Faculty Meetings with Rudolf Steiner
GA 300a
1 January 1920, Stuttgart
Sixth Meeting
Dr. Steiner: Today, we will primarily discuss the problem children we spoke with.
We will need to look at M.H. often. We will have to ask E.S. many things.
We can give some of the children in the fourth grade specific exercises, for instance, E.E. could learn the phrase, “People gain strength for life through learning.” You could allow him to say this each morning in the course of the first period. F.R. could learn, “I will pay attention to my words and thoughts,” and A.S. could learn, “I will pay attention to my words and deeds.”
We should have H.A. in the fifth grade do complicated drawings, for instance, a line that snakes about and comes back to its own beginning. He could also draw eurythmy forms. He should learn the phrase, “It is written in my heart to learn to pay attention and to become industrious.”
You will need to force T.E. in the seventh grade to follow very exactly and slowly. She should hear exactly and slowly what you say to her. That should have a different tempo than her own fragmented thinking. Think a sentence together with her, “I will think with you.” Only think it twice as slowly as she does.
O.R., in eighth grade, is sleepy. He is a kind of soul-earthworm. That kind of sleepiness arises because people pass things by and pay no attention to them. He shouldn’t play any pranks on anyone, nor disturb anyone’s attention.
In regard to the slow thinking in the third grade, you could take a phrase like, “The tree becomes green,” and turn it around to “Green becomes the tree,” and so forth so that they learn to turn their thinking around quickly.
My general impression is that, in spite of all of the obstacles, you should maintain the courage to continue your teaching. Although there is not much time left in this year, we still have much to do.
There is some discussion of afterschool care.
Dr. Steiner: The children should avoid comparing their teachers. You should pay attention to the children’s physical symmetry and asymmetry and seek what lies parallel in their souls. To do that, you must know each child’s peculiarities well. There is something called “flame symmetry,” that is, how things interact through harmonious motions. Ellicot first noticed it and did some work with it. What the teacher thinks affects the child when the teacher is really present. The main thing is that you take an interest in each child. A teacher asks about how to get through all the material and about homework.
Dr. Steiner: You should present homework as voluntary work, not as a requirement. In other words, “Who wants to do this?”
A teacher asks about a reading book.
Dr. Steiner: In the reading lesson, not all of the children need to read. You can bring some material and hand it around, allowing the children to read it, but not all need do so. However, the children should read as little as possible about things they do not understand very well. The teachers are reading aloud to the children too much. You should read nothing to the children that you do not know right into each word through your preparation. A teacher asks about modeling.
Dr. Steiner: You could use a column seen from a particular perspective as an example, but you should not make the children slavishly imitate it. You need to get the children to observe, but allow them to change their work.
A teacher: How far should I go in history before turning to something else? In the seventh grade, I have gotten as far as the end of the Caesars in Roman history, and in the eighth grade, I am at the Punic Wars.
Dr. Steiner: Make an effort to get to Christianity and then do two months of German. Do Goethe and Schiller in the eighth grade.
[Dr. Steiner tells an anecdote about a child who is asked, “Who are Goethe and Schiller?” The child replies, “Oh, those are the two statues sitting on the piano at home.”]
You should teach German history differently in the eighth grade than in the seventh.
A teacher asks a question.
Dr. Steiner: The teachers should write essays for The Social Future. They should tell about their pedagogical experiences, in particular, of the children’s feelings. Modern pedagogical literature is absolutely worthless before Dittes. However, through such writings, we can make it more human.
A teacher: Should we form a ninth grade next year?
Dr. Steiner: A ninth grade is certainly desirable. The school regulations no longer apply then, and we can be quite free. The ninth grade will arise spontaneously out of the results of the eighth grade.
Sechste Konferenz
Steiner war vom 18. Dezember bis zum 4. Januar 1920 ununterbrochen in Stuttgart. Neben den drei Konferenzen fanden zwei große Kurse (GA 320 und GA 299) statt sowie öffentliche und Mitgliedervorträge, dazu Beratungen darüber, was später der «Kommende Tag» werden sollte.
Für alle war es eine intensive Zeit. Die Lehrer entschlossen sich kurzerhand, die Ferien um eine Woche zu verlängern, und berichteten das den Eltern. Sie vergaßen dabei, den Schulverwalter Stockmeyer zu informieren. Als dieser zu angegebener Zeit am 13. Januar zur Schule ging, war die Schule still und leer.
