Founding a Waldorf school in the midst of economic crisis

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Founding a Waldorf school in the midst of economic crisis


Tue, 31 Dec 2013 | By NNA correspondent Cornelie Unger-Leistner



(Embedded image moved to file: pic13293.jpg)



Michael Tsigotsides advises a mother from a Waldorf kindergarten


(Embedded image moved to file: pic24099.jpg)





The small Waldorf shop in Athens city centre


(Embedded image moved to file: pic23332.jpg)


University employees demonstrate against job cuts
All photos: Cornelie Unger-Leistner


Is it feasible to found a Waldorf school in crisis-riven Athens? Yes, it
should be attempted, according to the Athens Waldorf initiative group,
which in fact sees its work as a small contribution to resolving the
crisis. NNA correspondent Cornelie Unger-Leistner visited the Waldorf
project group in the Greek capital.


ATHENS (NNA) – It’s a Wednesday evening. In an office in inner-city Athens,
Michael Tsigotsides, spokesman for the Athens Waldorf initiative, displays
a map of Europe bristling with little pins representing Waldorf schools in
all European countries. There’s no pin in Greece. “We’re the only country
without a Waldorf school, and the time is ripe now for this initiative,”
says Tsigotsides, who worked for around 20 years as an upper school teacher
in Waldorf schools in Sweden. He also runs several training courses in
Athens for prospective Waldorf teachers.


The school project group has been meeting for the past eight years and
includes mothers, teachers and a musician. Their work has started from four
small Waldorf kindergartens in various parts of the city, and one outside
Athens, each of which has one group of children. Three of the kindergartens
are named after Greek trees: Pommegranate, Walnut and Almond, while a
fourth is called Rainbow. Until now, the 40 or so children who attend these
centres have been going on to state schools when they reach formal
schooling age.


First steps


But change is now afoot in Athens. Last year a first submission was made to
the minister for education and culture with a view to founding a primary
school, and the longer term aim of a secondary school as well. As stated in
the initiative’s literature, the school will seek “to enable children and
adolescents to become independent and responsible citizens in society and
the world by allowing them to develop as individuals in a healthy way in
the context of Greek culture”. A building was already in the offing too, in
the Várkiza suburb of Athens; but then everything ground to a halt when
statutory regulations were altered. The initiative group, however, refuses
to be discouraged.


“Parents are disgruntled with state schools, and they’re looking for
alternatives,” says Elisabeth, a Waldorf parent in the project group.
Children are increasingly expected to produce higher academic performance
at an ever earlier age, and many parents don’t like the trend. “Teachers
don’t really get the children interested in the subjects they teach them.
They’re completely focused on them getting good enough marks to enter
college or university.” Maria, who is herself a teacher in the state
system, also thinks that far too little emphasis is placed on modern skills
of dialogue and teamwork. “People keep saying that children in Greece don’t
learn nearly enough about working together, and that this is also one of
the causes of the current crisis. Yet the government offers no strategies
or visions for changing this.”


In her own work she herself has experienced how Waldorf pedagogy can better
serve children’s needs: “I was a teacher, but an unhappy one. I had my
‘teaching techniques’, but I had no idea what children really need.” Being
a Waldorf teacher is more than just having a qualification, she says
firmly. “It’s a different way of looking at the world.” Opposite her sits
Sophia, a German specialist who can imagine teaching German one day at the
new Athens Waldorf school. She too wants to encourage her fellow
campaigners not to give up despite the set-back. “We have to overcome the
financial and bureaucratic obstacles and also find the right location for
the school.”


Obstacles


The Várkiza location has been dropped now since kindergarten parents
thought it was too far away. Finding a potential site is one of the
obstacles the initiative needs to address if the Athens Waldorf school is
to become a reality. Athens, with its extensive suburbs, has a population
around six times that of Edinburgh (sometimes called the ‘Athens of the
North’) and, as Michael Tsigotsides explains, parents are not accustomed to
their children travelling a long way to get to school. This is just one of
the factors that shows the Athens initiative will need support from the
international Waldorf School movement, with its expertise in establishing
new schools.


The legal position is also very problematic at present, since the Greek
Constitution places exclusive responsibility for schooling in the hands of
the state. Though there are numerous profit-making private schools, they
have to adhere closely to the Greek national curriculum. “We had hoped the
influence of the EU in Greece might have helped bring about some changes
here, but in fact the cutbacks mean there is now rather less scope for
action than before. Paradoxically, though, the government does want to see
changes and reforms in the education system” says Tsigotsides. The Greek
government, he continues, has also signed the European Declaration of Human
Rights, which gives parents – not the state - responsibility for their
children’s education, and also accords them the right to choose the type of
school they wish. “Our constitution is now out of step with this, and there
are efforts to change it. But it is all an uphill battle, and we’re hoping
that EU institutions will help broaden opportunities for independent
schools.”


