Faculty Meetings with Rudolf Steiner
GA 300c
18 December 1923, Stuttgart
Sixty-First Meeting
Dr. Steiner: We should talk about everything that has happened during this long period.
They discuss a letter to the Ministry of Education about the students who will take the final examination.
Dr. Steiner: Why was it necessary to add that it lies in the nature of block instruction that some subjects have not been taught? In such official things, the smartest thing to do is not to get people upset by telling them things they don’t want to hear. What still needs to be done in literature?
You need to proceed efficiently. Some of the things you want to teach should be taught, but for the examination you do not need to teach the students anything about Goethe as a natural scientist, nor will they be asked questions about his letters on aesthetic education. His poetry will cause them some pain because it is not so easy. Hauptmann’s Hannele is better than Die Weber. They don’t have any idea about Goethe as a natural scientist. For such examinations it would be a mistake to feel you need to set up such a curriculum. Those things are not expected even for someone who is working toward a doctorate. They cannot be done in two years in school. Look here, here we have Faust, Part I.
I would like to know how you could do all that in school. Do you think you will find some themes for German in them? You need to cover what will come up in written examinations.
If you go to the ministry too often, they will think you have a bad conscience, and will get the feeling that things are not going right here. You should not go into such things so much, but only answer when the ministry writes. We will see how things go, we can always withdraw.
In the last part of school, you need to be sure that the students write and answer as much as possible themselves. They need to be much more active individually. If a student does not already know something, you should not be so quick to help. They need to develop their will and find the answers themselves. This is much better than it was before, when the students had to do nothing more than listen. I need to go through all the classes again and will do so at the next opportunity.
They present a letter inviting the Waldorf School to present some student work in Berlin.
Dr. Steiner: It would be good if we had more exact information. You need to find out what he wants. Exhibits of student work have a real purpose only when a course is being undertaken, that is, when the entire context and content of the Waldorf School are presented. But just displaying work? As long as people do not know exactly what the goals of the Waldorf School are, those who look at the work will not know what we expect of the students. It is the same as if we said we want to present only the pictures from an illustrated book of children’s tales. People will not understand anything. The people in Berlin need to say whether they will support the Waldorf School.
They discuss C.H. in the eleventh grade.
Dr. Steiner: His relationship to the class needs to come from his character. You should have him draw what is on the object, not the object itself. How light affects the object. The illuminated side and the shadow side. Not the table, but the light upon the table and the table’s shadow. He lacks a sense of perspective in painting. It is a clear defect, and it is good to work on his deficiencies. Let him try to draw a human face, but he should not draw a nose, only the light upon it and the shadows from it. You need to try to speak with him about things. He is disturbed. You need to make him imagine things sculpturally. He will be better in arithmetic than geometry, so you will need to make sure he understands geometry and isn’t just doing it from memory.
Cliques in the eleventh grade are discussed.
Dr. Steiner: Give them “Outsiders and Sociable People” as an essay topic, so that they have to think things through.
A teacher asks about eleventh-grade English. They have read Macaulay’s Warren Hastings.
Dr. Steiner: You could also read some English poetry, for example “The Sea School.” In addition, you could give them some characteristic prose, for example a chapter by Emerson such as the ones about Shakespeare and Goethe. Have them read that and then try to show the abrupt changes in the style of his thoughts. Discuss aphoristic and nonaphoristic styles and things in between, and show the relationships of those styles, how they arise. You should discuss that with the students and bring in a little psychology also. Emerson’s method of writing was to take all the books out of his library and spread them in front of himself. He then went around, walked around the room, read a sentence here or there, and wrote it down. He did the same thing again and then wrote down another sentence, independent of the first, and so forth. He found his inspiration in the library, and you can see the resulting jumps in his writing. Nietzsche wrote about the things he read by Emerson, for instance about Nature. In his own copy, Nietzsche circled certain things and then numbered them. Anyway, read poetry and Emerson.
A teacher: What should we read in tenth-grade French? Could we read Poincaré? A number of students want to leave.
Dr. Steiner: That is still a dangerous, a strange thing. In principle, you could do that, but not with Poincaré because there is so much untruth in it.
For those who want to leave, perhaps you should choose something that appears to be foreign to life, but actually leads to it. Something like Bulwer-Lytton’s Vril. That could be read in the tenth grade.
There is a collection of French essays by Hachette that contain essays by the other Poincaré, the mathematician. There is also a second part about technical thinking. That is something that might be useful.
For twelfth-grade English, you might also consider MacKenzie’s Humanism. We cannot go along with dropping French as they are doing in public schools.
A eurythmy teacher asks about difficulties with the upper grades. Some of the students want a different teacher.
Dr. Steiner: You need to treat that with some humor. Appear to agree and then develop it ad absurdum. There are always some students who want a different teacher. You need to be firm in your position and take it with some humor. You could perhaps ask, “What do you have against me? I am really a very nice lady; there is no reason for you to hate me.” Sometimes, you can quiet things in a couple of minutes that way.
A teacher asks about P.Z. in gymnastics class.
Dr. Steiner: He does not align the main direction of his body with gravity. You should try having him do exercises on the high bar so that he hangs. I mean that literally. Such an exercise would free his astral body. Sometimes you have children who look as though their astral body is too large, so that it is like a loose-fitting cloak around their I. Through such exercises, the astral body will become more firmly connected with the I. They feel good when their feet are off the floor, for instance, when they climb a ladder and sit there quietly. With such children, you will usually notice that they have something like oily or fatty skin when they hang their astral body. It will be like that in some way. Or, they may have wrinkled and loose skin.
