WALDORF WORLDWIDE - Freunde Waldorf
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SPRING/SUMMER 2021
NEWSLETTER OF THE FRIENDS OF WALDORF EDUCATION
WALDORF
WORLDWIDE
Topic
Learning differently
How Waldorf schools
around the world
coped during the
Corona Crisis
Peru Around the world Zimbabwe
Completion of the first Joint Action: Conference and training
in-service teacher Corona aid - thanks opportunities for Waldorf
training programme from all over the world teachers
2
Contents NEW WALDORF TEACHERS
IN PERU
A t the beginning of this year, after five years,
the first in-service teacher training for Waldorf
education in Peru was completed. Page 6
LEARNING DIFFERENTLY WALDORF WORLDWIDE
This issue of Waldorf Worldwide is first and 4 About us
foremost an expression of gratitude. Thanks
5 Zimbabwe
to your donations and through the support
Conference for kindergarten
of foundations, Waldorf associations and
teachers
some Waldorf schools in Germany, we have
been able to help over 100 Waldorf educa- 6 Peru
tional institutions in 36 countries by raising A perspective on the first
more than €1.35 million. These funds have cohort to graduate
helped colleagues and school communities
8 Argentina
cope with the unprecedented situation sur-
Dynamism in times of
rounding the pandemic – including serious
uncertainty
economic consequences in some countries.
We have received numerous letters of thanks
from the supported Waldorf schools, Waldorf
kindergartens and therapeutic education
institutions. You will find a small selection of
them in our cover story starting on page 10.
Cover photo:
Rudolf Steiner School
Mbagathi, Nairobi, Kenya
Contents 3
STAYING STRONG TOGETHER: LEARNING DIFFERENTLY –
WALDORF IN CRISIS AREAS LEARNING OUTDOORS
W ith our current appeal for donations we support
Waldorf schools, Waldorf kindergartens and cu-
rative education institutions in areas marked by wars
M any Waldorf schools around the world have set
up open-air classrooms to enable face-to-face
teaching. In our ‘impressions’ we show you some of
and catastrophes. Page 20 them. Page 22
TOPIC FROM OUR WORK
10 Learning differently 24 From the work of the Friends
Joint Action:
29 Volunteer Services
Corona Help
Online vs. Offline —
12 Worldwide Volunteer seminars during Covid-19
Letters of Thanks:
30 Volunteer Services
Argentina, Georgia, Great Britain,
When volunteer services change lives
South Africa, Turkey, Mexico and
Colombia 32 Emergency Pedagogy
Destruction as far as the eye can see
20 Staying strong together:
Waldorf in crisis areas 34 A somewhat different WOW-Day
22 Impressions 38 New association structure for the Friends
Outdoor Classrooms 40 Donate and Help
41 Imprint
42 Educational sponsorships in South Africa
Same-Same, but different
43 Educational sponsorships
4
About us
The Friends of Waldorf Education have been promoting Waldorf
Education worldwide for over 40 years. Our association has de-
veloped continuously, and we now work on several focus areas
from our offices in Berlin and Karlsruhe.
Waldorf Worldwide
The Friends of Waldorf Education was
founded in 1971 with the aim of
promoting Waldorf Schools, early
childhood education, therapeutic
education centres and social projects
worldwide. It is very important to us
Emergency Pedagogy
to open up good educational oppor-
Voluntary Services
tunities for children and young peo-
ple around the globe. So far, we have Since 2006, the Friends of Waldorf
supported and accompanied well In 1993, the Friends of Waldorf Education has been committed to
over 600 educational institutions all Education also became a recognized emergency pedagogy for children
over the world. We support Waldorf organization for international vol- who live in war and crisis regions, or
Schools as well as anthroposophical untary service. With the suspen- are refugees. Emergency education
therapeutic education homes world- sion of compulsory military ser- uses Waldorf-educational methods
wide in financial and legal matters vice, the area of domestic voluntary and related forms of therapy to help
and forward 100% of our donations services was added in 2011. Since children cope with traumatic expe-
to the recipients abroad. Our educa- then, the association has supported riences. With art therapy and expe-
tional sponsorships enable children over 1,800 people annually during riential education exercises, we can
from disadvantaged families to at- their voluntary service. Since 2006, strengthen the children’s self-confi-
tend a Waldorf School. We support the voluntary services have been dence as well as their trust in their
the training of school and early extended to include volunteers fellow human beings and resolve
childhood teachers around the world from abroad, called Incoming. This their paralysis. This type of trauma
with scholarships. On WOW-Day enables young adults who have work has already proven itself in
(Waldorf One World) we coordinate their permanent residence outside numerous missions worldwide. A
the worldwide fundraising activities Germany to do voluntary service in further focus is on international net-
for Waldorf initiatives by students. Germany. working and the ongoing training of
local professionals.
worldwide 5
again in November 2020. At that time, due to low
Zimbabwe Covid 19 infection numbers, there were no trav-
el or exit restrictions, so 50 kindergarten teachers
Conference for from around the country were able to travel to
Chitungwiza. For one day, the women took advan-
kindergarten tage of the opportunities to exchange ideas. They
received new ideas for the morning circle, for sto-
teachers
rytelling and for age-appropriate games, rhymes
and songs.
On 14th November 2020, 50 kindergarten teach- During the discussions, it became clear what
is lacking in the kindergartens. Most are not
ers from Zimbabwe met in the small town of
equipped with enough playground equipment;
Chitungwiza, south of the capital city of Harare. there is a lack of climbing equipment, see-
saws, swings and balance beams. All the kinder-
S ince 2011, the Waldorf Early Childhood Move-
ment Zimbabwe (WECMZ) has brought to-
gether, for a conference twice a year, all kinder-
gartens run nutrition programmes, but most
lack funding to purchase basic food items.
