Many healing Waldorf pedagogical methods also helped the children themselves process Helene-induced trauma through art, play, and music. The program was developed by the German group and coincided with the 鈥渇irst day back to school鈥� with the intention of assisting as soon as possible before trauma and reaction formations are already chronic.

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Throwing a wrench into this paradigm is the powerful force of modeling in learning. Children learn through imitation. It can be as simple as . Parents who wear them have children who wear them. Or it can be as complex as using  in reading and writing.

We know the power of imitation to be intuitively true as we often fall into the patterns of our upbringing. But it scientifically bears out as well. In fact,  uncovered an important phenomenon in cognitive modeling.

Children in this study were found to 鈥渙ver-imitate,鈥� meaning simply that they modeled all adult behavior in a teaching task regardless of whether it seemed to drive toward a purpose. The purpose in this case was opening a box. The children were shown a convoluted and complex method of opening the box and they imitated it exactly when given the task on their own.

Other primates, however, will not model tasks that are obviously irrelevant to the end goal, but children will. This has far-reaching implications for culture and learning. Children will not just learn from the presented end goal of actions, but take strides to imitate the process as well.

This is an amazing reinforcement of why 鈥淒o as I say and not as I do,鈥� is such a colossal learning and parenting-style failure. Children, it seems, are hard-wired to do exactly as we do, in all aspects, without reference to the teacher or parent鈥檚 desired end.

The classroom is often overlooked as an essential place for modeling. Traditional classroom structures place the teacher in front of student vessels, imparting facts that will fill them and enhance test performance and GPA. Much less thought is given to what teachers are always modeling for their students, not only in regards to what is taught but also how it is taught and why, and how they present themselves as human beings.

This can be a sobering prospect to an overwhelmed teacher who may be more reactive than proactive in classroom management, but it is an area that needs more attention. For example, modeling an open and receptive environment for questions, handling misbehavior with compassion, seeing failure as learning, and respecting varying aspects of intelligence can have life changing effects on students.

In 海角社区, much credence is given to the 鈥渋nner work鈥� of the teacher. As Rudolf Steiner said in his writings, 鈥淵ou will not be good teachers if you focus only on what you do and not upon who you are.鈥�

Steiner encouraged teachers to work on mastering mindfulness in thought, being proactive vs. reactive, balancing emotions in daily life, and finding goodness and connection throughout all living things. He believed that this work was more essential than the work of lectures and lesson plans. The science of modeling may well indicate that modern educators should agree.

Early childhood education in Waldorf, particularly, centers around the idea of worthy imitation. The Early Childhood teacher not only establishes the activities and rhythms of the day, but also embodies all she or he hopes to cultivate in the young child — an ever-present calm, soft and gentle ways of being, consistent kindness and generosity, and an ongoing movement toward purposeful work.

These character elements permeate Waldorf Early Childhood Education. One only needs to sit quietly for a time within a Waldorf Early Childhood class to be moved by its difference in character compared to more traditional settings.

This is not only important in the earlier years of students, however. As peers grow more influential, it may be tempting to diminish the importance of adult influences, but science shows us a different view. Even older children  more so than their peers. Unfortunately, the nature of adolescence often discourages openness in adults, who mistake growing independence as moral and emotional detachment.

As said, 鈥渂e the change that you wish to see in the world.鈥� So it is the case with our children. If we want them to be generous, resilient, lifelong learners, we must encourage ourselves to be the same at home and in the classroom.

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Carol Gerber Allred, President/Founder of the , geared toward fostering more positive classrooms, believes that families and students both expect and desire well-being at school, but unfortunately, testing culture has shifted the expectations of educators.

Here in her at  website, she says: 鈥淯nfortunately, the accountability requirements of No Child Left Behind have created a different definition of positive classrooms for many educators. For them, positive classrooms have come to mean places where students arrive at school ready to learn; work diligently to master academic standards (particularly math and reading); go home and accurately complete homework; and return to school the next day eager to learn more. Often, teachers are so focused on ensuring that students pass achievement tests that they have little or no time to address students’ social and emotional needs.鈥�

Now educators and researchers alike are beginning to realize that overlooking well-being鈥檚 connection to learning is a mistake. Perhaps we all instinctively know that happy children will be more willing to learn and less distracted. Now science is backing up that intuition.

