*This lecture series has ended.*
Join us for a Saturday in San Rafael as we celebrate the 100th year anniversary of Waldorf Education with Euguene Schwartz.
When & Where
Saturday, November 9th, 2019
Fellowship Hall
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin
240 Channing Way, San Rafael, CA 94903
Cost
Register by October 16th for the Early Bird Price $85
After October 16th $95
If you would like to pay at the door (cash or check only), please email heather@theinhabitedheart.com to register.
The deadline to receive a refund for your registration is 7 days before the event. Registration cancellations received prior to the deadline are eligible to receive a refund less a $20 service fee.
Schedule
9 – 10:30 1919: Winter and Spring
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 12:15 1919: Summer and Autumn
12:15 – 1:45 Lunch
1:45 – 3:15 Relationships: The Core and the Source
Morning Lecture Overview
1919: Discord and Destiny
During the autumn of 2019, Waldorf schools worldwide will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the opening of the first Waldorf school. Eugene Schwartz contends that the year 1919 was, in fact, destined to be the only year in which Rudolf Steiner could have taken this momentous step. In two lectures Eugene focuses on the words and deeds of Rudolf Steiner in the context of the artistic, political, pedagogical, and scientific developments of that time, from the Peace Conference in France to the Communist Revolution in Germany, from the worldwide influenza pandemic to the epidemic of nicotine addiction. And we will reflect on the relationship of the chaos and courage so inextricably woven into the events of the year 1919 to our lives and tasks in 2019.
Lecture 1
1919: Winter and Spring
“The Winter of Our Discontent.” The aftermath of the Great War. Death tolls from combat and from the Spanish flu. Machinations of the Paris Peace Conference. Rudolf Steiner’s view of the War and the Peace. The Threefold Social Order. The 70-year “lifespan” of an institution. Maria Montessori, John Dewey, and A.S. Neill. Rudolf Steiner’s activities on behalf of social change. The Waldorf Astoria Cigarette Factory and the story of tobacco. The founding of a new school in the midst of economic and social foment and political uncertainty.
Lecture 2
1919: Summer and Autumn
Preparations for the new school. Rudolf Steiner as a trainer of teachers. The “Core Curriculum” and the “Waldorf Curriculum.” The centrality of relationships in the school. Authority and social life. Monks and Knights. Religion lessons and services. The school doctor and the “helping class. The Weimar Constitution. The opening of the school. Rudolf Steiner and the school faculty. The Mission of the Archangel Michael. The renewal of the Mysteries and the new path of Initiation. The three “schools”: The Waldorf School, the School of Spiritual Science, and the School of Michael. “Waldorf Methods” devoid of Anthroposophy. The next hundred years of Waldorf education.
Lecture 3
Relationships: The Core and the Source
The Core Principles of Waldorf Education constitute an important bridge that spans the work of both independent and public Waldorf schools in the United States. Although the seven Principles are simple enough to fit on a single page, they speak volumes concerning the unique nature of Waldorf methodology in all settings. In this talk, Eugene Schwartz explores just one of these Principles: Relationships. Although it is given only two sentences in the Core Principles list, Eugene contends that it is the most comprehensive of the Principles and the “source” of them all. In addition to the insights presented in the audio file of the lecture, Eugene provides a slideshow in which he shares examples of Waldorf student work that will help you to understand the term “relationships” in an entirely new way.
Event Details
The hilltop location of the venue offers plenty of onsite parking as well as lovely areas outside to sit and enjoy panoramic views of Mt. Tam and San Pablo Bay. You may also want to enjoy a quiet walk around the labyrinth during one of the breaks.
Coffee and tea will be available during the morning break.
For those who prefer not to bring lunch, downtown San Rafael is a 15-minute drive south with a number of dining options. If you would like to stay closer to the venue you can find a few restaurants and a Safeway just over 5 minutes from the venue.
About Eugene
As a co-founder of the Otto Specht School at the Fellowship Community in Chestnut Ridge, NY, Eugene Schwartz began his teaching career working with children with special needs. For over two decades he served as a class teacher at Green Meadow Waldorf School and also taught high school blocks there and at the Shining Mountain Waldorf School. A former Director of Teacher Training at Sunbridge College, he created the College’s first part-time teacher training program and supervised its summer teacher conferences, in addition to leading “Art of Teaching” conferences at Rudolf Steiner College. He consults and lectures internationally and for a decade the Online Conferences for Grades 1-8 developed by Eugene help hundreds of teachers worldwide prepare for the new school year.