Empowering Education: Nurturing Consciousness in the Classroom
We are now moving from our learning about Conscious Evolution to a focus on Conscious Education and its role in the evolution of our species. To truly move forward with purpose and make real change we need to work together and create a collective vision for humanity.
Where are we heading and what do we want life here on Earth to be like? Once we have agreed on this we can move forward and educate our young in a way that is true to this collective vision.
If we are to create a world in which our youth are nurtured towards becoming creative, independent, forward thinkers who have a shared compassion for themselves, each other and our planet then we have some major shifts to make in the way we educate them.
If we are to educate our youth with the goal of a more harmonious, peaceful future for our planet in mind, then we need to educate them in a way that reflects this.
There are already a number of movements and practises in place, around the world, that are more aligned with this vision. Over the next couple of weeks we are going to learn more about these.
Our focus will begin today, with the Children of the Earth Movement, Steiner Education and the Montessori Method.
Let’s begin by taking a look at the work of Nina Meyerhof, Philip Gang and Dorothy Maver who wrote the groundbreaking book ‘Conscious Education: The Bridge to Freedom’.
They assert that the current education system is made to mirror a reality which is no longer true to where we are in our evolution. In line with the work of Barbara Mark Hubbard, they assert that our focus on competition and survival of the fittest no longer serves us, and our focus needs to be more on community and interdependence. That in order to move forward in a positive and sustainable way, we must recognise our similarities and come together as a collective.
The authors believe that to get there, we need to help students to foster their sense of curiosity, observation, imagination, intuition, collaboration, responsiveness and self perfection.
The authors integrate the developmental work of Jean Piaget, Kenneth Wilbur, Maria Montessori and Alice Bailey to combine the physical, spiritual and conscious development of children and youth in order to encapsulate the whole child and respond to where the child is, rather than treat each child as the same.
Nina Meyerhof went on to found a movement called Children of the Earth which connects youth from around the world who have the common goal of spiritual activism and leadership.
Her book ‘Children of the Earth: Pioneering Spiritual Activism’ provides educators with an array of lessons and activities based around the concepts of reflection, connection and action, and I thoroughly recommend taking a look at it.
This holistic approach is reflected in the work of Rudolf Steiner. Steiner’s philosophy was to teach children using creative and holistic methods in order to help them reach their full potential as creative, intelligent and well-rounded individuals.
In this video Steiner suggests that those of us who are close to children “must try to guide them in soul and spirit so that their inner being goes with, rather than against the health of the organism”. He asserts that for a well rounded education ”We must be able to work spiritually to promote the physical”.
He also had the utmost respect for each child’s potential. “Suppose we enter a classroom, we must never imagine we are the most intelligent people at the summit of human intelligence, this in fact would show we are very poor teachers, rather we should think of ourselves as only relatively intelligent, this is a more realistic mindset than the other.” In summary, “as we enter the classroom we must assume there are very intelligent children who later in life will be far more intelligent than we could ever be. If we treat this child as less than ourselves we are holding them back.“
While spirituality is not taught explicitly, the fact that we are spiritual beings that affect the material world, underpins all of the Waldorf Schools teachings.
The main themes of Waldorf Education include:
Building strong relationships - teachers move with the class throughout their learning enabling them to really get to know each child.
Childhood development is holistic - all elements of the child are taken into account and they are taught in relation to where they are developmentally.
Focus on aesthetic and artistic elements - there is a strong focus on the arts, drama and nature.
Play is crucial - children are frequently given time to indulge their natural play urges.
Rhythms and Routines - natural rhythms are acknowledged and routines are set in order to create a safe and predictable environment.
Real Work - learning is relevant to real life.
Experiences in Nature - the beauty and power of nature is acknowledged and children are given time to experience nature first hand.
The Education Hub website reports that:
Empirical findings for outcomes in the early years (of Steiner Education) include greater drawing and artistic skill, including use of colour.
Whilst older students report:
Stronger motivation, interest and identification with the teaching content of their schools, including greater interest and engagement in social and moral issues and a strong sense of activism,
Greater levels of creativity and independence in learning,
Higher self-confidence, self-esteem, creativity and tolerance,
Positive relationships with teachers,
A high level of attendance at university or college.
This is only a brief summary of the work of Rudolf Steiner and there is plenty of information out there for those who are interested to learn more.
Lastly, let's take some time to look at the work of Maria Montessori. Maria was an Italian physician and educator who came up with her own philosophy in education, based around working with “head, heart and hands.”
“The Montessori method of education is a type of educational method that involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods.” Like Steiner Education, “a Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasises independence and it views children as naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a sufficiently supportive and well-prepared learning environment.”
Maria took special note of the developmental stages of the children she worked with, and designed her learning around these stages, as well as the individual needs and interests of the child.
The main themes of a Montessori education are:
Environment - The Montessori setting is organised, visually appealing, dependable, and predictable, fostering a sense of safety for children and promoting their curiosity.
Freedom and Responsibility - children are free to make choices around their learning, however they need to use the resources available and take responsibility for their own actions as they work.
Self directed learning and self discipline - children are trusted to take control of their own learning and a teacher only intervenes when guidance is asked for by the child, or it is necessary for safety.
Movement is seen as crucial to cognitive development and is actively encouraged.
Sensory discrimination - a child’s ability to refine their sensory capacities is seen as crucial for later academic learning.
Observation - as children are allowed to engage in activities that interest them, the teacher is able to get a better understanding of each individual and how they can support them with their learning.
The Education Hub website states that comparisons between Montessori Education and regular education can be difficult because “ the Montessori approach can be implemented differently which makes generalisations difficult.”
However, one study compared groups of five and 12 year olds in Montessori and traditional schools that did not differ on demographics such as family income or parents’ level of education. It showed that the children attending Montessori schools had similar or better outcomes than the children at traditional schools, including better performance in reading, math, executive function and social competence.
Similarly, children at a Montessori preschool scored higher on academic achievement, social understanding, orientation to learning, executive function and positive views about school, than a control group. Some of these benefits were still evident in high school. Other comparison studies show children attending Montessori settings demonstrating greater levels of creativity.
As we reflect on the diverse approaches to conscious education explored today, one thing becomes clear: no one system holds the key to educational excellence. Instead,I would like us to think about the possibilities each of these methodologies hold for us—from Steiner's holistic philosophy to Montessori's child-centric approach.
If we are to create a shared vision in education that aspires for our youth to be creative, independent, forward thinkers who have a shared compassion for themselves, each other and our planet then we need to look at the various systems around the world and see what is already working.
In our pursuit of educational innovation, let us learn lessons from the past while embracing the possibilities of the future. By embracing a holistic and integrative approach to education, we can create learning environments that empower students to realise their full potential as compassionate, curious, and engaged global citizens.
Together, let us embark on a journey of discovery, collaboration, and growth as we chart a course towards a brighter tomorrow—one classroom at a time.
Thank you for taking the time to read through this post today and I truly hope you have gained some inspiration from this work.
Next week we will continue our look at educational systems from around the world so stay tuned!
Ngā mihi nui,
Natalie