Most of the facilities are created through the per-
garten teachers who are interested in Waldorf sonal commitment of the kindergarten teachers, es-
education and some of whom are already partic- pecially in the poorer, rural areas of Zimbabwe. The
ipating in the training courses. WECMZ is a net- Corona crisis has exacerbated the hardship, as teach-
work of over 20 small and larger kindergartens in ers‘ pay depends on parents‘ already meagre contri-
Zimbabwe that are trying to work with Waldorf butions, which many are now unable to pay - a situ-
elements. WECMZ organizes the training and ar- ation that threatens the very existence of the small
ranges internships at Waldorf institutions, for ex- initiatives. In January, a renewed strict lockdown
ample in South Africa. The death of our important was imposed in Zimbabwe due to high case num-
supporter, Dr Florence Hibbeler, and the effects of bers, with corresponding consequences for the kin-
Corona pandemic meant that the regular confer- dergartens. For 2021, meanwhile, the Friends pledged
ence of kindergarten teachers did not take place substantial support from the Corona campaign.
for a long period of time. It was finally possible Gilbert Guvakuva/Christina Reinthal
6 worldwide
Peru
A perspective
on the first
cohort to
graduate
At the beginning of this year, after five years,
the first in-service teacher training for Waldorf
education in Peru was completed, carried out by
Pro Humanus. The association, founded in 2004,
mainly supports initiatives in disadvantaged
regions of the country in the areas of culture,
education and health. Bettina Vielmetter, the
initiator of the association, tells us about the
teacher training programme.
D uring the Latin American Waldorf Teachers‘
Congress in Brazil in 2012, a large group of
teachers from Peru‘s various Waldorf institutions
In Peru, the school year begins in March. After the
long summer break from December of the previ-
ous year, in 2020, the children had the pleasure of
participated, some having never met before. This meeting their classmates and teachers for just one
fact shook us awake and the decision was made to day, and then there were no more classes at all -
make a new attempt at ongoing collaboration. Or- until today. An exception was made during a short
ganizational meetings of project leaders from local period towards the end of the year with occasional
Waldorf education and anthroposophical medicine activities in small groups in parks.
initiatives kept in close contact with the pedagogi-
cal and medical sections at the Goetheanum. After We had a similar situation with the Especial-
a series of annual pedagogical working meetings, in ización. In February, we were able to conduct the
2016, the five-year, in-service teacher training – the fifth year of study, face to face, with a one-week
Especialización en Pedagogía Waldorf en el Perú intensive module and at the beginning of March
– began. Sixty participants enrolled from various our study session took place for the last time in
Waldorf institutions, and a number of state and the rooms of the Waldorf School Lima. Then, after
private schools in Lima, the interior of the coun- an initially chaotic phase of searching for feasible
try, and from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba and solutions for distance learning, both in the schools
Spain. The lecturers were mainly from Peru, as well and in further education, we succeeded in devel-
as from Colombia, Spain, Switzerland and Germa- oping a new kind of flexibility and creativity for
ny. Some of them accompanied the training process the pedagogical work that was appropriate to the
in the form of two one-week modules per year, one situation.
weekend per month and the weekly study sessions.
From the third year, some students contributed as As far as the parents could arrange it, they accom-
temporary lecturers in courses on the arts and prac- panied their children in close cooperation with
tical pedagogy. the support teachers. There were more than a few
worldwide 7
who expressed, „Only now do I really realize what After the long summer break
a dedicated teacher does and what school is actually from December of the previous
about when you really seek to promote the child‘s
year, in 2020, the children
development.“ In the teacher training, in addition
had the pleasure of meeting
to deepening a range of topics, we were able to ac-
company and support each other through a regular their classmates and teachers
exchange of experiences. Education at a social dis- for just one day …
tance can never be a permanent substitute for direct
human relationships and cooperation. It is valuable
to recognize that the current situation holds a fu-
ture potential, also for a new approach to Waldorf
education - after 100 years of development.
Perhaps it is precisely through the difficult exter- suddenly all the issues come together as a whole
nal circumstances that we can get more to the es- - especially in a time where there is a tendency to-
sence of this pedagogy and from there attempt to ward division at all levels.“
reshape it. Viktor Frankl expressed it beautifully
from his own deep experiences: „The last of human In the closing ceremony on the last day of the mod-
freedoms consists in the choice of attitude toward ule, we as the supporting group, could not have re-
things.“ From the loss of relationship, for example ceived a greater gift from the prospective Waldorf
because of Corona-conditioned social distancing, a teachers than the announcement of their decision:
new togetherness can be more consciously shaped We want to continue our training, „after our first
every day. In this sense, there is also no such thing five years of training“ (as one of them put it), con-
as a well-trained Waldorf teacher; he or she exists tinuously and in collaboration with you. To this
only in constant further and self-education, every end, they already proposed to us a concrete pro-
day anew. This was increasingly also the basic mood ject with a clear work structure for 2021. They also
of the teachers of the Especialización during this expressed the need for a renewed training, and a
challenging final year of training, and especially core group offered their assistance for this. In this
during the final one-week module in the first week way, 6th February 2021 was not only a conclusion,
of February 2021. They expressed it this way: but also a new and hopeful beginning. To build a
new training course in 2022, we will work during
„I am a different person after these five years, I this year to expand our team of lecturers, including
have acquired a wide variety of skills from the ed- „training for trainers“ - integrated into the local,
ucational principles, but above all, I have worked regional, continental and global context of Wal-
on myself.“ dorf education with its new challenges.
„Through the continuous weekly study sessions During the past five years, the Friends of Waldorf
focused on practice and methods, I have begun to Education supported this training with an annual
train my thinking from scratch, and I have devel- amount. For this we are very grateful.
oped greater independence.“
Bettina Vielmetter, Pro Humanus
„Especially in the last year, the project work has
taught me what research can mean, and that being
scientific is not antithetical to pedagogy.“
„It‘s a feeling of happiness to wrestle with a ques- Read more about the education at
tion and then, towards the end, to experience how prohumanus.org
8 worldwide
Argentina become a transmitter of learning experiences? All
this led to a completely different type of work that
Dynamism in times had to be sent to the parents: materials to share
- songs, photos of finger plays, wool, looms, sto-
of uncertainty ries - written or told, creative activities from the
playground, gifts for the children to try out so they
could experience at home what usually happened
For almost a year, schools in Argentina were in the classroom. The teachers supported the fam-
closed due to the Corona pandemic. Tamara Hen- ilies, asked what they needed, how the children
ke reports what consequences this has had for were doing.
