Volume X Number 1 Autumn Term 2014

Term Recorder

RudolfSteiner

SchoolKings Langley

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INSIDE THIS TERM’S EDITION:Around the School this Term 3

Old Scholars / Poetry Winners 4

Children’s Festival / WOW Day 5

Class Trips 6-7

Advent Fair 8-9

Plays 10-11

Art 12-13

Photography 14-15

Duke of Edinburgh Award 16

Cafe Talks 19

Joiners 20

PTFA 22-23

The Spirit of Advent 24

Editorial

Teacher’s Confernce

On 10th to the 12th October 2014,I, together with a few other colleagues at-tended a conference for Waldorf teachers at Wynstones Steiner School. The confer-ence was organised by the Education Sec-tion in Great Britain and the theme was Waldorf Education Today.

The main speaker in this conference was Florian Osswald, the co-leader of the Education Section (Pädagogische Sek-tion) of the Spiritual Science at the Goet-heanum, Dornach, Switzerland.

It was a very exciting and highly inspi-rational Conference. The main question was ‘How do we put in place and organise on-going support for Waldorf Teachers in this country?’

As well as contributions from Florian and others there were lots of ideas from all participants, and all the teachers were enthused and eager to have practical solu-tions as soon as possible.

There were a few very experienced Waldorf teachers who expressed their wish to share their knowledge, wisdom and teaching materials with new teachers in the movement.

There will be a follow up meeting soon; meanwhile we are encouraging all teach-ers to take initiatives and be in touch with their colleagues from other Stein-er Schools. There’s so much potential amongst Steiner teachers in the UK. We are a part of a large movement and we cannot separate ourselves from it.

There was a lot of sharing of ideas during the conference and also practi-cal advice offered. We were reminded of important things that as Waldorf teach-ers we need to keep in mind such as how

we run our schools and our meetings, how decisions are made and so on. A most important point for me was that we should always work as a team in or-der to serve the children better. Having knowledge of the children from the per-spectives of the other specialist teachers

By Eva Binamu, Eurythmy Teacher

“There would be no Waldorf Education without Steiner’s insight in child development”

Conference for Steiner teachers with Florian Osswald

is absolutely crucial in understanding a child. We must have input from the work of the gardening, handwork, movement, singing, and drama teachers along with all other subjects.

“There would be no Waldorf Education without Steiner’s insight in child develop-ment”.

This conference was definitely food for thought and further action. In order to be good and effective teachers in our grow-ing Waldorf schools movement, we all need to be people of initiative.

Cover: Painting by Daniel C. Bryan, School Librarian

Open Morning

Upper School Evening

Langley Hill, Kings Langley, Herts WD4 9HG01923 262505 www.rsskl.org / enquiries@rsskl.org

Friday, 23rd January 20159am to 12:30pmRegistration at 8:45am

Tuesday, 10th February 20157:30pm to 9:30pm

Registration at 7:15pm

The Art of Education

RudolfSteiner

SchoolKings Langley

Our Open Mornings are the best way to experience the School and get a taste of what Steiner Waldorf education and our School is all about. Classes can be visited during the Main Lesson time during the 9.00 tour; there are tours of the facilities and a talk is offered about the curriculum.

Presentation of benefits and opportunities in our Upper School for current and prospective parents and pupils.

For more information about these events:

www.rsskl.org

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Around the School this Term

Class 12 welcomes Class 1 on the first day of term. New families heard a talk by Denis McCarthy on the Welcome Morning.

The new Cafe Talks got off to a brilliant start with Robin Cook.

A new Woodland Parent & Child Group was started by Silvia Lauzzana.

Class 7 visited Class 1 to offer knitting instruction.

Teacher Trainees practised their knitting with Margaret Campman.

Film director Alan Ereira visited the School to show his film “Aluna” as a Class 2 fundraiser.

Class 1 had a surprise visit from Robin with the School tractor.

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Old Scholars

Innovation, design and creativity

Arnaud Nichols and Alejandro Par-ra-Mussell (class of 1998) have set up an exciting new Makerspace, Building BloQs in Enfield North London where all sorts of making, innovation, design and creativity happen every day. Their new company is a not-for-profit social enterprise.

Arnaud and I were good mates at school and after our various travels and univer-sity days met up again a few years ago in North London. We renovated a ware-house together where we lived and from where Arnaud ran his workshop, designing and making bespoke pieces and builds for people needing something made – furniture, sculpture, interior and exterior design.

To those of you who know Keith Nich-ols it will come as no surprise that his son Arnaud is very much at home in a workshop. What may come as more of a surprise is quite what a workshop that has turned out to be!

Building BloQs is a “makerspace”, a relatively recent concept that is now bur-geoning in London and spreading across Europe. Commonly, makerspace is char-acterised by shared access for a member-ship to tools, machines, light industrial processing and fabrication space for mul-tidisciplinary making.

“This is a place for people to get tools and space for making with raw materi-als, if that’s wood, metal, plastics or fab-rics. And it’s all under one roof ” Arnaud explains. “As a maker its important that

you’re able to use both older, analogue tech-niques as well as addi-tive and digital technol-ogy. To make things well you need to know the feel and properties of raw materials. At Build-ing BloQs we want to bring together the old, important knowledge

and modern making”. There is also an in-house café restau-

rant, BloQs Café, open to the public. It’s pretty fantastic going out onto the work-shop floor on a busy day. You can see somebody welding a wood burning stove,

Old Scholars set up new “Makerspace”

somebody else painting sets, a furniture maker hard at work on a bespoke chair and somebody making base guitars – you never quite know what you’ll find makers up to.

From small beginnings our compa-ny has grown and now has a flourishing makership of over 70 people making any-thing from furniture to theatre sets, film props to instruments, kitchens, sculp-tures, artworks, dance and performance.

Building BloQs newest recruit is an-other old scholar, Florrie Cassell, class of 2008 who, amongst other things, is developing the education programme at BloQs and fundraising to start a textiles department.

Aside from a textiles department, Building BloQs is also developing the workshop and other facilities, and has some attractive propositions for those able to invest.

