of Geisitige und soziale Wandlungen in der Menschheitsentwikelung (GA 196).

Download or read book An Introduction to Waldorf Education and Other Essays written by Rudolf Steiner and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-05-20 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Collected here are fourteen essays by Rudolf Steiner covering subjects such as Waldorf Education, The Reordering of Society, The Human Soul, Karma, and Knowledge. These essays are informative and lively. Rudolf Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, literary scholar, educator, artist, playwright, social thinker, and esotericist. His contributions to society were immense.

Download or read book A Modern Art of Education written by Rudolf Steiner and published by SteinerBooks. This book was released on 2001-03-15 with total page 283 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this fine introduction to Waldorf education, written out of a series of lectures given in 1924, Steiner provides one of the most comprehensive introductions to his pedagogical philosophy, psychology, and practice. Steiner begins by describing the union of science, art, religion and morality, which was the aim of all his work and underlies his concept of education. Against this background, many of the lectures describe a new developmental psychology. On this basis, having established how children's consciousness develops, Steiner discusses how different subjects should be presented so that individuals can grow and flourish inwardly. Only if the child absorbs the right subject in the right way at the right time can the inner freedom so necessary for life in the modern world become second nature.

Download or read book The Esoteric Background of Waldorf Education written by René Querido and published by Rudolf Steiner College Press. This book was released on 1995 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Leitmotif of this book is inspired by passages from the fifth lecture of Rudolf Steiner's Education as a Social Problem, given shortly before the opening of the first Waldorf school in Stuttgart: One should not look superficially at the so-called cultural phenomena of our age, nor should one doubt that modern human beings have to arouse themselves to real comprehension of the Christ Impulse if evolution is to go forward in a healthy way.... This is something future educators and teachers must take into their consciousness.... One must teach from awareness that one has to bring about salvation in the case of every individual child; one has to steer children toward finding the Christ impulse in the course of life, toward finding a rebirth within themselves.... Such things must not live in the teacher as mere theory; they can be introduced into one's teaching only if one is strongly taken hold of by them in one's own soul.... "The best in me as a human being of this and following incarnations is what I find in myself as the Christ Impulse."... We should be clear, however, that this Christ impulse must not become the dogmatism of some religious body.... Human intelligence, left to itself, travels the path toward the ahrimanic; it can become active for the good only through taking in the true Christ impulse.

Download or read book Education as a Force for Social Change written by Rudolf Steiner and published by SteinerBooks. This book was released on 1997-07 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: These dazzling, radical lectures were given one month before the opening of the first Waldorf School--following two years of intense preoccupation with the social situation in Germany as World War I ended and society sought to rebuild itself. Well aware of the dangerous tendencies present in modern culture that undermine a true social life--such as psychic torpor and boredom, universal mechanization, and a growing cynicism--Steiner recognized that any solution must address not only economic and legal issues but also that of a free spiritual life. Steiner also saw the need to properly nurture in children the virtues of imitation, reverence, and love at the appropriate stages of development in order to create mature adults who are inwardly prepared to fulfill the demands of a truly healthy society--adults who are able to assume the responsibilities of freedom, equality, and brotherhood. Relating these themes to an understanding of the human as a threefold being of thought, feeling, and volition, and against the background of historical forces at work in human consciousness, Steiner lays the ground for a profound revolution in the ways we think about education. Also included here are three lectures on the social basis of education, a lecture to public school teachers, and a lecture to the workers of the Waldorf Astoria Cigarette Company, after which they asked him to form a school for their children. German sources: Die Erziehungsfrage als soziale Frage (GA 296); lectures 4, 5, and 6, the "Volkspädagogik" lectures in Geisteswissenschaftliche Behandlung sozialer und pädagogischer Fragen (GA 192); lectures 2 and 11, Neugestaltung des sozialen Organismus (GA 330-331).

Download or read book Simplicity Parenting written by Kim John Payne and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2009-08-25 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today’s busier, faster society is waging an undeclared war on childhood. With too much stuff, too many choices, and too little time, children can become anxious, have trouble with friends and school, or even be diagnosed with behavioral problems. Now internationally renowned family consultant Kim John Payne helps parents reclaim for their children the space and freedom that all kids need for their attention to deepen and their individuality to flourish. Simplicity Parenting offers inspiration, ideas, and a blueprint for change: • Streamline your home environment. Reduce the amount of toys, books, and clutter—as well as the lights, sounds, and general sensory overload. • Establish rhythms and rituals. Discover ways to ease daily tensions, create battle-free mealtimes and bedtimes, and tell if your child is overwhelmed. • Schedule a break in the schedule. Establish intervals of calm and connection in your child’s daily torrent of constant doing. • Scale back on media and parental involvement. Manage your children’s “screen time” to limit the endless deluge of information and stimulation. A manifesto for protecting the grace of childhood, Simplicity Parenting is an eloquent guide to bringing new rhythms to bear on the lifelong art of raising children.

Download or read book Partnerships of Hope written by Christopher Schaefer and published by Association of Waldorf Schools of North Americ. This book was released on 2013-12 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A inspiring book of essays addressing the challenges of building community, for the good of all in a Waldorf school.

Download or read book A Passionate Schooling Key Ideas Behind Steiner Waldorf Education written by Alduino Mazzone and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2016-05-22 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Passionate Schooling provides a clear, scholarly overview of the key ideas behind Steiner Waldorf education. It examines how Rudolf Steiner developed his ideas in the context of his life and the culture in which he lived. A Passionate Schooling focuses on Steiner's insights as they relate to: - the nature of the human being; - freedom and the ideals of education and social renewal; - new perspectives on child development; - the evolution of consciousness, - and the transformation of the self. It also explores the concepts of goodness, beauty and truth as ideals in education, as well as the adaptability of the Steiner Curriculum. It re-interprets Steiner's ideas in the context of post-modernist thought and contemporary challenges and practices. A Passionate Schooling is a revealing text for students of education, teachers and parents. More at www.passionateschooling.com

Download or read book An Introduction to Steiner Education written by Francis Edmunds and published by Rudolf Steiner Press. This book was released on 2013-04-02 with total page 159 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "To educate youth ... is to ennoble the mind, to fire the imagination, to fortify the will and to quicken initiative for life.' So writes Francis Edmunds in this inspiring, authoritative and popular introduction to Steiner (Waldorf) Education. Rudolf Steiner's educational system, well established and respected on the European continent, is gradually spreading internationally. Its radical principles, based on a view of the human being as composed of body, soul and spirit, allows for a truly holistic and balanced education that nourishes the whole child. The author explains in a clear, lively style many aspects of Steiner's educational theory, in particular the three stages of childhood development and how the Waldorf curriculum allows for a healthy understanding, nurturing and support of these phases. The role of the class teacher, the 'main lesson', temperaments, attitudes to discipline, competition and examinations are all discussed, and answers given based on the author's many years of rich and varied experience as an educator of both children and adults. This volume is an excellent introduction to the theory and practice of Steiner education, both for teachers or educationalists who would like to know more about Steiner's ideas, and for parents thinking of sending their child to a Waldorf school.