Mexico

Mexico, North America

Today there are over 30 schools, early childhood programs, and initiatives, including stand-alone early childhood programs, usually home programs. Most have been founded by parents wanting a Waldorf education for their children.

Looking back. Waldorf education came to Mexico in the early 50’s through Peter Webster, who founded ‘La Nueva Escuela – Una Escuela Waldorf’ in Mexico City. A few years later Hans Berlin founded a Waldorf-public school in Ixtacalco, later to become El Centro Educativo Goethe in 1981 (and today called the Escuela Waldorf de la Ciudad de Mexico). The growth of Waldorf Schools in Mexico was slow and sporadic until the mid 1990’s. In that decade three schools with kindergartens were founded – Colegio Yeccan in Guanajuato, Escuela Waldorf de Cuernavaca, and the Centro Educativo Waldorf in Tlaxacala.

Training. Waldorf training started in Mexico in 2001 with the Centro Antroposofico, in Cuernavaca. CEDA – Centro Educativo del Desarrollo Antroposofico (the former Centro Antroposofico) in Cuernavaca offers both early childhood and teacher training through a five-year course, including three weeks each summer. And YaxKin, Formación de Maestras Waldorf de Jardín de Infancia de la Riviera Maya, offers early childhood training in the Yucatan peninsula.

Collaboration. As a geographic part of North America, Mexico is part of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN) .

Escuela Waldorf de Cuernevaca and the Ak Lu’um Waldorf Community are Full Members of WECAN. There are three Associative Members, and 18 Registered Initiatives.

A Mexican Waldorf School Association is also being founded to safeguard Waldorf education in Mexico and to provide resources to teachers.

While the local and state governments allow private educational institutions by law, Waldorf schools and kindergartens receive no financial support from the government and are often faced with unreasonable demands for the physical layout of the school and the bureaucracy involved in being enrolled in the Bureau of Education.

Despite these obstacles, including the low economic wages of most Mexican families, new Waldorf schools and kindergartens are founded every year in every part of Mexico.

Louise deForest is a WECAN Board member and a member of the IASWECE Council. She is active internationally as a mentor, trainer and advisor.

Website of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN)

Brazil

Brazil, Central and South America

In Brazil, the Waldorf education movement has been active for 60 years, with 161 kindergartens affiliated with the Federation of Waldorf Schools in Brazil and 105 initiatives inspired by Waldorf pedagogy.

A fundamental aspect of Waldorf pedagogy in Brazil is the richness and challenges that our cultural, ethnic-racial, social, and environmental diversity brings. To address this, there are working groups seeking to delve into the demands this diversity imposes on us. For example, the Network of Social Organizations focuses on children and youth in situations of socioeconomic vulnerability, providing free services. Currently, there are 38 institutions serving over 5,000 children and youth.

Regarding training: The first Training Center was founded in the 1970s in São Paulo. Currently, there are 25 training centers in 12 federal units, aiming to support schools throughout the country. In 2017, the headquarters of the Rudolf Steiner College was established, offering undergraduate, graduate, and extension courses.

Our main concerns: Our primary concern is to keep six-year-olds in kindergarten. The age cutoff for entering the first grade in Brazil does not allow the retention of children until they are six years old in early childhood education. As a result, many legal and pedagogical actions are being undertaken by the Federation of Waldorf Schools in Brazil to justify the retention of children in early childhood education. Our second concern is to promote deeper training for early childhood educators. Between 2010 and 2020, there was a 200% increase in the number of institutions, reaching stability in the following years. This situation makes the Federation of Waldorf Schools in Brazil (FEWB) very aware of maintaining the quality of education, bringing as our third concern the search for processes that ensure the correct use of the Waldorf name.

Sandra Eckschmidt is a Waldorf early childhood educator in Florianópolis and works internationally as a trainer and mentor. She is a member of the IASWECE Council. Mariana Sabine Santos is a Waldorf educator in Campo Largo and a member of the IASWECE Council.

Website of the Federation of Waldorf Schools in Brazil

Netherlands

Europe, Netherlands

Waldorf kindergartens are integrated into elementary schools in Holland, as are all kindergartens in the country. Since each of the 90 Waldorf elementary schools has an average of 3 kindergarten groups, there are approximately 270 kindergarten groups in Holland. There are nearly 19,000 pupils in Waldorf kindergartens, elementary schools and high schools.

