Studying the Art of Teaching: Waldorf Teacher Education as a Transformative Process
Publication information:
Abstract
In this contribution the fundamental relation in Waldorf education between the self-development of a teacher and the learning of her pupils will be examined. The self-development of the teacher will first be discussed in the context of Rudolf Steiner’s understanding of teaching as an art. From this perspective, the importance of the arts as a cornerstone of Waldorf teacher education programs and the connections between artistic practice and attaining artistry in teaching will be elucidated. The nature of practice as a transformative process will be discussed, along with the potentials of experiencing transcendence through art.
Another perspective on attaining artistry in teaching will be considered in the context of the studies of pedagogical anthropology based on Steiner’s threefold view of the human being viewed from physical, soul and spiritual dimensions. The potential consequences of these studies for understanding and attending to child and adolescent development will be examined. As a way of deepening these studies, the potentials of contemplative and meditative practices will be discussed. The publications and work of Arthur Zajonc regarding the integration of contemplative studies in different university programs will be viewed as paradigmatic for Waldorf teacher education. Although Zajonc’s own spiritual path was rooted in anthroposophy, his work and writings have drawn from a broad range of meditative practices from different religions and cultures. As Waldorf schools now exist in more than 70 countries, his approach points to the possibilities for Waldorf educators throughout the world to connect to their own spiritual traditions.
Finally, at a point at which education is undergoing profound changes due to the ‘answers’ which generative artificial intelligence programs can instantaneously provide, the potential significance of artistic practice and meditation as long-term embodied processes that can contribute to both self-development and artistry in teaching will be explored.
Presenter Biography
Prof. Dr. Peter Lutzker was born in New York City and studied music, literature and linguistics in the United States and in Germany. After working as a French hornist in German orchestras, he received a diploma in Steiner/Waldorf education and taught English and music at Waldorf Schools in Frankfurt and Duesseldorf. During this time, he also regularly taught courses in teacher education programs in Germany, England, Hungary and Russia. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Eichstaett, Germany. In 2010 he became a full professor at the Freie Hochschule Stuttgart (Free University Stuttgart – Waldorf Teachers College). He was also appointed honorary professor at the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan in 2019 and has continued to teach there regularly. He has published extensively in the fields of sensory and arts education, foreign language teaching and teacher education and been a keynote speaker at conferences in Europe and Asia.