Not a Guardian-reading weirdo in sight
There are many strange ideas about Steiner schools. One 'normal' parent aims to set the record straight. Nikki Schreiber reports:
Tuesday October 30, 2007
The Guardian
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Hereford Planning refusal
Unfortunately, the Hereford southern sub committee voted to refuse planning consent for the proposed new buildings for the Hereford Steiner Acadamy on the same grounds as last time - issues around the development not being in keeping with the village setting and traffic/parking issues. An appeal on the first refusal in January has already been lodged.
Birmingham Post Article
The online version of the Birmingham Post has published the following article.
School where learning is child's play
Jun 18 2007
By Shahid Naqvi, Education Correspondent
"It's been dubbed the "the hippy school", a place where it is said children, not teachers, are in charge and spend all day playing. But the Steiner School in Stourbridge may yet offer a solution to current travails in the state education - and even society".
Read the article HERE
School where learning is child's play
Jun 18 2007
By Shahid Naqvi, Education Correspondent
"It's been dubbed the "the hippy school", a place where it is said children, not teachers, are in charge and spend all day playing. But the Steiner School in Stourbridge may yet offer a solution to current travails in the state education - and even society".
Read the article HERE
ST PAULS STEINER PROJECT
FAMILY FRIENDLY CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES
The concert series is to raise money for the further restoration of St Paul’s Church by the St Pauls Steiner Project which is bringing this heritage building back into use as a life-long learning centre for all the community.
The Steiner school which it houses is in the process of making application for public funding and could be the first such state funded school in London, operating as a local school for the children of Islington.
For more information about the school and its application for public funding, contact
Jane Gerhard on 020 7359 3322
or email jane.gerhard@btinternet.com
knaveconcertinfo1.pdf
knaveconcertinfo2.pdf
The concert series is to raise money for the further restoration of St Paul’s Church by the St Pauls Steiner Project which is bringing this heritage building back into use as a life-long learning centre for all the community.
The Steiner school which it houses is in the process of making application for public funding and could be the first such state funded school in London, operating as a local school for the children of Islington.
For more information about the school and its application for public funding, contact
Jane Gerhard on 020 7359 3322
or email jane.gerhard@btinternet.com
knaveconcertinfo1.pdf
knaveconcertinfo2.pdf
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Wim Moleman
In Memory of Wim Moleman
(26th June 1907-1st February 2007)
“Hiaigheey!”
To be greeted by Wim was an invitation to a world of full of humanity & humour. Many of his British friends referred to him affectionately as “Uncle Wim.” His wisdom, mischievous chuckle, equanimity & profound jollity could fill the space around him, much as a glowing fire takes the chill from a cold room.
Conversation with Wim could take unexpected turns & bring surprising discoveries; I rarely parted from him without feeling that I was carrying away a special gift given by his presence. Once greeted, he would ask about my work in the UK & listen attentively. After sharing my concerns or irritations with Wim, I always saw them differently & more positively, though often, he would reply simply with a contemplative sigh, “Yaahh!” look over the top of his heavy glasses, & speak about things that might at first seem unrelated. Then later, something about the conversation would return to my thoughts & cast them in a new light, or, it might be better to say, give them new warmth. It was easy to understand how Wim was drawn to Sandra Bloom’s work on “creating sanctuaries” within social organisations.
I first met Wim when I was setting up what became the Steiner Waldorf Advisory Service. Wim had for some years before that been travelling to UK schools to “see whether we can help.” These were his busman’s holidays from work in the Netherlands advisory institute. Many a school in crisis benefited from his visits & colleagues in them would report that people behaved better when Wim was present. He took great interest in the development of the UK advisory service & was a tireless mentor & wise counsellor. Even after his cancer was diagnosed & he knew that his remaining time on earth would be limited, he asked to be sent a copy of the research report for the Hereford Academy &, aided by a colleague from the institute, made notes about it in his usual idiosyncratic English. He had a deep sense of care towards what happened in UK Waldorf schools & offered some surprising, but always encouraging, insights about what might be done. When Jane & I met him at his home to hear his views on the Academy report, these were, as always, forward-looking & positive with a keen sense for potential implications & dangers.