The Waldorf schools gave themselves the name „Vrijeschool“ (Free School) in order to make visible their independent from government regulations. The Dutch constitution guarantees that parents have free choice in education. This means that all schools receive government support and at the same time have great freedom to develop their own curriculum. This has had a decisive influence on the development of Waldorf schools. The school authorities check regularly to make sure that Waldorf schools, despite their great freedom, are meeting the prescribed basic standards. The Waldorf movement is trying to maintain a good relationship with the school authorities and at the same time to develop its own identity.

This has proven to be a good approach – more and more parents are choosing Waldorf education for their children. In 2020 there were many initiatives to found new schools, and many Waldorf schools have long waiting lists. The government is interested in learning why Waldorf education is so popular, and articles appear regularly in the press about the importance of free play and the dangers of early academic learning.

Training. The training center for Waldorf education in Leiden offers a four-year, full-time training in Waldorf education. In the first two years, there is an introduction to Waldorf pedagogy and artistic activities, and the third and fourth years focus on methods and didactics, either for the kindergarten or the school. Part-time study is also available.

Birth to Three. There are many different forms of activity for the child from birth to three: child care centers that are part of schools, home daycare mothers, playgroups at home, etc. A new “Association for Anthroposophical Care of the Young Child” is in the process of forming.

Looking Back. Waldorf education has existed in Holland since 1922, when the first Waldorf School outside Germany was founded in the Hague. Rudolf Steiner held a whole series of pedagogical lectures here. Waldorf education has therefore become a solid component of the Dutch school system. In the 70’s and 80’s there was a first boom and it now looks as if it is experiencing a second strong phase of growth.

Website of the Country association
Website of the Training Center

Ukraine

Europe, Ukraine

The following report reflects the pre-war situation of early childhood education activity in Ukraine. For current information and how you can help, please click here.

In Ukraine there are currently 4 Waldorf kindergartens; each is part of a Waldorf school. They are located in the large cities of Kiev, Krivoi Rog, Dnjepropetrovsk und Odessa, where it is difficult to have a real connection to nature.

Three kindergartens are government-supported; however, the parents pay additional school fees. The kindergarten in Odessa is private and financed solely through parent contributions. According to the current education laws, children must go to school at age six. However, the law is not strictly enforced, and parents can decide whether to send their child to school at age six or age seven. In the Waldorf school the youngest children in each class are those who turned six in May.

Waldorf education, for both schools and kindergartens, is officially recognized by the Ministry of Education as a form of alternative education. At this time Waldorf education is in strong demand and there is a lot of interest in general for Waldorf education.

Working together. Waldorf schools and kindergartens work together in the “Association of Waldorf Educational Initiatives” in Ukraine. Kindergarten teachers meet each year in springtime for a national meeting.

Training. All educators in Ukraine must complete a state education training. In addition, Waldorf educators complete a three-year part-time training at the Ukrainian Waldorf Training Seminar. In the first year, teacher trainees and early childhood trainees complete a regional foundation studies course at a Waldorf school in either Kiev, Krivoy Rog, Dnepropetrovsk or Odessa. In the second and third year they specialize and the training course moves from one city to another.

The Child from Birth to Three. Several years ago a further education course on the child from birth to three was taught by Edith Frey from Stockholm. In the Odessa Waldorf Kindergarten there is a group for children between two and four years old. There is no Waldorf child care in Ukraine.

Looking back. The first Waldorf kindergarten and first Waldorf School were founded in 1993 in Odessa. Training courses for teachers and early childhood educators began in 1994, which led to the founding of Waldorf schools in the large cities. Earlier there were more Waldorf kindergartens than today. For various reasons, mostly financial, several were forced to close their doors after a few years.

Current questions. The political and economic crisis, chaos and a loss of values characterize the mood in the country at the moment. For educators, the following issues are therefore very important: forms of collaboration among colleagues, self-administration, the self-education of the educator, and the work with parents.

Svitlana Eks is a Waldorf educator in Odessa, a faculty member in the kindergarten training and a member of the IASWECE Council.

Finland

Europe, Finland

In Finland, there are all together more than 40 Waldorf kindergartens, known there as Steiner kindergartens, and preschool groups attended by more than 800 children.

