Download the article: The Origins of the Waldorf Movement and its Current Challenges

Published in Renewal, A Journal for Waldorf Education, Vol #1, 1992

On April 23, 1919, five months after the end of World War I, Rudolf Steiner visited the Waldorf-
Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany. TheGerman nation, defeated in the war, was teetering onthe brink of economic, social and political chaos. Steiner spoke to the workers about the need for social renewal, for a new way of organizing society and its political, economic and cultural life.

After the lecture, Steiner, met with Emil Molt - his student, friend and owner of the factory -
and with the plant's managers and supervisors. Molt asked Steiner if he would undertake to establish and lead a school for the children of the employees of the company. The others present enthusiastically supported the proposal, and Steiner agreed. He set four conditions, however, each of which went against common practice of the day:
1. that the school be open to all children;
2. that it be co-educational;
3. that it be a unified twelve-year school; and
4. that the teachers, those individuals actually in contact with the children, have primary control of the school, with minimum interference from the state or from economic sources.
At that time in Germany (as in most of Europe), schools usually served a particular social class; were segregated by sex; separated out at an early age those few destined for higher education
from those headed for vocational training; and were controlled by and served the state. Steiner's conditions were radical for the day, but Molt gladly agreed to them and work began.

To continue reading, download the article, above

Keywords: first Waldorf school, beginning of Waldorf education

Download the article: The Perfection of the Human Hand Lies in its Imperfection

Published in Education as an Art, Vol. 22, #4, Autumn, 1962
(translated by Clara von Woedtke and Gladys Hahn)

The way a class teacher asks questions reveals the quality of his teaching methods. He may, for instance, put many questions only in order to get the children to repeat their lesson. How boring for them if this happens every day! Then he can experience how a wall of enmity goes up between them and himself. Or perhaps he avoids questions and simply delivers the subject matter, even by reading it from a textbook. Then a sort of No-man's-land stretches out between him and the children, and he can hardly take in what is going on the other side. No, to get a real working spirit together, one has to bring about an exchange of ideas. One can do this through questions that arouse the children, that start them searching. A good question can set loose a whirlwind of liveliness; it can also produce a reflective musing; it is sure to bring into a child's consciousness something that up to now was merely a dream within him, something he could hardly have expressed in words.

Download the play: The Persian War

A play adapted from Aeschylus' "The Persians" by Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School teacher, Stu Summers, for his 5th Grade class and available to any teacher who wishes to use it.

Keywords: elementary school plays; drama; performance; Fifth Grade; Persian War; Greeks; main lesson

Download the article: The Question of Temperaments

Published in Education as an Art, Vol. 2, #1, Spring 1941

When hearing of temperaments for the first time it is natural to question whether or not they, actually do exist. Everyone is familiar with temper, and also with those things which we.call mood, character, or behavior. But we hesitate to accept the idea that there is more than one temperament, or that they may be classified into four groups, each one entirely different from the others. We have become accustomed to calling temperament "temper", and speak of it usually when we "lose our temper" or male an effort not to do so.

The Greek philosophers did not speak loosely about temperaments. In studying their works we clearly see that they realized the significance of them and were the first to use this knowledge in their teaching.

The evidence of temperaments can be seen in nature as well as in human beings. Think of the wind, for instance. We may speak. of the different types of wind coming from' the four points of the compass. These four winds are the most significant manifestation of the year's seasons-spring, summer, fall and winter. We may think of the year as having four ages like man-a childhood, youth, manhood and old age-for in them both we see many characteristics which are comparable.