As researched and noted in , 鈥淓motions are … closely related to cognitive, behavioral, motivational, and physiological processes, and therefore they are also important for learning and achievement.鈥�

American researchers agree. In the report, , the authors cite the early childhood research of , to 鈥渋dentify three core elements of effective learners: 鈥榙ispositions to learn, social competence and self-concept, and social and emotional well-being.鈥�

According to Bertram and Pascal only focusing on academic competency in students is 鈥渋nsufficient,鈥� and they urge teachers to focus on 鈥渨ider outcomes to sustain the development of young minds.鈥�

Dr. Emma Seppala, Stanford researcher and author of  agrees, and discusses why well-being needs to be a priority in 21st century classrooms in this New York Times article, .

She says, 鈥淗appy kids show up at school more able to learn because they tend to sleep better and may have healthier immune systems. Happy kids learn faster and think more creatively. Happy kids tend to be more resilient in the face of failures. Happy kids have stronger relationships and make new friends more easily.鈥�

But how exactly do we define happiness or even 鈥渟ocial and emotional well-being鈥� in the classroom? Although there are various definitions for the term 鈥渨ell-being,鈥� according to the oft-cited , social scientists define it as a 鈥渟et of subjective feelings and attitudes toward school鈥� Well-being in school consists of cognitive, emotional, and physical components, i.e., a learner鈥檚 thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations [at school.]鈥�

And by this very specific definition of well-being, students who enjoy school while there have been shown to have better academic performance than their less joyful peers. As it turns out, there is a  about student well-being linked to better  and .

Perhaps the most convincing research , in a recent study noting a correlation between a student鈥檚 level of self-reported happiness and GPA. Harvard Graduate School of Education lecturer, , found that in elementary school through high school, student self-rated levels of happiness, defined by 鈥渟tudents鈥� satisfaction with school culture and relationships with teachers and peers鈥� positively correlates with motivation and academic achievement.

Co-founder of the , Dr. David Rock, agrees that well being is a key part of achievement. In his research about the negative effect stress has on learning, he cites a growing body of research about positive emotions in relation to better learning.

He says, 鈥淧eople experiencing positive emotions perceive more options when trying to solve problems, solve more non-linear problems that require insight, [and they] collaborate better and generally perform better overall.”

So how do we make our classrooms more positive places that foster a sense of well-being?

 the simplest way to do this is to refocus: 鈥淚t鈥檚 about kids before curriculum. . . . when we start placing other considerations ahead of children 鈥� curriculum assessments, accountability measures 鈥� some unhappy experiences started to emerge.鈥�

Dr. Timothy Sharp agrees and, in his , defines practical ways to refocus and foster well-being in class, such as:

• Develop a positive student/teacher relationship with each student.
• Engage students with relevant, interesting and compelling lessons.
• Help students identify their strengths. Specifically look for strengths in past experiences and discuss how to use them in future learning.
• Make students feel special while avoiding providing empty praise such as 鈥測ou are so smart.鈥�
• Cultivate hope and optimism by reminding the student of previous successes from hard work.

According to teacher and education leader, in her Edutopia article, , it really can be even simpler at its most basic level because children are made happy by simple things. She encourages teachers to help kids slow down, go outside, move in class, make music, and have quiet time.

As Waldorf educators, we have known this for over a century. The key to promoting well-being, in addition to putting children鈥檚 needs before academic goals, is in teaching the right thing at the right time. And this, as Aguila wisely notes, often translates into letting our children just be children.

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Is this okay? Good, even? Would something else be . . . better?

After 15 to 20 years of scientific research on media use (in its ever changing forms), we have very specific and yet somehow less conclusive results than one might imagine.

Here鈥檚 what we do know. We know media use in children can lead to , , ,, , , and . . Those who are labeled as addicted to media also . And we鈥檝e recently learned that  falters compared to multi-tasking amongst less media immersed peers. This correlates nicely with  showing a one-third decline in  thanks to our media-heavy world.