Der Krankenstand bei den Lehrern war in diesen Anfangsmonaten erheblich. Trotz des Enthusiasmus war eine gewisse Erschöpfung eingetreten.
Themen: Hausaufgaben. Über das Lesen und Vorlesen. Menschenkundliches. Geschichte für das 7. und 8. Schuljahr. Fragen zur Einrichtung des 9. Schuljahres.
Bemerkungen: Am 26. und 27. Dezember, mitten im ersten naturwissenschaftlichen Kurs, hatte Steiner diejenigen Kinder kommen lassen, die den Lehrern am meisten Schwierigkeiten bereiteten. In dieser Konferenz wurden die Ergebnisse besprochen. Steiner sah keine großen Probleme, kein Kind wurde aus seiner Klasse herausgenommen, keines zurück- oder hinaufversetzt. Das Wichtigste sei doch, dass man sich für die Kinder interessiere und dass man den Mut habe, den Unterricht unerschrocken weiterzuführen.
Zum 9. Schuljahr gab es noch keinen Lehrplan; er sollte aus den Ergebnissen des 8. Schuljahresentwickelt werden.
Vorsitz: Rudolf Steiner.
RUDOLF STEINER: [Heute würden wir vor allem die] Besprechung [haben] über die vorgeladenen Sorgenkinder.
[Bei dem] M. H. [ist es notwendig, dass man ihn] möglichst oft vornimmt.
Die E. S. [wird] viel gefragt werden müssen.
[Einigen Kindern in der] 4. Klasse [kann man besondere] Übungen [geben, zum Beispiel] dem E. E. einen Spruch wie: «Im Lernen erwirbt der Mensch sich Lebenskraft.» Dies können Sie ihn immer morgens im Lauf der ersten Stunde sagen lassen.
[Für] den R. M.: «Ich will achtgeben auf mich im Sprechen und Denken.»
[Für] die A. S.: «Ich will achtgeben auf mich im Sprechen und Handeln.»
[In der] 5. Klasse [ist] der A. H., [den sollte man] Verschmitztes zeichnen lassen, [zum Beispiel eine] Linie, die sich verschlingt und sich selber wiederfindet. [Er könnte auch] eurythmische Formen zeichnen. Aufsagen [sollte er]: «Lernen, aufmerksam sein, Fleiß entwickeln, es sei mir ins Herz geschrieben.»
Die E. E. [in der] 7. Klasse [müsste man] zwingen, recht genau und langsam zu folgen. Genau und in langsamer Folge soll sie hören, was man ihr vorbringt. [Das soll ein] anderes Tempo [haben] als ihr eigenes sprunghaftes Denken. [Einen] Satz mit ihr zusammen denken: «Ich [will] mit dir denken.» Nur [dabei] doppelt so langsam denken, wie sie selbst [es tut].
Der O. W. [in der] 8. Klasse [ist] schläfrig, [ein] seelischer Regenwurm. Die Schläfrigkeit kommt daher, dass die Menschen an den Dingen vorbeigehen und sich nicht darum kümmern. [Er] soll niemand schaden durch Allotria [und soll] niemandes Aufmerksamkeit stören.
[Bei] Denkträgheit, [wie] in der 3. Klasse, [kann man zum Beispiel einen Satz wie] «Der Baum grünt» umkehren lassen in «Es grünt der Baum» und so weiter, [sodass sie] rasch den Gedanken umkehren [müssen].
[Der] Gesamteindruck [ist: Sie sollen] trotz aller Hindernisse den unerschrockenen Mut haben, den Unterricht zu führen.
[Die in diesem Jahr noch verbliebene] Zeit ist kurz, und es ist noch vieles zu tun.
Es wird noch einmal vom Hort gesprochen. Die Klassenlehrer führten den Nachmittagshort abwechselnd, jeder einen Tag in der Woche.
RUDOLF STEINER: Es muss vermieden werden, dass die Kinder Vergleiche ziehen zwischen den Lehrern.
[Man sollte] achtgeben auf äußere physische Symmetrie [und] Asymmetrie bei Kindern und aufsuchen, was dem seelisch parallel geht. [Dazu muss man die] Eigentümlichkeiten der Kinder gut kennen.