On matters of Waldorf school organisation, Wim was a positive realist. He knew that consultants “usually get things wrong” & said so. His advice had a self-deprecating quality that left those he advised feeling free to develop processes for themselves. On the other hand he could be direct & incisive when that was what the situation called for. Even after his official retirement from the advisory institute, he was crisis managing a small school on the brink of closure. Not a physically skilful person - he had co-ordination problems & never learned to drive - he nonetheless recognised the need of those who needed a more practically-orientated form of education. He was involved in the Hiram Foundation in Holland & supported & inspired the development of the Hiram Trust in the UK.
Wim traced inspiration for his work to Max Stibbe & Bernard Lievegoed. I first heard about Lievegoed’s final book from him (published in English as The Battle for the Soul) & was struck by the way Wim spoke about what Lievegoed calls the “Manu stream” of humanity. On another occasion he told me of correspondence he had had with the Humanistic psychologist, Carl Rogers, shortly before Rogers’ death in 1987. Wim was not so much a person of ideas or initiatives as one through whom a wide variety of knowledge, skills & experience met. I do not know whether Lievegoed is correct in suggesting that there is a distinct group of individuals who have a helping quality within them that can lead to social healing. What I do know is that Wim Moleman had that quality & we are the richer for having known him.
Kevin Avison
(26th June 1907-1st February 2007)
“Hiaigheey!”
To be greeted by Wim was an invitation to a world of full of humanity & humour. Many of his British friends referred to him affectionately as “Uncle Wim.” His wisdom, mischievous chuckle, equanimity & profound jollity could fill the space around him, much as a glowing fire takes the chill from a cold room.
Conversation with Wim could take unexpected turns & bring surprising discoveries; I rarely parted from him without feeling that I was carrying away a special gift given by his presence. Once greeted, he would ask about my work in the UK & listen attentively. After sharing my concerns or irritations with Wim, I always saw them differently & more positively, though often, he would reply simply with a contemplative sigh, “Yaahh!” look over the top of his heavy glasses, & speak about things that might at first seem unrelated. Then later, something about the conversation would return to my thoughts & cast them in a new light, or, it might be better to say, give them new warmth. It was easy to understand how Wim was drawn to Sandra Bloom’s work on “creating sanctuaries” within social organisations.
I first met Wim when I was setting up what became the Steiner Waldorf Advisory Service. Wim had for some years before that been travelling to UK schools to “see whether we can help.” These were his busman’s holidays from work in the Netherlands advisory institute. Many a school in crisis benefited from his visits & colleagues in them would report that people behaved better when Wim was present. He took great interest in the development of the UK advisory service & was a tireless mentor & wise counsellor. Even after his cancer was diagnosed & he knew that his remaining time on earth would be limited, he asked to be sent a copy of the research report for the Hereford Academy &, aided by a colleague from the institute, made notes about it in his usual idiosyncratic English. He had a deep sense of care towards what happened in UK Waldorf schools & offered some surprising, but always encouraging, insights about what might be done. When Jane & I met him at his home to hear his views on the Academy report, these were, as always, forward-looking & positive with a keen sense for potential implications & dangers.
On matters of Waldorf school organisation, Wim was a positive realist. He knew that consultants “usually get things wrong” & said so. His advice had a self-deprecating quality that left those he advised feeling free to develop processes for themselves. On the other hand he could be direct & incisive when that was what the situation called for. Even after his official retirement from the advisory institute, he was crisis managing a small school on the brink of closure. Not a physically skilful person - he had co-ordination problems & never learned to drive - he nonetheless recognised the need of those who needed a more practically-orientated form of education. He was involved in the Hiram Foundation in Holland & supported & inspired the development of the Hiram Trust in the UK.
Wim traced inspiration for his work to Max Stibbe & Bernard Lievegoed. I first heard about Lievegoed’s final book from him (published in English as The Battle for the Soul) & was struck by the way Wim spoke about what Lievegoed calls the “Manu stream” of humanity. On another occasion he told me of correspondence he had had with the Humanistic psychologist, Carl Rogers, shortly before Rogers’ death in 1987. Wim was not so much a person of ideas or initiatives as one through whom a wide variety of knowledge, skills & experience met. I do not know whether Lievegoed is correct in suggesting that there is a distinct group of individuals who have a helping quality within them that can lead to social healing. What I do know is that Wim Moleman had that quality & we are the richer for having known him.
Kevin Avison
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)