Steiner kindergartens provide care for children from one to six years of age. Most of these are independent institutions, founded through a supporting association. Some work together with nearby Waldorf schools. In Finland, children enter school at the age of seven. Children may attend the year prior to the first grade, known as the “preschool year,” at either a school or in a kindergarten that offers a preschool year.

Collaboration. In Finland, Anthroposophical pedagogical activities lie in the hands of the national society for Steiner pedagogy, called “Suomen Steinerkasvatuksen liitto.” The society was founded to bolster the collaboration of Waldorf institutions.

Training. The Snellman-Hochschule in Helsinki offers a foundation year, followed by a three-year course of study to become either a class teacher or an early childhood teacher, which can conclude in an officially-recognized diploma. Practical experience is highly valued, especially in the early childhood training. Each semester, students are permitted to perform an apprenticeship training in a Steiner kindergarten, possibly also in a foreign country.

Early Childhood Pedagogy. The Finnish government assists families until their children are three years old. As a general rule, many kindergartens therefore accept children from the age of three. However, the need for childcare for children after the age of one is always growing, even in Finland. Therefore, many kindergartens are offering early childhood care, either in mixed-age groups, or in small groups only for children under three years of age.

Current Challenges. All Steiner schools and kindergartens are private institutions. However, they are partially co-financed by the Finnish government, as long as they comply with certain guidelines and can provide requested accreditations. In Finland, Steiner pedagogy is recognized as an alternative form of education. Nonetheless, curricula must be adapted to the government framework, for instance, with documentation of anthroposophical methods and goals. This curriculum work has become very newsworthy at the moment in Finland. New curricula have been developed with intense collaboration from the anthroposophical community. An especially large challenge is, among other things, the theme of technology, and the requirement that it be used in kindergartens and schools. Luckily, the use of computers in Waldorf kindergartens and in the early elementary grades at Steiner schools is not a prerequisite of the new curricula.

A Look Back. Anthroposophy (“steinerpedagogiikka”) became well known in Finland in the middle of the twentieth century. In 1955, the first school was founded in the Finnish capital of Helsinki. Thereafter, many more schools were founded. Today there are 26, with approximately 5000 students. Development in the field of early childhood education began at the end of the 1960s, when the Steiner schools established preschool groups. The first kindergarten for children under age 7 was founded in 1972 in the southeast in Lappeenranta.

Special Geographic Features. Waldorf kindergartens can be found all over the country, from the southern coast of Finland all the way to the Lapland in the north. Not only can they be found in the nation’s big cities, but also in completely rural areas. Whether it be ocean, lake, forest, or field, the beautiful and intense Finnish countryside, with its colors, noises, and scents, is always present. The excellent countryside offers itself for play and movement possibilities. Additionally, the diversity of the different seasons has become an important aspect of the pedagogy. Throughout the year, the children spend a large portion of the day in the fresh air, in nature, playing in all kinds of weather – and it can be very cold in winter and quite wet in autumn. Indeed, the new awakening of spring, after the cold, dark winter, brings a bright, lively feeling. In this way, the seasonal festivals are wonderfully supported by the experience of each season.

Tina Iwersen is a Waldorf kindergarten teacher in Helsinki, lecturer at the Snellman Institute and a member of the IASWECE Council

Webpage of the Country Association
Webpage for Training Centers

Spain

Europe, Spain

Waldorf education became known in Spain in 1975 when a group of parents and teachers prepared the first Waldorf Kindergarten, which was inaugurated in 1979 in Las Rozas (Madrid) under the name of Escuela Libre Micael.

At present, there are 31 early childhood programs plus 16 more that are in a process of development and recognition. In Spain, policies are very strict, and many initiatives need a long time to be able to fulfil all the requirements before receiving their legal license. Initiatives are not supported by the state, but need to fully comply with the national curriculum. Nevertheless, we have developed a great capacity for translating the requirements of the law into a wonderful Waldorf reality!

There are also 11 Teacher Training Centres in Waldorf Education in 9 different cities. All are recognised members of the national association.

Early childhood programs in Spain are very different from those of a few decades ago: since children come from a very diverse conglomerate of cultures, economic backgrounds, family situations and new social structures, new attitudes and skills needed to be renewed and improved. This presupposes a reinforcement of teacher training in the pedagogical and didactic field, and in the management and leadership of schools.

