Spiritual Values in Education: Lessons from Steiner?

Abstract

This paper undertakes what might be described as an exploratory consideration of Steiner Waldorf education to see what light such an examination might throw upon and contribute to policy debates on spiritual education 1 . The paper seeks, through this, to further dialogue between Steiner Waldorf education and the 'mainstream' approaches to schooling represented in the UK state system, and considers possible research directions and policy strategies.

Evolution of education: From weak signals to rich imaginaries of educational futures

“…Social and emotional education [152]. Spirituality in education [153][154][155][156][157]. Transformative and contemplative education [36,158].…”

Policy on School Diversity: Taking an Existential Turn in the Pursuit of Valued Learning?

“…Hence we also emphasise that there is scope for mutual learning between Steiner and state schools. (This is explained more fully in Woods, G.J. et al (1997), where both the degree of overlap in ideas and values between the two and some of the ways in which Steiner schools might be beneficially influenced are discussed.)…”

“…The processes -a development of policy strategies discussed in Woods G.J. et al (1997) -describe forms of social action by educational actors in the public and private domains (central and local government, schools, educational sponsors such as churches, etc.…”

“…• replication reproduction of a distinctive type of school keeping to a particular model. Examples include the replication of grammar schools in the late 1950s/early 1960s in England and Wales (Simon, 1997), which tended to follow a certain model of academic education, ethos and selective entry, and Steiner schools which are set up to replicate the original school founded by Rudolf Steiner (though by no means all Steiner schools seek to do this - Woods, G.J. et al, 1997).…”

Educating for Evolving Consciousness: Voicing the Emergency for Love, Life and Wisdom

“…I propose that evolutionary spiritual approaches are supported by educational styles that emphasise care, contemplation, empathy love and reverence. Such approaches include the spirituality in education movement (de Souza, 2006;Erricker, Ota, & Erricker, 2001;Glazer, 1994;G. Woods, O'Neill, & Woods, 1997), holistic education, and transformative education that engages contemplative pedagogies (Altobello, 2007;Brady, 2007).…”