Waldorf schools in the country. She is a school
In the beginning, many families were happy to be
founder and longtime Waldorf teacher in Buenos
together, with parents having more time for activ-
Aires. Together with colleagues she founded ities with their children. They created a pleasant
Redes („the network“), a network in which the space to meet, to knit, to paint, to clean up and
Waldorf schools of Argentina connect with each beautify the house. Over time, at a distance, with-
other. out common meeting places, everyone, whether
teacher or parent, distanced themselves and adopt-
“Not going to school was an enormous challenge. ed a particular point of view and attitude. And
The building is the material aspect, the body of the from this particular attitude, each one claimed his
school, which shows us the BEING of the school. In individual freedom and the community fragment-
this physical body habits and rhythms develop that ed. Everyone did what he thought was right, and
give it life. It is also the shell of social relations and it was very difficult to reach agreements. We were
all their interconnections. It is in this place that the all isolated in our homes, for months. What kept
spiritual essence of education is incarnated. When us together was mainly the study groups, where we
we find ourselves deprived of this space and all that shared our experiences, enriched ourselves and felt
takes place there, we feel uncomfortable and diso- part of a community again.
riented. Dismembered.“
The isolation was also evident in some children
This image - so formulated by a primary school who did not see other children for months, and
teacher - sums up the feeling of teachers during experienced different forms of sadness. The young
the past year, a year that in some cases began with people were also isolated for months during this
only a week or two of classes, or not at all. Schools period of profound change, living the whole time
in Argentina were closed from March 20 to the end almost exclusively with their parents, and at times
of November, and at the end of 2020 students were became almost strangers. Many withdrew into
able to attend school for an hour and a half. During themselves, or isolated themselves completely. The
the rest of the time, we teachers were forbidden to students demanded an intense teacher presence
enter the school building. The words of the teach- and a therapeutic group to maintain some form of
ers from the first period of isolation were: paraly- contact.
sis, unexpected, unthinkable, fear, uncertainty.
But after half a year, some movement came back
From the beginning of the lockdown, teachers in into the community and people began to listen to
each school asked themselves how to ensure that each other and the differing perspectives, and to
the children and young people might continue to look for ways of making agreements. It became
receive the nourishment that each one needs for possible to do what had been unthinkable before:
the development of his or her soul. How to catch teachers met with children and adolescents in
the essence of the encounter with the children and parks or squares, in rooms approved for holding
worldwide 9
workshops, in the gardens of family homes. Com- Very few families left the schools; we worked so
munity work between parents and teachers was re- that no family had to leave for economic reasons.
vived and a sense of togetherness emerged that was In some schools, families who were out of work
reflected in the children and young people. were helped by other families. Teachers also some-
times donated part of their salary to needy col-
In the course of this development, we had to re- leagues or so that the school could survive. On the
think our educational work. At the end of the year other hand, the social gesture was extended to the
we asked ourselves: what is the physical body of surrounding area, and in some schools a solidarity
the school? What is the essence of teaching and kitchen was set up to distribute food to children
learning? What do these children, who have cho- and pensioners who had nothing to eat. Howev-
sen this time to live, bring to the table? How do er, the economic situation was extremely difficult,
we work with technology and virtuality knowing especially in those schools whose families had no
what that means? How can we transmit what hap- income. Nevertheless, many efforts were made to
pens in the sacred space of the classroom through find other ways to generate income, such as organ-
a screen? What will be the consequences? What do izing food sales and other self-managed projects.
we need to be clear about in these times?
In a time of deep crisis, an unexpected question
Thus, we came to the agreement that the pedagogi- came, „What do you need?“ This question, posed to
cal act happens in the personal encounter between us by the Friends of Waldorf Education, was a balm
the being of the teacher and the children, that this for the schools during the most critical phase of
relationship is irreplaceable. Many families took the pandemic. „With the Friends‘ help, we were
care of their children‘s education with greater able to not only stay alive, but thrive,“ recounted
depth and responsibility and perceived Waldorf an educator at a fledgling kindergarten in a remote
education as healing. And after experiencing it, Santa Fe town, „We became part of the community
parents became aware of the enormous work of and the flow of the world, we felt like we were
Waldorf teachers. And so the words that emerged noticed.“ For many kindergartens and schools, it
as a result of our second part of the process were: meant they could keep going. Thanks to the funds
tolerance, patience, fairness, challenge, opportu- raised, teachers were able to receive their salaries
nity. Parents from other schools also noticed that and continue their educational work with the chil-
something different was happening with the chil- dren. It also allowed families to continue support-
dren in the Waldorf schools, which in some schools ing the schools to the best of their ability.
led to an increase in enrolment with waiting lists
at the beginning of the new school year. Tamara Henke
10 Topic – Learning differently
Topic
Joint Action:
Corona Help
F or over a year now, the Corona pandemic has
been the dominant topic in news and private
conversations around the world. Many may have
already grown weary of the topic. But whether we
can still hear it or not, kindergartens and schools
around the world, and consequently children from
early childhood through high school, are intensely
affected by the individual and societal impacts of
the pandemic. In Argentina, for example, or in Tur-
key, kindergartens and schools have simply been
closed since March or April of last year. No one
has been allowed to enter the schools and this has
been being monitored. Of course, the educational
challenges are even more difficult than the eco-
nomic ones; there is no question about that. Many
teachers are very involved, teaching online, making
phone calls and maintaining contact with the chil-
dren; few are less involved.