To join, get something made, book the café for a function, find out more or sim-ply come and see for yourself visit:www.buildingbloqs.com or email info@buildingbloqs.com

By Alejandro Parra-Mussell

Holidays are over and we’re back at school,But that’s OK because I’m watching Liverpool.Yes, the new season is here,And these are my predictions for the coming year.The new Man U manager van Gaal is OK,But really I don’t think he should stay.He brought in Di Maria but sent poor Welbeck on his way.He aims to get into the Top Four,But, trust me, their performance against Burnley was poor.Arsenal of course are playing well,And Wenger, as always, gives the linesmen hell.Ramsey and Wilshire make a great pair,But come on Flamini, get some new hair.Chelsea are off to a start that’s a flyer,But Swansea are going even higher.Diego Costa may be a great player,

But he never seems to wear a base layer.Fabregas has made some stunning passes,I’m pretty sure he’ll never need glasses.Liverpool started off kind of OK,Me, I love their style of play.Raheem Sterling is a bit of an ace,He’s sure to keep the club in their place.And then there’s always Stevie G,He shoots, he scores, for a modest fee.Tottenham are hoping for a top four spot,With Eriksen and Kane they know what’s what.And last but not least there’s Manchester City,Their style of play is ever so pretty.But Joe Hart’s position is under attack;Careful mate, you’d better watch your back.So, “at the end of the day” it’s a thrill to begin,For me, every Saturday is win, win, win.

New Season by Liberty Maher

Winners of 2014 RSSKL Poetry Competition (Middle School Division)Liberty Maher has taken First Prize of £15 in the Middle School Division of the Autumn Term Poetry Contest. Below is his win-ning entry, “New Season”. Second prize was won by Isaac Michaels in Class 6 and Isha and Freya also in Class 6 won third prize with a joint entry. Second and third prize winning entries appear on page 11.

Alejandro Parra-Mussell

BloQs workshop

Arnaud Nichols

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Events / Festivals

“Waldorf One World” day is a campaign, where Waldorf Schools are encouraged to create initiatives to raise funds for other, less well off Waldorf Schools all over the world. As last year, the funds raised by us were assigned to two very different caus-es: Ein Bustan, a Waldorf Steiner Kinder-garten in Israel which teaches Arab and Jewish children in Hebrew and Arabic and Mbagathi, a Waldorf Steiner School in Kenya which’s intake consists of 95% orphans. In the run up our pupils had prepared many international contributions for the children’s festival, some Upper School classes had used their religion lessons

to learn about the two schools we were going to support, a buffet lunch was or-ganised by some parents and an open mic event for pupils from Class 3 upwards, by some Class 12 students...and WOW, what a day it was. Many parents kindly pledged to donate dishes, cook delicious curries, soup and baked potatoes, so that the whole com-munity could come together and share a meal in the dining room. While an amaz-ing number of Kindergarten families came to open the buffet, many parents, teacher trainees and pupils were attending a wonderfully energetic Children’s Festi-val in the theatre. Walking into the dining

Children’s Festival and WOW Day

room at lunch time, it was heartwarming to see that so many people had come to-gether. After school pupils demonstrated their skills with juggling and musical con-tributions. Overall, we raised more than £1000! The money will make a difference to both the schools, but what they appre-ciate more than these desperately needed funds, is to know, that there are people half way around the world who are com-ing together to support them. So here is a huge THANK YOU to all of you who organised, helped, pledged, watched, ate and donated...WOW you are truly won-derful.

Class 7 in a Eurythmy performance.

Class 6 performed an international medley of songs.

Class 8 acting out past, present and future tenses in German.

Class 8 acting out past, present and future tenses in German.

Everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch in the dining room.

Class 6 Eurythmy.

By Andrea Chishti

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Class Trips

Class 9 go to Embercome

An average day at Embercombe, an or-ganic farm in Devon, would start with sitting in a circle around a fire and saying how we were feeling, then going into our four groups to start our activity for the day. On our first day, my group “Tesco’s Finest” were doing gardening, while the other groups were building, making a swing set or cooking. We worked from 9 to 5, picking berries, harvesting horse-radish, weeding, and generally getting very muddy. All we really wanted to do at the end was trudge to our warm, cosy yurts and collapse on the mattresses, but then we found out that there was more than an hour to do whatever we wanted, and that there was a rope swing in the nearby woods!

by Bea Brownlee, Class 9At 6:30, it was time for dinner. All the

food was delicious and vegan, and most of it had been grown at Embercombe. Afterwards, we met in Centre Fire, a large building with sofas, beanbags, musical instruments and wood-burning stoves, to play some games, talk about the day and do the trust exercises. These involved a person standing on a high table and falling off it and the other people would catch them, and showed that we could be there for each other when it really mattered. When we walked back to our yurts, it was so dark that you could see the Milky Way behind the normal con-stellations, and you could hear the owls in the woods. We would all love to go back again some day!

“Wet, muddy, but lots of fun!”

The Yurt village – even more warm and cosy than they look!

Peter Williams, Matt Hughes and Vega Caputo.

Leah Lavers, Embercome friend Jane and Hannah Swanson.

Adam Henderson, Embercome friend Jack and Peter Williams. Jack and George washing up. Bea Brownlee

Matt Hughes, Buddy Etchell, Keona Donn. Leah, Dov, Adam, Konar, Hannah.

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Class Trips

Oxford Day Out with Class 12 History of Art

L to R: Julian Paine, Lukas Viar, Oliver Giambrone, Yannis Herzog-Lee, Saum Roohani, Arthur Sawyer, Jacob Buckton, Amy Sutton, Bonar Coakley, Ephraim Perfect.

Saturday 8th November

We set off from the school carpark at 9am (proudly, not a latecomer in sight) our thoughts admittedly darkened for a moment by the rain clouds massing on the western front and by a few tired and gloomy pre-dictions of the wet hours ahead of us.

An hour later, with re-newed and dauntless ar-dour (and a few early sand-wiches) we headed for Christ Church College Cathedral, spending an hour in its historic and exquisitely beautiful Norman and Gothic interior. The highlights were the breathtaking pendant vaults of the choir, the St Frideswide’s shrine with Burne Jones stained glass window chronicling the events of her miraculous life, and the more dis-tinctively Pre-Raphaelite St Catherine window of the south aisle (also by Jones).

Soon after we found ourselves sheltering in the entrance to Exeter Col-lege, showing the grumpy and slightly officious por-ter our email from the College Chaplain giving permission for us to visit Gilbert Scott’s Victorian Gothic revival chapel. He duly relented and we turned into the quad to see this small and beautifully restored church in the style of the considerably more famous

Ste Chapelle in Paris. We had the place ot ourselves for an hour and sang content-edly in the choir stalls before nodding to the bust of J R R Tolkein by the door on

the way out.Back on the street,

and despite the rain, we stopped to ad-mire the Bodelean Library’s Radcliffe Camera and after lunch met at Uni-veristy Church to see the spot where Archbishop Cran-mer was condemned and then led out onto

Broad Street to be burnt alive for his Protestant beliefs under Catholic Queen Mary’s regime in 1556.

