School as a community

In search of leadership in Waldorf schools.

Leadership in Waldorf schools has a specific history. Whereas 40 years ago it was hardly allowed to formally exist because it represented power and hierarchy, now it is commonplace to have a headmaster, rector or director. In this book, Hans Passenier examines the development of leadership and organisation in Waldorf schools. He starts at the origins and finds principles that can help develop school organisations and their leadership in the future. In four parts, he unfolds the foundations, the tools to develop leadership and organisations and finally describes exercises to support that development as a school community.

His thesis is that education is about children being diverse, having different abilities. Also that the educator should not be a carpenter, but a gardener. The image of the school as an organism is guiding, in which the school community is a place for the inner development of each individual in that school community.

The horizontal and vertical dimensions guide the view of both leadership and organisational design.