We are primarily concerned with the economic con-
sequences and have had a tremendous response to
our call for Joint Action: Corona Aid. One of the
With the beginning of school closures in
most wonderful consequences of this challenging
March 2020, the Friends of Waldorf Education
situation is that many, many people do care, re-
initiated a fundraising campaign - Joint gardless of whether the need is in Peru or Slovakia,
Action: Corona Help. Donors, foundations and whether it is children in Ethiopia or Brazil who go
Waldorf organizations in Germany supported hungry. Rather, it was precisely the enormous will-
this action. As a result, Waldorf kindergartens ingness to donate that demonstrated to what an
and Waldorf schools in 36 countries received intense degree we are all connected – near and far
smaller or larger financial support - depend- - with mutual interest and with good will to support
ing on situation and need. A total of € 1.3 each other.
million has been disbursed. The success of
The Friends‘ appeal for donations was a huge suc-
this action is a wonderful expression of the
cess. €540,000 have been collected from donors
lived community and mutual sympathy in the and from the undesignated funds of the Friends
worldwide Waldorf movement. of Waldorf Education, €440,000 from foundations
and €375,000 from the fundraising work of Ger-
man Waldorf Schools. And these funds have nowTopic – Learning differently 11
The point is to develop an
understanding between people and
to develop peace skills out of
this understanding.
flowed to almost 100 kindergartens and schools in derstanding from person to person and using this
Europe, Africa and Latin America. As might have understanding to develop peace skills. Once the
been expected, it was mainly young, developing upper school of the Waldorf School in Alanya is
kindergartens and schools, in countries without established, it will be exciting to take part in an Ar-
state subsidies, and in tourist regions that were on menian-Turkish meeting of teachers and students
the brink of collapse within a few months. Where- on neutral ground (Armenians are not allowed to
as the government in Chile, for example, offered enter Turkey), and hopefully experience that real
support to all schools, regardless of their sponsor- and true human encounter is the only vital force
ship, and therefore no schools from Chile came that can create peace. Similar gatherings have tak-
knocking on our door, the need on the other side en place in recent years with high school students
of the Andes increased. Argentina was hit particu- from Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine. A
larly hard, already suffering from galloping infla- lively, friendly exchange emerged on issues that
tion, which is driving many middle-class families really matter, rather than issues that drive people
to ruin. But even there, the feeling of being noticed apart. In this respect, it was important to us that
by friends inspired colleagues to undertake many these two Waldorf schools in particular – the only
activities of their own (more on p. 8). And that is ones that exist in Armenia and Turkey – survive, in
quite amazing, since the children all had to stay at order to be able to take up the tasks that lie ahead
home and could only be cared for, educationally, of them in a few years.
in a virtual sense.
In this respect these golden threads have been
Thanks to this weaving of a colourful web of warm, spun from the support of the Corona Fund. They
mutual interest, entirely new threads of peaceful are still hidden, have not reached the surface, yet
coexistence are emerging in areas of the world that point to a new reality, to a future that can be wo-
remain politically and sometimes socially mired in ven. And for this the worldwide Waldorf move-
old conflicts. The two Waldorf schools most inten- ment forms a strong fund.
sively supported with the largest sums from the
Corona Fund are in Armenia and Turkey. In other
words, in two states that have been in a fierce con-
flict for centuries, which, as is well known, broke
out again at the end of September 2020 and led to a
war with many deaths - including former Waldorf
students. This example points to a quite different
reality that is able to emerge and develop from the
positive effects of Waldorf education. In such an
emerging reality it is not about the gaps between
two hostile nations, but over and over again about On the following pages we show you
the individual human being and his or her chanc- examples of where your donations
es for development. It is about developing an un- could help.12 Topic – Learning differently
Thanks to the funds we
received, we were able
to continue paying our
educators part of their
salary and already pay some
debts that were due at the
beginning of the pandemic.
Pampa del Infierno is a very small town in the north of Argentina. In the
Argentina middle of the endless grassy landscape some highly committed parents
The young founded the Waldorf Kindergarten, Colmena Azul and also found some
kindergarten teachers in the area. The Corona crisis put the young
Kindergarten Waldorf initiative to the test. It almost seemed as if the kindergarten
of Pampa del would have to close. But fortunately, things turned out differently,
as Amelia Bertoldi and Claudio Galvan wrote to us, on behalf of the
Infierno community of Colmena Azul:
There are no words that can reflect that allowed us to survive. Thanks to Education in Pampa del Infierno, a
our gratitude for the donation the funds we received, we were able place where both are still part of
received. Colmena Azul is still a to continue paying our educators something very new and therefore
baby and due to this particular part of their salary and already pay foreign. Thank you, thank you,
situation, has had to live in an un- some debts that were due at the thank you.
stable present, moving to a future beginning of the pandemic. Sudden-
more unpredictable than ever. We ly, we were saved and our conviction
always knew it would not be easy and enthusiasm grew again. This
to open a Waldorf kindergarten in rescue also made us feel seen,
this area. But we were never afraid understood and supported.
of the work because we knew that The only way to thank you
it would benefit our children. Even would be to let you feel
in March of 2020 and especially for a moment what we
a little later, when the problems felt when we received
became bigger and bigger, we were your help. Because it
determined not to give up, even is an incredible mix of
if we saw hardly any prospect of sensations that have
saving our kindergarten. little to do with the ma-
Prayer and faith that we were terial. It was a breath of
not alone was the only way to keep life for La Colmena Azul,
the flame burning, because at that another „yes“ from the
time physical work was not possi- spiritual world I response to
ble. And the answer came; it was our efforts to maintain the ves-
magic that helped us economically, sel for Anthroposophy and WaldorfTopic – Learning differently 13
Georgia
A curfew was introduced in Georgia in the spring of 2020, after the
Financially viable first wave of Covid 19 cases, which also affected the Michael Thera-
hygiene measures peutic Education Centre in Tbilisi. Classes went online as quickly as
possible - a particular challenge when working with children in need
for the therapeu- of special care. On 15th February 2021, the school was able to reo-
tic education pen its doors to the children. On that day, Marina Shostak, founder
and director of the Michael School, sent us her thanks for the dona-
centre in Tbilisi tions from the Corona Fund:
Today is the first day of school end of the year and if there are no the room at one time. Spacing is
after the lockdown. The children more lockdowns, we can work with also maintained in the classes. Now
and the teachers are very happy, our children until the end of the there is a new regulation - manda-
because we all missed each other. school year. tory masks for children from 5th
Online learning, without face-to- In the school we have created grade. This is also a new challenge
face communication, is very diffi- conditions that fully meet the for our children, but it seems that
cult for our children. As of today, standards and requirements of we can manage this as well.
all schools are allowed to reopen, school education during a pandem- On behalf of all the students,
but of course the regulations are ic. These are disinfection barriers their parents and the school staff,
very strict, both those imposed at entrances, temperature meas- we would like to thank all the do-
from outside and those we impose urements when children arrive, nors. It is only through these dona-
on ourselves. Not all schools in disinfection of classrooms and cor- tions that we can continue to work,
Georgia are able to implement the ridors, disinfection of toilets every teach children and make their time
prescribed rules. The fact that two hours. A special sanitary room in school safe and pleasant.