The initiative group’s application to the minister of culture and education
last year did, however, represent an important first step, despite the fact
that statutory changes brought everything to a halt for the time being.
“The process has been put on hold for now, and we’ll have to wait and see
what happens,” says Michael Tsigotsides. Julia, a special school teacher
and member of the initiative emphasises that the work will continue
unabated: “Our vision is to have a Waldorf school here in Athens, and we
want to ground this idea in reality – ‘download’ it if you like …” Waldorf
parents visiting Athens, who were moved by these courageous efforts, have
set about supporting the venture financially by making toys, selling them
at a Waldorf school fair in Switzerland, and handing over the proceeds to
the project.


Effects of the economic crisis


The severe economic crisis in Greece also comes up in the group as it
discusses the issues with NNA, above all the response to the crisis from
Greek citizens. We learn that one effect of the crisis has been for people
to pull together more and discuss problems more openly. People are far
readier now to help each other. But mention is also made of the suicides
caused by financial adversity, although Greece basically has one of the
lowest suicide rates in the EU.


Household budgets in Greece are still under dire pressure, and there is no
current prospect of improvement here. The severe cutbacks and austerity
measures ordered by EU Commission representatives, the international
monetary fund and the European Central Bank (the “Troika”) to reduce the
country’s big budget deficit, are as ever hitting ordinary Geek citizens
hardest.


During his visit to Italy, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras recently
highlighted that the recession in Greece is now in its sixth year, and that
the gross national product has shrunk by 25% during the same period. With
tax and inflation on top, the average disposable income of Greek citizens
over this period has fallen by around 40%. There have been worrying
articles in the Greek Press about fuel prices in the coming winter – higher
there now than in prosperous Germany due to the Troika intervention. In
addition, a supplementary tax on property ownership, originally planned as
a temporary measure, is now envisaged for the long term, and is to include
land without buildings.


Even some experts in the international monetary fund now concede that the
harsh austerity measures enforced on Greece by the Troika, with massive
curtailment of people’s income, has only exacerbated the crisis.


Reports in the newspapers in Athens state that national debt has continued
to rise throughout the Euro zone, not just in Greece, and by October had
reached 8.87 trillion euros (£7.39 trillion, USD 12.22 trillion). This is
still less, though, than the USA’s budget deficit of 17 trillion dollars,
which is over 100 percent of the US gross national product. With its budget
deficit of 169.1 percent of gross national product, Greece remains the most
indebted of the Euro zone countries, followed by Italy, whose deficit
currently stands at 134 percent of gross national product. (All figures
taken from official EU publications, cited in Athens Views of 25 October
2013). The aim for Greece is to limit its budget deficit to 120 percent by
2020.


Waldorf school at a time of adversity


The austerity measures, above all public sector lay-offs, reductions in
wages and pensions, and cut-backs in the health service, have led to
strikes and mass protests. In the 2012 elections, the radical rightwing
group the “Golden Dawn” gained many votes, as did the leftwing, anti-Europe
group Syriza. The “Golden Dawn”, which denies the Holocaust, and publicly
discriminates against ethnic minorities and migrants, won parliamentary
seats in the election.


In an interview, Benjamin Albalas – chairman of the council of all Jewish
communities in Greece – says he could never have imagined this happening.
He blames these developments on the economic crisis, at the same time
seeing the neo-fascist gains as a problem of education.


In the context of these social and political upheavals, the work of the
Athens Waldorf activists seems reminiscent of the original history of the
Waldorf School, which emerged in 1919 from a widespread crisis in Europe
following the First World War. “What can be done to remedy these
afflictions of our time?” was the anxious question posed by factory
proprietor Emil Molt, during travels through Switzerland in the upheavals
of the post-war period. A lecture given by Rudolf Steiner in Dornach, which
Molt attended, made him think of founding a school based on radical new
educational principles as a possible way forward out of crisis.


END/nna/ung/mb


Contact: waldorf.hellas (at) gmail.com


Item: 131231-03EN Date: 31 December 2013


Copyright 2013 News Network Anthroposophy Limited. All rights reserved.



