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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…
THE FUTURE FOR STEINER HIGH SCHOOLS?
There are three kinds of high schools, those that belong to the past, with its antiquated and discredited period teaching, competition, exams and streaming. The second is eminently suited to the present, the kind described in this book.
But for those whose vision leaps ahead into the future, there is the third, the de-institutionalized high school – that which is increasingly part of the real world. A brief description follows of the kind of secondary education which may even occur in our lifetime.
A group of 14-year-olds (Class 8) stride confidently across the threshold from primary to high – here they are met by a 5-year-committed Glass Guardian. Nothing new so far? Read on.
The Guardian arranges a base room for the class, theirs up to Class 12. Each student has his/her own ‘studio’ space, complete with desk, locker, pinboard, personal accoutrements, etc. These studios could be arranged so that they can be privatized, and at the same time open up to be part of an open-plan learning area.
Virtually no other facilities are needed – this ‘classroom’ is to be seen as a transition between the institutional school and the commercial/occupational world. Phones, art materials, computers, faxes, recreation and food facilities can all be included.
The Guardian arranges a learning program for the year, based loosely on the Steiner ‘curriculum’. Actually no such thing exists, the various curricula, such as outlined in this book have been individualized by teachers the world over, whose only similarity is that they have all drawn water from the same spiritual well – Steiner’s indications.
Curriculums are created to serve the contingencies of time and place, as such they are living organism, capable of endless change and variation.
Anyway, essentially the Guardian and his colleagues in this 5-year learning community (you see I avoid the word ‘school’) teach at least part of a Main Lesson program in the base room. This is the major scholastic sector of the day, where the pure philosophy of learning overrides all other considerations.
The Middle Lessons, are to a large extent, taught outside; taught by various ‘experts; connected to organizations like companies, government bodies, professional individuals and so on. Those that specialize in the particular field of study outlined in the Class Program.
For instance, there may be a 3-week Veterinary Science unit scheduled; the Guardian arranges for the group to spend 1 ½ hours each day for three weeks in an animal-care institution of some kind. Here they deal with the real world, earning how to give an injection, sweep out the stables, deal with the public, whatever. But most important, covering a good deal of theory as well – this is worldliness in action, and teenagers embrace it with zeal!
The same principle applies to the Afternoon Block Lessons; there may be a painting unit indicated in the curriculum – the Guardian organizes the students to spend four afternoons a week for three weeks in the studio of an accommodating artist – or on site with a mural painter; working, learning – growing!
The wider community in the future will be required to assist in the education of their young much more than today, where poorly trained teachers have to bear this often onerous burden. The ‘teacher’ however, will still be the most appropriate form for the primary school, with its ‘herds’ mentality, necessary for the development of social skills.
Medieval schooling of adolescents was based mainly on the apprenticeship of ‘guild’ system. Future high schools share some of these characteristics, like learning in the workplace. But instead of the ‘apprentice’ learning only one trade or skill – engraving, medicine, etc. – they will learn, over 5 years, all possible areas of human endeavor! The program is therefore truly universal – or Michaelian.
The de-schooling of society has already begun – initiated by the students themselves, with their contempt for the indignity of anachronistic methodology and the ennui of institutionalism. If we are to avert the chaos a wave of rejection of conventional schooling will inevitably create, we must, like the Archangel Michael – he of Cosmic Intelligence, Spiritual Courage and New Values – assure a smooth (and exciting!) transition for our young ‘Michaelians’ from ‘school’ to life.
Because in education, life is what it’s all about.
And life is the golden thread woven through a middle unit, career orientation, which is directed to the student’s future. This is taken in Class 12, and canvasses hundreds of job-search ides, like:
The ‘Friends network’; C.V. preparation; Familiarity with employment agencies (and the literature); Trade publications; Employer associations; Newspaper ads; Interview techniques and standards; Unsolicited door-knocking; Self-employment; Work experience; Career short-listing; References and documentation; part-time work; Apprenticeships; And if all the above fail, how to live constructively on the dole!
Interview role-play is both valuable and fun; there the teacher might set little traps, such as leaving a paper on the floor to see if the job aspirant will pick it up – or ask him/her to – ‘Tell that salesman out in the foyer that I’m not in.’ The collusion might well result in – ‘If you’ll lie for me, you’ll live to me – sorry.’!
The author’s first high school class, Glenaeon School, Sydney -1969
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