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Alan speaks in a very symbolic and esoteric manner in some parts of his books. Although they can be read anthroposophically, passages speaking of Atlantis, archangels, gods, etc. do not need to be taken literarily to be meaningful. The more you read, the more you will realize he uses many different religions to express ideas in a symbolic manner and not in a religious manner. His writings are not religious. In some places his writings are meant to refer to religious events in a historical way. In some places he is using religious figures (from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Paganism, Ancient Roman and Greek Religions, etc.) in a symbolic manner. However, at no point is he promoting a specific religion or speaking from a religious point of view.
I have kept the writing as close to one-hundred percent original so you will also find that he speaks of Australia often and some spelling or manners of speaking may be cultural. Any words I have changed are presented like this: <word>.
Also keep in mind that these books are written by a Waldorf teacher with decades of experience who also studied with a Steiner student himself, so he speaks to an audience that is dedicating their lives to the Waldorf method without exception.
Because of this, all of his views are not reflected in the Earthschooling curriculum and not all of them may be ones you want to embrace or are able to use. In all of Alan Whitehead’s writings the opinions are his own and may not align with Earthschooling or Waldorf Books. In some cases, we will be updating some of these chapters in the future with additional and/or updated information.
Ultimately, however, as I read through these passages I find I can distill wisdom from even those paragraphs that do not resonate with me.
We invite you to read with an open mind and heart and with eagerness to learn and discuss…
CAN THEY GO TO UNIVERSITY – OR GET A JOB EVEN?
Steiner high schools place great emphasis on equal opportunity for its students. School study should be an end in itself, not merely a means to an end. In some systems, lower-ability students are often denied soul-rich instruction in the classics or the sciences – it is necessary for anyone claiming to be ‘educated’ to have had at least a passing acquaintance with Milton or genetics.
Conversely, the ‘racehorse’ student is denied the personal-development benefits of say, sheet metal work, songwriting or fashion. It takes a broad range of subjects for an individual to fully explore his potential – a maxim espoused by all schools, but rarely if ever realized.
Schools should be halls of learning and soul-unfoldment, where every person’s potential is liberated; only then are they really equipped to master the vicissitudes of life – domestic, social and vocational – not merely to earn a living, although this is of course important. A broad-spectrum program assures wider options and greater flexibility in obtaining employment. Specialization can be a prison, especially when economic conditions change rapidly – what is today regarded as a stable job, might be tomorrow’s redundancy ticket. The more arrows in the job-seeker’s quiver, the more likely to hit the desired target.
A liberal education even aids a later highly-specialized career – a lawyer is better able to serve the cause of justice if, as well as the academic, there has been a significant practical and artistic component in his education. He will address his task with greater understanding of people and issues, and creativity in problem-solving. This 3-fold learning path enriches any and every employment area.
The man filling the aircraft with aviation fuel was stopped by his union boss. “We’re out!” said the boss without explanation “Turn that thing off.”
“But the plane’s only half full – it won’t be able to take off.”
“So what?”
The strike was about some insignificant over-time award; the ‘so what’ meant that hundreds of people had their plans, and in some cases their lives, thrown into chaos, missing connecting flights, business opportunities, lovers…
We don’t want our Steiner School graduates to enter the work force with a ‘so what’ mentality. It is a privilege to work, ever more so as machines make the human being more and more redundant. So we should encourage our young to think really carefully about their career choices – to give those thoughts a moral dimension. In spirit, work should be ‘love made visible’ – alas many employment attitudes are rather hatred made visible!
We spend a good part of the 5 years of high school cultivating in our students an honorable work ethic, one based on enhanced and informed moral consciousness. The most important aspect of work is as a contribution to society – a true serving – or to the wider world even. Not the least is its importance to the prosperity and well-being of our own community.
