Anyone who wants to accompany growing generations in their development whether in a school or a kindergarten can prepare for this exciting task in a teacher training college or seminar. But how do you prepare for a profession as a lecturer or to work in adult education in a seminar or university?

This question has recently become even more topical, as student numbers at teacher seminars are declining dramatically in many places. How do we frame teacher education in a time when the teaching profession is become less attractive? How do we teach adults in a way that takes their specific ways of learning into account? How do we stimulate the development and renewal of educational practice? How do we make what happens in teacher seminars contribute to the development of schools and kindergartens?

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Inspiring development!

We would like to warmly invite teachers and lecturers at Waldorf teacher education institutions to the Worldwide Teacher Education Conference being held at the Goetheanum from 17 to 21 April 2024 on the theme of «Inspiring development.» The conference aims to stimulate an exchange of experiences among colleagues and offer further training in methods and content of adult education.

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In lectures, panel discussions and discussion groups we want to address the following major themes:

• Anthroposophy and educational practice: How do we help students to discover anthroposophical anthropology as an aid to developing pedagogical creativity that effectively supports learning and development process in children?
• Pedagogy as art: How do we foster the artistic skills, the gifts of improvisation and flexibility that are essential for the lively practice of Waldorf education? How do we enable future colleagues to develop kindergartens or schools, so they are contemporary and in tune with their local context?
• Qualities and skills of educators: How do we get beyond a teaching practice in which we only pass on our own experiences and our own school and educational models, and instead stimulate the initiative of student teachers to develop a contemporary pedagogy?

The following more specific questions will also be addressed at the conference:

• Digital media and artificial intelligence: how can these be addressed in education?
• Waldorf education in a time of cultural diversity: how can educators and teachers develop context sensitivity?
• How is the topic of gender considered in teacher education courses?
• Educators need particularly well-developed social skills. How can they best be fostered?
• How can a relationship with nature and sensitivity to life forces be promoted?
• How can students be helped to take care of their own physical and mental health and so help reduce burnout? 
• Waldorf education was developed in the context of the beginning of the 20th century after the First World War. Does the history and philosophy of education have a sufficient emphasis in training courses? Is contemporary literature and research effectively engaged with?
• Different forms of mentoring and the organisation of trainings will be presented. 

We are looking forward to your participation!