Perhaps you can arrange gymnastics class so that groups of children do what is necessary according to their temperaments.
A teacher asks about the dramatic presentations done by the children at Miss MacMillan’s school.
Dr. Steiner: They do many things there that are not appropriate for the age of the children. It is impossible to put on dramas with children younger than ten, though afterward that goes quite well. It is not the method, but Miss MacMillan’s strength and spontaneity, that is effective. The method is strongly affected by the English tendency to do things too soon. That arises from the unusual relationship English people have to their experience of themselves as human beings. They want to be seen as human beings, and that is something taught them through such things. Such people have a strongly developed astral body, which limits their I to a certain level. That is not the case in other European countries. Spiritually, Englishmen look like human beings who go around not fully clothed, who do not have a collar. That is how their I lives within them and how they are in their surroundings. They have a certain human sociality in their character that makes up their national character. They like dramatic presentations of the human being, also Bernard Shaw. They want to do something that has validity, something others will recognize.
A teacher: S.T. in the ninth grade is very clumsy in his written expression. Should I have him do some extra work in writing essays?
Dr. Steiner: You should work with his handwriting, very basically, through exercises. As an extra task, you could have him write a quarter page while paying attention to how each letter is formed. If he would do that, if he would pay attention to forming each letter, it would affect his entire character.
Aside from that, his lines of vision converge at the wrong place. His eyes do not properly fix upon the object. We should correct that. Remind him often so that his eyes look in parallel. You can also have him read as though he were shortsighted, although he is not. His eyes droop just like he droops when he walks. He does not walk properly, he drags his feet. Have you ever noticed, for example, that when he is at the playground and wants to run from one place to another, he never does it in a straight line, but always in some kind of zigzag. You should also look at how his hair always falls across his forehead. He also has no sense of rhythm. If he has to read something rhythmic in class, he gets out of breath. In gymnastics, you could have him move firmly, stamp his steps along.
Karmically, it is as though he has two different incarnations mixed together. In his previous incarnation, his life was cut off forcefully. Now, he is living through the second part of that incarnation and the first part of the present incarnation at the same time. Nothing fits. He has already read Kant. He cannot do things any other child can do, but he asks very unusual questions that show he has a very highly developed soul life. Once, he asked me if it is true that the distance between the Sun and the Earth is continually decreasing. He asked whether the Sun was coming closer to us. He asked such questions without any real reason.
You need to show him other perspectives, and have him do odd things in a disciplined way, for instance, some mathematical things that pique his curiosity, that are not immediately clear to him. You could, for example, have him make knots with a closed loop. Oskar Simony discusses that in his paper on forming knots with closed loops.
Since this was unknown to most of the teachers, Dr. Steiner showed how a strip of paper pasted together to form a closed loop crossed itself in the middle when twisted one, two, or three times. One twist resulted in a large ring; two twists resulted in two rings, one within the other. With three twists, the result was a ring knotted in itself. While doing this Dr. Steiner discussed Oskar Simony in detail.
Dr. Steiner: Simony counted the prime numbers. He once said that in order to bear occult events, you need a great deal of humor. That is certainly true.
Simony was like S.T. He drags himself around, has little sense of rhythm and needs to learn to observe what he does. Everything he does that causes him to think about what he has done is good. St.B. should do eurythmy exercises in which he has to pay attention to forming the letters with his arms toward the rear. He should pay attention to doing the exercise without it becoming a habit. He cannot integrate his etheric body into the periphery of the astral body.
We cannot consider K.F. a Latin student. Perhaps it is quite good for him to sit there like a deserted island. Sitting there in isolation may not be bad at all. I just now am clear that it is good if he is isolated.
A report is given about L.K. in the first grade. She does not like fairy tales or poetry.
Dr. Steiner: She should make the letter i with her whole body, u with her ears and forefinger, and e with her hair, so that she does all three exercises with some sensitivity. She needs to awaken the sensitivity of her body, so she should do that for a longer period of time.
A teacher: S.J. in the seventh grade is doing better writing with her left hand than with her right.
Dr. Steiner: You should remind her that she should write only with her right hand. You could try having her lift her left leg so that she hops around on her right leg, that is, have her jump around on her right leg with her left leg drawn up close to her. She is ambidextrous.
If there are children who are clearly left-handed, you will need to decide. That is something you can observe. You need to look at the left hand. With real left-handed children the hands appear as though exchanged; the left hand looks like the right hand in that it has more lines than the right hand.
This could also be done through the eyes. You could have children who are really left-handed raise the right hand and look at it with both eyes. Observe how their eyes cross as they move their gaze up their arm until they reach the right hand and then move their gaze back. Then have them stretch their arm. Do that three times.
Einundsechzigste Konferenz
Seit der Konferenz im Oktober waren neun Wochen vergangen. Nur im ersten Schuljahr gab es einmal ein längeres Intervall zwischen zwei Konferenzen (12 Wochen). Jetzt, im Dezember 1923, stand alles im Zeichen der bevorstehenden Gründung der Allgemeinen Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft. Am 18. Dezember fand eine Besprechung mit den Vorständen der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft und der Freien Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft statt. Die Konferenz konnte daher erst um 9 Uhr abends beginnen.
Themen: Die Abiturvorbereitungen. Pädagogische Ratschläge für bestimmte Schüler. Empfehlung, in der 10. Klasse«Vril» von Bulwer zu lesen.
Bemerkungen: Der Schüler, den Rudolf Steiner angemeldet hatte, besaß eine komplizierte Konstitution; die pädagogischen Empfehlungen dazu haben aber allgemeingültigen Charakter.