[Es gibt die Erscheinung der] Flammensymmerrie, [das] Aufeinanderwirken der gleichgestimmten Schwingungen. Ellicot bemerkte solche Dinge zuerst [und] hat darüber gearbeitet. Was der Lehrer denkt, wirkt auf die Schüler, wenn der Lehrer wirklich dabei ist. Die Hauptsache ist, dass man sich für jeden Schüler interessiert.
HERTHA KOEGEL fragt nach der Bewältigung des Lehrstoffes und nach Hausaufgaben.
RUDOLF STEINER: Hausaufgaben sollten als freie Aufgaben gegeben werden, nicht [als] Pflichthausaufgaben: «Wer’s machen will!»
Frage nach einem Lesebuch.
RUDOLF STEINER: Beim Lesen müssen nicht [immer] alle Kinder mitlesen. [Man kann] ein Lesestück mitbringen und es herumgebend lesen lassen, ohne dass die anderen mitlesen. Aber es sollte möglichst wenig gelesen [werden], was nicht sicher gut verstanden wird. Es wird noch zu viel von den Lehrern vorgelesen. [Man dürfte] nichts vorlesen, das man nicht bis ins einzelne Wort hinein kennt durch genaue Vorbereitung.
Es wird eine Frage gestellt nach dem Modellierunterricht.
RUDOLF STEINER: [Man könnte eine] Säule von [einer] bestimmten Seite [her] als Vorlage [nehmen, aber man darf] bei einem [solchen] Motiv die Kinder nicht zum sklavischen Nachahmen verleiten. [Die Kinder] zwingen zum Beobachten, [aber] sie das [Motiv] abändern lassen!
WALTER JOHANNES STEIN: Wie weit soll ich die Geschichte weiterführen, ehe ich zu etwas anderem übergehe? [Ich bin in der] 7. [Klasse mit der römischen Geschichte] bis zum Ende der Königszeit [und] in der 8. bis zu den Punischen Kriegen [gekommen].
RUDOLF STEINER: Mit großem Schwung bis zum Christentum [kommen und] dann zwei Monate Deutsch nehmen; Goethe und Schiller in der 8. Klasse.
Rudolf Steiner erzählt die Anekdote: [Ein Kind wird gefragt, wer] Goethe und Schiller [seien. - «Ach, das sind die] zwei Gipsfiguren, [die bei uns auf dem Klavier stehen].»
In der 8. [Klasse sollte] im Deutschen anderes [durchgenommen werden] wie in der 7.
Die Lehrer [sollten] Aufsätze schreiben für die [Zeitschrift] «Soziale Zukunft», Beiträge aus ihrer pädagogischen Erfahrung [und] insbesondere Charakteristiken von Kindergemütern.
Vor Dittes, nach rückwärts, ist die pädagogische Literatur etwas wert. [Da] fängt sie an, etwas menschlicher zu werden.
KARL STOCKMEYER [vermutlich]: [Soll im nächsten Schuljahr eine] 9. Klasse [eingerichtet werden]?
RUDOLF STEINER: [Eine] 9. Klasse [wäre] sehr erwünscht. [Da ist dann] kein Schulgesetz mehr [da, und wir können] ganz spontan anfangen. Die 9. Klasse wird [dann] spontan geschaffen werden aus dem, was [das] Resultat der 8. Klasse ist.
Sixth Conference
Steiner was in Stuttgart continuously from December 18 to January 4, 1920. In addition to the three conferences, two major courses (GA 320 and GA 299) took place, as well as public and members' lectures, and consultations on what would later become the “Kommende Tag” (The Coming Day).
It was an intense time for everyone. The teachers decided on the spur of the moment to extend the holidays by a week and informed the parents. They forgot to inform the school administrator, Stockmeyer. When he went to school at the usual time on January 13, the school was quiet and empty.
The number of teachers on sick leave was considerable in these early months. Despite their enthusiasm, a certain exhaustion had set in.
Topics: Homework. Reading and reading aloud. Human studies. History for the 7th and 8th school years. Questions about the structure of the 9th school year.
Comments: On December 26 and 27, in the middle of the first science course, Steiner had asked the children who were causing the teachers the most difficulty to come to him. The results were discussed at this conference. Steiner did not see any major problems; no child was removed from his class, and none was held back or moved up. The most important thing, he said, was to take an interest in the children and to have the courage to continue teaching them undaunted.