The Spanish national association is a federation of all Waldorf Early Childhood Programs, Schools and Teacher Training Centres. This association promotes mutual support among the initiatives through meetings and among colleagues through working groups. It also works to protect the good use and quality of the names Waldorf and Steiner.

We also publish a twice-yearly newsletter distributed for free to more than 5000 families and friends of our movement and to more than 17,000 online subscribers, with updated reports of the activity of IASWECE.

The list of programs, publications and the national newsletter are published on the website www.colegioswaldorf.org.

For the newsletter: https://www.colegioswaldorf.org/pages/la-revista

Lourdes Tormes is a Waldorf kindergarten teacher and trainer, representative of IASWECE in the Asociación de Centros Educativos Waldorf de España, and a member of the IASWECE Coordinating Group member.

Website of the Waldorfassociation in Spain

Video about a Waldorf kindergarten in Alicante

New Zealand

Australasia, New Zealand

There are now 25 kindergartens in New Zealand (Aotearoa), 2 day care centers and a number of play groups. There are 10 Steiner/Waldorf Schools, 5 of which have High Schools.

There are also 3 curative homes in New Zealand for adults and children. All the above are members or associate members of the Federation of Rudolf Steiner/Waldorf Schools in New Zealand. All Early Childhood education falls under the Ministry of Education in New Zealand and while this means the education is subsidized, which makes it possible for all children to attend, it also means we need to comply with state regulations.

Looking back. Anthroposophy was brought to New Zealand by affluent European settlers in the early twentieth century, shortly after Rudolf Steiner began lecturing in Europe. The Antroposophical society was established in 1933 and Steiner/Waldorf Education began in Hastings, the middle of the North Island in 1950.

Training. The main Anthroposophical training centre, Taruna College, was founded in 1982. This has been the home not only to education but also biodynamics, health and art courses. At present there is a 3 – year, modular Early childhood in – service course which is recognised by IASWECE and is not connected to Taruna but is run on behalf of SEANZ (Steiner Education Aotearoa New Zealand)

Major Concerns. It has taken a while for Steiner/Waldorf Schools to become integrated into the indigenous culture and to develop a curriculum that both embraces the essentials of Steiner/Waldorf education and Maoritanga. Early childhood is the fastest growing form of education in New Zealand, especially for children under three. We have no specific training for the child birth to three and many mainstream institutions with very little understanding of the very young child.

New Zealand is geographically very isolated and it is a challenge to feel part of the world movement even though Steiner/Waldorf education has been in existence here for over 60 years.

Kathy MacFarlane, kindergarten teacher in Auckland, also teaching on the training courses nationally and internationally and representative for New Zealand on the IASWECE Council.

Website of the Federation of Rudolf Steiner/Waldorf Schools in New Zealand

Japan

Asia, Japan

Japan there are about 60 Waldorf kindergartens, including 50 member kindergartens registered in the Japanese Steiner-Waldorf Association, as well as some individual members who run early childhood programs and non-member kindergartens.

In Japan there are two types of institutional systems for children under 6 years old:
● Privately run kindergartens for 3 to 6-year-old children, recognized by the government and entitled to the state funding. The official school hours are from 10 AM to 2 PM.
● Nurseries and child care centers for birth – 3 year-olds and older kindergarten children. These child care centers have longer hours, from early morning to late in the evening for families who work full time and need child care throughout the day.

In the past, Steiner kindergartens only accepted children after age 3, but with the increasing number of working mothers in the recent years, more and more Steiner kindergartens are beginning to prolong their working hours and/or to accept children between birth and 3 years old.
Some kindergartens offer parent-child classes for children under 3 years of age and special classes for 2-year-olds.
Due to the enactment of a new law in April 2015, which encourages the integration of the above two types of early childhood education, many kindergartens are now undergoing a transformation into a new type.

Training. At the moment, the second 3-year training course organized by the Japanese Association in Tokyo will soon be completed. The courses were organized in collaboration and with the support of IASWECE and the Pedagogical Section at the Goethenaum. Additionally, there are two initiatives running in the Osaka and Yamaguchi Prefectures, and one is being planned in Nagano Prefecture.