Ein schon besprochenes Mädchen aus der 1. Klasse bekam bestimmte Eurythmieübungen. Diese bezogen sich nicht auf das Nicht-hören-Wollen von Märchen, sondern auf die besondere Eigenart des Mädchens.
Vorsitz! Rudolf Steiner.
RUDOLF STEINER: Wir wollen reden über alles das, was Sie zu sagen haben in der langen Zeit.
HERBERT HAHN: Reden wir über die 12. Klasse.
Er legt die Zuschrift an das Ministerium betreffend die Abiturienten vor.
RUDOLF STEINER: Das Ministerium hat sich noch nicht das zweite Mal geäußert. Warum war das notwendig, hinzuzusetzen, dass es im Wesen des Epochenunterrichts liegt, dass noch Gegenstände durchgenommen werden? Bei den großen offiziellen Sachen ist es das Gescheiteste, die Leute nicht zu verärgern durch Dinge, die sie nicht mögen.
ERICH SCHWEBSCH erklärt: [Das warf, weil geschrieben wurde, dass nicht genügend Stoff da ist.
RUDOLF STEINER: Das hätte man mit der Deklaration der Schüler vorausnehmen können. Das würde ja bei jedem zutreffen, dass er in den nächsten Monaten noch etwas dazulernen wird. Es hat sich fast um sechs Monate gehandelt. Wenn es sich handelt um Inhalte. Bei diesen Eingaben war zu berücksichtigen die Reife vor allen Dingen, dass sie den Stoff noch etwas lernen werden, das ist selbstverständlich. Es muss das berücksichtigt werden.
MAMA RÖSCHL: Ich habe das hinzugeschrieben, weil ich das decken wollte, falls die Schüler versagen.
RUDOLF STEINER: Es könnte sich nur beziehen auf den Glauben von Ihnen, dass sie dann. versagen werden, wenn Sie schon bestimmte Dinge durchgenommen haben werden.
WALTER JOHANNES STEIN berichtet, Geschichte hätte er durchgenommen bis zur Meer-Revolution.
RUDOLF STEINER: Die Hauptschwierigkeit liegt darin, dass die meisten Kinder den Unterricht über Goethe nicht durchgemacht haben.
Man hätte eigentlich das der Schulbehörde geben sollen, was die Schüler aufgeschrieben haben, als ihre frühere Lektüre. Dann hätte man bei jedem hinzusetzen können das, was Sie hier gemeinsam hinzugelesen haben. So sind Sie in die üble Lage versetzt, dass so eine Menge Dinge darinsteht, die eine Menge von Kindern nicht kennt. Die Anmeldung von Privatschülern geschieht für jeden extra.
ERICH SCHWEBSCH: Die Schüler sind wirklich fleißig und helfen einander.
RUDOLF STEINER: Was würde in der Literatur noch durchzunehmen sein?
WALTER JOHANNES STEIN: Shakespeare, Lessings Eintreten für Deutschland. Goethes geistige Entwicklung (von Schwebsch durch
genommen). Pädagogische Provinz wollte ich auch durchnehmen. Götz von Berlichingen, das können die Kinder. Iphigenie hat Schwebsch durchgenommen. Lasso kennen die meisten, aber nicht alle. Goethe als Naturforscher wollte ich noch besprechen.
RUDOLF STEINER: Man müsste ökonomisch vorgehen. Unter den Dingen, die Sie durchnehmen wollen, sind Dinge, die man schon durchnehmen sollte. Aber zum Examen braucht man nicht Goethe als Naturforscher. Zum Examen ist es nicht notwendig. Briefe über ästhetische Erziehung werden sie nicht gefragt. Lyrik wird besonders Schmerzen machen, denn das ist nicht so leicht. Von Hauptmann ist «Hannele» besser als «Die Weber». Von Goethe als Naturforscher haben die keine Ahnung. Bei solchen Prüfungen ist es eine missliche Sache, dass man sich genötigt sieht, solch ein Programm auszustellen. Wenn jemand das Doktorat machen wollte, würde man auch nicht mehr verlangen. Wenn diese Dinge schulmäßig durchgemacht werden sollen, ist es in zwei Jahren nicht zu machen. Denken Sie hier, da ist «Faust» 1. Teil.
Ich möchte überhaupt wissen, wie kann man das alles in der Schule durchnehmen. Meinen Sie, dass man Themen für Deutsch-Arbeiten daraus geben wird? Die Dinge, die beim schriftlichen Examen vorkommen, die muss man bezwingen.
HERMANN VON BARAVALLE: Ich habe vier Wochen gegeben. [Ich] glaube, fertig zu werden.
RUDOLF STEINER: Meinen Sie, dass es notwendig ist, drei Wochen Wiederholung zu machen?
HERMANN VON BARAVALLE: Ich meine schon.
RUDOLF STEINER: Dann ist doch das Beste, dass Sie mit der Wiederholung des Rechnens fertig sind gerade vor dem Abiturientenexamen. Wie steht es mit den Aussichten bei den Kindern nach Ihrer Ansicht?
WALTER JOHANNES STEIN: Ich glaube, dass sie bestehen werden.
ERICH SCHWEBSCH: R. M, ist genügend, N. mangelhaft.
Es wird über einzelne Schüler und einzelne Fächer berichtet.
RUDOLF STEINER: Wenn man oft hinkommt aufs Ministerium, wer-den die denken, man hat ein schlechtes Gewissen und ist der Meinung, dass es nicht mit rechten Dingen zugeht. Man sollte sich jetzt nicht um die Sache besonders kümmern, sondern nur, wenn die Behörde schreibt und man antworten muss. Man wird sehen, wie die Dinge werden. Abmelden kann man zu jeder Zeit.
