Handbook of Research on Waldorf Education

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
CONTENTS
Introduction
1. Critique [academic criticism] from the perspective of educational science
2. Empirical turnaround
3. Waldorf education in academic context
4. Issues of reception
5. Research colloquium “Waldorf Education and Educational Science”
CHAPTER 1: Epistemology
Introduction
Epistemological Foundations of Waldorf Education
1. Introduction
2. Background in the history of cognition and science
3. Rudolf Steiner’s epistemology
4. Relevance of Steiner’s epistemology in the philosophy of education
CHAPTER 2: Anthropology
Introduction
Pedagogic Anthropology in Educational Science and Waldorf Education
1. On the concept of pedagogic anthropology
2. Problems of classical anthropologies illustrated in the example: “Sensualism” vs. “Rationalism”
3. Questioning the search for “The Human Being”: The emergence of historic pedagogic anthropology
4. Anthropologies in educational science and the study of the human being in Waldorf education: Differences and possible rapprochements
Freedom as an Anthropological Perspective: On the Concept of Man in Waldorf Education
1. Historic pedagogic anthropology
2. Waldorf education
3. Soul observation in the work of Herbert Witzenmann
4. Perceiving and thinking
5. Terminology of Waldorf education
6. Summary and outlook
The Study of Man and Educational Practice
1. Introduction: Good practice—Anachronistic ideology?
2. Rudolf Steiner’s pedagogic anthropology
3. On the transformation of Waldorf education’s pedagogic anthropology into teaching practice
4. The motif
5. Methodic consciousness
6. Conclusion
CHAPTER 3: Developmental Psychology
Introduction
Attempts to Understand the Development of Children, Adolescents, and Adults
1. Fundamental aspects of an interdisciplinary discourse
2. Developmental psychology “insights” in historic review
3. Possibilities of a critical discourse on the topic “Waldorf education and developmental psychology”: Illustrated by the example of developmental theories
Discussion of Rudolf Steiner’s Developmental Psychology
1. The 1980s
2. The 1990s
3. Newer publications
4. Conclusion
Approaches to Substantiating the Concept of Seven-Year Cycles of Development in Waldorf Education
1. Introductory remarks
2. The development of the child as the basis for Waldorf education
3. The transition around the seventh year of life
4. Learning in the second seven-year cycle
5. Transition to the third seven-year cycle
6. Summary: The concept of the seven-year cycles as a foundation for education
Waldorf Education and Developmental Psychology in Early Childhood
1. The concept of development in Waldorf education
2. The concept of “I”
3. Imitation and modeling
4. Surroundings and the formation of self
5. Connections among the development of body, soul, and spirit
6. The child as co-creator of his/her life world: Development as dialog
7. Attachment research
8. Conclusion
The Rubicon as a Developmental Phenomenon in Middle Childhood
1. History of the term Rubicon
2. Child development in the light of spiritual science
3. The Rubicon as a watershed moment in the second seven-year cycle
4. Excursus: The Rubicon and Oevermann’s crisis typology
5. Rubicon—Middle childhood: Perspectives from developmental psychology and anthropology
Adolescence and the Findings of Brain Research
1. Introduction
2. Remarks on problems in interpreting the results of neuroscience research
3. Neuroscience research findings relevant to pedagogy
4. Select examples from brain research
5. On the reception of neuroscientific studies
6. Areas of potential discourse
7. Conclusion and outlook
CHAPTER 4: Learning Theory
Introduction
Learning from the Perspective of Educational Science
1. Our learning concept model is imported from psychology
2. Reasons for needing a new definition of the concept of learning from a perspective of educational sciences
3. Five approaches to a new definition of learning from the perspective of educational sciences
4. Reasons for learning: Motivation, interest, relevance
5. Learning—A cultural science perspective, illustrated by the example of learning resistance and equal opportunity
6. Learning and teaching
7. Learning in freedom
8. Learning with the group and against it
9. An educated state of being as a result of learning
10. Human learning: Independent of content or category-specific?
11. Pedagogical consequence: Learning requires meaning and generates it
Waldorf Education and Learning Research: Convergences and Differences
1. Waldorf education in the context of different learning theories
2. Learning in the context of Waldorf education
3. Summary and outlook
Learning in Waldorf Education
1. Learning theories
2. Rudolf Steiner’s teachings on imagination
3. Disposition and condition
4. Imagination and will
5. Case study: Agricultural internship
6. Aspects of learning
7. “Mother Holle”
8. Summary
CHAPTER 5: The Art of Teaching
Teaching Approaches in Waldorf Education
1. Introduction
2. Connections and divisions in educational theory
3. The model of main lesson teaching in Waldorf schools
4. Main lesson teaching as performative education
5. Conclusion
The Waldorf Curriculum: Curriculum, Teaching Plan, or Guideline?
