Faculty Meetings with Rudolf Steiner
GA 300a
14 March 1920, Stuttgart
Ninth Meeting
There are complaints about the lack of discipline in the school.
Dr. Steiner: Mr. Baumann will give a class once a week about tact and morality, about essential tact and living habits, so that the children will realize that one thing is acceptable and another is misbehavior. The children’s thoughts should evoke a feeling for authority. That class will not be connected with the other instruction, but included in the afternoon classes.
There is further discussion about stealing.
Dr. Steiner: If we pay too much attention to individuals, that will undermine all discipline. In my opinion, with regard to stealing, we should not need to look at individual cases. We should, instead, arrange things so that the children avoid it.
A teacher: Should we arrange an Easter festival or a Festival for Youth for the children without a religious confession? Perhaps a spring festival?
Dr. Steiner: We can include the independent religious instruction students of the four upper grades in the celebration.
[German editor’s comment: The discussion here is not about the present Celebration for Youth, which was first initiated by Dr. Steiner at Easter in 1921.]
Dr. Steiner: It would be good to put the boys and girls together.
A teacher asks about the class for the emotionally disturbed children.
Dr. Steiner: We will include about ten children in the class for emotionally disturbed children that Dr. Schubert will give.
The children to be included in this class are discussed. The children A.S. and A.B. are mentioned several times.
Dr. Steiner: You will have to work with the children individually in this class. There is not much else that will be different, except that you will have to do everything more slowly.
A teacher: Should we have the children study Goethe’s “Heathrose”? It seems too erotic.
Dr. Steiner: “Heathrose” is not an erotic poem, but “I went into the forest …” certainly is.
A teacher: What should we do with the children in the continuation school?
Dr. Steiner: The main thing would be to concentrate upon practical and artistic subjects. The children should learn about practical things in life, about agriculture, commerce, industry, and trade. They should learn about the basic principles of business and accounting, and also continue their artistic, musical, and literature studies. Mr. Strakosch will take over that task. The children must learn to consider life as a school. You can remind them that from now on they will be taught by life. However, we should not rob them of their destiny.
Neunte Konferenz
Es wird über die mangelnde Disziplin in der Schule geklagt.
RUDOLF Steiner: Herr Baumann soll einmal pro Woche Unterricht geben über Takt und Moral, über Lebenstakt und Lebensgewohnheiten, sodass die Kinder denken müssen: Das ist eine Artigkeit, das eine Ungezogenheit. - Dass die Kinder das denken müssen, [das soll eine] Empfindung [hervorrufen] für die Autorität.
[Das ist] nicht mit anderem Unterricht zu verbinden, sondern [in] den Nachmittagsunterricht [einzuordnen].
Es wird noch einmal über das Stehlen gesprochen.
RUDOLF STEINER: Es wirkt ungeheuer schädigend auf die ganze Disziplin, wenn man einzelne Fälle herausgreift.
In Bezug auf das Stehlen [ist zu sagen]: Diese Fälle im Einzelnen zu behandeln, sollte eigentlich gar nicht nötig werden. Aber [man sollte] die Dinge so hinstellen, dass die Kinder [davor] einen Abscheu bekommen.
Jemand fragt: [Soll man eine] Osterfeier oder Jugendfeier für die nicht konfessionellen Kinder [einrichten]? [Eine] Frühlingsfeier?
RUDOLF STEINER: [Man kann] die vier oberen Klassen vom freien Religionsunterricht zu der Feier vereinigen. Es ist gut, die Mädchen und Buben zusammenzusetzen.
Es wird nach der Klasse für die Schüler mit Förderbedarf gefragt.
RUDOLF STEINER: [In diesen Unterricht, den] Dr. Schubert [übernehmen würde, sollten] etwa zehn Kinder [hineinkommen].
Es werden die Kinder für diesen Unterricht ausgesucht.
1. Klasse: M. G. (ist schwachsinnig)
4. Klasse: A. S.
6. Klasse: K. B.
3. Klasse: B. (?)
2. Klasse: A. D.
[Nach den Notizen zu den Konferenzen von Stockmeyer]
RUDOLF STEINER: [In diesem Unterricht muss man sich] mit [den] Einzelnen beschäftigen. Nicht viel anders, aber [man muss] alles langsamer machen.
Jemand fragt: [Soll man Goethes «Heidenröslein» mit den Kindern behandeln? Es ist doch recht erotisch.]
RUDOLF STEiner: [Das] «Heidenröslein» [ist] kein erotisches Gedicht, wohl aber «Ich ging im Walde so für mich hin ...»
HERBERT HANN [vermutlich]: [Was soll man in der] Fortbildungsschule [mit den Kindern tun]?
RUDOLF STEINER: [Da müsste man vor allem] aufs Praktische und aufs Künstlerische gehen. [Denen müssten] Begriffe [beigebracht werden] vom Leben, [von der] Landwirtschaft, [dem] Gewerbe, [der] Industrie, [dem] Handel. Geschäftsaufsätze [und] Buchhaltung [sollten da gemacht werden, und im Künstlerischen] Bildnerisches, Musikalisches [und] Literatur.
Das würde die Aufgabe werden von Heren Strakosch.
Das Leben muss als eine Schule betrachtet werden. Man kann [ihnen] immer [wieder] sagen, dass [sie von nun ab] durch das Leben erzogen werden.
Man soll den Kindern ihr Schicksal nicht abnehmen.
Ninth Conference
There are complaints about the lack of discipline in school.
RUDOLF Steiner: Mr. Baumann should give lessons once a week on tact and morals, on the rhythm of life and habits of life, so that the children have to think: this is polite, that is rude. The fact that the children have to think this [should evoke] a feeling [for] authority.
[This] should not be combined with other lessons, but [should be] included in the afternoon lessons.
Theft is discussed once again.
RUDOLF STEINER: It has an enormously damaging effect on the whole discipline if individual cases are singled out.
With regard to stealing [it must be said]: it should not really be necessary to deal with these cases individually. But [one should] present things in such a way that the children develop a distaste for it.
Someone asks: [Should we organize] an Easter celebration or a youth celebration for non-denominational children? [A] spring celebration?
RUDOLF STEINER: [We can] bring the four upper classes together from the free religious education classes for the celebration. It is good to put the girls and boys together.
A question is asked about the class for pupils with special needs.
RUDOLF STEINER: [In these lessons, which] Dr. Schubert [would take over, there should be] about ten children [in the class].
The children for these lessons will be selected.
1st grade: M. G. (is mentally disabled)
4th grade: A. S.
6th grade: K. B.
3rd grade: B. (?)
2nd grade: A. D.
[According to Stockmeyer's notes on the conferences]
RUDOLF STEINER: [In this class, one must] deal with [the] individuals. Not much differently, but [one must] do everything more slowly.
Someone asks: [Should Goethe's “Heidenröslein” be taught to children? It is quite erotic.]
RUDOLF STEINER: [The] ‘Heidenröslein’ [is] not an erotic poem, but “Ich ging im Walde so für mich hin ...” [I was walking in the forest all by myself ...] is.
HERBERT HANN [presumably]: [What should one do with the children] in the continuing education school?
RUDOLF STEINER: [Above all, one should] focus on the practical and the artistic. [They should be taught] concepts [about] life, [about] agriculture, [about] trade, [about] industry, [about] commerce. Business essays [and] bookkeeping [should be done there, and in the arts] visual arts, music [and] literature.
That would be the task of Mr. Strakosch.
Life must be regarded as a school. One can tell [them] again and again that [from now on] they will be educated by life.
One should not take away the children's destiny.