In der allerletzten Zeit, da würde es notwendig sein, dass man sich darauf verlegt, dass die Schüler genötigt sind, viel aus sich selbst heraus zu formulieren und zu beantworten. Dass sie selbst viel tätiger sind. Und auch nicht so leicht, wenn ein Schüler nicht irgendetwas gleich weiß, nicht so leicht ihm nachhelfen. Er braucht diesen Willen, diese Sachen aus sich herauszuholen. Dies ist wesentlich besser geworden, [als es] früher war, da die Schüler nichts zu tun hatten, als zuzuhören. Ich muss alle Klassen wieder durchgehen. Bei der nächsten Gelegenheit muss es sein.
Es wird ein Brief [von Wetzel] vorgelegt, in dem die Waldorfschule eingeladen wird, Schülerarbeiten in Berlin auszustellen.
RUDOLF STEINER: Es wäre gut, wenn man den Mann zu einer näheren Äußerung zwänge. Man misste ihn veranlassen zu sagen, was er damit will. Ausstellung der Schülerarbeiten hat nur einen Zweck bei solchen Gelegenheiten, wo Kurse veranstaltet werden, wo der ganze Rahmen, der ganze Inhalt und Aufbau der Waldorfschule entwickelt wird. Aber Arbeiten [allein] ausstellen? [Dann] werden die Leute, die das anschauen sollen, nicht wissen, was man will von ihnen, solange sie die Bestrebungen der Waldorfschule nicht genau kennen. Es ist so, wie wenn man von einem illustrierten Kindermärchenbuch sagt, wir wollen bloß die Bilder vorlegen. Man wird nichts davon verstehen. Die Herren müssen sieh äußern, ob sie geneigt sind, die Waldorfschule zu vertreten.
ERICH SCHWEBSCH: sagt von W in der 11. Klasse, dass er Hilfe haben will.
RUDOLF STEINER: Das Verhältnis zur Klasse müsste sich aus seinem Charakter ergeben. Man müsste ihn malen lassen das, was auf dem Gegenstand darauf ist, nicht die Gegenstände selber; [wie das Licht auf dem Gegenstand wirkt], die beleuchtete Seite, die Schattenseite. Nicht den Tisch, aber das Licht auf dem Tisch, den Schatten auf dem Tisch. [Ihm fehlt der Anschauungssinn in der Malerei.] Er ist ausgesprochen defekt. Es ist gut, ihn an der defekten Stelle anzupacken. Lassen Sie ihn versuchen, ein menschliches Gesicht zu machen; [er soll aber] keine Nase zeichnen, nur die Licht- und Schattenflecke darauf. Man muss versuchen, mit ihm über die Dinge zu reden. Er ist psychopathisch. Er müsste angehalten werden zum plastischen Vorstellen. Er wird in der Arithmetik besser sein als in der Geometrie. Er muss angehalten werden, auch Geometrisches zu durchschauen, nicht gedächtnismäßig zu betreiben.
ERICH SCHWEBSCH hat in der 11. Klasse gute Erfahrungen gemacht.
Es wird gesprochen über Cliquenbildung in der 11. Klasse.
RUDOLF STEINER: Geben Sie das Aufsatzthema: «Sonderling und geselliger Mensch», wo sie genötigt sind, das richtig durchzudenken.
HERMANN VOM BARAVALLE fragt wegen des englischen Unterrichts in der 11. Klasse. Es ist «Warren Hastings» von Macaulay gelesen worden.
RUDOLF STEINER: Neben der Prosa wäre englische Lyrik [mit ihnen] zu lesen, zum Beispiel die Seeschule. Dann Kapitel aus Emerson, mit seinem sprunghaften, aphoristischen Stil, etwa die über Shakespeare und Goethe. Man müsste versuchen, auf Aphoristisches und Nichtaphoristisches hinzuweisen, Dies müsste man besprechen und dabei etwas Psychologie treiben. [Emersons] Art zu schreiben bestand darin, dass er eine ganze Bibliothek genommen und [die Bücher] um sich ausgebreitet hat. Er ging spazieren im Zimmer, las da und dort einen Satz, schrieb einen Satz und ging dann wieder umher. Er ließ sich anregen von der Bibliothek. Daran wird man die Sprünge bemerken. [Nietzsche hat über seine Emerson-Lektüre geschrieben, über «On nature» von Emerson.] Nietzsche hat das in seinem [Hand] exemplar so gemacht, dass er gewisse Dinge eingerahmt hat. Dann hat er [das] nummeriert. — Also Lyrik und Emerson.
ROBERT KILLIAN: [Was soll man als] Lektüre [nehmen] im Französischen in der 10. Klasse? [Kann man] Poincaré [lesen]? [Es wollen viele Schülerinnen abgehen.]
RUDOLF STEINER: Es bleibt doch eine gefährliche, merkwürdige Sache. Im Prinzip kann man schon so etwas machen, aber mit Poincaré nicht, weil so viel Verlogenheit darin ist.
Dagegen für die, welche austreten, ob es nicht etwas sein müsste, das scheinbar von der Lebenspraxis abweicht, und doch wieder hinführt. Das wäre «Vril» von Bulwer. [Das kann in der 10. Klasse gelesen werden.]
Es gibt eine Sammlung von französischen Essays bei Hachette, und darin sind Aufsätze vom anderen Poincare, dem Mathematiker. Darin ist irrt' zweiten Teil auch einer über technisches Denken. Das ware etwas, was man gut brauchen kann.
Im Englischen kommt für die 12. Klasse etwa von Mackenzie «Humanism» in Betracht.