None of these issues were considered by the morally somnambulant aircraft refueller as he mindlessly obeyed orders. The boss was even worse, he deliberately pursued a path hurtful to other people! In the spirit of the Buddhist 8-fold Path injunction, Right Vocation, we must be aware of the consequences on others of our work, and on the world in general. How can a logger justify earning a living by destroying the last remnants of some life-sustaining rainforest? Or the cigarette process worker producing a killer product? We must have recourse to the Temple of our Individuality, with its altar of integrity, to find the truly moral answers to these often-complex questions – in short, we must cultivate in our young the highest possible work ethic.
We are told at every turn that we must prepare our students for survival in a dog-eat-dog world of competition. We prefer to think that our graduates enter life with the spirit of co-operation.
Students naturally compete with one another, but usually only in a healthy way; when the competitive spirit threatens the harmony of the boy social, competition is replaced with sympathy and support. Co-operation is one of the shining facets of the jewel of character – competition serves self-interest only.
Competition, by its very nature, breeds failures – crushing morale and corroding self-esteem – this is anti-education. The less-recognized evil of competition is the aspect of inflated egotism, that experienced by the God-gifted student who is good at everything – the perennial winner in life’s Lotto!
The gifted striving for excellence is enhanced by a non-competitive environment – achievement for its own sake, not to win something, or be ‘first’. This transforms in adult life into dedication to task.
There are four sturdy rungs on the socio-economic, or class distinction, ladder to heaven. Sadly the myth that we live in an egalitarian society is just that – a myth. School teachers know that a person’s family circumstances condemn him to, or assure him of, his place in society. The Steiner schools, again in the spirit of equal opportunity, attempt to free their charges from these social manacles. How often is the opening flower of a young life (say a dancer) crushed by “son, if the law’s good enough for me, it’s good enough for you!”
Ego-type families live in the fond hope that their offspring will go to university and gain a degree of some kind. The Astral-ambitious encourage their children into cultural or management pursuits, perhaps evidenced with a diploma from a college.
Etheric-family expectations are that their sons will get a trade behind them, take on an apprenticeship. (It doesn’t matter what the girls do ‘They only get married and have kids anyway.’.) The Physical family enjoin their early school-leavers to just get a job – any job.
The exam system, with its moveable decile ratings and bewildering numerology, reinforces these prejudices; assuring , due to various pass rates, that there will only be the ‘right’ amount of professional, or managerial, people turned out in any given year. This is a callous calculation, condemning a large section of aspiring young people to the social and economic scrapheap.
Society places an illusory value on this arbitrary arrangement, assuming the holder of a degree to be a better person than someone who merely has an ordinary job. Rudolf Steiner was a Doctor of Philosophy, but the most strident critic of this elitist education system. Indeed the corrupt professional may bleed society white, while the honest worker may genuinely serve – of course it could be the other way round as well. The point being, that true worth depends on the individual, not the educational level.
School teachers and parents must leave all options open to all adolescents in their care as the young hopefuls approach leaving age. How many of us have failed to fit neatly into our allotted pigeon-hole? We hear of the artistic genius born into the simple farming family – or the sone of an eminent Q.C. who works in the supermarket!
In short, usually the confused career-seekers eventually find their niche, in spite of family/school pressures – but often only after a good deal of unnecessary conflict and dislocation.
In terms of a Steiner School’s hopes and dreams for its students, such things as a justifiable career, happiness, and spiritual fulfillment are the top of this 4-fold order of earning a living. Illusions like fame and fortune are not even considered.
BUT WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO THEY GET?
Firstly to anticipate the inevitable question about matriculation and university entrance; the student is assured of full support in acquiring the best possible pass of which s/he is capable – but in a 13th tutorial year. This system was introduced in the first Steiner high school, assuring a full 12 years of education for itsown sake and, if the student wished, devoting focus to the matric. In the ‘13th year’.
