Faculty Meetings with Rudolf Steiner
GA 300a
22 December 1919, Stuttgart
Fourth Meeting
The teachers took turns providing afternoon child care. A teacher asks a question about what they should do with the children.
Dr. Steiner: The children should enjoy themselves. You can allow them to play, or they could also put on a play or do their homework. In afterschool care, you should be a child yourself and make the children laugh. The children should do something other than their normal school activities. They only need to feel that someone is there when they need something. It is particularly valuable when the children tell of their experiences. You should interest yourselves in them. It is helpful for children when they can speak freely. You can also let them make pottery.
A teacher: The faculty would like to have a school festival on the first Monday of each month, since that day is generally free in the Stuttgart area [no school on those days]. We have already had such festivals on November 3 and December 1.
Dr. Steiner: It would be better to have monthly festivals on Thursday. Monday is a humdrum day, and there are inner reasons for favoring Thursdays. As Jupiter’s day, Thursday is most appropriate. The monthly festival should recall the significance of the month in a way similar to the Calendar of the Soul. But, we can use the verses from the Twelve Moods only for the seventh and eighth grades, at best.
A teacher reports about teaching the first grade.
Dr. Steiner: It is not good to draw with pencils. You should try to use watercolors, but crayons are also useful.
The stories should not be too long. Short, precise and easily comprehended stories are preferable in the lower grades. The main thing is that what you tell remains with the children. You should make sure that the children do not immediately forget anything you go through with them. They should not learn through repetition, but remember things immediately through the first presentation.
A teacher reports about the second grade.
Dr. Steiner: You should begin with division right away. If some children are having difficulty with grammar, you should have patience. A teacher reports about her third grade. She has introduced voluntary arithmetic problems as a will exercise.
Dr. Steiner: It is important to keep the children active. Their progress in foreign languages is very good; it has been very successful. The more we succeed in keeping the children active, the greater will be our success. I should also mention eurythmy in connection with foreign languages. Every vowel lies between two others; between “ah” and “ee” there lies the right hand forward and the left back. Do it according to the sound, not according to the letter.
[German editor’s comment: From the perspective of eurythmy, Dr. Steiner may have meant the following: Every vowel lies between two others. For example, the English “i” lies between the German “a” (ah) and “i” (ee), with the gesture, the right hand forward, the left, back. Go according to how the vowel sounds, not according to how the letter is written.]
A teacher speaks about the fourth grade.
Dr. Steiner: They are particularly untalented. A.S. [a child] is a little feebleminded. She cannot pay attention. E.E., the Bolshevik, has gotten better. He has an abnormality in the meninges, that is, an abnormal development of the head and meninges. He has twitchy cramps. Perhaps that is due to an injury at birth because of the use of forceps [see sketch], or perhaps he inherited it. His etheric body is shut out. You should divert his fantasy through humor.
G.R. has a different situation in regard to his supersensible aspects because he is missing a leg. In such crippled children, the life of the soul is too spiritual. You should awaken his interest for things spiritually difficult for the soul. Direct him there and bring back his soul qualities.
A teacher speaks about the fifth grade.
Dr. Steiner: The children love their teacher, but at the same time are terribly rambunctious. Try to be more independent of them. Also, in foreign languages, you should teach reading by way of writing. A teacher speaks about the sixth grade.
Dr. Steiner: The children can better learn to think and feel through eurythmy and vice versa. You could allow A.B. to do some of the sentences contained in the teachers’ speech exercises in eurythmy. You will need to help E.H. by telling deeply moving stories.
A teacher complains that the children in the upper classes are lazy and unmotivated.
Dr. Steiner: If the children do not do their homework, you could keep the lazy ones after noon and threaten them that this could occur often.
A teacher asks about some children in the seventh and eighth grades.
Dr. Steiner: The children in the seventh and eighth grades are talented. G.L., the one with the blue ribbons, is very flirtatious. It is better not to name names, to turn around and not name her and not to watch. But you should be certain that she knows you mean her. Praise does not make the children ambitious. You may not omit praise and criticism. Criticism, given as a joke, is very effective. The child will remember it.
A teacher speaks about eurythmy and music.
Vierte Konferenz
Seit dem letzten Besuch Rudolf Steiners an der Waldorfschule waren zwölf Wochen vergangen. Am 19. Dezember besichtigte er die Schule und besuchte den Unterricht in allen Klassen. Tags darauf fanden die Weihnachtsfeiern in den Klassen statt, Steiner besuchte einige Feiern, und um 12 Uhr begannen für die Kinder die Weihnachtsferien.
Am Sonntag darauf war die Weihnachtsfeier für die ganze Schule. Unter der Leitung von Rudolf Treichler wurde ein Krippenspiel aufgeführt, an das sich eine Ansprache Steiners anschloss. Zwei Tage später begann am 23. Dezember der erste naturwissenschaftliche Kurs («Lichtkurs>, GA 320), gefolgt von den sechs Vorträgen zur geisteswissenschaftlichen Sprachbetrachtung (GA 299).