Wir können nicht mitgehen mit der Abschaffung des Französischen [in den öffentlichen Schulen.]
EDITH RÖHRLE wegen der Schwierigkeiten in der a Klasse. Einige Schüler möchten eine andere Lehrerin haben.
RUDOLF STE1NER: Man muss das mit Humor behandeln. Scheinbar darauf eingehen und dann ad absurdum führen. Es sind immer Schüler da, die möchten die Lehrer tauschen. Man muss auf seinem Standpunkt fest beharren und es mit Humor nehmen. Einmal könnte man sagen: Was habt ihr gegen mich? Ich bin [doch] eine ganz nette Dame. Es ist kein Grund, dass ihr mich hasst. — Da können Sie manchmal in ein paar Minuten viel mildern.
FRITZ VON BOTHMER fragt wegen P. Z. im Turnunterricht.
RUDOLF STE1NER: Er bringt die Hauptkörperrichtung nicht in die Lage der Schwerkraft. Man versuche, ihn Hängeübungen machen zu lassen, wobei er im Reck angehängt ist. Das ist wörtlich gemeint. Durch solch eine Übung wird befreiend auf den Astralleib gewirkt. Sie bekommen solche, die schauen so aus, als ob der Astralleib zu groß wäre, wie ein schlotternder Kittel uni sie herum. Durch diese Übungen wird der Astralleib strammer mit dem Ich verbunden. Das fühlen die als eine Wohltat, wenn sie die Füße vom Boden entfernen; etwa auf eine Leiter klettern und ruhig oben sitzen bleiben. Bei solchen Kindern werden Sie auch meist bemerken, dass sie durch dieses Hängen des astralischen Leibes etwas haben wie eine schmierig-e, fettige Haut. In irgendeiner Weise wird es schon so sein. Auch runzelige Haut könnte es sein. [...] [Zwischenbemerkung.]
Es wäre möglich, eine Stunde so zu gestalten im Turnen, dass man die Kinder so gruppiert, dass sie das machen, wozu ihr Temperament sie treibt.
CAROLINE VON HEYDEBRAND fragt nach den dramatischen Kinderaufführungen bei Margaret McMilian.
RUDOLF STEINER: Sie machen die Dinge dort, die gar nicht angemessen [sind] dem Lebensalter. Das Dramatisieren ist unmöglich vor dem zehnten Jahr mit den Kindern zu machen. Nachher ist es ganz gut. Ihre Methode, die Kraft und Impulsivität [von Miss McMillan], ist es, die wirkt. Die Methode hat sehr viel von dem, was die Engländer haben; sie machen alles zu früh. Das wird hervorgerufen durch die eigentümliche Beziehung, die der Engländer hat zu dem Sich-Darlehen als Mensch. Er will als Mensch gelten. Das wird durch solche Dinge großgezogen. Solche Menschen bekommen eine starke Ausbildung des astralischen Leibes, der das Ich auf ein gewisses Niveau hinunterbringt, das in der übrigen europäischen Welt nicht vorhanden ist. Der Engländer sieht [geistig] so aus wie ein Mensch, der immer ausgeschnitten geht, der nie Hemdkragen trägt. Das Ich steckt so darinnen. So sind sie in ihrem Habitus. Dadurch bekommen sie den Charakter einer gewissen sozialmenschlichen Wohlhaben heit, der ihr Nationalcharakter ist. Dramatische Selbstdarstellung des Menschen, auch Bernhard Shaw. Sie machen etwas aus sich, was gelten will, [und was die anderen erkennen].
ERNST LEHRS spricht über A. V [in der 9. Klasse], er sei unbeholfen im Aussdruck.
RUDOLF STEINER: Man müsste seine Schrift üben, elementar. Wenn er anfangen würde, als Nebenaufgabe täglich nur eine Viertelseite so zu schreiben, dass er auf jeden einzelnen Buchstaben formend achtgibt, wenn er also dies machen würde, einzelne Buchstaben zu schreiben, dann würde das zurückwirken auf seinen ganzen Charakter.
Außerdem ist seine Augenachsenkreuzung nicht richtig. Öfter ihn darauf aufmerksam flachen, dass seine Augen parallel schauen. Wie einen Kurzsichtigen ihn lesen lassen. Die Augenachsen schlendern, ebenso auch sein Gang. [Er hat keinen Sinn für Rhythmus.] Man könnte ihn veranlassen, fest aufzutreten, er schleift [beim Gehen]. Man kann ihn Stampfschritte machen lassen. Er kommt mir vor wie ein Mensch, der eigentlich von einer Inkarnation den ersten Teil des Lebens und von der nächsten Inkarnation gleich den zweiten Teil dazugesetzt hat. Es passt nichts zusammen. Er hat schon Kant gelesen. Er kann Dinge nicht, die ein anderes Kind kann. Aber er stellt Fragen, die höchst merkwürdig sind, die zeigen, dass er ein höchst entwickeltes Seelenleben hat. Er fragt: Kommt nicht die Sonne auf uns auch zu? Solche Fragen stellt er aus wenig Untergründen [heraus]. Man müsste absonderliche Dinge diszipliniert mit ihm machen. Zum Beispiel, Knoten in ein geschlossenes Band schlingen. Stark seine Neugier entwickeln, ohne dass es ihm gleich durchsichtig wird. Alle Dinge, die ihn dazu führen, über sie nachzudenken.