After lunch we headed for the Ash-molean Museum and our private appoint-ment at the Print & Drawings Dept. where in groups of five we were permit-ted to study ‘nose to nose’ a handful of beautiful old master drawings and water-colours, including - a Michelangelo sketch for the Sistine Ceil-ing, a Raphael draw-

ing for the Chigi Chap-el, a glowing Turner wa-tercolour of Venice and a delicate study of apples by Cezanne.

To end the day we spent an hour in the b e a u t i f u l l y rehung per-manent col-

lection, where we saw a bust of Michel-angelo, a dramatic Tintoretto, a dreamy

Claude, and select handful of paintings and sculptures of the European school from the period c.1400 to c.1850.

I ended the day quietly at home in Kings Langley with a well earned drink, while the pupils headed for a friend’s house in St Alban’s and a night of bacchic birthday revelry.

I do hope they got their homework done!

by Julian Paine, History of Art/English Teacher

Christ Church Cathedral

Bust of Michaelangelo – Daniella de Volterra.Claude Lorrain – Ascanius and the Stag.

St Frideswide window

Michaelangelo – drawing for Sistine ceiling.

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Advent Fair

Advent Fair 2014This year was the 59th Advent Fair for RSSKL. Shortly before the end of the pre-vious school day, preparations began as the classrooms were cleared, the gym and long room were filled with tables ready for the stall holders and parents trans-formed the school into the magical place that we have all come to look forward to each year. The PTFA asked for a few comments from parents old and new to sum up what the fair means to them and why they get involved...

‘Because when we bring home the Christmas wreaths we know the season has really begun and they are a little dif-ferent each year, because the Jazz cafe is a cosy getaway to rest your bones and feed

your soul, because gangs of young entrepreneurs walk through the crowds sell-ing raffle tickets, bread and yummy treats, because ev-eryone smiles all day for no good reason, because it is for a good cause and we love our school, because you can see a whole room of gingerbread houses, because you can buy everything from a meditation bowl to handmade fin-gerless gloves and because it is fun when everyone pulls together.’

‘In the past we have always attended the Advent Fair as outsiders because it has a relaxing calm and magical atmo-

sphere. It reminded us that it is Advent and Christmas is yet to come. It is different from the pre Christmas glit-ter you see on High Streets but it sparkles even more! This year was very special for because we could be part of the fair.”

‘Why get involved? A day long party, it is great fun and I have made most of my friends in Kings Langley by getting involved in School events - espe-cially the Advent Fair. The Advent Fair is a special day and the whole school put on this event, it is a great sense of teamwork, tiring but worthwhile. My kids have left

A little one eyes the beautiful dolls at the Kindergarten stall.

The happy Kitchen Crew.

Sean Neal, Class 2 Face Painting

Jean-Paul Martinez at the en-trance to the Gem Mine.

Expansive joy during the Laughter Workshop.

Visitors in the Gym. There were 125 stalls around the School.

African drumming with Abdul Conteh was very popular!

Traditional Waldorf dolls – a perennial favourite

continued next page

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Advent Fair

school now, and I still socialise with those who I met putting up decorations.’

‘By being involved, one works and meets with other members of the com-munity from all walks of life - CEO’s of large multinational corporations to tradespeople and house husbands, on this day we are all the same with a common-ality, our children are at this same school. We meet new people and often make new lasting friendships from the bonding of a little hard work. Without the funds gen-erated, our school would be far poorer in facilities for the children, the money is given to the school for improvements that make positive differences to the current and future generations.’

‘In the kitchen you could see trays of lasagne, pots of curry, rice, sausages, pop-padums and salads galore being made ready to feed over four hundred visitors on the day. There was a real sense of a shared experience and pulling together, I got to know other parents as people as everyone was doing their best to get the food out to the hungry masses as quickly as possible. A real sense of achievement, fun and being part of a community, con-nected.’

The Advent Fair is the largest PTFA fund raiser for our school, we would like to thank everyone who contributed their time over the past weeks and on the day to make it such a success. We look for-ward to next year.

The Class 13 Barbecue team.

Rupa Sofat on the gate.

Becky Ogilvie in the car park.

The Pop Up Choir sang carols throughout the day.

There was even a Brass Band playing festive tunes!

Whinlatter played in the Christmas Cafe.

The Jazz Cafe.

Caroline, Alice and Peter Howard hosted the Gym Cafe.

Mike Dilke, a.k.a.Captain Hook.

Amy Sutton, Class 12, at theAdvent Wreath Stall.

continued next page

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Class 10 Play

The Woman in Black

The story tells the tale of a lawyer in charge of selling an estate called Eal Marsh House near the town of Crythin Giford. When he gets to Crythin Giford he is met with unwelcoming suspicion and unease. He soon finds out that this is drawn from the house which holds a horrible mystery within its walls. The mystery of Janet Humphrey who was separated from her child because she was supposedly mentally unfit. When finely reunited it is on the day of his death and she hangs herself in remorse for the years lost. But she doesn’t die, her spirit still lingers in the dark passages and empty halls of Eal Marsh House preying on the children of the village. This is a story of tragedy, death and desperation. A morbid tale of a man losing everything in a world made of shadows and ghosts. – Thomas Dalrymple

The most impressive thing about the recent production of The Wom-an In Black was not the fact that it came about through Thomas

Dalrymple’s vision for a way to raise funds for Class 10 (a great idea and a great thing to do). It was not that he rewrote the whole script and directed and starred in it (impressive though that was). It was not the way the class pulled together and, along with children from other class-es, put in the hours to hone their performances, create the staging, set, lighting, sound and publicity and more (though this was also, without doubt, a great achievement).

The greatest tribute that can be paid is simply that the production itself was excellent. Ambitious from the moment the curtains opened, with fast cutting from scene to scene, and featuring great performanc-es throughout, the play was moody and intense and had a life of it’s own, aided by highly atmospheric lighting and music. Fresh and imaginative, this production bore little relation to what one might ordinarily expect from a standard school play. It asked questions of the audience, demanded their full attention and received it – by the interval they were wide-eyed and buzzing, and by the end they were applauding until their hands were sore.

By Johnny Aldred, Class 10 Parent

Thomas Dalrymple as the lawyer confronts his demons.

Isabel EareyLucy Brogan-Harrison as the Woman in Black and Aglae Koopmans, Cl. 1.