There was no curriculum for the 9th school year yet; it was to be developed from the results of the 8th school year.
Chair: Rudolf Steiner.
RUDOLF STEINER: [Today we would primarily have] a discussion [about] the children with special needs who have been summoned.
[In the case of] M. H., [it is necessary to] take him on as often as possible.
E. S. [will] have to be asked a lot of questions.
[Some children in] the 4th grade [can be given special] exercises [to do, for example] E. E. can be given a saying such as: “Through learning, man acquires vitality.” You can have him say this every morning during the first lesson.[For] R. M.: “I will pay attention to myself in speech and thought.”
[For] A. S.: “I will pay attention to myself in speech and action.”
[In] 5th grade [is] A. H., [who should be] made to draw mischievous things, [for example] a line that twists and turns and finds itself again. [He could also] draw eurythmic forms. He should recite: “Learn, be attentive, develop diligence, let it be written in my heart.”
E. E. [in] 7th grade [should be] forced to follow quite precisely and slowly. She should listen precisely and slowly to what is presented to her. [This should have] a different tempo [than] her own erratic thinking. Think [a] sentence together with her: “I [want] to think with you.” Only [in doing so] think twice as slowly as she herself [does].
The O. W. [in the] 8th grade [is] sleepy, [a] mental earthworm. The sleepiness comes from the fact that people walk past things and don't care about them. [He] should not harm anyone with his nonsense [and should] not disturb anyone's attention.
[In the case of] mental sluggishness, [as in] 3rd grade, [you can, for example, reverse a sentence such as] “The tree is green” into “The green is the tree” and so on, [so that they] quickly reverse their thoughts [have to].
[The] overall impression [is: They should] have the fearless courage to teach despite all obstacles.
[The time remaining this year] is short, and there is still much to do.
The after-school care center is mentioned once again. The class teachers took turns leading the afternoon program, each one day a week.
RUDOLF STEINER: It is important to avoid children making comparisons between teachers.
[One should] pay attention to external physical symmetry [and] asymmetry in children and look for what parallels this in their souls. [To do this, one must] know the children's idiosyncrasies well.
[There is the phenomenon of] flame symmetry, [the] interaction of like-minded vibrations. Ellicot was the first to notice such things [and] worked on them. What the teacher thinks has an effect on the students when the teacher is really present. The main thing is to take an interest in each student.
HERTHA KOEGEL asks about coping with the subject matter and about homework.
RUDOLF STEINER: Homework should be given as optional tasks, not [as] compulsory homework: “Whoever wants to do it!”
Question about a reading book.
RUDOLF STEINER: When reading, not all children have to read along [all the time]. [You can] bring a reading passage and pass it around to be read without the others reading along. But as little as possible should be read that is not sure to be well understood. Teachers still read aloud too much. [You should] not read aloud anything that you do not know down to the last word through careful preparation.
A question is asked about modeling lessons.
RUDOLF STEINER: [One could] use a column from [a] particular page as a template, [but one must not] encourage the children to slavishly imitate [such] a motif. Force [the children] to observe, [but] let them modify [the motif]!
WALTER JOHANNES STEIN: How far should I continue with the story before moving on to something else? [I am in] 7th grade [with Roman history] up to the end of the royal era [and] in 8th grade up to the Punic Wars.
RUDOLF STEINER: Move quickly on to Christianity [and] then take two months of German; Goethe and Schiller in 8th grade.
Rudolf Steiner tells the anecdote: [A child is asked who] Goethe and Schiller [are. – “Oh, they're the] two plaster figures [that stand on our piano].”
In the 8th [grade, different topics should be covered] in German than in the 7th.
Teachers [should] write essays for the [magazine] “Soziale Zukunft” (Social Future), contributions from their pedagogical experience [and] in particular characteristics of children's minds.
Before Dittes, looking back, educational literature is of some value. [That's where] it begins to become a little more human.
KARL STOCKMEYER [presumably]: [Should a] 9th grade [be established] in the next school year?
RUDOLF STEINER: [A] 9th grade [would be] very desirable. [Then there will be] no more school regulations [and we can] start quite spontaneously. The 9th grade will [then] be created spontaneously from the results of the 8th grade.