But is it all bad? Studies say that some forms of technology have been found to , , and , just to name a few.

So what鈥檚 the verdict?  used to recommend total screen abstinence for children younger than 2, but as of September 2015, their stance has changed because, as they say, 鈥淚n a world where 鈥渟creen time鈥� is becoming simply 鈥渢ime,鈥� our policies must evolve or become obsolete.鈥� Now, they recommend  for managing this ever growing quagmire of options.

Regardless of the negatives and positives that seem to emerge daily around the tech debate, the heart of the issue for many social scientists, pediatricians, and educators is ultimately about what our children are NOT DOING any longer.

What has been replaced by ? We know this answer — many very valuable things with proven, high-level cognitive benefits like , , , and with family and peers.

From Development to the Classroom

While initial results for tech in the classroom , scientific study results from full implementation of these efforts are .

 released a comprehensive study this fall, , which found, 鈥淯se of computers does not seem to be a prominent factor in explaining the variation in student performance in math, reading, or science. Most countries that invested heavily in education related IT equipment did not witness an appreciable improvement in student achievement over the past 10 years.鈥�

Not only is tech in school not helping, it鈥檚 actually hurting student performance. The same study found that those students with the most tech access, had  than those with some or none.

Does it come down to  it? Is it more  than the real curriculum behind it?

The fact is, technology may occasionally provide a positive application for learning, but those same positives can be accomplished by more well-established, non-tech means. Waldorf educators see so many proven opportunities to boost learning in the classroom, through non-tech methods — , , outdoor education, , — that we ask, why is tech in the classroom being deemed necessary at all?

Many parents, , are shelving this debate in favor of the time tested methods and results of non-tech education for children. As Google Executive, Alan Eagle, stated in the  article, :

鈥淚 fundamentally reject the notion you need technology aids in grammar school. The idea that an app on an iPad can better teach my kids to read or do arithmetic, that鈥檚 ridiculous.鈥�

When Waldorf educators consider what children must learn to thrive in a technological society, we argue that the mechanics of learning to use any given device is irrelevant, especially considering that passing time quickly makes it irrelevant. We need students who can innovate and learn ANY skill quickly. We need students that can connect parts to whole thinking, properly deduce and problem solve, understand mathematical and algebraic concepts. And there are a plethora of superior, proven, offline options available to teach these crucial skills.

Ultimately, the scientific research is still pouring in and thus far the jury is 鈥渟till out鈥� on the cumulative effects media use has on our children and our learning culture. Waldorf educators simply say: it can all wait. Develop the child鈥檚 curiosity, imagination and critical thinking through a rich, multidisciplinary curriculum. Engage their heads, hands, and hearts by immersing them in our

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In today鈥檚 world, success is often the pillar of esteem — validating our personal well being with a raise, professional accomplishments, our circle of friends or belongings. The  to esteem building have been well documented.

Most recently, extensive research on this topic by University of Texas at Austin business professor, Raj Raghunathan, led him to publish the book: 

In  he talks about why being educated, rich and accomplished doesn鈥檛 correlate to happiness. Raghunathan says there are three distinct pillars to a life of well being, which are completely unrelated to our traditional hallmarks of success — meaningful work, strong relationships and living for something beyond yourself.

And yet when it comes to parenting and educating our children we tend to focus on the more traditional measures of success.  from 2014 says parents mostly value responsibility and hard work in their children and there is a  in school in very traditional ways.

As it is in many education endeavors, the research would suggest a different approach since traditional success measurements and pursuits do not contribute to a life filled with well-being or happiness. Don鈥檛 most people, after all, want their children to be happy?