Special concerns. Living and working in a non-Christian, Asian country, we have been trying to study our own culture and the anthroposophical point of view, asking ourselves how we could help Waldorf ideas and programs come to life in the social and cultural realities of Japan.
In an attempt to make Steiner early childhood education better known to public, we have organized “Steiner parenting festivals” every year as an outreach effort. How to best communicate the Waldorf ideas and programs to the public is one of our central tasks in our current situation.

Looking back
● 1975 – Steiner education came to be widely known through the book by Prof. Koyashu “Pupil at an Elementary School in Munich”.
● End of 1970s and 1980s – Waldorf Early Childhood Education was adopted in a number of private kindergartens through lectures, courses, and workshops by lecturers from Germany and through study tours in Europe.
● 1987 – First full time Steiner School opened in Tokyo, Japan.
● Since 1990, educators who studied in the West return to Japan and started, with parents, to organize Kindergarten programs.
● 2001 – “Tokyo Steiner School” was recognized by the government as “School Corporation Steiner Gakuen (School)” for the first time, followed by a second Steiner school in Hokkaido.
● 2015 – Within the framework of the new system, 3 child-care centers were founded.

Sono Matsuura is a kindergarten teacher in Tokyo who also teaches in the training courses, and is Japan’s representative on the IASWECE Council.

Webpage of the Japanese Steiner/Waldorf Early Childhood Association

Sweden

Europe, Sweden

In Sweden today there are 78 Waldorf kindergartens. They are organized as private but state-financed kindergartens, which follow the national preschool curriculum – Läroplan för förskolan, Lpfö- 18 (2018) – as well as their own Waldorf curriculum – “En väg till frihet” a path towards freedom (2016).

In our kindergartens we welcome children from 1 to 6 years old. We offer groups for small children 1-3 years old and groups of mixed ages from 3-6 years old, as well as mixed groups for children from 1-6 years old. A well-known everyday rhythm, great care of both the environment and natural materials, as well as the emphasis on each child’s own development within free play, and practical and artistic exercises and experiences are core values. In Sweden there have been Waldorf movements for more or less 65 years. They grew from a great ideal engagement from pedagogues and parents.

Working together. RWS – Riksföreningen Waldorfförskolors Samråd, the national association of Waldorf kindergartens in Sweden, has as its task to strengthen the Waldorf early childhood movement and the anthroposophic impulse for education in Sweden, through framing cooperation and exchange between the kindergartens. The association calls annual meetings and conferences with lectures twice a year, in spring and autumn. At the same time representatives from 20 different districts around Sweden hold a meeting where they discuss what is going on in the different kindergartens around the country.

Burning Issue. A major challenge for Sweden’s Waldorf kindergartens has been to comply with the legal requirements formulated in the Swedish preschool curriculum ”Läroplan för förskolan”, Lpfö-18 (2018).

The political leadership meant that all children in preschool should be given the opportunities to develop digital competence, by having access to digital tools and media in preschool. The starting point for the formulation was the government’s digitization strategy (2017), which would lead to Sweden becoming the best in the world in using the possibilities of digitization.

The introduction of digital tools/media instead had major consequences for children’s developmental opportunities in preschool, and several research studies showed that children’s language development and motor skills were radically impaired. It was clear that this change in relation to children’s development took place after the introduction of requirements for the use of digital tools and media in preschool age.

With this starting point, the government has completely changed its strategy. Currently, it is no longer a requirement from the government to use digital tools in preschool. Instead, preschool education is encouraged to create opportunities where the children can take part in reading aloud and movement, which must be formulated and clarified in the editing of the curriculum.

This of course is a big sigh of relief and incredible joy for Sweden’s Waldorf kindergartens and the RWS Riksföreningen Waldorfförskolors Samråd, who has put a lot of effort and energy in to being granted an exception for Sweden’s Waldorf preschools to be a screen-free option.

Training. WLH – Waldorflärarhögskolan (Waldorf university college) is situated in a beautiful environment in Bromma, Stockholm, close to Solgården, the first funded Waldorf kindergarten in Sweden. So one can really get the feeling of the daily life in a Waldorf kindergarten going on just around the corner. Since the 70’s there have been training courses in Waldorf pedagogy in Sweden.

To get a Waldorf preschool teacher certificate in Sweden you can choose to study full-time for 3 years or part-time (60%) for 5 years. Currently around 280 students are studying at one of the courses or programs at WLH.