Themen [4. und 5. Konferenz]: Der Nachmittagshort. Monatsfeiern. Empfehlung, die Monatsfeiern donnerstags abzuhalten. Über das Erzählen in den unteren Klassen. Religionsunterricht. Über die zukünftigen Zeugnisse.
Bemerkungen: Schon in den ersten Monaten wurden am Montag Monatsfeiern abgehalten, weil das der freie Tag in Württemberg war. Es wurden Lichtbilder gezeigt, und die Schüler sahen sich die Darstellungen der anderen Klassen an.
Steiner hatte die Klassen besucht und ließ in der Konferenz die Kollegen aus ihrer Arbeit mit den Kindern berichten. Seine Kommentare bezogen sich daher auf diese Berichte und auf seine Wahrnehmungen in den Klassen. Zum ersten Mal sprach Steiner über fehlenden Kontakt zwischen Schülern und Lehrern. Betrachtet man das Beispiel, das er zur ersten Schulstunde gibt, dann sieht man, wie alles aus einem lebendigen Gespräch mit den Schülern entsteht, alles ist dialogisch und nichts «frontal (Methodisch-Didaktisches, GA 294, Vortrag vom 25. August 1919).
Einen solchen lebendigen Duktus, wo Lehrer und Schüler die Gedanken zusammen entwickeln, findet man auch in dem Beispiel des Grammatikunterrichtes für die Fremdsprachen (Methodisch-Didaktisches, GA 294, Vortrag vom 30. August 1919).
Vorsitz: Rudolf Steiner.
Es war ein Nachmittagshort eingerichtet worden, den die Lehrer abwechselnd je einen Tag führten. Es wird gefragt, was man darin mit den Kindern tun solle.
RUDOLEF STEINER: [Da sollen die Kinder] Unterhaltung [haben. Man kann sie] Spielereien machen lassen. [Auch] Theater [können sie spielen. Sie können auch ihre] Schulaufgaben machen.
[Man soll dabei] selbst zum Kinde werden, [soll die] Kinder lachen machen. (Sie sollten im Hort] anderes tun als Schultätigkeit. [Die] Kinder sollen nur fühlen, dass man da ist, wenn sie etwas brauchen.
Von besonderem Wert ist es, sich von den Kindern ihre Erlebnisse erzählen zu lassen. [Man muss] sich interessieren dafür. Es ist gesundend, wenn ein Kind sich aussprechen kann. [Auch] Töpferarbeiten [könnten gemacht werden].
Wahrscheinlich wird hier durch Karl Stockmeyer, den Schulverwalter, berichtet, dass man immer am ersten Montag jedes Monats, der nach Landesgewohnheit schulfrei ist, ein Schulfest veranstalten möchte; solche Feste hätten bisher schon am 3. November und am 1. Dezember stattgefunden.
RUDOLF STEINER: [Solch eine] Monatsfeier [sollte] besser auf [den] Donnerstag [gelegt werden]. Montag [ist der] Philistertag; [für den] Donnerstag [sprechen] innere Gründe. [Der] Donnerstag [ist als] Jupitertag der geeignetste Tag. [Der] Inhalt [einer solchen] Monatsfeier [sollte sein ein] Gedankensammeln [über den] Monatsinhalt, etwas Ähnliches wie [beim] «Seelenkalender». [Die] Sprüche [aus den] «Zwölf Stimmungen» [kommen dabei aber] höchstens für [die] 7. und 8. Klasse [infrage].
LEONIE VON MIRBACH gibt einen Bericht über ihren Unterricht in der 1. Klasse.
RUDOLF STEINER: Mit Stiften [zu] zeichnen, [ist] nicht [gut. Man sollte] lieber Aquarellfarben nehmen [zum Malen]. Ölkreiden sind benutzbar.
Erzählungen [sollten nicht] zu lang [sein. Zu empfehlen sind] in den unteren Klassen kürzere, präzise, überschaubare Erzählungen. [Die] Hauptsache [ist], dass die Sache nachher sitzt. [Es ist] darauf zu sehen, dass nichts, was durchgenommen wird, [rasch wieder] aus den Kindern verschwindet, [und das sollte] nicht durch Wiederholung, sondern gleich durch die erste Darstellung [erreicht werden].
JOHANNES GEYER berichtet über die 2. Klasse.
RUDOLF STEINER: [Das] Dividieren soll schon früh angefangen werden. [Mit dem] Rechtschreiben [sollte man], wenn es einigen Kindern schwer wird, duldsam sein.