If they do, an arguably better approach to living well and leveraging our unique value is the development of significance over success. Success being about using personal gifts for personal gain, and significance being about using our unique value to add value to the world.

 believes we need to cultivate significance vs. success with our children at home and in education environments. She says, 鈥淥ur job is to help [children] know and appreciate themselves deeply, to be resilient in the face of adversity, to approach the world with zest, to find work that is satisfying, friends and spouses who are loving and loyal, and to hold a deep belief that they have something meaningful to contribute to the world.鈥�

 and social justice entrepreneur, Jacqueline Novogratz, calls living a life of significance a 鈥渓ife of immersion,鈥� and speaks specifically about being emerged in what we value. When she speaks of success, she says, 鈥淚ncome is not the link. What we really yearn for as human beings is to be visible to each other.鈥�

She goes on to say that significant people are the ones who take their resources and the resources around them to change the world in a positive way. And then adds that as a global community we must shift our culture away from honoring success to honoring significance, 鈥淲hen we honor [significant] people, the world will really change.鈥�

What better place to begin 鈥渉onoring鈥� significance over success than in our schools and classrooms. This can be fostered in many different ways, but a de-emphasis on grading and testing is a valuable start. Children who achieve 鈥淎s鈥� are successful and those who do not are not successful. But this, of course, is not true.

Success, like intelligence, can be defined in many ways. A socially kind, empathetic child, who brings children together or resolves conflicts for their friends is incredibly valuable and successful. But there is little room in our traditional education environment to 鈥渉onor鈥� such a child. Are they less successful than a non-empathetic child who receives straight A鈥檚? Perhaps not. Would they feel less successful in many of today鈥檚 schools? Most certainly.

In fact, personal and comparative success seems to be the primary definition of success in schools, whereas collaborative success or the significance of contributing to a whole is highly undervalued.

This is particularly a shame considering that valuing significance over success depends upon valuing our connection to one another. Neuroscientist  discusses in his book  and , our deeply embedded, biological drive to connect and be valued within that connection. He sees humankind鈥檚 sense of self as having an equally strong desire to be defined in harmony with others while also seeking to add unique value.

If our connection to one another is a linchpin to our well being and our desire for significance is social, it makes sense that we will be more satisfied with life if we use our talents and resources in the service of more than ourselves.

And again, schools would be wise to educate children with this in mind and begin to honor more than the hallmarks of 鈥渢raditional success.鈥� They should also honor the attributes that develop a world of, as Orr says, 鈥減eacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind.鈥�

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We want our children to succeed in life – finding financial stability, deep life experiences and the actualization of their dreams. While exceptions exist, school achievement is considered a grand testing ground, a predictor of these hallmarks of success. Is it any wonder, then, that parents approach teachers anxiously when a child fails to meet expectations on tests and assignments, despite the fact that true predictors of success–like self-assurance, creative thinking, and ethical decision-making–have little to do with abstract tests and benchmarks?  In fact, failure in its own right is one of the most potent ways to approach innovative learning and capacity-building. Simply put, it is a focus on means over ends, approach and effort over grades, and a celebration of failure as a First Attempt In Learning.

Ben Johnson, educator and author of the book , discusses the positive power of failure in the classroom in his recent piece for  — . He says of failure, 鈥渋t is a messy process, yet this is what real learning is all about.鈥�

Johnson proposes a 鈥減lan-do-study-act鈥� model that encourages initial failure, so that students can use inquiry to observe failure critically, research solutions, and start again differently.

He says, 鈥淲hen we teachers adopt and practice the power of failure in our classrooms, a low mark on a paper or project will no longer signify defeat and despair to our students. Instead, it will signify an opportunity to go back to concept and discover the error in thinking. This encourages students to work together and engage in the iterative learning process of taking failure and making it a success. Creating a space in the classroom for failure also encourages students to approach solving problems in nonlinear ways, using multiple possibilities and futures for refining their thinking.鈥�

This is also the approach touted by Stanford Professor, , who has dedicated her life to studying what motivates people to learn and succeed. In her book, , she explores what she believes to be a killer of creativity and learning: it鈥檚 the idea that failure (or success) is a defining and final label for learners.

Those who take failure not as a first attempt to improve, but instead as a fixed reality, will avoid it at all costs – while those who see failure as a natural part of the learning process and the precursor to intelligence, improvement and growth will become lifelong learners with a deep intrinsic motivation to learn new skills.

