Home: Freunde Waldorf

Suddenly the lights go out

News ,  Ukraine ,  Current news ,  Emergency pedagogy

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, sirens and power cuts have become part of everyday life even in western Ukraine, which is less affected by military attacks. During our intervention, we were able to directly experience this everyday life of war - with the chance to react directly to the insecurities that arise as a result.

At the end of March, an Emergency Pedagogy team from the Friends of Waldorf Education travelled to Horodenka in the Ivano-Frankivsk oblast for an Emergency Pedagogic intervention. The team worked every day with teachers and therapists, but also with parents and smaller children and young people at the Waldorf School in Horodenka. Emergency pedagogue Cathrine Flaig was part of the team. She says about the mood among the participants: "It was a joy to see that people have a great deal of resilience in them. It was important for them not to talk about the war all day, but to find their way out of these bad thoughts and the harsh reality. These are very brave people we met there." After the morning brainstorming sessions with the teachers and therapists, various workshops were held - one of which involved shaping balls out of clay. "Here people could really get into action," says Catherine Flaig, "and forget everything that was going on around them. The mood became meditative, it was beautifully quiet. And suddenly the power went out and the lights went out. We went into the hallway because we were supposed to move away from the windows for safety reasons. So we were standing in the hallway in the dark, and everyone was continuing to sculpt and were deeply absorbed in the work. Then suddenly the light came back and we could see the beautifully shaped balls. One participant said: 'In sculpting there is no need for light or words.' I thought that was beautiful. That was exactly the message we wanted to convey."

Shaping the ball makes us come to ourselves and has a calming effect at the same time. The clay is worked in the two palms of the hands, and by compacting it, the ball shape is created. The thumb and fingers create a taut, smooth surface that appeals to the sense of touch. The sense of touch is addressed by feeling the clay and the person perceives himself. I actively shape, I am creative and creative. And when the hands do and the light goes out, confidence in one's own doing is strengthened. The surprise is all the greater when, in the end, the light shines on my work and all the others. This is how amazement is awakened.

"I am grateful for this intervention and very much hope that all the impulses will continue to grow and develop," Flaig explains, "something has to happen for these children who are not necessarily going to school right now and many of whom have fled from other cities like Odessa or Kiev or from eastern Ukraine. The educators here are very strong and do a good job."

As soon as possible, more Friends of Waldorf Education teams will travel to Ukraine and neighbouring countries. Already, in addition to acute care, preparations are underway for longer-term training of local colleagues.

Text: Dirk Glaser, CR

Empower & donate now
Empower & donate now