A unique approach to collaborative learning

I walked into a group movement therapy class, mid-session to find that the teachers and students had formed a circle and were moving their limbs to a soothing song being rendered by one of the teachers. The children swayed and stretched trying to imitate their teacher’s lead. The tempo changed from slow to brisk and back again to slow. Debo, an autistic child, was immersed in his private world, until a familiar strain of music and a happy movement caught his attention. He smiled gleefully and jumped in to join others. True, his connection with the rest of the group was all too brief, but it was a huge milestone in his social skills agenda. Music, dance, messy painting, everything a child delights in, is a lesson-entry point. 

This kind of curative education and social therapy is what makes inclusive education plausible. Children live by embracing the present time. Enjoying the textures, sounds and smells in any given environment is a lesson in itself. This is in complete contrast to regular school routines, which can be sedentary and with the increasing stress and workloads, it can often lead to one breathing incorrectly. This is completely avoided in Steiner schools that follow Austrian philosopher  Rudolf Steiner’s philosophy that breathing is related to our stress levels. Hence, rhythmic hand and feet movement, music, theatre and other art forms are built into each lesson plan. Doing so helps regulate the inflow and out flow of the breath.

Rudolf Steiner believed that it is the sensory environment and the experiences it offers, that actually provide the blueprint for a child’s construction of his or her own body, brain and the nervous system. The Steiner education is all about fluidity in the teaching-learning process. Steiner strongly believed in developing a spiritual experience that enhances learning with precision and clarity, the mysteries of the physical world.

Effective teaching
This was a powerful and important insight into learning and brought into focus the glaring fact that the full and complex consciousness of the adult human being does not arrive all at once at birth, but grows gradually, in stages. The system believes that it is not until the age of six or seven that a child is able to sustain an independent inner life of fantasy, imagination and mental pictures. This is the foundation for cognitive development in a child. When there is a natural curiosity and a willingness to learn, learning happens simply and effectively. Students here learn by imitation and not by following instruction.

The system’s effectiveness is attested by the rapidly growing number of regular Steiner schools and schools for children with special needs. In this educational setup, the entire learning process from infancy to adolescence is in three distinct stages: the first stage is a period of natural curiosity and willingness to learn; the second is the realm of feeling or emotional intelligence; the third stage is that of abstract thinking.  The special school curriculum does not strictly adhere having a individual education programme (IEP), which is a document that is developed for each school child who needs special education. In a Steiner school, this is charted out by the teacher, who is required to constantly improvise to help the learning process. It is kept very flexible allowing natural development of skills. 

A unique feature of the Steiner school is the ‘class teacher period’, which runs for a period of seven to eight years, where one class teacher moves with a group of children from Class 1 through 8. This is to ensure the unfolding of each child’s individual talent and potential under the same teacher. The pedagogy here recognises the importance of the teacher in creating a curriculum as per the requirement of his or her class. The teacher can take as much or as little time over a topic, depending on the readiness of the pupils. 

There is no chronological milestone chart hanging like a Damocles’ sword in special and standardised Steiner schools. The teaching learning experience is creative and fun for the teacher and students. What happens when they enter Class 8? The answer lies in a bridge curriculum which eases the switch to a standardised curriculum. To a query whether they experienced any stress or negative emotions when they join the rat race, they say that children know how to withstand the pressure and convert their initial apprehensions to positive energy.

Aiding transition
Needless to say, in special schools the goals are as varied as the student’s special need and the children build on their strengths, learning life skills along the way. The child is eased into the mainstream and allowed to explore new learning possibilities and exercise learnt skills. Vocational training centres have already created a clear and meaningful path for those who can be trained. Various campaigns over the years have sensitised people about their fellow beings who are differently-abled and skilled and have every right to a dignified life. Many schools have a resource room to promote inclusive education with trained special teachers who cater to children with learning disabilities and other special needs.

Steiner Waldorf education has made its presence felt in India in various cities including Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Jaipur. Parents have recognised the fluidity of this stream of education and have picked it over the more competitive ones. With so much to offer, it is of little wonder that this system has caught up with various parents across India.