Dweck believes that this mindset, over intelligence, becomes a natural predictor of life success: 鈥淭hey become lifelong learners, motivated by a passion for stretching and sticking to it, even when it鈥檚 not going well.鈥�

So how do teachers embrace and even encourage failure in a busy classroom, with anxious parents and even students determined to chart those established markers of success? For starters, teachers can shift the focus subtly from results-oriented learning to relevant, inquiry-based learning.  In practice, this looks like downgrading the urgency of high-stakes testing results, instead prioritizing curiosity and creating lesson plans that relate to students鈥� more immediate experience.

Take, for example, learning about fractions in an elementary classroom. Lectures, worksheets and practice tests that make sure students can do well in a testing environment have their place, but these drills better serve as secondary approaches. The primary, inquiry-based approach to teaching fractions would be to design relevant, hands-on and practical learning experiences with failure 鈥榖aked鈥� in. Thus, a teacher might approach fractions by asking students to bake a triple batch of their favorite dessert. If this is most students鈥� first experience with fractions, failure is delightfully inevitable. What happens when you do fractions wrong in cooking? Their dessert doesn鈥檛 taste quite right!

Students in this scenario would be encouraged to use inquiry to better understand fractions and better understand how to apply the calculation of fractions to their lives and projects – right in their own kitchens. Why is tripling a recipe so difficult? How do we accurately measure portions with the tools before us? How do we do the math to triple a recipe? Should we write down the new recipe after we do the math? Would it help the results?

A curious student who is engaged in a relevant lesson, and appropriately motivated, will feel little discouragement in this experience of ‘failure’ and no value in quitting the task. Why would they? They want to get their dessert just right! Such a student will not have anxiety nor fear failure – they will simply be interested in finding the solution, and will do so with much needed creative resilience.

Isn鈥檛 this what students need most in the ever-changing 21st century? Skills that go beyond resume-building and test-taking 鈥� skills like curious self-motivation, resilience, determination and courage? Ultimately, making classrooms failure-friendly will help all students cultivate the mindset and character traits that build a lifetime love of learning, and the grit needed to tackle complex problem-solving that helps them pursue whatever brand of success they desire.

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Waldorf educators explored the questions around innovation at the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America 2019 Summer Conference — Responsible Innovation: A Collaborative Approach to Educational Freedom. Specifically, we looked to clarify ideals of innovating within and with respect for the core principles of Waldorf pedagogy.

Yet even with clear principles and missions, the guiding forces for how to accomplish innovation is much debated in all education systems and schools. Some see 鈥渆ducation innovation鈥� as a buzzword for ed tech. Others imagine it to be disruptive change from the top down to whip underperforming systems into getting better standardized test scores. Others still believe it must be teacher-driven change at the individual classroom level. 

The whys are somewhat similar, the hows vary greatly, and the results? Everyone can agree that no matter the desired results, accomplishing them is complicated and often elusive. 

 is learning this first hand with their i3 grant program, which invests in innovative ideas put into practice in public schools nationwide. The Investing in Innovation Program (i3) has issued 172 Grants since 2010 and has spent $1.5 billion dollars.

Results have come in for the first 67 programs funded and, according to the , only 12 have had positive impact on student achievement. Many education researchers and experts, like Barbara Goodson at the education research firm Abt Associates Inc., are not surprised. 

Goodson was hired to analyze the results of the i3 grant program, formally named the , and she says, 鈥淚t is really hard to change student achievement鈥� learning is ultimately about changing human behavior and that is always difficult鈥� so many other things 鈥� like nutrition, sleep, safety, and relationships at home 鈥� affect learning.鈥�

She adds that the current measures of effectiveness, generally standardized test assessment, may be too broad to capture the benefits of many funded innovations.

This leads to a potentially more relevant question around innovation in education. Namely, how does an organization encourage, create, and measure what works in any given setting?