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Founding a Waldorf school in the midst of economic crisis


Tue, 31 Dec 2013 | By NNA correspondent Cornelie Unger-Leistner



(Embedded image moved to file: pic13293.jpg)



Michael Tsigotsides advises a mother from a Waldorf kindergarten


(Embedded image moved to file: pic24099.jpg)





The small Waldorf shop in Athens city centre


(Embedded image moved to file: pic23332.jpg)


University employees demonstrate against job cuts
All photos: Cornelie Unger-Leistner


Is it feasible to found a Waldorf school in crisis-riven Athens? Yes, it
should be attempted, according to the Athens Waldorf initiative group,
which in fact sees its work as a small contribution to resolving the
crisis. NNA correspondent Cornelie Unger-Leistner visited the Waldorf
project group in the Greek capital.

ATHENS (NNA) - It's a Wednesday evening. In an office in inner-city Athens,

Rights, which gives parents - not the state - responsibility for their

children's education, and also accords them the right to choose the type of
school they wish. "Our constitution is now out of step with this, and there
are efforts to change it. But it is all an uphill battle, and we're hoping
that EU institutions will help broaden opportunities for independent
schools."


The initiative group's application to the minister of culture and education
last year did, however, represent an important first step, despite the fact
that statutory changes brought everything to a halt for the time being.
"The process has been put on hold for now, and we'll have to wait and see
what happens," says Michael Tsigotsides. Julia, a special school teacher
and member of the initiative emphasises that the work will continue
unabated: "Our vision is to have a Waldorf school here in Athens, and we

want to ground this idea in reality - 'download' it if you like ..." Waldorf

parents visiting Athens, who were moved by these courageous efforts, have
set about supporting the venture financially by making toys, selling them
at a Waldorf school fair in Switzerland, and handing over the proceeds to
the project.


Effects of the economic crisis


The severe economic crisis in Greece also comes up in the group as it
discusses the issues with NNA, above all the response to the crisis from
Greek citizens. We learn that one effect of the crisis has been for people
to pull together more and discuss problems more openly. People are far
readier now to help each other. But mention is also made of the suicides
caused by financial adversity, although Greece basically has one of the
lowest suicide rates in the EU.


Household budgets in Greece are still under dire pressure, and there is no
current prospect of improvement here. The severe cutbacks and austerity
measures ordered by EU Commission representatives, the international
monetary fund and the European Central Bank (the "Troika") to reduce the
country's big budget deficit, are as ever hitting ordinary Geek citizens
hardest.


During his visit to Italy, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras recently
highlighted that the recession in Greece is now in its sixth year, and that
the gross national product has shrunk by 25% during the same period. With
tax and inflation on top, the average disposable income of Greek citizens
over this period has fallen by around 40%. There have been worrying

articles in the Greek Press about fuel prices in the coming winter - higher

In an interview, Benjamin Albalas - chairman of the council of all Jewish
communities in Greece - says he could never have imagined this happening.

He blames these developments on the economic crisis, at the same time
seeing the neo-fascist gains as a problem of education.


In the context of these social and political upheavals, the work of the
Athens Waldorf activists seems reminiscent of the original history of the
Waldorf School, which emerged in 1919 from a widespread crisis in Europe
following the First World War. "What can be done to remedy these
afflictions of our time?" was the anxious question posed by factory
proprietor Emil Molt, during travels through Switzerland in the upheavals
of the post-war period. A lecture given by Rudolf Steiner in Dornach, which
Molt attended, made him think of founding a school based on radical new
educational principles as a possible way forward out of crisis.


END/nna/ung/mb


Contact: waldorf.hellas (at) gmail.com


Item: 131231-03EN Date: 31 December 2013


Copyright 2013 News Network Anthroposophy Limited. All rights reserved.



Share this article
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Bu E-posta mesaji gizlidir. Ayrica hukuken de gizli olabilir.Mesajin gönderilmek istendigi kisi siz degilseniz hiçbir kismini kopyalayamaz, baskasina gönderemez, baskasina açiklayamaz veya kullanamazsiniz. Eger bu mesaj size yanlislikla ulasmissa, lütfen mesaji ve tüm kopyalarini sisteminizden silin ve gönderen kisiyi E-posta yolu ile bilgilendirin. Internet iletisiminde zamaninda, güvenli, hatasiz ya da virüssüz gönderim garanti edilemez. Gönderen taraf hata veya unutmalardan sorumluluk kabul etmez.
*********************************************************************************************************************************************
This E-mail is confidential. It may also be legally privileged. If you are not the addressee you may not copy, forward, disclose or use any part of it. If you have received this message in error, please delete it and all copies from your system and notify the sender immediately by return E-mail. Internet communications cannot be guaranteed to be timely, secure, error or virus-free. The sender does not accept liability for any errors or omissions.
***********************************************************************************************************************************************

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