There are many advantages to this: a lot of students do not either want or need external high school qualifications to do what they want in life, but they desire to be educated. Those who do want the benefits matriculation can offer, can choose to study, in the 13th year, through an external college or correspondence school. The Steiner school however offers full support tutorial and physical facilities, without bearing the burden of conducting the courses themselves. This give the students the widest possible range of subject options and levels – far greater than any school can offer.
The student is a year older (19 rather than 18) than his/her non-Steiner peers sitting for the same exam. This assures a more mature attitude towards the course-content in general, and exams in particular. Another advantage is that the exam is taken as a matter of choice, rather than process. There is greater commitment by the student because it is the result of his/her own decision-making – there will be greater motivation to succeed.
A matriculation course, designed to direct the students into specific employment areas, is really the province of tertiary, rather than secondary schooling. The principle of the education of the three ‘bodies’ (Physical, Etheric and Astral), is universality – that of the Ego, emerging slowly from the 18th to 21st year, is specialization, properly the realm of tertiary education.
Some Steiner high schools issue their own equivalent matric. In one form or another. This is a qualification based purely on a 5-year assessment at the completion of Year 12. This ‘Equivalent Higher School Certificate’, or whatever it may be called, documents the period of full-time secondary education, and all courses studied. This correct and highly formal document provides access to a great range of careers. Indeed many employers who are required to operate within the strict letter of the law, advertise thus – ‘Higher School Certificate or its equivalent required’.
These factors assist the student in attaining the H.S.C. in one year instead of the usual two, subject to levels taken of course. Study of the 5-only subject required is highly focused, without the distractions and obligations of normal school live. Indeed some students achieve a good pass in their 13th year studying only part-time for one year; it must be remembered that they have already had 5 years of a rigorous intellectual, artistic and practical Steiner high school education!
As the only worthwhile academic qualification at schooling level it the matric., Steiner does not compromise its broad-spectrum program by recognizing subordinate qualifications, like those common at Year 10 in the mainstream, the School Certificate whatever All students are encouraged to complete their education up the Year 12. A school that does not proceed to Year 12, going only to say Year 10, is like a tiger without a tail.
During Year 12, the students embark on a Major Work; this provides tangible evidence of advanced skills in the individual’s chosen study area. It is an obvious aid also in attaining employment. The Major Work is done in the students’ own time, but with the assistance, guidance and resources of the school. Examples of Major Works are car building; a thesis on veterinary science; a beautifully hand-crafted cabinet; a photographic portfolio; a handmade guitar; a computer program.
As well as the above, the school maintains for each student a Report Folder for every unit taught throughout the 5 years – a tome of some 200 detailed documents. Each of these takes the form of a synopsis of the lesson, including content; time; length; aims; materials; processes and special comments.
The teacher of the unit then photocopies the Report for each student and writes a positive statement about their achievements and capacities in the unit, included also can be comments on bookwork; test results; co-operation and attitude; understanding; contribution; and potential. Often included also are examples of student’s product from the unit, like photographs of craftwork, or poetry written. The Class Guardian keeps each student’s Report folder safely until they leave school, hopefully at the end of Year 12. They therefore have a detailed document of their entire high school learning experiences, one that can be fondly referred to for life.
The form of these reports is like a job reference, and it is in the sphere of getting a job that the Report Folder is especially valuable – this is why only positive comments are included. If the student did nothing positive in the unit, then no Report! Obviously, a powerful incentive to co-operate.
The H.S.C. as an entrance vehicle to higher education, or indeed employment, has proved sadly inadequate, resulting in great human wastage and suffering. The drop-out rate in the early years of university is scandalous. The major reason? Lack of information; a problem overcome by the somewhat verbose Report System. A system good also for teachers in assessing their students – and themselves! Every Report written is a step along the path of professional development. The Reports are evidence to student, teacher, parent, employer – and anyone else interested – of the quality of instruction given.