Lars Esdal, executive director of , a nonprofit organization working to improve public education, wrote about this topic at  in the article . He maintains that innovation cannot be a mandate. It must be a culture created within a school or school system. He believes we must 鈥渃reate opportunities and incentives for folks to design different and better learning experiences, but not require it.鈥�

Once a culture is established that encourages change and new ideas, the system or framework for creating effective change is a well-researched topic. A foremost thought leader in the theory of systems change is , a Senior Lecturer at MIT and co-founder of the . Scharmer has written a book examining the core principles and practices behind changing an organization.

Scharmer says the book, , works as 鈥渁 framework and language that helps you locate yourself in the larger developmental framework of systems change. It鈥檚 a method that helps you move through phases. … to make visible the deeper structure that supports our best moments of leading and learning.鈥�

In his interview in , , he speaks of the tenets and the actions behind inspiring change at an institutional level. He echoes Esdal鈥檚 belief that a culture must be open for change, but adds an additional layer of responsibility on individuals for openness — saying we must be willing to have 鈥渙pen hearts, open minds, and open wills.鈥� Scharmer believes change is only possible if individuals are willing to 鈥渂e authentic, reflective, and mindful.鈥�

It is only then, according to Scharmer, that leaders are ready to take the actions needed which require they: 

Stop and pay attention to what鈥檚 happening in the changing environment; 
Let go of old methods and paradigms that no longer serve the cause or mission; and 
Let new possibilities come from their higher or best selves. 

But will all of these good intentions, processes, and ideas actually lead to innovation that works for students? As earlier efforts with i3 have indicated, there is either a failure in innovation itself large-scale or, more likely, a failure in the measurement of innovation. 

Esdal squarely sets the blame on standardized tests. In his article, , he says, 鈥淲e have fallen into the trap of valuing what we measure rather than measuring what we value.鈥� He advocates instead for measuring what he calls, 鈥渃ollective outcomes鈥� — critical thinking, analytical reasoning, problem-solving, and writing — to truly see the results of innovative initiatives.

Stanford Education professor and researcher, Linda Darling-Hammond, agrees. In her  article , she recommends establishing multiple sets of assessment alongside standardized testing. She encourages educators to develop clearly defined rubrics (or criteria) for assessing changes and development via student portfolios, presentations, and other special projects.

Innovation is geared toward improving important 21st Century skills like, she says, 鈥渞ecall, analysis, comparison, inference, and evaluation… and they are the kinds of skills that aren’t measured by our current high-stakes tests.鈥�

The business world can lend credibility to expanding evaluations beyond hash marks and spreadsheets or scores and numbers. 

Michael J. Mauboussin, Director of research at BlueMountain Capital Management and Professor at Columbia Business School in New York City, explores measuring success beyond statistics in his latest book . He delves into his core ideas in this Harvard Business Review article, .

Mauboussin reminds us that what matters are measurements 鈥渢hat reliably reveal cause and effect.鈥� Numbers are easy to measure, but are only a small part of a larger picture. Non-numerical measures, while more difficult to establish, are often more valuable. Mauboussin, in fact, has found that in the business world, those who can link up and measure non-numerical values and data have a better track record for improvement and innovation.

In the more practical and education-specific realm, , Director of the   and, shares specifics on what these assessments can look like in her article  also published by . 

Thomas recommends simple tools for assessment delivered in a low-stakes environment to students such as student and teacher surveys, ungraded quizzes, in person interviews, and focused observation, to name just a few. 

She says, 鈥渨e can deploy [assessments] quickly, seamlessly, and in a low-stakes way鈥攁ll while not creating an unmanageable workload… the point is to get a basic read on the progress of individuals, or the class as a whole.鈥�  

Regardless of the complexities of education innovation, the obligation to innovate is as essential as it is urgent. All educators must commit to seeking and embracing change. Together we can shift paradigms around the way things 鈥渉ave always been done鈥� and make learning experiences relevant to our students, responsive to their unique identities, and tailored to their abilities. 
 

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Guilford was particularly interested in the fact that many creative people scored lower on standard IQ tests. He determined that this was due to their more lateral-type approach to the problems. They seemed to see more diverse possibilities as they engaged in problem solving.