RUDOLF STEINER spricht über Oskar Simonys Abhandlung: «In ein ringförmig geschlossenes Band einen Knoten zu schlingen»: Weil es den meisten der Lehrer unbekannt ist, macht Rudolf Steiner vor, wie man ringförmig zusammengeklebte Papierstreifen, die ein-, zwei-oder dreimal in sich verwunden sind, der Länge nach in der Mitte durchschneidet. Bei einmal verwundenen Streifen ergibt das einen großen Ring; bei zweimaliger Verwindung zwei ineinanderhängende Ringe; bei dreimaliger wieder nur einen Ring, der aber in sich verknotet ist. Dabei erzählt Rudolf Steiner ausführlich von Oskar Simony. Von dem, was er dabei sagt, ist fast nichts aufgezeichnet worden.
RUDOLF STEINER: [Simony] hat die Primzahlen gezählt. Der hat gesagt, uni okkulte Erscheinungen zu ertragen, brauche man viel Humor. [Simony] war wie A. V. Er hat in der Salesianergasse gewohnt. Er schlenkert, einen farbblinden Rhythmus.
J. S. sollte Eurythmieübungen machen, [bei denen] er sehr aufpassen muss: Die [Buchstaben mit den] Armen verschränkt nach rückwärts, wobei er achtgeben muss auf das Entstehen der Übungen, die sich lange erhalten, ohne in die Gewohnheit überzugehen. Er kann in seiner Körperperipherie den Astralleib nicht in den Ätherleib hineinbekommen.
Der G. B. kann nicht als Lateinschüler gelten. Vielleicht ist es ganz gut für ihn, wenn er sitzt wie eine verlassene Insel. Dieses Isoliertsitzen wird gar nicht schlecht sein. Mir ist unmittelbar klar geworden, dass es guttut, wenn er isoliert sitzt.
BETTINA MELUNGER über L. B. in der 1. Klasse: Märchenerzählen kann sie nicht leiden und auch nicht Gedichte.
RUDOLF STEINER: Die sollte mit dem ganzen Körper 1 machen, mit Ohren und Zeigefinger U, mit den Haaren E, sodass sie alle drei Übungen so hat, dass darin etwas von Sensibilität ist. Sensibilität des Körpers erwecken. Das müsste längere Zeit gemacht werden.
RUDOLF TREICHLER: Die P. S. in der 7. Klasse kommt mit der linken Hand beim Schreiben fast schneller vorwärts als mit der rechten.
RUDOLF STEINER: Man sollte sie aufmerksam machen, dass sie nur mit der rechten Hand schreiben darf. Sie könnten versuchen, sie das rechte, nein, das linke Bein in Hockstellung versetzen zu lassen, sodass sie mit dem rechten Bein springt. Also auf dem rechten Bein springen mit hochgezogenem linken Bein. [Sie] ist ein Doppelhänder.
Wenn ausgesprochene Linkshänder da sind, dann müsste man sich entscheiden. Findet man die Möglichkeit — das kann man beobachten: Bei [wirklichen] Linkshändern [erscheinen die Hände wie vertauscht], schaut die linke Hand wie [sonst] die rechte aus. [Die linke Hand hat dann mehr Linien als die rechte.]
Das könnte man vorn Auge aus bekämpfen. Man lässt sie ihren rechten Arm beobachten, dass die Augenachsenkreuzung [von der Schulter] bis zur rechten Hand hinunterwandert und wieder herauf. Dann den Arm ausstrecken. Das dreimal wiederholen.
JOHANNES GEYER fragt wegen H. und St.
RUDOLF STEINER: Sie sollen noch. in. der Hilfsklasse bleiben.
[...] [Über Bauangelegenheiten.]
Sixty-first Conference
Nine weeks had passed since the conference in October. Only in the first school year had there been a longer interval between two conferences (12 weeks). Now, in December 1923, everything was dominated by the imminent founding of the General Anthroposophical Society. On December 18, a meeting took place with the executive committees of the Anthroposophical Society and the Free Anthroposophical Society. The conference could therefore not begin until 9 p.m.
Topics: Preparations for the high school graduation exams. Educational advice for certain students. Recommendation to read Bulwer's “Vril” in 10th grade.
Comments: The student whom Rudolf Steiner had registered had a complicated constitution; however, the educational recommendations are of a general nature.
A girl from the 1st grade who had already been discussed was given specific eurythmy exercises. These did not relate to her unwillingness to listen to fairy tales, but to the girl's particular idiosyncrasy.
Chair: Rudolf Steiner.
RUDOLF STEINER: We want to talk about everything you have to say in the long term.
HERBERT HAHN: Let's talk about the 12th grade.
He presents the letter to the ministry concerning the high school graduates.
RUDOLF STEINER: The Ministry has not yet responded a second time. Why was it necessary to add that it is in the nature of epoch teaching that subjects are still being covered? When it comes to major official matters, it is wisest not to upset people with things they do not like.
ERICH SCHWEBSCH explains: [That was because it was written that there is not enough material.
RUDOLF STEINER: That could have been anticipated with the students' declaration. It would apply to everyone that they will learn something more in the coming months. It was almost six months. When it comes to content. With these submissions, maturity had to be taken into account above all, that they will still learn some of the material, that goes without saying. This must be taken into account.
MAMA RÖSCHL: I added that because I wanted to cover myself in case the students fail.
RUDOLF STEINER: It could only refer to your belief that they will fail if you have already covered certain things.
WALTER JOHANNES STEIN reports that he has covered history up to the Sea Revolution.
RUDOLF STEINER: The main difficulty is that most children have not covered Goethe in class.
The school authorities should have been given what the students had written down as their previous reading. Then you could have added what you have read together here to each of them. As it is, you are in the unfortunate position of having a lot of things in there that a lot of children don't know. Private students are registered separately for each one.
