Principal's Report

A message from the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

Today I will talk a little of discipline in Steiner schools. 

Often parents say there is not enough discipline in Steiner schools however the school is considered quiet and calm. Steiner schools aim to graduate students who are self-confident, self-sufficient and self-directed, with the ability to know and ask for what they want. We also strive to instill integrity, compassion, respect, and a sense of responsibility and love for the world. Crucial to all these traits is the ability to discern appropriate boundaries. The Steiner approach to discipline is multi-faceted, holistic, and sometimes subtle, with many over lapping strategies. 

In our school we are looking at Discipline from three different vantage points, curriculum, learning support and teacher growth. The Steiner curriculum has a strength in that subjects are introduced at an age where it relates to the needs of the child at the age. Learning support, be it emotional or academic, will support behavioural issues as some children misbehave or can be disruptive if they do not understand or a disturbed by external issues. 

All our teachers strive to observe children to see what works and what doesn’t work. Observation also keeps us in the present, helping us to avoid dogmatic teaching and discipline dogma. Another strategy is for teachers to model the behaviour they wish to see in the student. If children are being too loud and aggressive, the teacher will redirect their behaviour by being quiet and gentle. If a child has physically hurt another, he or she is shown how to physically comfort and console the hurt child and encouraged to do the same. 

Consequence for bad behaviour needs to show the child a way out; to improve, it is not a punishment. Consequence needs to relate to the misdeed and need a degree of redemption. Children need boundaries, they feel secure knowing the limits that the teacher has set. Children need to be told “no” when necessary, this is an essential gift we can give a child. A life lesson is that we can’t always get what we want in life, that we aren’t the centre of the universe, and that restraint is essential to getting along with others.   

I would like to welcome all the new children to our school:

Billy Button - Allegra

Ruby Saltbush – Augie and Olsen

Cassia 1 – Iara and Mala

Cassia 2 - Izzy

Class 1 – Kai

Class 2 - Quinn

Class 4 – Dylan and Soul

Class 7 – Peace

Regards, 

Dina