Michael‘s School could start today has been set up for emergencies.
and make so many staff and chil- Here, people with covid symptoms
dren happy is only thanks to your will remain isolated before either
help. The government-mandated parents arrive or, in the worst case,
hygiene standards are a big chal- until the ambulance arrives. The
lenge for all schools and for us it creation of this room was a special
was almost impossible financially. concern for us.
With the money we received, we The children learn and have their
fully met all the requirements. lunch in multiple shifts so that
We bought everything before the there are not too many people in14 Topic – Learning differently
Great Britain In the southwest of England, the Bristol Steiner School has been
offering Waldorf education since 1973. When a state funded
Help for an Steiner Academy was opened near the school, many students
independent migrated because the school fees for the Waldorf School are a
high hurdle for many parents. As of September 2017, the school
Waldorf School had to close its middle and high school phases due to a lack of
students. Today, it is a small, independent school for children ages
in Bristol 3 to 11. Many parents run small businesses or are in therapeutic
professions and struggled to afford school fees due to the impact
of the Corona crisis. Without support from Joint Action: Corona
Aid, the school would have had to close. This did not happen, as
the school‘s director Nicola Forder wrote to us in February:
The generous donation we received to prepare our oldest students for a broad and rich Waldorf educa-
through the Friends of Waldorf transition to secondary school at tion to the children.
Education meant that the school the end of the school year. On behalf of the Bristol Steiner
could continue to operate with all Maintaining the existing struc- School staff and administration,
five classes in the primary school ture of classes has resulted in our I would like to extend a heartfelt
for the rest of the school year. An ability to stay open in compliance thank you and express my grati-
enormous relief. This made it pos- with government guidelines. We tude for your support which has
sible to release energy and motiva- are currently implementing face- allowed the school to remain an
tion. The classroom teachers found to-face instruction for 30 of the 51 effective, progressive educational
the determination to put their primary pupils, which is an excep- institution.
passion into continued engage- tionally large number under the
ment with their children, with the current circumstances. Although
school, and with online learning. we have had to adapt our teaching
In addition, it allowed us to plan and curriculum to the particular
for the targeted use of resources situation, we are still able to offerTopic – Learning differently 15
The Zenzeleni School for Creative Education is located in one of
the townships around Cape Town. The parents of most of the chil-
South Africa dren who go to school here earn their money with their own small
businesses, selling vegetables or fruit. Others find work in the
Reliable lessons hospitality industry, or in tourism. Accordingly, many parents had
for the children to accept heavy income losses in the wake of the Corona crisis.
This was a particular challenge for the teachers, for whom it was
in the Khayelit- important not to lose contact with the children even in times of
sha township complete lockdown. Helen Stotko, executive director of the Centre
for Creative Education, describes how this was made possible by
the donations received.
In South Africa, we had a five-week This was the only way we could fortunately, some have already had
complete lockdown in March and see whether the children were in the experience of having a family
April 2020, followed by various safe conditions and well cared for. member die as a result of Covid-19.
levels of movement restrictions, Again and again we noticed anxiety Because of this, many fear that
which really hit the economy in and depression in the children. The they will bring the disease home
South Africa extremely hard. Our level of poverty increased so much and infect older family members.
wine and tourism businesses are during this time that for some Covid-19 has brought to the
major industries in the Western families we also had to provide surface once again the extreme
Cape, which virtually disappeared food. In addition, it was our task to inequality between rich and poor
due to a long alcohol ban and the inform the children and their fam- in South Africa. The donations we
severe restrictions on tourism. ilies about hygiene measures and received from Joint Action: Coro-
Although we kept in touch with to provide masks and disinfectants na Aid helped us continue to work
part of our school community via for them. Without the support of with those most affected by the
Whats-App and phone calls, it was the Friends, we would not have pandemic. Therefore, we sincerely
very difficult to teach online - in- been able to continue our work so thank all donors for their gener-
deed, almost impossible. Many effectively. With your help, we have osity.
students do not have access to been able to keep and provide for
computers, smartphones, or the the community.
Internet at all. So, we had to make Currently, only one-third of our
sure that certain children had student body is allowed on school
their work on paper. At the same grounds at a time. The split classes
time, we had to make sure that all are taught on different days. It is
teachers had Internet access and good that we can see the children
a computer available - that‘s not a on a regular basis. For the days
matter of course, either. they do not come to school, they
Keeping in touch with all the receive work packets to take home.
children was especially important Most of our students live in extend-
to us in times of strict lockdown. ed families in close quarters. Un-16 Topic – Learning differently
Turkey
Outdoor class-
rooms at the
Founded in 2016, the Waldorf School in Alanya teaches students
Waldorf School from kindergarten to eighth grade. As an independent school,
in Alanya it receives no government support and relies on parent contri-
butions and donations for funding. The parents of most of the
children work in the tourism sector and are still struggling with a
severe loss of income. Thanks to donations from the Joint Action:
Corona Aid, the school has nevertheless been able to survive. The
school staff thanked us in a letter at the beginning of March. Here
are some excerpts from that letter:
In March 2020, the Turkish gov- es every day. a small town whose population
ernment decided to close schools At the beginning of October we lives largely from tourism, and
due to the pandemic. The Ministry were all allowed to return to school our school community was no
of Education offered its own online and thus, a new period began for exception. We had great financial
classes. Since this was not in line us. First, we adapted the grounds worries. When we learned of your
with our educational work and ped- to our changing needs and had donation, we were so relieved and
agogy, we started our own online portable partitions erected in the felt appreciated by the Waldorf
teaching in different ways. back garden of the school grounds. community.
