Sven Saar: The situation and possibilities för the Waldorf Schools, Challenges for the Waldorf teachers
We will consider changing paradigms and our responses to those, as
impulses for further conversation. Among the themes will be
a) Has our practice been overly teacher-centred, and how could we
overcome this?
b) What aspects of the curriculum might be in need of renewal? Are
we ready for a rethink, and how radical would it have to be?
c) Is today’s phenomenon of the “sensitive child”, and the challenges
it brings, a gift for our professional development?
Challenges for the Waldorf teacher
We will look at the role and self-image of the teacher in daily practice:
How might the way I prepare and conduct my lessons meet the needs of
the children more effectively?
a) What does “rhythmic teaching and learning” mean?
b) Do I consider the intention, implementation and impact of my
work?
c) What inspirations can I draw from Rudolf Steiner’s First Teachers
Course today?
Josefin Winther: Steinerpedagogikkens muligheter — om å tenke det utenkelige
Noe ”utenkelig” kan ha forskjellige konnotasjoner, men her mener jeg å være skapende i tenkningen, å tenke det som aldri har vært tenkt før. Jeg vil vise hvordan steinerpedagogikk MÅ være skapende for at det per definisjon skal kunne kalles steinerpedagogikk. Da kommer man jo inn på frihet, fordi frihet er en grunnbetingelse for en skapende handling.
Yifan Sun: Waldorf Education in China: A Cultural Convergence
What happens when a centuries-old Chinese philosophy meets the progressive ideals of Steiner education? This talk by educational researcher Yifan Sun explores “Steiner Fever” in China, a unique educational phenomenon in which thousands of parents and educators are embracing Waldorf schools as an alternative to conventional Chinese schooling. Drawing on her PhD research at the University of Cambridge, Sun examines the cultural, philosophical, and systemic shifts that have fueled this movement, revealing why Waldorf’s holistic approach resonates so deeply with Chinese families.
Through an analysis of Waldorf education’s alignment with traditional Chinese values, such as Taoist perspectives on growth and self-development, this talk sheds light on how Steiner education offers a path for rediscovering values that many feel are missing in mainstream education. Sun will address both the appeal and the challenges of adapting Waldorf principles to the Chinese context, offering a nuanced perspective on how these schools reflect broader societal shifts.