A particularly literate teenager may have received glowing Reports throughout the 5 years in English – a subject she both loves and has talent in. She is to apply for a job as a cub reporter on a newspaper; if the presentation contains high-quality and consistent personalized English Reports (some 30 over the five years!), strategically placed at the top of the folder, the chances of success are considerably increased. The employer also has some idea of the areas studied, grammar, creative writing, etc. – unlike the simplistic and cryptic statement which is normal H.S.C.! This principle of course applies to any field of employment; the case histories of student-success on this level are legion!
One Class 12 graduate, in a sphincteric job market, secured, within weeks, a (H.S.C. required) plum position in a city comedy agency, ahead of over 50 applicants. She went armed with a winning smile, her Report Folder, and Equivalent H.S.C. only. All the other girls had the conventional H.S.C. (and the smile I suppose) – their interview-time averaged 5 minutes. Our girl was in there for over an hour – it takes a long time to wade through one of those Report Folders!
Another student secured an excellent job soon after leaving school at the end of Class 12 as a Video Rock Show Host with a city radio station – a job he obtained using the same armory – and a bit of persistence!
Both got the jobs they wanted – not merely those which were available. Oh, and I didn’t have to rummage through dusty files for these convincing examples – they were both my own children.
“The best thing would be to get rid of all examinations. The children would then become much more quick-witted.” Rudolf Steiner, Stuttgart, 1919
“The linear pathway is dead!”
The exponential expansion of post-HSC choices.
Due to the increasing evidence of damage to legion kinds of young folk due to high school exam pressures, culminating in the matriculation or its equivalent, commentators are increasingly expressing sentiments such as “A poor tertiary entrance score isn’t the end of the world.” And “The HSC isn’t everything.”
This is actually a fairly new, 21st Century, trend in both academia and the better-informed public, one which has recently been supported by studies done on the paths of people in relation to their HSC results and/or UAI standards, right up to their 30 years.
A surprising pattern to emerge was that many formerly (at school) highly focused young people took their sweet time clarifying their goals, and settling on a vocation. This was due not to lack of opportunity, rather a questing for a quality of employment that provided them with a lifestyle that fitted their still ill-formed expectations.
In the case of the opposite, those with poor Year 12 scores, many were forced to accept second or even third subject choices at university or college. In hindsight, many were delighted to discover that this albeit forced path was exactly the one they would have chosen if they had to do it again. They now know that this more modest ambition was much more suited to them than their more prestigious but unattainable first choices. In the same vein, many who had the chance to compare college and university found that the former had greater value for them than the latter, the emphasis often being more humanistic, enjoyable and even practical; as well as creating a solid foundation for their subsequent fulfilling work life.
Most puzzling was the number of high achievers in the HSC, those who could literally swan into any higher-education study area they like, who found that they were often dissatisfied with the courses provided. Consequently they chopped and changed, often in a spirit of disenchantment and disillusionment, across career paths; most of which guaranteed success in life.
In considering all the above, one researcher wryly observed that “The linear pathway is dead…The idea young people have to make the right decision now for the right course that will set them up for life is totally an illusion…The fact you don’t do as well as you expected doesn’t mean there are not alternative routes available.” Thus today’s young enjoy a freedom that their parents could barely have imagined.
The findings were that there were increasingly multiple pathways available, with plenty of time to make second choices; especially in light of the fact that more Year 12 graduates do not go on to university anyway. This, in spite of both the curriculum and assessment methods still being driven by the imperatives of an academic elite.
Something like a third of students who start a bachelor’s degree at an Australian university are admitted on criteria other than HSC results. About 8% come from TAFE, 10% are mature-age, 7% are assessed and/or examined by the institution, and 3% accepted on the basis of work experience or professional credentials.
With the world community, and its separate individuals becoming increasingly complex, the road-signs to success multiply exponentially; so there is sure to be a meaningful path(s) perfectly tailored for your anxious offspring, whether they achieve high or low matriculation passes, or even whether they bother to site the exam at all.
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