In September 2020, the first and This allowed us to hold our classes Your funds have helped us in
eighth grades were allowed to be outdoors when the weather is nice. our need to maintain the vibran-
taught in school again. We wanted At the same time, we made sure cy of the school, to continue to
to be able to offer this option to to schedule separate break and provide living expenses and to
the rest of the classes and worked lunch times for classes. No sooner be able to use our energy freely
with some parents to find places had we mastered this than news again for our children. From the
where we could teach the children came in mid-November, during the bottom of our hearts, we thank
while respecting the distance rules. holidays, that we were to revert to all the people who made it pos-
The fourth grade was placed in a online classes again. sible for us to continue our work
garden about eight kilometres from At that time, the loss of income through their donations.
Alanya, the fifth grade in a small among the families of the school
village in the vicinity of the city, community became so great that
and the seventh grade in a moun- more and more parents had dif-
tain hut (see photo). Some subject ficulty paying their usual school
teachers had to commute back and fees, which put a great strain
forth between these different plac- on the school budget. Alanya isTopic – Learning differently 17
El Nido Kindergarten was founded in 2007 in response to the
needs of five families. It all began with a small group of children
in a house in the centre of Villa de Las Rosas, in the province of
Córdoba. Slowly, the kindergarten grew and in 2012 it was able
to move to a larger house where 35 children between one and six
Argentina years old are cared for in two groups. Here, there is also a small
courtyard so that the children can play outside too. A stable team
Childcare in of educators and the children‘s families form a reliable community.
Last year, the children were only able to attend the kindergarten
the face of for three months. How the teachers managed to continue working
tight social and caring for the children despite this, is described in a letter
from February this year:
restrictions
The donations we received from groups in our classrooms. many people are finding it difficult
the Friends of Waldorf Education At the moment we are making to make a living. Therefore, we
were a great help for our school. plans to reopen the doors to all thank you from the bottom of our
Due to the pandemic, many fam- the children in the second week hearts for your donations. They
ilies lost their jobs and therefore of March, and we are applying give us strength and health and,
could not make their financial for a permit to do so, so that we above all, they give us the op-
contributions. Thanks to your do- can work five days a week, ob- portunity to continue to welcome
nations, we teachers continued to serving all the necessary hygiene children, even though the eco-
receive our salaries and thus had measures. With much hope in nomic situation of their families is
the opportunity to take care of our hearts, we are preparing to often very difficult.
the children despite the enforced welcome the children back with
closures. At the beginning we vis- renewed joy and strength.
ited the families at home, later we The economic situation in Ar-
took care of the children in small gentina is still extremely critical;18 Topic – Learning differently Mexico Classes at the Escuela Árbol de Vida The Waldorf School Arbol de Vida (Tree of Life) is a primary school on the outskirts of San Miguel de Allende in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. The school‘s extensive grounds provided a wonder- ful opportunity during the time of pandemic, when parts of the classes were held outside. Nevertheless, the school‘s promising development was severely set back by the pandemic. In February, the educational team told us about the challenges, but also the opportunities, of this time. The distress we felt due to the Education. This allowed us to cover the heavy burden of the financial Corona pandemic led us to a peri- about 30 percent of the budget deficit and achieved much more: it od of deep introspection and the deficit and pay the staff 100 per- was an invaluable emotional boost work team of Árbol de Vida had to cent of their salaries. We investi- that filled us with strength to move completely reorient itself, which gated the legal possibilities of con- forward at a time when our mood was done with great human quality ducting face-to-face classes despite was pessimistic and the future and a sense of responsibility from the Mexican epidemic plan, which uncertain. As a small community everyone to everyone. We always prohibits school activities to this of families in the heart of Mexico, agreed that no child should be left day. Finally, we started classes in we have had the opportunity to live without a school and no teacher August. Each child comes to school through this pandemic. We have without a job. We divided as equally three times a week, with different been able to overcome great chal- as possible the resources that were arrival and departure times for lenges and have also received op- still available, which were becom- each class. Much of the teaching portunities and gifts along the way. ing more scarce due to the lack of takes place outdoors, following a work for most families in the city strict hygiene plan. The children (the main economic activity in San are happy to be able to go to school Miguel de Allende is tourism), and and have a beautiful school area in we made the difficult decision to nature where they can play, learn cut the teachers‘ salaries. and meet friends. At the end of July, we received The donation that Árbol de Vida funds from the Friends of Waldorf received from you helped to ease
19
Colombia In 2005, a small kindergarten in the centre of Bogotá grew out
of a parents‘ initiative. Over the years and thanks to the great
Support for commitment of the parents, the kindergarten continued to grow
and has now developed into a small Waldorf school up to the 6th
the Waldorf grade. More than 100 families belong to the school community. As
community in many South American countries, the economic consequences
of the Corona crisis are severe for the people. Nevertheless, all
of Inti Huasi the children of Inti Huasi continued their education regardless of
in Bogotá the financial situation of their parents. In a letter to the Friends of
Waldorf Education, the college expresses its gratitude that this has
been made possible by the donations.
We, the staff of Inti Huasi, are Last year we received donations to have the integrity to always be
writing this letter to thank you and on two occasions. Thanks to these, there for the families of our com-
to acknowledge your support and we were able to pay our teachers munity. Now we are working with
contribution to Casa del Sol (Inti and make arrangements with our all our might to welcome the chil-
Huasi in Spanish). As members of families so that we can continue dren back to the safe environment
this community, it is very valua- to work with children and parents of their classrooms. We know we
ble and a source of great relief to with confidence, even when little or are not alone in this dream. We feel
know that we can continue to do no parental contributions are paid. protected. Truly, thank you.
the work we love, with the confi- Since 15th February, we have been
dence that money is not an obsta- able to teach the children in our
cle to allow Colombian children rooms again. As a school in Latin
and youth to enjoy an education America, we are very grateful for
towards freedom. Because of your the help we have received, because
help, we can still work in a school our families really need economic
where we are treated with kind- support and emotional understand-
ness, fairness and courtesy. ing. Thanks to you, we were able20 Topic – Learning differently
Topic Beirut, Lebanon: roaring inflation and
political uncertainty
Staying strong The devastating explosion in the port of Beirut on
4th August 2020 hit the weakened country hard.
together: In recent years, Lebanon‘s economic situation has
been steadily deteriorating anyway. The national
Waldorf in
currency, the Lebanese pound, is experiencing a
sharp devaluation. „The humanitarian and social
crisis areas
situation is alarming,“ Reem Mouawad, director
of Step Together, told us in a letter in February.
