Inspiration from our Administrator, Bruce Lee
Steiner Education recognises the innate human being as precious. We want the innate human being to shine like a diamond. Through the curriculum and the way we work with children we continually seek to remove hindrances that don’t let that beautiful diamond shine.
We strive to meet the developing child with what they are needing at each stage. Lots of play, love, reverence and social development in the early years. Lots of imagination and a gentle introduction to academics in middle childhood and finally lots of creative thinking, inquisitiveness, freedom of thought and exploration, in upper childhood.
We urge interaction with nature, healthy foods, developing wonder and trust in the world and we avoid screens, competition, harsh judgement and pigeon holing children.
Unfortunately, through the course of life we are at risk of covering up the beautiful diamond that is our child with conditioning, beliefs and behaviours to meet expectations of others – our parents, friends, society etc.
Eventually we see that we create for ourselves (and our children) an identity. Then we polish that identity and present it to the world as who we are, the acceptable persona.
When that persona feels uncomfortable we ‘reinvent’ ourselves and try to change our persona so we feel better in our skin. We are at risk of spending so much time trying to reinvent ourselves, ignoring that our innate being is perfect and in fact hindrances of beliefs and conditioned expectations have covered that up.
Let’s strive as a community to recognise that our children are diamonds. Support them by removing hindrances that stop them shining, by providing trust, unconditional love, a sense of wonder and allowing them to explore the world and form their own beliefs through a healthy interaction with the world. Note: screens aren’t a part of that, especially for younger children.
Don’t try to undo all the wrong that has accumulated for them or you by chiselling away at the “stuff” covering up the diamond. That is giving all those thoughts and beliefs too much energy. Instead, do this: Imagine the diamond is encased in hard ice, let it sit in the warmth of truth and light and watch the “stuff” melt away to reveal the diamond that is the innate human being.
Many traditions suggest that meditation (there is an infinite variety of ways) is the best way to access one’s innate self and let go of all the mind made beliefs and expectations.
Bruce Lee
School Administrator