[Bei der] G. W., [mit dem] blauen Bändchen, [da ist] Koketterie [im Spiel. Da ist es gut], keinen Namen zu nennen, [sich] umzudrehen, sie nicht [zu] nennen [und] nicht [zu] beachten. [Aber man sollte darauf schen], dass sie herausfindet, dass man sie meint.
Lob macht die Kinder nicht ehrgeizig. Lob und Tadel [darf man] nicht unterlassen. [Ein] Tadel, [der] in ein Witzwort gekleidet [wird], das wirkt ungeheuer. Dann erinnert sich das Kind oft daran.
HANNAN LANG: [Ich] habe freiwillige Rechnungen als Willensübungen eingeführt.
RUDOLF STEINER: [Die] Kinder in Aktivität [zu] versetzen, ist sehr wichtig. Die Fortschritte in den Sprachen sind sehr gut. Der Sprachunterricht hat guten Erfolg. Der Erfolg ist umso größer, je mehr es auch hier gelingt, die Kinder in Aktivität zu versetzen.
[Dabei wäre auch auf die] Eurythmie fremder Sprachen [hinzuweisen]. Jeder Laut liegt zwischen zwei anderen. Zwischen A und I liegt [das englische I]: rechte Hand vorne, linke Hand rückwärts. Nach dem Laut, nicht nach dem [geschriebenen] Zeichen [eurythmisieren].
HERTA KOGEL spricht über die 4. Klasse.
RUDOLF STEINER: Das sind besonders Unbegabte. Die A. S. [ist] schwachsinnig, ein wenig; sie kann nicht aufmerksam sein.
[Der] E. E., [der] «Bolschewist», hat sich sehr gebessert. [Bei ihm liegt] eine Abnormität der Gehirnhaut [vor], eine abnorme Kopf- und Hirnhautbildung. [Er hat] zuckende Krämpfe; [vielleicht ist es eine Schädigung durch eine] Zangengeburt, [es] kann [aber] auch vererbt sein. [Da handelt es sich um eine] Ausschaltung des Ätherleibes. [Man sollte] seine Phantasie ins Humoristische abbiegen.
[Bei dem] G. [ist, weil ihm ein] Bein fehlt, [eine] andere Einstellung der übersinnlichen Glieder [vorhanden]. [Das] Seelenleben eines solchen Krüppelkindes ist zu geistig. [Man müsste ihm] Interesse erwecken für spirituell schwieriges Seelisches, ihn dorthin lenken [und ihn] ins Seelische zurückführen.
CAROLINE VON HEYDEBRAND berichtet über die 5. Klasse.
RUDOLF STEINER: Die Kinder lieben die Lehrerin und sind doch furchtbar ungezogen. [Sie sollten schen], ihnen freier gegenüberzutreten!
Auch in den Fremdsprachen sollte man auf dem Umweg über das Schreiben zum Lesen kommen.
FRIEDRICH OEHLSCHLEGEL berichtet über die 6. Klasse.
RUDOLF STEINER: Die Kinder lernen besser denken und empfinden durch die Eurythmie und umgekehrt. Die K. B. [könnte man] nach bestimmten Sätzen, [nach den] Lehrersprechübungssätzen eurythmisieren lassen.
Der E. H. [müsste man] durch Nacherzählen von Erschütterndem helfen.
Es wird geklagt, die Kinder in den höheren Klassen seien faul und nachlässig.
RUDOLF STEINER: Beim Nichtmachen der Hausaufgaben [könnte man] die Faulen nach zwölf dabehalten und androhen, dass das Dabehalten öfter geschehen wird.
Es wird wegen einiger Kinder der 7. und 8. Klasse gefragt
RUDOLF Steiner: Die Kinder der 7. und 8. Klasse sind begabt.
PAUL BAUMANN berichtet über den Eurythmie- und den Musikunterricht.
Fourth Conference
Twelve weeks had passed since Rudolf Steiner's last visit to the Waldorf School. On December 19, he visited the school and attended classes in all grades. The next day, Christmas celebrations took place in the classrooms. Steiner attended some of the celebrations, and at noon, the children's Christmas vacation began.
The following Sunday was the Christmas celebration for the whole school. Under the direction of Rudolf Treichler, a nativity play was performed, followed by a speech by Steiner. Two days later, on December 23, the first science course (“Light Course,” GA 320) began, followed by six lectures on spiritual science language studies (GA 299).
Topics [4th and 5th conferences]: The afternoon short. Monthly celebrations. Recommendation to hold the monthly celebrations on Thursdays. About storytelling in the lower classes. Religious education. About future report cards.
Comments: Already in the first few months, monthly celebrations were held on Mondays because that was the day off in Württemberg. Slides were shown, and the students looked at the presentations of the other classes.