1. Curriculum and teacher autonomy in Waldorf education
2. Concept continuity and heterogeneity
3. Attempt at defining the Waldorf curriculum in terms of education science
4. The future of the curriculum and of curriculum development in Waldorf schools
CHAPTER 6: Theory of Professions
Introduction
The Professional Image of the Waldorf Grades Teacher
1. Outline of recent research
2. The Waldorf grades teacher from the point of view of professions theory
3. The grades teacher principle
4. The concept of authority in Waldorf education
5. Reflections from the point of view of professions theory
6. Outlook and conclusions
Teacher Competencies and Professional Success: Ex-post Findings from Dirk Randoll’s Waldorf Teacher Study
1. Problem, goals, and method
2. General findings
3. Competences and professional success
4. The link between competences and resilience
5. Conclusion
The Teacher’s Path of Development: Toward Mindfulness in Education
1. Introduction
2. Personal competences in the education science discourse
3. Anthroposophically oriented education as a path of development
4. Personal qualities and skills worth striving for
5. How to practice?
6. Conclusion
CHAPTER 7: Education Science and Waldorf Education/Education Reform
Introduction
Challenges to Education Science Posed by Waldorf Education as Education Reform
1. Education science—The link among orientational, conditional, and transformative knowledge
2. School climate as a shared orientational pattern
3. Teachers’ mindfulness toward students in Waldorf schools
4. Waldorf education is more than and different from education reform
Education Reform and Waldorf Education: Interpreting a Historically Difficult Relationship
1. Introduction
2. Waldorf education and education reform: What they have in common
3. Differences between Waldorf education and education reform
4. Five theses on the relationship between Waldorf education and education reform
5. Constructive forms of future cooperation
Central Motifs in Education Reform and Waldorf Education
1. Education reform and Waldorf education: Common topics
2. Essential features of Waldorf education
3. Summary: Waldorf education—A searching movement
CHAPTER 8: Waldorf Education and Anthroposophy
Education Science and Waldorf Education
1. Waldorf education and anthroposophy
2. What is fascinating about Waldorf education?
3. Points of mutual rejection
4. Possible meeting points
How Can Steiner’s Pedagogical Esotericism Be Open for Discussion?: Theses on Avoidable Obstacles to Discourse
1. Obstacles to discourse
2. Esotericism between public discourse and secret space
3. Helpful questions
Anthroposophy and Waldorf Education: A Field of Tension
1. The worldview problem
2. Anthroposophy and science
3. Anthroposophy in Waldorf education
4. Epoché or the renunciation of anthroposophy
5. Worldview as a cognitive challenge
6. The teacher’s self-development
7. Conclusion
The Anthroposophic Understanding of History from the Point of View of Waldorf Education, Education Science, and History Teaching
1. Problem description
2. The significance of cultural history in Steiner’s time
3. Steiner’s approach to cultural history
4. The importance of the history of culture and consciousness in anthroposophy
5. The background of Steiner’s historical theory
6. The self-location of anthroposophy and Waldorf education
7. History in the Waldorf school
8. History teaching in Waldorf schools
CHAPTER 9: Individual Topics
Intercultural Education and Waldorf Education: An Inspiring Encounter
1. Starting point and research questions
2. Intercultural versus transcultural education?
3. Objectives
4. Ways of dealing with cultural diversity
5. Goals
6. Interim observation
7. The Intercultural Waldorf School in Mannheim
8. Conclusion
Religious Education in Waldorf Schools in the Context of the Current Pedagogical Discourse
1. Introduction
2. Religion between plurality and individualism
3. Current discussions on religious education
4. General religious education in Waldorf schools
5. Perspectives
Waldorf Education and Media: Human and Technological Development in Contrast
1. Introduction
2. “A Silicon Valley school that doesn’t compute”
3. Basic questions
4. Definitions of media
5. A phenomenological approach to media
6. Side effects
7. Direct and indirect media education
8. Basic gestures of human development
9. Direct and indirect media education in childhood and youth
10. Direct media education
11. Curriculum for the media form “image”
12. Curriculum for the media form “sound”
13. Curriculum for the media form “script”
14. Curriculum “Understanding electronic devices”
15. Curriculum “Sensible media use”
16. Underlying paradigms
17. Anthropologic media education compared to other approaches
18. Transhumanism and the anthroposophic image of the human being
School Autonomy and Collaborative Governance as Constitutive Elements of Waldorf Schools
1. Introduction
2. History of collaborative governance
3. Regional, national, and international collaboration of Waldorf institutions
4. The parents
5. The students
6. Quality assurance tools
7. Conferences
8. The function of internal publications
9. The Association of Waldorf Schools’ Research Institute
10. The funding challenge
11. Republican and democratic
12. Administrative structures
13. Faculty meetings
14. Outlook
Epilogue
Contributors
Index