New Initiatives
The RSSA would be glad to hear of any new initiatives in Steiner education in Australia, so that we may be able to be of some assistance. You are warmly invited to make contact with us.
CHECKLIST FOR NEW INITIATIVES
The following is a guide to help you focus on issues
and concerns which should be considered prior to the
founding of a new school initiative. Initiative
groups follow many different patterns in their development,
but in recent years a certain trend has evolved - namely
study groups for adults, leading to playgroups, and
then to a kindergarten and lastly to a school. The timing
varies but a solid foundation in Steiner education and
Anthroposophy is important if the school is to be not
just another alternative school. For the school
to flourish and thrive, just like a plant it needs to
be placed in fertile and well-prepared soil, be strongly
rooted and well-nourished and cared for.
ESTABLISHING STUDY GROUPS
Study groups are usually founded which meet every week
or fortnight. Books about Steiner education are studied
and guest speakers can be invited into the community
to lecture on the education. Popular books for
new study groups include the A.C. Harwood books, or
one or the other overviews of Steiner education by Francis
Edmunds, Rene Querido or M.C. Richards. Introductory
study groups can also work with Lifeways, Children at
Play, The Incarnating Child, You are Your Child's First
Teacher, The Young Child: Creative Living with two to
four year olds. Basic books by Rudolf Steiner include
Education of the child in the Light of Anthroposophy
and Kingdom of Childhood. Caroline von Heydebrand's
Childhood is also a classic. These books and more can
be obtained from the Rudolf Steiner Bookshops.
In establishing study groups, it is good to find a
mentor/helper. Even if this person can only come
once a year, he or she can add much depth to the study
and help with suggestions as to other books, answer
questions and so forth.
FOUNDING A PLAY GROUP
This is a less official step than founding a kindergarten
- many communities find it is a good starting point
in their work with children. Play groups are led
by individuals who are serious in their study of Steiner
education but may not yet have a full training.Play
groups usually meet in a home and often have up to 4-8
children.
Again mentors may be found to help guide the curriculum
and methodology in such playgroups - either from nearby
established Steiner playgroups or kindergartens or from
the Early Childhood Association.
CREATING A KINDERGARTEN
This is an official step which requires legal incorporation,
full licensing through the appropriate government departments
(DOCS, Board of Studies), rental of space, and employment
of fully trained Steiner kindergarten teacher/s.
There is a shortage of such teachers - sometimes it
is helpful to identify individuals in your community
who are interested in such training or re-training.
In Sydney, there are two courses:
Journey into the World of Young Children - a part-time
course for those working with children under the age
of 5
Diploma Course in Rudolf Steiner Education (Kindergarten)
2 years full-time studies
Both courses run at Parsifal College (02 9261 4001)
Close contact with your nearest Steiner school and with
the RSSA is helpful as there will be access to experienced
teachers who can assist and advise.
FOUNDING A SCHOOL
This is a very large step, for once the school is
committed to a Class 1, it must be able to keep adding
a new class each year for the next 6-8 years at least.
This will require additional space, additional class
teachers, subject teachers etc.
A strong foundation is very necessary in this pioneering
stage. Careful planning and realistic assessment
of resources is essential. Trained teachers
are essential and must be paid award salaries which
together with "oncosts" is a large part
of the school's expenditure. It is entirely
possible that in the first year or so of the school's
life the teacher's salary will have to be underwritten
because you will not have the numbers to support it.
There is an excellent handbook printed by the RSSA
(obtainable from
June Cunningham: 27 Central Rd, Avalon, NSW 2107. You can also email
June or download
a flyer for this publication) which sets out
all the administrative and legislative requirements
involved in the establishment and operation of a
school.
It is important to the RSSA that all our schools,
new and established, strive for the excellence inherent
in our philosophy and methods, then we can meet any
assessment of our work with confidence. This
is all the more important now as there is an ever
increasing interest in both the public and private
sector in what Steiner education has to offer. We
must do nothing to imperil our good name.
Checklist questions:
-
Number of people in the community who are familiar
with philosophy and pedagogy of Steiner education
- years of study, knowledge of curriculum
-
Has your core group defined its goals and objectives?
Are they formally written down in the form of a
Mission Statement and a long-range plan?
-
Plans for the present? Will you set up study
groups, public talks, etc
-
Plans for the future? Playgroups. Pre-school/kindergarten.
When to begin Class 1? When to have full Class teacher
programme? Physical facilities needed? Other?
-
Have you surveyed your possible commuting area
to determine available student pool to draw on?
-
What other independent schools compete for this
pool?
-
What segments of the population would you target?
-
How would you promote your school and attract those
segments?
-
Do you have the people currently in your community
with the necessary administrative, financial, legal,
promotional skills?
-
Have you investigated state/local requirements
for liability insurance , building and Occupational
Health and Safety codes, government legislation
re. education, local zoning?
-
Before starting a school, it has been estimated
that a start-up fund of between $40 - 50,000 is
needed to have a reasonable hope of success - do
you have people in your community who would be able
to underwrite, provide that?
-
How will you guarantee at least the first 2 years
of operation?
-
What fund-raising activities do you envisage?
-
Do you have an experienced Steiner teacher as mentor
or committed to being the founding teacher at your
school?
-
What opportunities exist for attracting a Steiner
trained teacher to your community? Please stay in
touch - Steiner education has been in Australia
for almost 50 years and there is now much experience
and expertise available to support new initiatives
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