Margita Shukla as the Woman in Black Emile Fox and Thomas Dalrymple.

L to R: Fay Lavers, Emile Fox, Celine Herrington, Saskia Wemyss, William Warren-Meeks, Fabio Sanguinetti-Whyte

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Class 12 Play

Lysistrata by Class 12By Arthur Sawyer, Class 12

It was long before we started rehears-ing for the play that many of the boys

in class 12 knew that there would be an unusual ‘Mr Mike’ twist for their class 12 play. However, no one expected that all the boys in the class would be stepping on stage fully clad in Greek togas, wiggs and even golden breast plates. The girls of the class on the other hand, would be trans-formed from beautiful young woman into cranky, geriatric men with grey hair and glasses, stumbling all over the place, sup-

ported by walking sticks. The obvious - but ge-

nius - transformations crucially enhanced the base and vulgar comedy throughout the play. The production was punc-tuated by the occasion-al missed cue from its dedicated performers. However, rather than de-tracting from the overall

performance, this in-stead added a layer of meta-comedy that complemented the plays puerile tone in a clear Brechtian fashion. There was also a very minimal-istic feel to the stage set which was con-structed out of only a screen, a backdrop (of the Acropolis) and a few stage blocks that the cast used as both platforms and as the barricade.

The narrative of the production is the story of a group of Greek woman

who start a sex strike against the men of Greece, and bar them from entering the acropolis with the use of a barricade. Eventually the men of Greece can stand it no longer and they agree to the terms of the woman, finally forming a peace treaty with their enemies.

The gender politics of the play, in which the woman go on a sex strike to prevent the men fighting, is not only an ancient account of what has taken place through-out history all over the world, but also a very up to date occurrence that is still used in some cultures today - there are accounts of sex strikes in Togo (Africa) as late as 2012.

All members of the class greatly en-joyed putting on the production and it was also very well received by the rest of the school who came to watch it. I would like to thank Mr Mike for putting so much effort and time into the produc-tion, without his input the show would not have been possible.

My New Treeby Isaac Michaels, Class 6

I was given a new treeI planted itBut it hasn’t come out of the groundI want it to come outI see a new tall treeWith a big brown trunkWith blossom, new applesEvery hourBut it still is not comingComing out of the groundI see me swingingOn my new swingWhile the tree swingsAbove me like wings in the breezeWhile the leaves fall around.

The Worldby Isha and Freya, Class 6

How I’d like to see the Sunrise up in the mornHow I’d like to see the birdsand the dewIf I could see the treesgrow every dayIf I could smell the plants so sweetI’d listen to the bugswith their tiny voicesI’d listen to the leaves rustleIf we could do them allin one whole daythe world willbe a better place.

Laurence Russell, Jacob Buckton, Ephraim Perfect, Yannis Herzog-LeeSaum Roohani, Oliver Giambrone.

Laurence, Jacob, Ephraim, Yannis, Saum, Tom, Mica, Emmanuel and Judith.

The ladies lay their cunning plot.

Middle School Poetry

Contest2nd and 3rd

place winners.

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GCSE Art Course work

Libby RadfordFor my art project I chose to do fairy tales. I did this piece on Red Riding hood as I am exploring many different characters throughout my project. This painting is done on silk in a form called serti, using gutta and silk paint.

Flora Kaye In my art project I am exploring human form. I am further researching in portraiture and darkness and light. I have looked at and experimented with drawing all different walks of life. I have done this through different media; pencil, oil paints and colours.

Billie PortwinMy art project is about pattern. I chose pattern because I find it very interesting to look at. I saw a book about butterflies and this inspired me to do a silk painting of butterflies.

Isaac SchillerI decided to choose religious art for the first book of my GCSE. I derived this piece from my previous painting of an abstract version of the Chris-tian cross. In this piece, I used two photocopies of the cross. Firstly, I took one of the copies and simply stuck it down and as for the second one, I cut it into strips diagonally to create an interesting effect.

Avi Roche GarganI chose to do Religion as my art project in which I explored different cultures and beliefs. I am currently working on the Aztec culture and rep-licated one of their religious symbols in my own painting, incorporating their use of gold and colour

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GCSE Art Course work

Charlotte Rummel (above and right)My topic is living form, and I’m exploring different aspects of nature, such as landscapes and humans. This then lead me to combine the two creating a more dream-like surrealistic style of art.

Clara-May McKenzieFor my GCSE art project I am exploring festivals. I drew a hand as I was inspired by a picture of a person’s hand reaching up at a music festival. I found this a powerful and passionate picture, therefore I decided to go deeper into the hand an draw the muscles as well. I also used different pen techniques such as lines and circles etc. Phileighda Finch

My topic is changes. The picture is part of a group of paint-ings/drawings which will be made with different media and with different techniques. This painting was done with oil paints and I used a knife to paint with.

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Inspirations...

GCSE and A level Photography

Photo by Arthur Sawyer, Class 12. Inspired by Vivien Meier.

Photo by Arthur Sawyer, Class 12. Inspired by Vivien Meier.

Photo by Flora Fitzpatrick, Class 11. Inspired by Horst.

Photo by Bonar Coakley, Class 12. Inspired by Fay Godwin.

Photo by Shui. Inspired by Irving Penn.

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GCSE and A level Photography

Photo by Arthur Sawyer, Class 12. Inspired by Andre Kertecz.

Photo by Arthur Sawyer, Class 12. Project Shadows.

Photo by Flora Fitzpatrick, Class 11. Inspired by Horst.

Photo by Flora Fitzpatrick, Class 11. Inspired by Irving Penn.

Photo by Flora Fitzpatrick, Class 11. Inspired by Horst.

Photo by Bonar Coakley, Class 12. Inspired by Fay Godwin.

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Duke of Edinburgh Award

Watercolour by Libby Radford

Gold Duke of Edinburgh Expedition

The Priory surrounded by gardens.

A Stroll in the Peak District

Floundering knee-deep in a peat bog... Putting up tents in the rain... Counting blisters by the light of a head-torch... You guessed it, it’s a Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition. The RSSKL delegates (my brother Jacob and I, Nathan Hale, Seiya Mori, Edwin Sealey and Shiv So-fat) set a precedent by joining an ‘open expedition’ organisation called Applied Expeditions in the Peak District rath-er than being assessed directly by the school. We were based at Thorpe Farm, near the village of Hathersage (just west of Sheffield). Our living space for the two days of training was a cramped converted barn with bunk bed dormitories, a lounge and a well-equipped kitchen. We soon got to know the other flatmates – there was a variety of Silver and Gold DofEers as well as our supervisor, a weathered and world-wise ex-soldier named Fred Salt, who had an innate knowledge of the landscape and some extraordinary stories to tell. With his experience of managing army cadets, he toughened us up in preparation for the four-day, three-night expedi-tion ahead of us. Besides slav-ing away over route cards, we had rigorous kit-checks and navigation practices. Two five-person Gold Expedition teams were formed: Shiv, my brother and I joined two in-dependent applicants, Jacob Lock and James Orchard.