IQ tests, as Guilford discovered, were based in measuring convergent thinking鈥揳 person鈥檚 ability to apply one set of rules to arrive at a single, correct solution. Divergent thinkers, on the other hand, can generate many varied solutions to one question.

Here in the 21st century, we are coming to understand and appreciate the role played by divergent thinkers. They are our inventors, innovators, entrepreneurs, and visionaries in all walks of industry, politics, and life. This appreciation for divergent thinking translates to a call for more respect of thought diversity in education. It is what leads experts like Ken Robinson to ask such rhetorical questions as, 

It could be fairly said that many schools do not focus on creativity. And more fairly still, that schools focus primarily on convergent thinking. It only makes sense that convergent thinking skills are rewarded in a system that often encourages reiteration of correct answers given by teachers on tests, and rewards students for those exact, correct answers in grading.

While it may be tempting to see convergent thinking as negative, the call for educators should be about restoring more balance between the two types of thought. Good learners need to be well versed in both convergent and divergent thinking skills. Not only do students need both sets of skills for their schooling, but they need to realize that these ways of thinking are not mutually exclusive, and benefit studying and working in any field.

Take science for example. The deductive logic and reasoning that is the hallmark of the scientific method begins with convergent thinking. Once a hypothesis is stated, gathering facts and data, applying it to the question at hand, and deducing a logical answer are essential and essentially convergent-thought based. When the hypothesis is not proven, however, divergent thinking is best applied to the new problem at hand. Those too mired in convergent thought will sift, sort, and struggle through minutiae when faced with the larger questions: 鈥淲hy did this fail?鈥� and 鈥淲hat needs to change?鈥�

This is why great theoretical scientists like Einstein are excellent divergent thinkers.

They engage in thought experiments, can imagine different scenarios and solutions, and are willing to apply wild theories and concepts that epitomize 鈥渙ut of the box鈥� thinking.

So, how do we encourage this type of thinking in students when education is convergent-thinking-based by design?

Get Out of the Way鈥�

Children are naturally divergent thinkers. This was the conclusion of a 2011 study, , published in Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine: 鈥淎 longitudinal study of kindergarten children measured 98% of them at genius level in divergent thinking. Five years later, when they were aged 8 to 10 years, those at genius level had dropped to 50%. After another five years, the number of divergent thinking geniuses had fallen further still.鈥�

Data like this could lead to arguments that the best way to encourage divergent thinking is to simply get out of the way when it occurs naturally in the classroom. Especially in the younger grades. Let the children foster and use their imaginations, allow time for meandering lines of commentary and questions in study, engage their creativity through arts, and encourage the kind of wild brainstorming that naturally happens with younger students.

Defer Judgment鈥�

In the younger grades and older ones too, deferring judgment would help students feel more comfortable engaging in their natural tendency for divergent thinking. This is not the same as eschewing logic in favor of silliness, but instead a holding off or delay of judging ideas. While opportunities for this may be limited in fourth grade math lessons, they would abound in fourth grade science or language arts classrooms.

When students are asked 鈥渨hy,鈥� they should be given the time and space to answer from many different angles and should be encouraged to think in wild and creative ways. Topic changes could be seen as brainstorming and thus tolerated until the teacher feels the need to guide them back to the question at hand. Ideas can be used as springboards to combine and improve thinking by the class as a whole. If this is done while avoiding the judgment of ideas as either bad or good, then divergent thinking will happen.

Ask Unanswerable Questions鈥�

In the real world, many questions are complex and do not have a single answer. Why then do educators often only ask the questions that have one answer? The premise of it is simple: pose real life, complex problems to students and help them learn to use both divergent and convergent thinking to progress towards different probable solutions.

Students will not only learn divergent thinking in these scenarios, but older students can be guided to consider relevant issues to their lives and society as a whole by addressing questions like: 鈥淗ow could we feed the world without industrial farming and genetically modified plants?鈥�

Turn Q&A to A&Q鈥�

Otherwise known as Socratic Inquiry, this approach to learning presents an answer and then asks the questions鈥揾ow, why, what? This type of inquiry immediately calls for divergent thinking in students as it taps into natural curiosity to draw out ideas.

