World Waldorf Early Childhood Conference

Kindness, Strength, Love – Seeds for a Healthy Unfolding

By Mary-G Hauptle, from the Federation of Waldorf Schools in Southern Africa

It was an enormous privilege to be part of the organising group for the World Early Childhood Conference and to contribute to the rich, thoughtful and inspiring programme that unfolded over the course of the gathering.

The conference marked the centenary of Waldorf early childhood education and brought together colleagues from around the world in a spirit of celebration, gratitude and renewed commitment. It offered an opportunity to honour the pioneers whose vision, courage and dedication laid the foundations of the worldwide Waldorf early childhood movement. At the same time, it invited us to look honestly at the challenges and responsibilities facing us today, asking how we can continue to protect childhood while responding creatively and responsibly to the needs of our changing world.

The conference was not only a celebration of the past but also a commitment to the future. Through study, artistic work, workshops and conversation, participants explored how the qualities of kindness, strength and love can continue to inform our educational practice and guide the unfolding of Waldorf early childhood education over the next hundred years. It was a deeply moving experience and one that will continue to inspire and nourish the work of many colleagues long after the conference itself has ended.

As Philipp Gelitz said at the recent world early childhood conference:

• ‘What should we focus on today? From the perspective of today’s challenges, of volatility, uncertainty complexity and ambiguity.

• What do children need today – and what can Waldorf education contribute to that? We need to focus on strengthening the foundations that will enable children to face any future.

There are many words that describe these qualities – the qualities to deal with any future. Some of them are resilience, self-efficacy, flexibility, confidence, but also awareness of needs, sensitivity, and mindfulness.

Looking at the needs coming from the future into the present there are challenges that we cannot solve simply by relying on past experiences. And in contrast to traditions, we might say: We need to renew our practice.

All of our pioneers always took things up in a new way. In early childhood education, we were always in the rather comfortable situation that there are only a few direct indications from Rudolf Steiner about kindergarten education.

This meant that the first educators had to develop almost everything themselves. And what they developed now needs to be transformed further, so that it does not become merely traditional, but continues to grow out of the needs of the present.

Waldorf education offers so much, if we look at it from the perspective of today’s questions and challenges. I am deeply convinced of this. But we must also learn something important: Our first responsibility is not to Waldorf education itself.

Our first responsibility is to the children.

We are responsible for being present for children in ways that are appropriate to the present time.

If this becomes our starting point, then we are no longer in the difficult position of constantly having to explain or justify Waldorf education.

Because then we are not primarily defending “Waldorf education” as an idea or a system of practices.

Instead, we are simply working for children.

Michael Mount Waldorf School’s Preschool in Bryanston provides young children with an artistic, safe, nurturing, and alternative start to learning. We allow the child sufficient time to develop their own innate intelligence, laying vital foundations for the rest of their lives.

Young children primarily use their senses to discover the world around them. Touching, tasting, seeing, smelling, hearing, and perceiving are the most impactful forms of learning. Through rich, active, and age-appropriate experiences in our natural environments, children gradually develop healthy fine and gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, general balance, as well as language, oral and social skills.