Learn to Change the world
In 1919 the first Waldorf school was founded in Stuttgart - today there are more than 3,000 Steiner, Waldorf or anthroposophical schools and kindergartens known worldwide. We invite all Waldorf schools and Waldorf kindergartens, but also training institutes for Waldorf teachers as well as national federations to present their institution here with text and photos.
Organisations
For all the geographical, cultural, religious, economic and political differences that make up the lives of these educational institutions around the globe, there are commonalities that bind them together. The most important is undoubtedly the ideal of an education for freedom, which takes the unique individuality of each and every child just as seriously as learning in a community, the togetherness despite all personal differences.
In order to facilitate exchange across borders, a number of internationally active organisations with different missions have emerged and cooperate in a variety of thematic ways.
On this website you will find short descriptions of their main fields of activity and links to the corresponding websites. What unites all these organisations is the impulse to enable pedagogical initiative in the sense of a free educational and cultural life across all borders.
Educational Section at the Goethanum
International Forum for Steiner/Waldorf Education
Friends of Waldorf Education
European Council for Steiner Waldorf Education
Steiner Education Australia
Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA)
International Association for Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Education (IASWECE)
Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN)
The Educational Section is a department of the school of spiritual science at the Goetheanum. Its job is the educational research and further development of the anthroposophical inspired pedagogy. One of the main aims of the Section is to stimulate a renewal of education from its original sources by supporting and liaising with educators active in Waldorf and Rudolf Steiner schools and other such institutions worldwide.
The International Forum for Steiner/Waldorf Education is responsible for the quality of Waldorf education in pedagogy, social structures of the establishments and social relevance. It addresses present challenges and opportunities and incorporates them in the worldwide demands on Waldorf kindergartens and schools. It ensures mutual awareness and cooperation, it creates the main characteristics of Waldorf education and it represents the worldwide Waldorf educational movement.
Since 1976 the Friends of Waldorf Educatiion promote Waldorf education around the globe. Thus far we have been able to support more than 830 Waldorf initiatives worldwide. Each year 1.800 young people commit to a voluntary service and by the worldwide student campaign WOW-Day children get enabled to go to school. All our donations are forwarded at 100 %. Furthermore, our emergency education program conducts urgently needed rehabilitation campaigns in many conflict areas.
The European Council for Steiner Waldorf Education is an international European non-profit organisation. It consists of 27 national Steiner Waldorf school associations, representing 775 Steiner Waldorf schools across 28 European countries. Our mission is to support genuine Steiner Waldorf education and promote freedom in education in Europe.
Steiner Education Australia is the not for profit national association/peak body representing over 50 Steiner/Waldorf schools and 20 Associate members, providing a national voice to promote and support Steiner education. Steiner Education Australia has developed the Australia Steiner Curriculum Framework (ASCF), a government recognised alternate curriculum, which meets the standards of the Australian National Curriculum.
AWSNA's mission is to support schools through collaborative regional work, professional and resource development, accreditation, community outreach, and advocacy. The Association’s work is based on four core values. These values are:
- Evoke and develop Quality and Integrity in everything we attempt and achieve
- Promote Strength and Resourcefulness in every school community
- Foster, encourage, and support inspired Leadership and Colleagueship
- Work towards conscious and collaborative human Community and Relationships
IASWECE’s mission is to protect and nurture childhood from birth to seven through Steiner-Waldorf early childhood education. We are committed to continuously grow our understanding of what is needed through the shared insights of colleagues from diverse cultural settings and by listening to the questions of our time. We aim to contribute to the ongoing enrichment of Steiner Waldorf early childhood practice in the world through fostering training, mentoring and country collaboration and protecting the quality it stands for.
Based on an anthroposophical understanding of human development, WECAN is committed to protecting and nurturing childhood as a foundation for renewing human culture. WECAN hosts conferences and meetings of educators, develops collaborative working groups around issues of concern, publishes and shares a wide variety of books and other resources, and supports the quality of Waldorf early childhood education and teacher education in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. WECAN also partners with other organizations working to support healthy child development and is a member of IASWECE.