Steiner had visited the classes and asked his colleagues to report on their work with the children at the conference. His comments therefore referred to these reports and to his observations in the classes. For the first time, Steiner spoke about the lack of contact between students and teachers. If we look at the example he gives for the first lesson, we see how everything arises from a lively conversation with the pupils; everything is dialogical and nothing is “frontal” (Methodisch-Didaktisches, GA 294, lecture of August 25, 1919).
Such a lively style, where teachers and students develop ideas together, can also be found in the example of grammar lessons for foreign languages (Methodisch-Didaktisches, GA 294, lecture of August 30, 1919).
Chair: Rudolf Steiner.
An afternoon program had been set up, which the teachers took turns leading one day at a time. The question was asked what should be done with the children in this program.
RUDOLF STEINER: [The children should] have entertainment. You can let them play games. [They can also] put on plays. They can also do their] schoolwork.
[You should] become like a child yourself, [you should] make the children laugh. (They should do] different things in after-school care than they do at school. [The] children should only feel that you are there if they need something.
It is particularly valuable to let the children tell you about their experiences. [You must] take an interest in them. It is healthy for a child to be able to express themselves. [They could also] do pottery work.
Karl Stockmeyer, the school administrator, probably reports here that they would like to hold a school festival on the first Monday of every month, which is a school holiday according to local custom; such festivals have already taken place on November 3 and December 1.
RUDOLF STEINER: [Such a] monthly celebration [should] be better held on [the] Thursday. Monday [is the] Philistine day; [there are] inner reasons [for choosing] Thursday. [The] Thursday [is, as] Jupiter's day, the most suitable day. The content of such a monthly celebration should be a gathering of thoughts on the content of the month, something similar to the “Soul Calendar.” The sayings from the “Twelve Moods” are only suitable for grades 7 and 8 at most.
LEONIE VON MIRBACH reports on her teaching in the 1st grade.
RUDOLF STEINER: Drawing with pencils is not good. It is better to use watercolors for painting. Oil pastels can also be used.
Stories should not be too long. Shorter, precise, manageable stories are recommended in the lower grades. The main thing is that the material sticks. Care should be taken to ensure that nothing that is taught is quickly forgotten by the children, and this should be achieved not through repetition, but through the initial presentation.
JOHANNES GEYER reports on the 2nd grade.
RUDOLF STEINER: [The] division should be started early. [With] spelling, [one should] be tolerant if some children find it difficult.
[In] G. W., [with] the blue ribbon, [there is] coquetry [at play. It is good] not to mention any names, [to] turn away, not to call her [by name] [and] not to pay attention to her. [But one should make sure] that she realizes that one means her.
Praise does not make children ambitious. Praise and reprimands [must] not be omitted. [A] reprimand [that] is couched in a joke [has] a tremendous effect. Then the child often remembers it.
HANNAN LANG: [I] have introduced voluntary calculations as exercises in willpower.
RUDOLF STEINER: It is very important to get children active. The progress in languages is very good. Language teaching is very successful. The more we succeed in getting children active, the greater the success.
[In this context, it is also worth mentioning] eurythmy in foreign languages. Each sound lies between two others. Between A and I lies [the English I]: right hand forward, left hand backward. Eurythmize according to the sound, not the [written] sign.
HERTA KOGEL talks about the 4th grade.
RUDOLF STEINER: These are particularly untalented children. A. S. [is] slightly mentally deficient; she cannot pay attention.
E. E., [the] “Bolshevik,” has improved greatly. [He has] an abnormality of the meninges [present], an abnormal formation of the head and meninges. [He has] twitching convulsions; [perhaps it is damage caused by] forceps delivery, [but] it may also be hereditary. [This is a] deactivation of the etheric body. [One should] turn his imagination toward humor.
[In the case of] G., [because he is missing a] leg, [there is] a different attitude of the supersensible limbs. [The] soul life of such a crippled child is too spiritual. [One would have to] awaken his interest in spiritually difficult matters of the soul, guide him there [and] lead him back to the soul.
CAROLINE VON HEYDEBRAND reports on the 5th grade.
RUDOLF STEINER: The children love the teacher and yet are terribly naughty. [You should] treat them more freely!
In foreign languages, too, one should come to reading via the detour of writing.
FRIEDRICH OEHLSCHLEGEL reports on the 6th grade.
RUDOLF STEINER: The children learn to think and feel better through eurythmy and vice versa. The K. B. [could be] made to do eurythmy according to certain sentences, [according to] the teacher's speech exercise sentences.
The E. H. [should be] helped by retelling shocking events.
There are complaints that the children in the higher grades are lazy and careless.
RUDOLF STEINER: If they don't do their homework, [one could] keep the lazy ones behind after school and threaten that this will happen more often.
A question is asked about some children in the 7th and 8th grades
RUDOLF Steiner: The children in the 7th and 8th grades are gifted.
PAUL BAUMANN reports on eurythmy and music lessons.