A DofE expedition is not just about getting from A to B (with around 20 km dai-ly in between); each group must have a distinct aim, be it investigating historical sites, writing poems about the experience or simply team-building. Our group ex-plored the links between the different ter-rains of the Peak District and the wildlife they attract, whilst the other Gold group chose instead to study the different stiles they had climb over on their walk, and assign to them a difficulty rating of 1 to 5. We gave a presentation to Fred and John, our assessor, at the end of the expedition before catching the train back to London.

We ended up having a fantastic time marching across the moors and sleeping in public campsites each night. We met practically all types of weather, barring snow: sun, cloud, rain, fog, strong wind...

this is essential to getting the most out of an expedition. Four days of glorious sunshine just don’t count. The Peak Dis-trict is a truly stunning national park, and all the more remarkable for being sur-rounded by such densely populated ur-ban centres. Our group examined diverse

terrains, from Ladybower Reservoir with its wooded banks in full autumn colour, to the coal-black peat bogs atop Kinder Scout, some 630 metres above sea level (this is the Peak District’s highest point – serious climbing required!). Along the way, we found evidence for the ongoing conservation work across much of the national park. There has always been an inextricable connection between humans and moorland – after all, moors are tech-nically a ‘semi-natural’ environment, formed by the deforestation of early hu-man settlers and the grazing of their live-stock. On Kinder Scout, it is still possible to spot lonely outposts of the ancient co-

nifer forest which would have originally covered these regions. Today, much effort is put into protecting our internationally important moorland wildlife populations and particularly peat, a vital component of the moors’ soil. Formed by the com-pression of plant matter in wet, acidic

and anaerobic conditions, peat acts as a strong carbon sink: it is thought that the UK’s pockets of peat alone capture more carbon than all of the forests in the UK and France combined. Howev-er, peat can easily dry out and become eroded, or begin to de-compose normally, releasing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. One problem this engenders is eroded peat entering reservoirs and forcing an expensive water purification process. Especially on Kinder Scout, we observed how ‘gulley blocking’ was being used to increase peat build-up, and how cottongrass was then planted over the peat to shield it

from the elements.Among other species, we were lucky

enough to see dippers flitting along the clough brooks, kestrels hovering before dive-bombing their next meal and, of course, red grouse, with their curious cackling call that became the defining sound of our expedition. It could be dis-concerting at times: they seemed to be saying, “go-back, go-back, go-back”...

We are extremely grateful to Miss Mor-ris and Mr. Hirst for giving us this oppor-tunity to complete the expedition section of our Award, and hope that a new gener-ation of Gold DofEers will be inspired to follow in our footsteps.

By Sam Buckton

L to R: Shiv Sofat, Sam Buckton, Jacob Buckton, James Orchard, Jacob Lock

Crossing Kinder Scout National Nature Reserve

17

Class 8: Gardening and Woodwork

WOODWORK

Woodwork is an impor-tant part of the curricu-lum at the RSSKL and the children learn how to use tools like chisels, rasp, saw, axes and sandpaper in a safe way.

Woodwork first starts at the be-ginning of Class 5, where pupils first go outside to find sticks and branches to whittle rhythm sticks. This activates imagination, skill and attention and the children work with great enthusiasm.

Further projects include a spoon, wooden bowls, boxes and stools in classes 6, 7 and 8. As the projects continue to get more challenging, the children have to hold their attention in order to go through a long working process; instead of an instant reward, some projects can take up almost a whole year. But then imagine holding your own hand-carved bowl in your hands – what could be more rewarding than that?

GARDENING

In gardening, pupils are welcomed to the largest classroom, the outdoor classroom! Already in Kindergarten children dig for potatoes and plant seeds as they watch them grow. In Class 3 they study Farming as part of their main lesson. It is at this age that chil-dren have their own little vegetable or flower where they make their own connection to the Earth, the plants and all the animals who live around them. Gardening brings a deeper awareness of the seasons of the year and the elements of Nature in a real and very practical context. Gardening is a lifetime experience which is thoroughly beneficial for their well-being and development.

Steiner Waldorf Curriculum

L to R: Shiv Sofat, Sam Buckton, Jacob Buckton, James Orchard, Jacob Lock

Mr Schiermann teaching Class 8 pruning.

Luca Eleftheriades pruning an apple tree.

Working on the new see-saw project.

Skyy Finch’s skillful hands .

Anna Maclean

Michael McMahon

Anna Maclean and Leah Pinter

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Steiner Curriculum

Class 6 GeometryUntil class six, geometrical drawings were done using no instruments other than a pencil and eraser. With these simple tools, complicated drawings were undertaken involving straight lines, arcs, spirals, polygons, and circles (divided in a variety of ways). Then last September, class six was introduced to the compass, protractor, and set squares. During the autumn term they worked on a variety of geometrical constructions to become familiar with those instruments and to develop accuracy in their use. Colour was used to enhance the drawings and emphasize the geometrical forms.

Tomakay Percival William Henderson Sara Neal

Freya McCarthy Lewis Maclean Tali Jobanputra

Scarlet Whitmarsh Talia Martin Valentina Knowlman

19

Stories in the Steiner Waldorf Curriculum

Café Talks

The Stories So Far...

I started these talks/discussions with a consideration of the Epic of Gilgamesh,

considered to be the oldest recorded sto-ry. As a preamble, I admitted that some of what I was going to say was a result of Steiner’s spiritual research, and this is obviously diffi-cult to prove, in a con-ventional, academic way. However it is possible to think about the ideas and see if they provide useful and meaningful interpre-tations.

As a basis for interpreta-tion, I asked people to al-low me a few assumptions - that human conscious-ness has evolved from an ancient clairvoyance to our modern intellectual sense-based view; that the spiritual world was and is, real; that earlier religions were the result of experi-ence and not faith, and there is a coherent march of civilisation since the destruc-

tion of Atlantis. Quite a lot to ask for, but most people seemed to be able to do that.

