A school for the community or a community for the school? 21st Century challenges for Waldorf Schools

Date

2014

Authors

Stehlik, T.P.

Editors

Burrows, L.
Stehlik, T.

Advisors

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Type:

Book chapter

Citation

Source details - Title: Teaching with spirit: New perspectives on Steiner Education in Australia, 2014 / Burrows, L., Stehlik, T. (ed./s), Ch.19, pp.205-212

Statement of Responsibility

Conference Name

Abstract

This well-known quotation by Rudolf Steiner, sometimes labelled his 'motto of thesocial ethic', is often used as a verse to begin meetings and gatherings inAnthroposophical circles and Waldorf school contexts. Steiner considered it a'fundamental social law' (1927: 1) that the wellbeing of a community depended onthe individuals working towards the greater good rather than for their own personalinterests or needs; we might acknowledge this in general as 'the sum of the wholebeing greater than its parts'. Furthermore however, as a result of every memberworking towards community wellbeing, an individual's needs may also be satisfied.This dynamic interacting interface between the whole and the parts can berepresented organically with the image of the 'lemniscate' (from the Greeklemniskos, meaning ribbon). The 'wonderful form of the lemniscate' has been usedto represent the dialogue that maintains community relationships (Pietzner 1992:86):

School/Discipline

Dissertation Note

Provenance

Description

Access Status

Rights

Copyright 2014 Leigh Burrows and Tom Stehlik

License

Grant ID

Published Version

Call number

Persistent link to this record