Yilan, Taiwan. Taiwan could be a small paradise for Waldorf education.
How can I educate and teach in a way that allows me to observe how children and young people learn? How can I draw conclusions from my observations and form concepts that inform my practice? Anyone cultivating a strong Waldorf educational ethos who happens to live far from Europe on a small island in the Pacific, will find local support: they can join the working group “Practical Research for Waldorf Educators.” Accompanied by several university lecturers, participants not only discover their own resources for the further development of Waldorf education but establish connections to current discussions in educational science. Those who want an introductory training course in Waldorf education have a choice of four training centers. Those who already have a bachelor’s degree can complete a master’s degree in Waldorf education at a university. Those involved in one of the 29 state-recognized Waldorf schools or one of the 25 kindergartens, and are financially capable, can take advantage of several continuing education opportunities.
It is a kind of paradise for Waldorf education—an island 394 kilometers long and up to 144 kilometers wide with a population of just under 24 million, with Chinese temples, Buddhist monasteries, a few Christian churches, huge ultra-modern cities and industrial complexes, mountains almost 4000 meters high, and a Waldorf movement that works together fabulously and is well networked with the local and national administrations. In this rich cultural and Waldorf educational context, a Waldorf teacher training conference took place in late spring, attended by around forty instructors from the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, New Zealand, and the four training centers in Taiwan. There were presentations by Constanza Kaliks, Chun-Shu Chang, Hornfay Cherng, Kai Iruma, and myself on the methods and content of contemporary teacher training, as well as a lively exchange of experiences. Participants of the Asia-Pacific working group of the International Teacher Education Forum initiated the conference.
More Anthroposophy Yilan
Translation Charles Cross
Image Impressions from the conference. Photo: Philipp Reubke