What struck a number of people as in-teresting in the story of Gilgamesh, was that when he went in search of his dead friend Enkidu, he had to go through tests, a part of ancient initiation rites, in which he he had to face terror, anxiety and lone-liness.This seemed to strike some people as exactly the problem which many peo-ple face today in everyday life.

When it came to the second talk, I em-barked on some Greek mythology, and in what ways the Greeks felt themselves to be microcosms connected to forces in the macrocosm. They saw in nature the

gestures if divine beings, which is rath-er different from our attempts to explain everything in measurable quantities. This led to a quite different view of the De-

meter/Persephone myth, connecting it with the loss of the old clairvoyant forces.

I then went on to the story of Oe-dipus, mentioning Freud and Jung in passing, before relating this to old initiation process-es involving the balancing of the masculine and the feminine, and the

way in which the story shows that the old ways of acquiring knowledge are no longer sufficient, as the age of the intellect dawns.

In the last one we trod some more familiar ground in the story of Theseus and the Mino-taur and the origins of the Trojan War. This pro-voked some interesting comments, as there are still questions about the derivation of the word labyrinth - one connects it with the word for a double-headed axe - and the use of the intellect in the story of the Wooden Horse and Odysseus’ ad-venture with the Cyclops. The trick played on the Trojans was played out

in real life, when Themistocles sent a de-ceitful messenger to Xerxes, and success-fully lured his fleet to destruction in the Bay of Salamis. Deceitful, yes, but per-haps a price worth paying for European civilisation

Next term, I plan three more talks, embarking on the mightily confusing meanings and origin of the Arthurian stories, before going on to the story of Parzifal, or Parsifal, or Percival, depend-ing! This is always taught in Class 11 in the Spring term at school and is regarded as of particular significance, not only to the adolescent, but for us all.

I have very much enjoyed these ses-sions, and everybody is, of course, very welcome, whatever your interest or knowledge.

By Robin Cook

Robin Cook

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Dates for the Spring Term series of Cafe Talks are:Tuesday, 20th JanuaryTuesday, 24th FebruaryTuesday, 17th March

20

Joiners

Claire MorrisPhysicsI am excited to join the community to teach Physics to classes 9, 11, 12 and 13 this year. I studied Astro-physics at Durham University, and

then went on to work towards a Masters degree in Wind Energy Systems Engi-neering. I’ve also worked in an Christian outdoor activity centre in Scotland and as an environmental campaigner.

In my spare time... I love being out in nature, especially climbing mountains and canoeing - I’m glad to be helping out with D of E this year to pass on my pas-sion for the wilderness!

Something that most people don’t know about me... I used to play chess competitively for England.

Bobbie AmamauFinance Assistant

I am married with four chil-dren that are growing up very fast! In my ca-reer, I was em-ployed by a high street bank for

25 years. When I was made redundant, I began working in a secondary school as a finance assistant. I really enjoyed my role as it was completely different to being at school and my banking career. In my spare time I love to shop, bake, socialise and spend time with my family. I espe-cially like going on holiday to sunnier climes!

Sian BeesleyKindergartenAssistant

Some of you may know me from playing violin for the Martin-mas Festival last month and for

Claudio Di MeoMusic Teacher

Since graduating from the Academy of Music in Rome with degrees in Pi-ano, Conducting and Composition, I have had the

good fortune to play and tour with some wonderful orchestras, ensembles and singers.

In 2010, I began work as a music teach-er at a Waldorf School in Latina, Italy, and in 2012 completed a Waldorf Music Teacher’s course in Milan with Maestro Peter Appenzeller.

Now my dream is to create a nice re-lationship with the pupils; to pass on my knowledge and experience and to grow with them as a musician and as a per-son…but my special dream is to create an orchestra and a choir that will perform for the School and everyone who wants to hear beautiful music.

I look forward to seeing you all in Jan-uary!

Peter BrewinEnglish

I spent the first twelve years of my life in Holland and I still have fond memories of skat-ing along frozen canals and long

cycle rides. I attended a grammar school in Kent when my family moved back to England. After school I embarked on six months overland travel around Southeast Asia, China and India before studying English Literature for four years at Ed-inburgh University. I went on to study for an MA in Social Sculpture (an art-based form of social development partly inspired by Rudolf Steiner’s ideas) whilst working on an organic farm near Oxford. I’m very happy to have been received by such a warm school community and I look forward to my time here. In my spare time I enjoy painting, walking and of course reading! Rachael Watkins

Learning Support

I started my teaching jour-ney 9 years ago, after completing my PGCE at the Institute of Ed-ucation. I have since taught in

primary schools, Montessori and Stein-er settings, working with children from tiny babies up to 14 years old. I have also led art workshops for children during the school holidays. I have been lucky enough to teach not only in the UK but also in New Zealand and Australia. I feel passionately about the power of educa-tion, and the right of every child to have the love, nurture and skills they need to thrive and flourish in our world. I am ex-cited to be joining the community here at Kings Langley. I love to practise yoga and not so long ago I spent four months in India, practicing yoga and riding through the Himalayas on a motor bike.

Sally AbbottBiology

I have had a love of nature from a very early age and after attend-ing Wynstones Steiner School, I studied Natu-

ral Science at Durham University. I had the opportunity to work professionally as an illustrator of a British Flora as well as spending some time in Ukraine work-ing for the National Academy of Science looking at biological indicators of climate change. I am delighted to be joining the community here in Kings Langley, re-turning to my original passion and field of expertise. For me biology is the key to understanding the natural world, from rainforest destruction, medicine, veteri-nary science right down to the food we eat and I believe a stable and sustainable future depends on the interdependence of humans with nature.I have a keen interest in handwork, craft & yoga as well as working for Forest School Camps, a national educational charity which runs camps for children focused on community-building, woodcraft skills and enabling children to establish closer connections with the natural environ-ment.

baking ginger biscuits. As well as playing music I also have a keen interest in dance, especially ballet. After graduating from University in Norwich I moved back home and started working as a part time teaching assistant in a london ballet school. In 2012 I moved to Kent to work with young people with special needs. I returned to Hertfordshire last year and joined St Albans Symphony Orchestra to continue playing violin. Our next concert is on 1st January at the Abbey.

Continued next page

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Pastoral Care

We have two children at the school in class 8 and class 4. For varying reasons Paul and I attended the anti bullying meetings to gain more of an understanding and meaning of what bullying is. We attended two meetings one on the Monday which involved splitting up into groups and dis-cussing what is bullying and how it has affected us in some way. Some people had never experienced bullying while others were being bullied in their current jobs.

