Media coverage continues around Silicon Valley school
Matt Richtel's piece on Silicon Valley parents sending their kids to a technology-deferred Waldorf school continues to reverberate. Our News page ("beta"--just being previewed) links to that article and a number since, at myFoxNY, the Montreal Gazette, and the Colorado Springs Independent. And the San Francisco CBS station followed some weeks ago with a very thoughtful video report.
Then NBC Nightly News aired a national report on this irresistible topic: high-powered techie parents who think a "low-tech" Waldorf education will prepare their children better for life. A further web-only feature may follow automatically, or click here. ADDITION: CBS Morning News has also covered the story nationally now; click here. Closing thought: the school of the future may be the school of the past.
Two recurrent negative themes: this approach is "old fashioned" (one student observes that it's actually the education of the future); and it costs a lot (the CBS piece points out that assistance is available). But all in all, a continuing surprised and friendly look at Steiner education. Hats off to the Waldorf School of the Peninsula, teachers, parents, students, for their open, sincere, and convincing representation of their values.
On November 14th Cornelius Pietzner, long-time Camphill leader in North America and for a decade treasurer at the Goetheanum, launched Alterra Impact Finance GmbH. As described on its website, Alterra is 'a Swiss-based investment manager for a Luxembourg SICAV-SIF social impact investment fund. It focuses investments on the basic necessities for a human being—health, housing and food, in addition to responsible consumer goods which are supportive of the environment.' Alterra hosted its Fund Launch at its office on Bleicherweg, Zurich with guest keynote speaker Jacob von Uexkull, Founder of the Right Livelihood Award ( known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize”) and the World Future Council. There was also a project presentation featuring Vita Terra (Switzerland) and Beni Ghreb, active in bio-dynamic agriculture in southwest Tunisia.
A new book by Nicanor Perlas, "alternative Nobel Prize" winner, Philippine presidential candidate, biodynamic farmer and a leading exponent of social ideas globally, is receiving much attention in the Philippine media. Subtitled "Sow Courage, Reap a New World," it describes the MISSION movement founded in the Philippines in 2010.
"It illlustrates how personal mastery can empower individuals to act from their highest potential and creativity when helping to rebuild societies. Bestselling author Neale Donald Walsch, in his latest book, Storm Before The Calm cited Perlas and MISSION as doing cutting edge societal threefolding work that is essential to the 'creation of humanity’s New Cultural Story.' With this citation, MISSION is introduced worldwide to over a million people who are expected to read Walsch's book."
The book's website is here.
Brian Gray, program director of the "Foundations in Anthroposophy" program at Rudolf Steiner College, talks about the "foundation year" concept, how it's evolving at RSC, Rudolf Steiner's basic books, and five key attributes of anthroposophy. Click here for the full text. An excerpt of this interview was published in the fall being human.
The AWSNA Great Lakes Regional Conference
February 23 2012 to February 25 2012Location: St. Paul, MN
Straight From The Heart(Land): Building Regenerative Communities, at the Minnesota Waldorf School [more]
Awakening to the Festivals, Elemental Beings, & Healing Substances
February 19 2012 02:00 PM to 04:00 PMLocation: Pasadena, CA
Dr. Basil Williams at the Los Angeles Branch of the Anthroposophical Society [more]
A New Inspiration for Education
February 19 2012 12:00 PM to February 22 2012 05:30 PMLocation: Fair Oaks, CA
Western Waldorf Educators' Conference at Rudolf Steiner College [more]
A Spiritual View of Autism
February 18 2012 02:00 PM to 03:30 PMLocation: Pasadena, CA
Dr. Basil Williams at the Los Angeles Branch of the Anthroposophical Society [more]
Independent Waldorf Schools and the Global Crisis of Today
February 17 2012 to February 19 2012Location: Harlemville, NY
Think OutWord’s Annual February Conference [more]
Youth section members have created Occupy The Future, a site for participation and information related to the "Occupy Wall Street" and sympathetic demonstrations around the world. Participants in the fall conference have visited the large and peaceful two-block encampment in Portland, Oregon. One recently retired couple traveling the country joined the campers.
The Rudolf Steiner School in NYC has 
posted a great video "Fall Fair 2011: Winter Awake."
- Paul Dolan & friend
For almost a year wonderful events have been taking place across the country and the world for Rudolf Steiner's 150th birthday year. Probably the largest event was convened by RSF Social Finance, "Celebrating Rudolf Steiner" at the Golden Gate Club in San Francisco, with 550 people attending across a day of notable speakers and a sort of Steiner Fair. (Here's a recap.)
Now four of the talks are available online from the Reimagine Money blog:
- What’s So Special About Biodynamics? with Paul Dolan, Paul Dolan Vineyards
- Steiner’s Influence Today with Robert McDermott, California Institute of Integral Studies
- Threefold Principles with Jeffrey Westman, Social Entrepreneur, John Bloom & Mark Finser, RSF Social Finance
- Transforming the Way the World Works With Money with Don Shaffer, Jeffrey Westman, Michael Davis, and Scott Leonard of Indigenous Designs
You'll miss the fog, the baloons, the great company -- but do tune in!