ERICH SCHWEBSCH: The students are really hard-working and help each other.
RUDOLF STEINER: What else would need to be covered in literature?
WALTER JOHANNES STEIN: Shakespeare, Lessing's advocacy for Germany. Goethe's intellectual development (taken by Schwebsch). I also wanted to cover educational provincialism. Götz von Berlichingen, the children can do that. Schwebsch covered Iphigenia. Most, but not all, are familiar with Lasso. I still wanted to discuss Goethe as a natural scientist.
I also wanted to cover educational provincialism. Götz von Berlichingen, the children can do that. Schwebsch covered Iphigenia. Most, but not all, are familiar with Lasso. I still wanted to discuss Goethe as a natural scientist.
RUDOLF STEINER: One would have to proceed economically. Among the things you want to cover are things that should already be covered. But Goethe as a natural scientist is not necessary for the exam. It is not necessary for the exam. They will not be asked about letters on aesthetic education. Poetry will be particularly painful, because it is not so easy. Von Hauptmann's “Hannele” is better than “Die Weber.” They have no idea about Goethe as a natural scientist. In exams like these, it is unfortunate that one feels compelled to set such a program. If someone wanted to do a doctorate, one would not ask for more. If these things are to be covered in school, it cannot be done in two years. Think about it, there is “Faust” Part 1.
I would like to know how it is possible to cover all of this in school. Do you think that topics for German assignments will be taken from it? The things that come up in the written exam have to be mastered.
HERMANN VON BARAVALLE: I have given four weeks. [I] believe it will be finished.
RUDOLF STEINER: Do you think it is necessary to spend three weeks on revision?
HERMANN VON BARAVALLE: I think so.
RUDOLF STEINER: Then it would be best to finish revising arithmetic just before the high school graduation exams. What do you think the prospects are for the children?
WALTER JOHANNES STEIN: I believe they will pass.
ERICH SCHWEBSCH: R. M is sufficient, N. is inadequate.
Reports are given on individual students and individual subjects.
RUDOLF STEINER: If you go to the ministry often, they will think you have a guilty conscience and believe that something is not right. You should not pay particular attention to the matter now, but only when the authorities write and you have to respond. We will see how things turn out. You can deregister at any time.
In the very last period, it would be necessary to focus on the fact that the students are required to formulate and answer a lot on their own. That they themselves are much more active. And also, if a student does not know something right away, do not help him so easily. He needs this will to bring these things out of himself. This has improved significantly [compared to] the past, when students had nothing to do but listen. I have to go through all the classes again. It must be done at the next opportunity.
A letter [from Wetzel] is presented in which the Waldorf School is invited to exhibit student work in Berlin.
RUDOLF STEINER: It would be good to press the man for a more detailed statement. He should be asked to say what he wants to achieve with this. Exhibiting pupils' work has only one purpose on such occasions, where courses are held, where the whole framework, the whole content and structure of the Waldorf school is developed. But exhibiting work [alone]? [Then] the people who are supposed to look at them will not know what is expected of them as long as they do not know exactly what the Waldorf school is striving for. It is like saying of an illustrated children's fairy tale book that we only want to show the pictures. No one will understand anything. You must say whether you are inclined to represent the Waldorf school.
ERICH SCHWEBSCH: says that W in the 11th grade wants help.
RUDOLF STEINER: His relationship with the class should be based on his character. He should be allowed to paint what is on the object, not the objects themselves; [how the light affects the object], the illuminated side, the shadow side. Not the table, but the light on the table, the shadow on the table. [He lacks a sense of observation in painting.] He is decidedly defective. It is good to tackle him at his defective point. Let him try to make a human face; [but he should] not draw a nose, only the spots of light and shadow on it. One must try to talk to him about things. He is psychopathic. He should be encouraged to think in three dimensions. He will be better at arithmetic than at geometry. He must be encouraged to understand geometry as well, not just to memorize it.
ERICH SCHWEBSCH had good experiences in 11th grade.
There is talk of cliques forming in 11th grade.
RUDOLF STEINER: Give them the essay topic: “The eccentric and the sociable person,” where they are forced to think things through properly.
HERMANN VOM BARAVALLE asks about English lessons in the 11th grade. Macaulay's “Warren Hastings” has been read.
RUDOLF STEINER: In addition to prose, English poetry should be read [with them], for example, The Sea School. Then chapters from Emerson, with his erratic, aphoristic style, such as those on Shakespeare and Goethe. One would have to try to point out the aphoristic and non-aphoristic, discuss this and do a little psychology. [Emerson's] way of writing consisted of taking an entire library and spreading [the books] out around him. He walked around the room, read a sentence here and there, wrote a sentence, and then walked around again. He let himself be inspired by the library. You will notice the jumps in his writing. [Nietzsche wrote about his reading of Emerson, about Emerson's “On Nature.”] Nietzsche did this in his [hand] copy by framing certain things. Then he numbered [them]. — So poetry and Emerson.
ROBERT KILLIAN: [What should one] read [in French in 10th grade? [Can one] read Poincaré? [Many students want to leave.]
RUDOLF STEINER: It remains a dangerous, strange thing. In principle, you can do something like that, but not with Poincaré, because there is so much dishonesty in it.
On the other hand, for those who are leaving, it should be something that appears to deviate from practical life, yet leads back to it. That would be “Vril” by Bulwer. [This can be read in 10th grade.]
There is a collection of French essays published by Hachette, which includes essays by the other Poincaré, the mathematician. The second part of this collection also contains one on technical thinking. That would be something that could be put to good use.
