The Waldorf movement in Brazil

Founded in 1956 by German immigrants, the school was the cradle of several anthroposophic initiatives all over Brazil, such as Editora Antroposófica, which had a significant role by publishing Rudolf Steiner’s main works in Portuguese, contributing to spread and consolidate Waldorf Pedagogy in Brazil. Currently, the Federation of Waldorf Schools in Brazil – FEWB, in order to meet Waldorf movement’s demand, also publishes pedagogical works by R. Steiner and other authors and a Periodical with very important information and articles concerning Waldorf movement nowadays. 

Founded in 1998 as a result of the union of 11 schools, among which Rudolf Steiner Waldorf School, which then had Mr. Jürgen Bartzsch as president of the supporting entity, FEWB started its mission of uniting all the initiatives related to Waldorf Pedagogy into a wide movement. Those were years of many efforts and great expectations, since concurrently with the movement of foundation of a Federation of Waldorf Schools, the new Brazilian law on education was enacted, bring-ing new perspectives for the Waldorf movement itself.

We believe that this new law approved in 1996 was strongly influenced by the Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century, known as Jacques Delors Report, which was organized with the participation of specialists from all over the world, and from many pedagogical lines. As everyone might remember, Waldorf Pedagogy’s contribution was made through Freunde der Erziehungskunst Rudolf Steiner that presented a memorable moni-tored exhibition, by the time of the 44th International Conference on Education in 1994, in Geneva  – Switzerland which, with the support from UNESCO, resulted in the publishing of an extremely beautiful brochure on Waldorf Pedagogy.  This brochure was widely used for the presentation of Waldorf Pedagogy for interested people in general, in different events, by FEWB.

With the flexibilization of the Brazilian educational system as a whole and due to the cultural diversity in our country of continental dimension, new pedagogical experiences have been promoted, giving opportunities for innovative proposals, such as occurred with Waldorf Pedagogy.

However, as nothing is everlasting in our country, the tranquility of Waldorf schools was affected by another Brazilian law, of 2005, according to which parents must enroll their children at the age of six in the Elementary School. This is the issue of the moment, causing teachers and teacher educators, in association with school doctors, to organize for an in-depth understanding of the content regarding said issue. Said law will be in effect in 2010 and until then we intend to promote actions that will somehow contribute to change educators’ conscience regarding Children Education.

We must consider that prior to 1998, besides the 11 founding schools, there were other schools that already expressed their intent to become Waldorf schools, having worked in this sense. With the foundation of FEWB, they received support through projects such as pedagogical assistance and, in a short time, using the Waldorf Educational Proposal prepared by Waldorf pedagogues, they stood before the government agencies as Waldorf Schools. They are endeavoring to become anthroposophic schools in essence, giving the necessary steps towards Anthroposophy. To assist them, FEWB, whenever requested, offers the project called Embasamento Antroposófico na Comunidade Escolar (“Anthroposophic Foundation in the School Community), in the format of lectures followed by ar-tistic workshops on a number of issues of interest of the school community in general. 

The schools that are currently linked to FEWB are: 8 schools that have up to the High School, 18 schools that have up to the Elementary School and 27 independent Kindergartens. The 27 independent Kindergartens are grouped around the 7 regionals across the Brazilian territory and, through these regionals, are linked to FEWB. The regionals develop multidisciplinary orientation programs for those involved with kindergartens, with the participation of a school doctor, a pedagogue and a professional of the artistic area. There are also 6 new initiatives that are still being observed and looked after as seed field of future Waldorf schools.

In addition to these initiatives that have already made concrete proposals and with which we maintain constant dialogues, there are others that consult us, and even  make pleas, asking for help to fund Waldorf schools. The number of consultations is, on average, one per week. These several consultations have taken much of our energy, since we cannot just ignore them, considering that they are made hoping to obtain answers to known social difficulties and weaknesses. We have led many of these cases to our partner Aliança pela Infância, whose purpose is to deal specifically with social issues related to childhood. To the others, we try to show ways to make them get in contact with the principles of the Waldorf Pedagogy, to enable them to make conscious decisions. Many of these people come from courses on Waldorf Pedagogy, which has facilitated our follow-up through teacher educators. 

A consideration that follows us is that the present moment of Waldorf school expansion in Brazil requires us to double our efforts and towards the essence of the Waldorf Pedagogy. It is a Herculean task that must be assumed by Waldorf teachers indistinctly and, mainly, by those responsible for the education of future Waldorf teachers. It is on these teachers that we must rely in the future. 

Shigueyo Mizoguchi, FEWB

More information

• 03/2007 - Report 

Information in the internet

• Website of the association 

Contact

Federação das Escolas Waldorf no Brasil
Rua São Benedito 1365
Alto da Boa Vista
04735-003 São Paulo, SP
Brasilien

Tel.: +55 11 5524 0473
fewb@fewb.org.br