The Thursday meeting started with a short, however very thought provok-ing video, of a gentleman who survived eight concentration camps. This in itself opened up many questions of What is bullying? Who is a bystander? How do we deal with bullies and the victim? As fewer people attended this meeting we stayed in one group and heard many experiences and how we thought situations can help identify how to help both the victim and the bully.

The Pastoral Care Group (PCG) is made up of a number of staff members from the school. Each person has their own defined job to do and as a whole team they are all taking an active part in understanding the policies and informing staff, pupils and parents of what and how bullying is dealt with.

Do you know what bullying is? How would you identify what is bullying be-haviour or children just being children? What is a bystander? How should a by-stander react? How do you report inci-dences that you have seen but you don’t want to get involved? All these questions and many many more were answered.

One of the many details that people need to be aware of is quite clear - what is bullying?

Bullying can be experienced in various forms: physical threat, physical violence, verbal abuse, exclusion, intimidation, incitement, malicious emails, malicious social media, interfering with the prop-erty of others, racial, sexist, transgender, homophobic comments. ALL the above needs reporting by the victim or bystand-er. If you are unsure if an incident is a form of bullying, REPORT IT.

We also need to understand that the bully themselves need support to help identify what they are doing. They may not realise what they are doing hurts oth-ers and how this affects the other child.

This can be hard for people to understand when their child is being bullied. Howev-er if reports are made and a case is built, the PCG will be able to help both the vic-tim and the bully.

Forms are available by reception and the PCG box is located on the outside of the reception doors. Therefore, if you see any incident that you believe is bullying or you are unsure if it is, you are able to report it. You do not have to give your name the PCG will deal with all informa-tion given, they just will be unable to re-spond back to anonymous reporters.

The PCG are passionate about help-ing stamp out bullying in the school and ensuring that each and every child has a happy and carefree education.

Paul and I felt that we have gained knowledge and understanding that we did not have prior to these two sessions. We realise that we would of addressed things regarding our own children dif-ferently had we had the information be-fore. We feel positive that action is be-ing taken by the school in order to help parents, children and teachers to identify areas that are of concern to all. Paul and I would encourage more evenings like this be available in the future for parents so that they can bring questions and ideas to the table and create a harmonious com-munity.

Thank you all for your hard work in making this happen.

Anti-Bullying Week ReportSusan BroganKindergartenAssistant

I am the new As-sistant in the Uriel Kindergarten. I previously worked in North London Steiner School and St Paul’s Stein-

er School before making the journey to Kings Langley. Before joining the Steiner Community I worked as a sub-editor for publications such as the TLS, The Guard-ian and the Mail on Sunday.

By Paul and Anneli Robinson, Parents

Anna SambidgeClassroomAssistant

I have been con-nected with the school for thir-teen years now, most of them as mother to my children Raya

and Joe, but more recently in the role of Classroom Assistant to Paul Murray in Class 4. My work in education began in 1986 when I gained a PGCE in Primary Years at Bristol Polytechnic. However it wasn`t until I emigrated to Australia in 1988 that I encountered Waldorf educa-tion.

On returning to England in 1995 I got together with Gordon and whilst rais-ing our children we founded and ran the Centre For Homeopathic Medicine, training students in the healing arts. The North London Steiner School provided us with what we needed in those early years to nurture and teach our children – as well as giving us a lovely and rich com-munity of friends. When our daughter was six and son three years old we moved to Kings Langley– for the school, and also a desire to be more in nature.

So now it is a real privilege and pleasure for me to be working not only in a great Steiner school, but also the place where my children have grown up into young adults: to be experiencing the stories, songs and festivals first hand through working with this lovely class. I am very much looking forward to sharing and en-abling Class 4`s journey up through the Lower School.

I like to spend my spare time singing in a fantastic choir called Eclectic Voices in London.Continued next page

The Secret by Isha, Class 6

I’m in the park sitting thereWhen a bully comes with a stareHe tals to me and says mean thingsI don’t think he knows it really stingsJust for the image he wants to showThe bully path is where he goesHe doesn’t think about how I feelNor think that it’s a big dealBut if I really look insideI think he has a secret to hideMaybe he does this because he’s havingA bad timeMaybe he is not so bitter and sour like limeSo if you have a secret to hidePlease don’t keep it down inside.

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PTFA EVENTS

One thing you can always rely on at our school events is great atmosphere!

Add to that a possie of volunteers to help you park, to show you the way to the din-ing hall and generally look after your wel-fare, the great food, sweet hot chocolate, a live jazz band, a massive bonfire and explosively-super fireworks and you have the night of nights to remember.

Not surprisingly, it was well attended and the fireworks night was a fabulous success.

Folk arrived in all ages and shapes and sizes to witness the spectacle and it was a joy to see the spar-kling anticipation in the children as they rushed playfully to and fro amongst us some-what more reserved adults who despite our own aching sparkling anticipation, managed to certain level of de-corum as we waited for the show to begin! Ahem.

The evening started out gently with guests fortifying themselves with food and hot drinks and enjoying the upbeat rumble of the Steve Rose assembled jazz trio. Then, like a bold sun rise, a large or-

ange glow could be seen through the trees and which signalled the start of the eve-ning’s splendour; the bonfire!

Built by our master bonfire builders, Felix Schiermann and Robin Millicheep, the construction measured a good 3m in diameter (that makes it a 9.5 m circum-ference...) and the flames quickly towered upwards into the dark cold night. The ra-diant heat kept the crowd in a large ring on the outside and many an “aaaah” was heard as we felt the warmth penetrate our

By William Gets, Parent

15 layers of clothing to warm our bones.

Beyond the bon-fire, a rope was strung across the field to signify the fireworks grandstand area and our vigilant volunteers patrolled up and down to make sure that our enthusiasm did not have someone crossing the boundary to

where the arsenal of fireworks awaited.

Designed by Fireburst and manually fired from their control centre, the start of the fire-works was hailed by a single rocket which rose proudly into the air, waving “hello!” with its fiery tail be-fore it burst in all di-rections across the sky to announce the start of the main event.

And what an event it was! The variety of pops and bangs and flashes, the booms as the rockets launched, the af-ter-bang crackles, the roar-ing fizz of fiery waterfalls, the golds and the greens and the reds and the electric blues pulsated to a cheering crowd as we enjoyed a good 15 minutes of fire sky art. This incandescent display rose in all directions and at many levels delivering a texture of splendour akin to the most professional fireworks events in the world - and all of this for only £5 a head.

When the final climax arrived with what looked like about 20 rockets all ex-ploding at once from the far East to the

far West, the fireworks show ended and I was very pleased to hear the roaring applause from the crowd; Fireburst de-served every cheer they received at night.

