CHINA

Waldorf education throughout the world is based on trust. In China, trust completely broke down during the cultural revolution thirty years ago, and the recent plunge into commercialization is creating new challenges. We are gradually working to restore trust and to bring Waldorf education to China is such a way that anthroposophy and the insights of ancient Chinese philosophy can bring light and consciousness into Chinese culture.

Chengdu Waldorf School is a kindergarten, grade school, adult learning center and a center for the Waldorf movement in China. Our teachers collaborate with other Waldorf initiatives in Zhuhai, Shenzhen, Beijing and Hong Kong. Located in Sichuan Province, Chengdu Waldorf School was founded in 2004 by individuals who had studied Waldorf education and anthroposophy in the United States, Thailand, and England. The school is growing quickly, with families moving to Chengdu from other parts of China so that they can be part of the initiative. After a year of preparation with Thanh Cherry, an Australian kindergarten teacher who has been our advisor, we developed a three-year part-time early childhood training course that began in August 2006. We planned to accept 40 people. However, 80 people signed up for the course, with still more on a waiting list! Participants came from all over Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The Chengdu training course, which is being offered in cooperation with the International Association, is divided into two sessions each year - one week in the spring and one two–week session in the summer. Thanh Cherry, Tammy Hughes and Li Zhang led the first session, which took place from August 5 -17th, 2006. The course took place under very difficult conditions and in very hot weather. It was the hottest summer in Chengdu since 1958; each day was over 36 degrees C! Nonetheless, the participants greatly appreciated their experience and cannot wait to come back on May 5th for the second session.

Many people felt revived, refreshed and touched in their hearts from their time with us. This course has become a time of healing for many people. Some said that the course has been a new birth for them.

Project leaders are Thanh Cherry thanh@hinet.net.au, Renate Long-Breipohl, Australia, breipohl@optushome.com.au, and Li Zhang and Harry Wong, Chengdu, waldorfcd@gmail.com, together with the Chinese Committee for Early Childhood Education.

SOUTH KOREA

Waldorf education came to South Korea at the end of the 20th century. Some Koreans had studied anthroposophy and Waldorf education intensively in Germany and they founded initiative groups in their own country, with the goal of educating Waldorf kindergarten teachers and class teachers and thus to contribute to a spiritual renewal of education in Korea.

During the first seven years of the 21st century, three Waldorf educational training colleges were started in Seoul, a city of 11 million inhabitants, and there are already Waldorf educational centres in various cities in Korea. There are now more than 40 kindergartens or children’s houses already working as Waldorf kindergartens or in a process of changing to Waldorf education.

Among parents, teachers, university professors and also from the municipal “day-care-centres” and the media, interest in Waldorf education is rapidly growing, which makes extensive work with public relations necessary.

In order to be able to offer qualified Waldorf educational trainings, those responsible for three initiatives have worked with training partners in Germany from the beginning, and together they form the educational work; in this way Korean/German faculties have been formed. The three initiatives are introduced here:

- The Korean Society for Rudolf Steiner Education is in charge of one training college. Led by Professor Hoh, it is training 75 Waldorf teachers and 15 Waldorf kindergarten teachers at the moment. Their project partner from Germany is Professor Hartwig Schiller from the Waldorf Teacher Training College in Stuttgart. E-mail: bund@waldorfschule.de

- The Seonam Foundation is in charge of the second educational initiative for Waldorf kindergarten teachers. Mr. Kim is the representative in charge. Here 60 nursery school teachers are graduating at the moment. Dr. Wolfgang Sassmannshausen, an educational colleague in the Kindergarten Association in Germany is the responsible faculty member and project leader. E-mail: wolfgang.sassmannshausen@t-online.de

- The Centre of Support for Anthroposophy in Korea, Inc. is in charge of the third Waldorf educational training college. At the moment 170 students are studying here. In the near future, continuing education courses will be offered for early childhood educators, working with children in the ages of 0 – 3 years. A training course for those who offer after-school care for school children is also being planned.
The director is Dr. Cheong-Hie Lee, charirang123@hanmail.net and her German colleague is Peter Lang from the Kindergarten Training Seminar in Stuttgart, peter.lang@waldorfkindergartenseminar.de

OTHER PROJECTS IN ASIA:

The International Association, often together with the foundation Freunde der Erziehungskunst, has also supported training courses and collaboration in the Philippines and Thailand for early childhood educators throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Please contact us for further information about these projects or if you are interested in offering support or becoming a Partner or Sponsor!

For further information on projects in Asia contact Geseke Lundgren, IASWECE Coordinating Group member, at g.lundgren@iaswece.org.