„More than 52% of the Lebanese population lives
in poverty. The political and economic situation
The whole world is talking about and living with remains unstable.“ Government support for Step
the Corona Crisis. In some parts of the world, Together has not been forthcoming for several
the effects of the pandemic and the restrictions years, and the organisation now relies entirely on
are compounded by other problems: wars and donations. The Corona crisis further complicated
natural and man-made catastrophes force the work in 2021. „We started the year with a com-
people to flee and become refugees amid severe plete lockdown after Covid 19 infection numbers
emergencies. The Waldorf schools, Waldorf and deaths skyrocketed. The consequences of the
lockdown are showing up in a further devaluation
kindergartens and therapeutic education
of the Lebanese currency,“ Mouawad reports. She
institutions in these areas were the focus of our
tries to keep her facility running as best she can
second appeal for donations in 2020. - by working in small groups, with home visits,
or online teaching. This would not be possible
Thanks to the great response to our call for do- without donations from abroad, which is why
nations at the beginning of the Corona crisis in Reem Mouawad and her team are grateful for the
spring 2020, the consequences of the Corona crisis grants: “We thank you for your continued sup-
were mitigated and we were able to help numer- port of Step Together and look forward to better
ous Waldorf schools, kindergartens and therapeu- times ahead.”
tic education institutions to survive the difficult
period of school closures and curfews. At the same Yerevan, Armenia: the conflict over Nagorno
time, however, we were concerned to see that the Karabakh and its consequences
global crisis was being joined by other threatening After the schools in Armenia had been shut down
situations in individual areas of the world. It be- for six months, the children were able to return
came clear to us that neither natural disasters nor to school from September, under strict condi-
wars adhere to Corona regulations. This is precise- tions. The long school closure, the great extra
ly where we wanted to help with our appeal for do- effort to provide online classes and the entry and
nations from the winter of 2020/2021. Once again, exit restrictions also pose great problems for the
our donors responded quickly: as early as Febru- Waldorf School in Yerevan: “Most of the par-
ary 2021, we were able to provide €35,000 each to ents at our schoolwork in the tourism industry,
the Step Together therapeutic education school in cafés, restaurants and hotels,” explained Ara
in Beirut and the Aregnazan Waldorf School in Atayan from the Aregnazan Waldorf School,
Yerevan. As soon as possible, we will transfer the which was founded back in the early 1990s and,
same amount to the Bruh Tesfa Waldorf School in as an independent school, does not receive any
Ethiopia. state subsidies. “Many have lost their jobs. Some
pay less school fees, some can’t pay anything at
all.” This resulted in the loss of 50% of the month-Topic – Learning differently 21
Neither natural disasters
nor wars adhere to Corona
regulations.
been left destitute, in some cases with no warn-
ing, by the restrictions of the Corona pandemic. In
addition, there were several successive plagues of
locusts, which destroyed a large part of the crops.
With the donations of the Friends of Waldorf Edu-
cation, the families of the school and the surround-
ing area were supplied with food during the last
year. But, at the beginning of November, the north
of Ethiopia came under additional pressure when
the conflict in the Tigray region, which had been
smouldering for some time, turned into a fierce
war. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced
to flee. The fierce fighting has had an impact on
ly budget. “So, I have to say that the donations Hawzien, which is only 100 kilometres away. Tele-
from the Friends of Waldorf Education saved our phone and power lines are repeatedly interrupted,
school,” Atayan wrote to us in an email in Febru- and with them access to the Internet. Transport by
ary 2021. And he continued, “Because of the war road is almost impossible: “If there is no transport,
over Nagorno Karabakh, we lost thousands of it is also very difficult to supply important food,
people and part of the land. We now have many medicine and other necessities,” explains school
refugees, an economic, political and social crisis, founder Atsbaha Gebre-Selassie. The Waldorf
and total psychological depression and apathy. School in Hawzien and the families of the students
In this context, our government has decided to will urgently need further help. Despite massive
increase taxes on private schools by 20 percent. political pressure from the EU and the USA, nei-
The Association of Private Schools is now fight- ther aid organizations nor journalists are allowed
ing against this increase, but it’s an uphill battle.” to enter the Tigray region. This situation clearly
Despite everything, Atayan is optimistic about shows that as soon as aid can get through, it will
the future: “We are proud of the fact that, so far, be urgently needed here.
we have not lost a single student for financial rea- Christina Reinthal
sons. Of course, this is mainly due to the support
of the Friends, so you can be proud with us and
say it to all donors. In the dramatic situation of
our country, the Waldorf School is a last hope
and a bridge to the future for many people. For
this, once again, thank you!”
Hawzien, Ethiopia: Covid-19, Locust plague
and war in Tigray
The situation of the Waldorf School in the small
town of Hawzien in northern Ethiopia is particu-
larly difficult. The parents of the school’s children,
who in any case have extremely low incomes, have22 Topic – Learning differently
IMPRESSIONS
Outdoor Rudolf Steiner
School Mbagathi,
Nairobi, Kenya
Classrooms
In order to be able to provide face-to-face teaching in
compliance with hygiene regulations and with smaller
classes, many Waldorf schools have moved their classes
outdoors. Here, we show you some examples.
