“The soul needs nourishment as well as the body.” – Rudolf Steiner
The Casuarina school is founded on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner (1861 – 1925) and his picture of human growth and development.
From childhood onwards, Rudolf Steiner knew both spiritual and natural worlds. His search to integrate these led him to recognise the significance of thinking for spiritual as well as natural scientific research. Steiner was a philosopher, artist and scientist whose visions and depth of understanding continue to have a great impact in many practical fields in areas such as education, medicine, agriculture, architecture and the therapeutic arts.
Rudolf Steiner’s educational philosophy must be set within the context of his main endeavour – to address the latent possibilities in human beings of advancing beyond the present-day accepted limits of cognition to an awakening, by self-discipline and exercise, to a knowledge of the spiritual worlds underlying outer existence – higher worlds. His method of work called upon each individual human being to face and outgrow him/herself – so as to be the active initiator of the future rather than someone who drifts upon the tides of world events.
World events make these very challenging times. Children enter our world with such trust and of course childhood is the shaping of the instrument for the life of the adult. For adults to develop the strengths they need to live in a way that builds up hope rather than distrust, Dr. Steiner believed they needed as children to experience a form of education which addressed the full measure of a human being in will, feeling and thought – body, soul and spirit. Through a curriculum and methodology based on his understanding of the stages of child development, he believed that educators could help greatly in the journey of discovery and self-discovery which leads to conscious and responsible adulthood.
Rudolf Steiner delivered a method that helps the child develop faculties which unfold at specific times of life. For example, during kindergarten years it is active play engaging the limbs which is paramount. At primary school level, children learn through the imagination as feelings manifest. Here there is a need for rhythm which is expressed in music, poetry, the rhythm of the day and so on. Steiner education is designed to be a health-giving education, nurturing and balancing the human faculties of thinking, feeling and will.
The prime purpose of Steiner Education is to support and educate children such that their own innate and unique human qualities may come to greater fulfilment. The Steiner educator recognises the different needs associated with each period of the child’s development, and the curriculum is arranged accordingly.