In English, Mackenzie's “Humanism” is a good choice for 12th grade.
We cannot go along with the abolition of French [in public schools].
EDITH RÖHRLE regarding the difficulties in class A. Some students would like to have a different teacher.
RUDOLF STEINER: You have to treat it with humor. Pretend to go along with it and then reduce it to absurdity. There are always students who want to change teachers. You have to stand firm on your point of view and take it with humor. You could say, “What do you have against me? I'm a very nice lady. There's no reason for you to hate me.” — Sometimes you can soften things up a lot in just a few minutes.
FRITZ VON BOTHMER asks about P. Z. in physical education class.
RUDOLF STEINER: He does not bring the main body direction into the position of gravity. Try to get him to do hanging exercises, hanging from the high bar. That is meant literally. Such an exercise has a liberating effect on the astral body. You get those who look as if their astral body is too big, like a baggy smock around them. These exercises connect the astral body more tightly to the ego. They feel this as a relief when they lift their feet off the ground, for example when climbing a ladder and sitting quietly at the top. With such children, you will also usually notice that this hanging of the astral body gives them something like greasy, oily skin. In some way, this will be the case. It could also be wrinkled skin. [...] [Interjection.]
It would be possible to organize a gym class in such a way that the children are grouped according to their temperament.
CAROLINE VON HEYDEBRAND asks about the dramatic children's performances at Margaret McMillan's.
RUDOLF STEINER: They do things there that are not at all appropriate for their age. It is impossible to do drama with children before the age of ten. After that, it's quite good. It is her method, the energy and impulsiveness [of Miss McMillan], that has an effect. The method has a lot in common with what the English have; they do everything too early. This is caused by the peculiar relationship that the English have to lending themselves as human beings. They want to be regarded as human beings. This is fostered by such things. Such people receive a strong training of the astral body, which brings the ego down to a certain level that does not exist in the rest of Europe. The English look [spiritually] like people who always wear cutaway coats and never wear shirt collars. The ego is stuck inside. That is their habitus. This gives them the character of a certain social and human prosperity, which is their national character. Dramatic self-expression of the human being, including Bernard Shaw. They make something of themselves that wants to be recognized [and that others recognize].
ERNST LEHRS talks about A. V [in the 9th grade], saying that he is awkward in his expression.
RUDOLF STEINER: He would have to practice his writing, basically. If he were to start writing just a quarter of a page every day as a side task, paying attention to the shape of each individual letter, if he were to do this, writing individual letters, then it would have an effect on his whole character.
In addition, his eye axes are not aligned correctly. Point out to him often that his eyes should look parallel. Let him read like a short-sighted person. His eye axes wander, as does his gait. [He has no sense of rhythm.] He could be encouraged to walk firmly, he drags his feet [when walking]. You can make him take stomping steps. He strikes me as a person who has actually added the first part of his life from one incarnation and the second part from the next incarnation. Nothing fits together. He has already read Kant. He cannot do things that other children can do. But he asks questions that are highly unusual, which show that he has a highly developed inner life. He asks: Doesn't the sun also come towards us? He asks such questions without much background. One would have to do unusual things with him in a disciplined manner. For example, tying knots in a closed ribbon. Strongly develop his curiosity without making it obvious to him. All things that lead him to think about them.
RUDOLF STEINER talks about Oskar Simony's treatise: “Tying a knot in a closed ring-shaped ribbon”: Because most teachers are unfamiliar with this, Rudolf Steiner demonstrates how to cut lengthwise down the middle of ring-shaped strips of paper that are twisted once, twice, or three times. With strips twisted once, this results in a large ring; with two twists, two interlocking rings; with three twists, only one ring again, but this time knotted. Rudolf Steiner talks at length about Oskar Simony. Almost nothing of what he says has been recorded.
RUDOLF STEINER: [Simony] counted prime numbers. He said that to endure occult phenomena, one needs a lot of humor. [Simony] was like A. V. He lived in Salesianergasse. He swings a color-blind rhythm.
J. S. should do eurythmy exercises, [in which] he must be very careful: The [letters with the] arms crossed backwards, whereby he must pay attention to the emergence of the exercises, which are maintained for a long time without becoming habitual. He cannot get the astral body into the etheric body in the periphery of his body.
G. B. cannot be considered a Latin student. Perhaps it is quite good for him to sit like a deserted island. This isolated sitting will not be bad at all. It immediately became clear to me that it is good for him to sit in isolation.
BETTINA MELUNGER about L. B. in 1st grade: She cannot stand fairy tales or poetry.
RUDOLF STEINER: She should make a 1 with her whole body, a U with her ears and index finger, and an E with her hair, so that all three exercises have an element of sensitivity. Awaken the sensitivity of the body. This would have to be done over a longer period of time.
RUDOLF TREICHLER: P. S. in 7th grade writes almost faster with her left hand than with her right.
RUDOLF STEINER: She should be made aware that she is only allowed to write with her right hand. You could try having her squat with her right, no, her left leg, so that she jumps with her right leg. In other words, jumping on her right leg with her left leg raised. [She] is ambidextrous.
If there are pronounced left-handers, then a decision would have to be made. If you find the opportunity — you can observe this: with [true] left-handers [the hands appear to be reversed], the left hand looks like the right hand [would normally]. [The left hand then has more lines than the right.]
You could combat this with your eyes. Have them observe their right arm so that the axis of their eyes crosses [from the shoulder] down to the right hand and back up again. Then stretch out the arm. Repeat this three times.
JOHANNES GEYER asks about H. and St.
RUDOLF STEINER: They should remain in the remedial class for now.
[...] [About building matters.]