Who was Steiner?
Rudolf Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, writer, social reformer and clairvoyant. Steiner was fascinated by the spiritual realm, having claimed to have seen ghostly apparitions since his childhood. He worked to theorise how spiritualism and science could fit together to understand human nature.
In 1912, Steiner founded the Anthroposophical Society. Anthroposophy is a philosophical theory that humans can perceive the spiritual world through enhanced consciousness. This can be achieved through meditation, will-power, self-control and engaging with new experiences and ideas.
This self-development, Steiner claimed, would harmonise people with their spiritual surroundings and transform them into true individuals. These people could be socially and morally aware, unchained by the pressures of others’ expectations or prejudices and free to make up their own mind in any given situation.
What does Anthroposophy have to do with nurseries?
Steiner believed that children needed to learn how to exercise their own will and feelings, alongside normal teaching.
In 1919, Steiner opened a school in Stuttgart, Germany, for the children of factory workers at the nearby Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory. The school was significant in its acceptance of both boys and girls from working-class backgrounds. Steiner Waldorf schools, sometimes called just Waldorf schools or Steiner schools, started popping up all over the world, with the first to reach Britain in 1922.
These schools aim to develop children’s individuality and moral responsibility. Alongside normal school subjects, teaching is through storytelling, games, practical projects and skill development, and a wide range of art forms such as sculpture making and pottery. Tests and book learning is less used.
Rudolf Steiner died in 1925 but his legacy lived on. In 1926, the original Stuttgart school opened the first Steiner Waldorf kindergarten, under the care of Steiner’s friend Elizabeth Grunelius.
Grunelius worked on principles told to her by Steiner, that children learn best from imitation rather than instruction. She applied this idea to all aspects of the children’s education, from bringing artisans in to demonstrate their craft to learning correct behaviour. This method engaged the children’s senses of independence, analysis and creativity and they learnt through all their senses.
Soon enough, Steiner Waldorf nurseries had spread throughout the world, with well-known ones in the UK in Bristol, Edinburgh, Cardiff and London.
How do Steiner schools and nurseries work?
The guiding principles of today’s Steiner nurseries are:
- Inclusivity of all children, regardless of ability or background.
- A holistic approach to the needs of each child, supporting them mentally, spiritually, academically and physically.
- Recognising the different needs of children at different ages.
- Generating an enthusiasm to learn knowledge and skills.
Most Steiner nurseries in the UK are kindergartens attached to Steiner schools. This enables children to have a complete Steiner education on one site. They follow the early years curriculum, which is a legal requirement for all early years settings, but interpret it to meet the goals of both the early years curriculum and the Steiner Waldorf approach.
A typical day might include a hands-on project in the morning that is designed to develop useful skills and independence, such as gardening, cooking or cleaning. Some nurseries use local surroundings in this aspect of the children’s education, such as spending time in local woodland or other places where they can experience and engage with nature.
There will also be periods of free play in each nursery’s outdoor or indoor play areas which feature a wide range of toys and equipment made entirely of natural materials. Guided learning includes storytelling and songs, as well as music, art and making and mending toys. Meals are often taken around one large table. Children practising taking it in turns to share their news or discussing a guided topic as a group.
Related Articles