As the last echoes thundered into the

stratosphere, people turned immediately back to the bonfire, all smiles and warmth and remained to enjoy the now slumber-ing shimmer of the deep red hot coals.

Well done everyone for putting on such a lovely night!

Fireworks Night

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PTFA Report

What a term full !

The monthly PTFA meetings have been full on with agendas cover-

ing issues raised, not only by executive members but parents, friends, teachers administration staff and pupils of the School community. Issues discussed about the physical aspects of the School have included the property development and strategy, routine maintenance and more specific concerns such as the state of the toilets and the car park. Concerns have been relayed to the College (which consists mainly of teachers) and through their representatives on the PTFA, any progress made. The financial aspects include the fund raising and of course spending on items such as the highly acclaimed new chalkboards. Another fi-nancial issue has been the consideration of the proposal for an exceptional bursa-ry support fund to help parents who find themselves suddenly unable to meet the costs of the School fees in cases of injury or illness.

One of the challenges of such busy agendas for meetings is the difficulty of finding time to explore issues in sufficient depth. For example, reflecting on the Ad-vent Fair should the PTFA take time to

In the half term the new blackboards provided by the PTFA went up.What a difference a blackboard makes!Smooth SurfaceTo be able to draw a picture on a smooth surface without cracks or bits of previous drawings showing throughMore SpaceTo be able to leave a drawing and have space for the next bit of work.To have space on the blackboard for the language teachersThe Boards Move Up and DownTo be able to write neatly at the top of the board without standing on something.To be able to write neatly at the bottom of the board without crouching on your knees.Some Have Lines and SquaresTo be able to show how to lay out the maths work without having to draw the squares on the board first.To be able to demonstrate neat handwriting on handwriting lines without having to draw the lines first.They Are MagneticTo be able to put a picture up without the need for Blu Tac or sticky tape.

A big Thank You to the PTFA for supplying the boards and to the maintenance team for putting them up!

look at broader issues such as how to re-new the spirit of Advent Fair and the en-gagement of members of the community in the life of the School? Another broader issue that has been raised is School gover-nance. The PTFA is considering organiz-ing an open meeting to provide sufficient time to explore this topic in detail.

In early November members of the PTFA met with College to discuss issues including: how the PTFA could support College, property development, the pro-posed exceptional bursary fund and School governance. The meeting, which was lively and good humoured, was a very welcome initiative to strengthen the communication between the PTFA and College. Communication has been fur-ther strengthened by the attendance of members of College, a College Co-chair and Trustees at PTFA meetings.

It has also been a busy first term for the PTFA in respect to community activities. The Fireworks Event and Advent Fair both fell within this term with only three weeks between them. The Fireworks dis-play was very successful with the extra money spent for an enhanced display, being appreciated by many. However, if

you have any suggestions about how the event could be improved please contact Annabel Sampson (annabel.marc@gmail.com). The Advent Fair, which is the ma-jor fundraiser of the year, was blessed with good weather, high attendance and increased income compared to last year. The event is also a major team and com-munity builder with each class being re-sponsible for organizing and running a particular event. Dora Roszik-Csendes (dora.csendes@gmail.com) and Becky Olgilvie (becky.olgilvie@me.com) would also like to receive any feedback to ensure the Fair continues to develop.

Remember that PTFA meetings are open to all members of the School com-munity. If you would like to know more about the PTFA please speak to a mem-ber of the Executive or contact me on bri-aneisbell@gmail.com

Wishing you a wonderful relaxing and refreshing Christmas and New Year.

By Brian Isbell, Chair of the PTFA

By Nicky Teensma, Class Teacher

The New Blackboards

24

ADVENTIn the four weeks just prior to Christmas one

becomes most aware of how deeply all of na-ture has descended into seeming inactivity. The leaves have by this time all fallen and their bril-liant colours, a last memory of the summer sun, completely faded. The trees stand naked, silhou-etted against the darkening sky, and the realisa-tion awakens as to how short a time the daylight actually lasts. At this time of year, when really closest to the sun, the earth is reaching the most extreme tilt of its axis so that the Northern Hemisphere is turned furthest away from the sun. An encompassing mood of stillness begins to weave through nature as the sap and water in the plant kingdom recedes to its lowest ebb.

Anticipation begins to awaken in nature itself; will the sun return or will the dark and cold gain the upper hand, until earth might not awaken from its sleep? At the same time a quiet certainty though still half hope begins

to grow in the heart, that the forces of nature upon which we depend will continue in its mighty rhythm and the abundance of life exhibited in the spring, the warmth of the summer sun and the fruits of autumn will return once again to the barren winter warmth. This turning point, upon which we wait and begin to count in the weeks of advent, comes with the winter solstice and, a few days later, when this event has established itself we celebrate Christmas. The Christmas festival is rightly celebrated as a festival of birth. Advents is the twilight time just before the dawning of a new cycle, a new sun.

Just as the unborn child who is only just coming into physical being is protected from the human condition, the weight of gravity and suspended as it were between heaven and earth; awakens in the expectant parents a deep

awareness of and reverence for the forces which continually sustain and renew all existence. So too one eagerly awaits at Advent, the re-emergence in nature, of the life which is waiting just below the surface of appearance. With the birth of a child, a little bit of heaven seems to come down to earth with the child. Who can resist basking in the sunshine that surrounds a new born baby, what heart does not leap a little at the magic? In the days of Christmas a hush de-scends upon the earth and in the clear, crisp night sky, the starlight seems more sharp and crystal clear; the heavens utterly vast and awesome and yet so close to hand. In one’s heart rises a warmth as real as any August day, but which is only a foreshadowing, an assurance of the summer yet to come.

This memory of what was, and hope for the time yet to come, is very important element of the Advent season. One can imagine a time when the earth had become barren in yet another way ad longed for the light of a new

sun. Only some of earth’s dwellers realised the need and look forward to the event which could heal the rift that had grown between the heavens and earth. Fewer still recognised when the heavens had indeed descended to the earth in the Being of Christ Jesus.

Advent becomes a foreshadowing, because we celebrate at Christmas, a birth marking the entrance into earthly history, of a certain course of events, just as the birth of any child is only a first physical appearance in the

unfolding of a life. The particular birth which we celebrate at this season is still an ongoing process, still unfolding in the hearts of mankind.

Originally published in the Review, Journal of the New School, Kings Langley, 1982

By Roark Ehlermann, former Eurythmy teacher at our School