Entries by Michael Soulé

Administrative Roles, D Alsop, from The Art of Administration, AWSNA

In many Waldorf Schools, the process of addressing these tasks and responsibilities has led to, among others, the positions of Administrator, Business Manager and Development Officer. This chapter will attempt to explore some aspects of each of these functions. Sample job descriptions can be found in the appendix. Art of Administration - Ch 5 - […]

Committee Structure, S Van Sant, from The Art of Administration, AWSNA

The framework of this chapter is best stated in the following: "The spiritual life forces of a Waldorf School are twofold, or we could say, there are two motives for its existence. On the one hand, it is the starting point for a renewal of education based on a spiritual knowledge of the whole man […]

The College of Teachers, J Pewtherer from The Art of Administration, AWSNA

At the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart, Rudolf Steiner encouraged the original core of teachers to work into the future together by carrying the school forward in a new way.1. He asked that they take on the rigor of establishing a new social form. He acknowledged that this task would be difficult, but he said […]

The Faculty Meeting, by T Finser, from The Art of Administration, AWSNA

Some years ago, the U.S. Department of Education reported a survey in which "as many as 45 percent of the teachers report no contact with each other during the workday; another 32 percent say they have infrequent contact. As a result, these teachers fail to share experience and ideas or to get support from colleagues. […]

The Art of Administration, D Mitchell et al, AWSNA Publications

The Art of Administration is a compilation of articles covering basic topics in Waldorf school administration. It is one of the most read and referred to handbooks on Waldorf Administration. The table of contents is below with links to the various chapters TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction    David Mitchell      . . . . . . […]

Work Song, part 2: A Vision

As Wendell Berry offers in his poem VISION, the journey is its own reward. –MS If we will have the wisdom to survive, to stand like slow growing trees on a ruined place, renewing, enriching it… then a long time after we are dead the lives our lives prepare will live here, their houses strongly […]

The Basic Qualities of Collaboration

In every area of human endeavor, leaders are understanding better and better how to support the healthy development of the individual while building relationships that further the mission and effectiveness of the group or organization. In both hierarchical as well as horizontal organizations, inspired leaders are discovering and practicing new approaches to organizational management that […]

LeadTogether: The Practice of Collaboration

At the heart of Waldorf Education is an imagination of a better world through human beings’ conscious collaboration with one another, the natural world and the spirit. Its founder, Rudolf Steiner, looked into the future and saw that, in order to combat an age of growing materialism and self centeredness, a new approach to education […]

Democracy in Education: Kevin Avison reviews an article by Phillip Woods

Leadership and Governance in Waldorf Education REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC There is a general view that Waldorf school are purely "republican" organisations. The following review of Philip Woods book challenges that idea. I think the schools need democracy in order to be republican. In my view Ernst Lehr's little essay has resulted in misunderstandings that sometimes cost our schools […]