Sara De los Santos is a Waldorf kindergarten teacher working in Rudolf Steiner lekskolan in the south of Sweden. She has also worked for SOFIA (an organization of international initiatives on an anthroposophical foundation) for a few years. IASWECE Council member.

Website of the Association of Waldorf schools in Sweden

Website of the Waldorf University College

Belgium

Belgium, Europe

At the moment there are approximately 1300 children being cared for in 18 Steiner kindergartens.

By law all children need to be accepted in kindergarten from the age of 2,5 years, and in many Steiner schools separate pre-kindergarten groups are being organized for these very young children with fewer children per group and where possible an extra helper. In addition, “Salutogenese,” an anthroposophically based organization for the child from 0-3, fosters the further development of home and daycare initiatives based on Steiner education in Belgium. The education system in multilingual Belgium is organized independently within each of the 3 language communities, each with its own sets of laws – this has had a real effect on the development of Steiner schools in Belgium. Steiner kindergartens in Flanders are each part of one of the 15 Steiner primary schools and there are at the moment 6 schools for Steiner secondary education. They are all recognized by the Flemish Ministry of Education and get governmental subsidies. In comparison to many other Steiner kindergartens in the world, the kindergarten groups have many children with numbers up to 25 children and more. In addition to this, most groups only have one kindergarten teacher with mostly no or very little assistance, which brings its own set of challenges both for the children and the kindergarten teacher.

Looking back. The initiative for the establishment of Waldorf or Steiner education in Flanders/Belgium took place through the impulse of the Antwerp notary Emile Gevers in 1948-1954. About the same time, the 2nd battle of the educational battle between the Catholics and Liberals in Belgium was at its peak. Not formally bound by or affiliated with a political party or religion, the first Steiner school got a green light and the first Steiner kindergarten started in September 1954 in Antwerp, under the care of Caroline Smits as kindergarten teacher. For the opening of the school several well-known Anthroposophists came from neighboring countries, such as Herbert Hahn and Ernst Lehrs from Germany. But mostly the Dutch were well represented and had a big influence on the start and further development of Steiner education in Flanders with Willem Zeylmans of Emmichoven, Bernard Lievegoed, Max Stibbe, Daan van Bemmelen and Wim Veltman as some of the most prominent figures. In 1971 the Parcival School opened its doors as the first Steiner school for children with special needs and learning difficulties. It took another 22 years until 1976 before the 2nd Steiner school was founded in Lier, followed by faster growth first in the bigger cities Gent (1978), Bruges (1979), Leuven (1982) and later in smaller cities and towns. In the period 1995-1997 the Steiner schools, enforcing their constitutional right to freedom of education in court, received the right to use their own curricula and specific development goals and objectives.

Working together. The Steiner schools are working together in 2 school communities (elementary and secondary) and an overarching Federation for Steiner schools in Flanders. In these school communities the different educational tasks and challenges are being decided upon and given to the educational co-workers and working groups to process. The further training of their teachers is one of their responsibilities. The ‘Working Group for Steiner education for the child from 0-7’ prepares among other things the yearly conference and acts as a sound board for the developments in the kindergartens. The Federation is taking care of the overarching tasks that transcend the school community level, such as international collaboration, advocacy work, network with local educational partners, quality frameworks, etc.

In contrast to the situation in Flanders it’s been much more difficult in the French part of Belgium to start Steiner schools. At the moment there are 4 Steiner kindergartens, of which 2 are part of a Steiner primary school. In the small German part of Belgium there has been one Steiner kindergarten in the past but they moved many years ago to Germany.

Training. There is no full-time Steiner-based teacher training in Belgium. In order to work as a teacher in Belgium from kindergarten up to secondary school, a teaching degree recognized by their Ministry of Education is required. In the past most teachers went for several years for further Steiner training in Germany or Holland. In recent years, training modules for Steiner education are organized by the Federation and the different school communities to offer teachers the possibility of professional development.

Clara Aerts is a former Steiner kindergarten teacher and a pedagogical co-worker for the Steiner schools in Flanders, a lecturer and guest teacher in training courses worldwide, and a member of the Coordinating Group of IASWECE.

Website of the Federation of Steiner schools in Belgium