Hamer Kindergarten,
Addis Abeba,
EthiopiaTopic – Learning differently 23
Above: Bottom: Kildare Bottom right:
Waldorf School Steiner School, Colegio Ximbal
Alanya, Turkey Ireland Waldorf, Canun,
Mexico24 From our work
From the work of the Friends
Remarks in a
Time of Silence
R udolf Steiner wrote almost nothing about the
Waldorf School; mostly, he talked mostly and
to many people. His lectures were co-stenographed
trained feeling. For judgments are formed on the
yardstick of feeling. And this standard is formed
by lived and felt experience. This is one of the
and later published. But written things, that is, reasons why Rudolf Steiner attached so much im-
sentences that Rudolf Steiner wanted to write in portance to the self-training of teachers, because
his own hand and not otherwise, are really few. In only a trained feeling, only a feeling oriented first
the Zeitschrift zur Dreigliederung Rudolf Steiner and foremost to human dignity is worthwhile as a
published an article in which he wrote more gen- standard. All the extremisms of our present time
erally. For example, the following sentence about show where the formation of judgments leads,
Waldorf education: „In the institutions of this which are oriented to the standard of unexplained
school must be reflected what the practice of con- feelings, to egoism, to envy, to national arrogance,
temporary life demands of man.“ (GA 24, 1961, p. to images of the enemy. And school is the place
83) Well, that is an interesting assignment. What where the development of feelings that lead to-
the practice of contemporary life demands of the wards the formation of judgment are formed. This
human being is to be reflected in the curriculum, can only be learned in the direct experience of the
the methods and the social forms of the Waldorf person struggling to form a judgment. This is one
school. These elements are, therefore, to be devel- of the important tasks of the teacher. Learning
oped from the demands of the present. And since from the teacher.
Rudolf Steiner never tired of explaining that hu-
manity is developing and constantly changing, it In order to acquire knowledge that can be re-
can be assumed that Rudolf Steiner had in mind a produced in an examination, you do not need a
constantly changing school. school. For that, one can save the effort of main-
taining school buildings. But for a competent han-
Today, we have a specific situation which makes dling of knowledge, discussions between teachers
school, as it has been handled up to now, impos- and puils and students is vital. But whether you
sible. But as a result, everyone suffers: parents, need a school with a 45-minute lesson cycle and a
teachers and students. After a few months of on- smaller curriculum is another matter. Doesn‘t the
line teaching, i.e. an existence at the kitchen table current situation teach us that a completely new
behind a screen, everyone has had enough. Prob- school is needed, one that is probably no longer
ably never in decades past have students wanted a school in the usual sense? Don‘t we need much
to go back to school so much. And why? To meet more freedom for discussion between the pupils
their classmates, to talk, to play, to exchange ide- ans srudents and teachers, much more freedom for
as, to fool around, to be annoyed, and to be hap- content-related themes that arise from the present
py. Evidence-based logic shows: People learn from situation and that call for the formation of judg-
other people, online we can only learn content, ment? Don‘t we need much more discussion about
rather abstract content that lacks life. Online we developing appropriate judgment, and lively and
can acquire knowledge, but not skills, especially argumentative discussion in the best sense of the
judgment skills. The ability to classify and judge word? And can we not learn from this very fact
knowledge in a larger or smaller context needs a that the acknowledgement of a person and an ar-From our work 25
gument are two quite different phenomena, and a Probably never in decades
clear distinction between the two is decisive for past have students wanted to
living together in a society?
go back to school so much.
Last year, with the Joint Action: Corona Aid Cam-
paign (see separate report starting on p. 10), we
ensured that some Waldorf schools and Waldorf
kindergartens operating in countries without state
subsidies for free schools were rescued from bank- brate a little and have all members share in this cel-
ruptcy. Thus we have preserved schools in their ebration. However, all plans are obsolete for now
present form. But not only that. In some Latin due to the closures as a result of Covid-19. We have
American countries, especially in Argentina and postponed the celebrations until 2026 and in 2021
Chile, more and more rural Waldorf schools are we will have a small meeting with all employees,
being founded, which are, above all, a social meet- board members and supervisory board members to
ing place for adults and children. In these coun- discuss the association‘s mission. If there is a meet-
tries many young adults are moving away from the ing of the Hague Circle in November 2021, Ernst
cities because they want to find a different kind Weißert‘s prophetic vision will certainly appear
of life and community than in the city. They build there also, because 50 years ago he also inaugurated
the small Waldorf schools themselves, ideally and the Hague Circle (today: International Conference
with their own hands, get involved financially, and of the Steiner Waldorf Education Movement), as a
they talk and celebrate with each other, and show circle of responsibility for the international Wal-
their children in a very practical way that you can dorf movement. And how these two initiatives be-
create places of learning yourself. And the children long together can be looked at then.
grow up with this feeling: I can take on something
and, together with others, I can achieve certain Friends of Waldorf Education
aims and goals, provided I do it. This gives rise to restructured
beloved, often still somewhat improvised places of Over a lengthy period, we in the board of the
learning that invite participation precisely because Friends of Waldorf Education have considered how
they are unfinished. In the future, we will need this the association should be structured to be able
kind of working atmosphere in the cities as well. to meet the challenges in the future. During the
The mood of improvisation that invites people to 2019 General Assembly, the resulting new struc-
join in will also be necessary there, so that schools ture was approved by the members. Above all, this
remain meeting places for children and adults after new structure provides for an additional body: a
the pandemic. supervisory board. In the future, this board will
advise the executive board on key development
50 years of Friends issues of the association, fulfil the normal super-
of Waldorf Education visory board duties, and elect the members of the
The beginning of October 2021 marks the 50th an- executive board. During the 2020 General Meet-
niversary of the Friends of Waldorf Education. With ing, the Supervisory Board members (see page 38,)
invited colleagues and former students, Ernst were elected for the first time. Due to the restric-
Weißert founded this association from the heart tions imposed by the pandemic, the supervisory
of the German Waldorf school movement, to have board has only been able to meet once so far. At
an instrument to support the growing internation- this meeting, board members Nana Goebel and
al Waldorf movement in the future (in 1975 there Bernd Ruf were confirmed for another three years
were just 112 Waldorf schools worldwide). He ob- and Johannes Prahl was newly elected (see page
viously had a visionary eye. Even though the actual 39). In addition, Henning Kullak-Ublick, who had
work did not begin until 1976, we wanted to cele- served on the Friends of Waldorf Education boardYou can also read
