Rudolf Steiner School

Sowing Peace in the Kindergarten
by Trice Atchison, Early Childhood, April/May 2006 Mosaic

Our early childhood teachers braved predictions of record snowfall this February to attend the annual Waldorf Kindergarten Conference at Sunbridge College in Spring Valley, NY. Keynote speaker Michaela Glockler-a pediatrician at the Goetheanum in Switzerland and the "Benjamin Spock" of Steiner-based child care-has long been a mentor and guide to Waldorf Teachers. Through her books and lectures she offers numerous ways in which we can support our children's health and growth.

During a series of powerful talks throughout the weekend, Dr. Glockler emphasized the crucial importance of inspiring in young children a feeling for the spirit of humanity. Every person refers to him or herself as "I", Dr. Glockler noted, and this :I: is the spiritual reality that resides within each of us. We share a consciousness that is both individual and universal. Recognition of this mystery brings empathy and peace. In contrast, over-identification with the particulars of gamily, culture, nation, gender or religion creates a focus on differences, sowing the seeds of war.

Early childhood teachers are like an apple tree, says Dr. Glockler, and all the children are the apples. Therefore, as teachers-and certainly also as parents-we are the peacemakers of tomorrow. We must offer our children not screens filled with other people's images, but instead give them something that nourishes their inner pictures. In this way, the children will not risk losing touch, late on, with their capacity to recognize the humanity within every person. The festival life of the kindergarten is one way in which to nourish the child's inner pictures.

Waldorf education is based on an understanding of the general human being. Through the kindergarten festivals we celebrate though out the year, we must strive to meet the challenge of speaking to our shared spiritual reality. Festivals can approach this awesome goal by having an aspect of:

Admiration of nature. The world is driven by spiritual laws and we have a spiritual relationship with nature. Festivals throughout time have often reflected seasonal rhythms and expressed a reverence for the wonders of the earth.

Social magic. Part of what nourishes us is preparing a festival for one another and then sharing it together. Let it be filled with joy, meaning, content and communication.

Reflection of the developmental stages of humankind. For the child, the developmental path starts with the birthday, and all the periods along the way are thresholds. Festivals make conscious the thresholds of or shared human development. With another birthday, a new ear, a budding springtime, we leave the old behind, and start anew. Through this process, we have the chance to re-emerge fresher and purer-ever evolving.

Group singing, shared meals, a eurythmy performance and a puppet show completed the weekend, along with smaller workshops on a wide variety of topics in early childhood. By the conference's end a foot-and-a-half of snow had fallen, causing the buried cars to resemble a village of igloos. The teachers easily excavated their vehicles from the weightless snow and, with much to ponder, journeyed home.

For registration information about current or upcoming school years, please call the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School Admissions Office at (413) 528-4015, ext. 106 or fill out the Admissions Inquiry Form in the Admissions section of this website. Ask for a current calender, fee schedule, and application. You may also request a visit to meet with the teacher and tour the classroom.