As an example in the classroom, students attempt to lift a desk. Then they lift it with a single rope and pulley. Then they add additional pulleys. What do the students notice as they move through this process? What is happening? Why? And so forth.

Normalize Failure鈥�

Creating a聽space in the classroom for failure, and helping students embrace it, is a key step in learning as it takes the shame out of taking risks. Divergent thinking is, at its core, a willingness to step away from the 鈥渞ight鈥� answer to consider other possibilities. Students who are ashamed or afraid to fail will resist anything beyond convergent thought. They will be obsessed with doing it right and getting it right and will believe that 鈥渞ight鈥� is one thing. By normalizing failure, teachers can encourage students to approach problem solving in nonlinear, divergent ways.

If we can balance education鈥檚 approach between convergent and divergent thinking and help students learn to master, or at least appreciate, both of these approaches to thought, it will help them live in a world of expanded possibility. Then, ultimately and ideally, these students can take their expanded minds, theories, and problem-solving prowess out into the 21st century to make our world a better place.

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The common perception is such鈥� art teachers inspire creative capacities; the rest of the faculty has more 鈥渟erious鈥� work to accomplish. However, as engaged teachers know, this is very far from the truth. Teachers, in all schools, find themselves as purveyors of the arts as they stand before their students. They work to cultivate a learning environment that encourages each student鈥檚 ability to think synergistically and create — compositions, experiments, or variable solutions to problems — in STEM classes and in the humanities.

Let鈥檚 consider that art, as a value in education, can be defined as emphasizing action over words; a value of creating, cultivating, initiating, and unfolding over instructing, memorizing, and reciting. Of course, all have a place in education, but  much too far into the realm of measurable result of a particular type of intelligence.

To that end, artistic teaching deepens a student鈥檚 knowledge of a given subject matter; strengthens recall; inspires relevant, original, and innovative work, and even cultivates a moral development. It teaches students how to bring together internal intention with external influence, to engage deeply in process, and to produce a worthwhile result.

While there are many approaches to integrating the values of artistry into classrooms, 海角社区 recognizes that artistic value is best shown through daily artistic work. Instead of teaching art in art class, artistic methods are embedded into core academic subjects. Does this approach work? How successful are Waldorf school graduates in higher education and beyond? A Research Bulletin entitled  encapsulates the results of the comprehensive , which indicates that Waldorf graduates, regardless of career endeavors, share the following capacities:

• They value the opportunity to think for themselves and to translate their new ideas into practice.
• They both value and practice life-long learning and have a highly-developed sense for aesthetics.
• They value lasting human relationships.
• They seek out opportunities to be of help to other people.
• They sense that they are guided by an inner moral compass that helps them navigate the trials and challenges of their professional and private lives.
• They carry high ethical principles into their chosen professions.

Ultimately, when educators choose to leverage and honor the arts day-to-day, they help show their students that artistic creation, in all its forms, has personal and societal value and relevance.

We all seek to create and innovate in our lives in order to bring personal meaning and relevancy to the larger world. It鈥檚 important to recognize that this is an artistic intention.

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Rudolf Steiner believed inner work was an essential practice for those guiding children to reach their full potential. He stated, 鈥淵ou will not be good teachers if you focus only on what you do and not upon who you are.鈥�  

In the book  — a compiled, selected, and edited work of Rudolf Steiner by Martina Maria Sam — Steiner discusses the importance of four soul habits in the pursuit of higher knowledge. 

鈥淪piritual science describes four qualities which a person needs to acquire on the path of probation, as we can call it, in order to rise to higher knowledge. The first of these is the ability to distinguish in thoughts what is true from what is false, truth from mere opinion. The second quality is a proper appreciation of truth and reality as opposed to appearance. The third consists in practicing the six capacities: control of thoughts, control of actions, patience and tenacity, tolerance, faith, and equanimity. The fourth is love of inner freedom.鈥� 

The third quality, relating to , is done to 鈥淐ontrol of the direction of thought; control of the impulses of will; calmness in joy and sorrow; positiveness in judging the world; impartiality in our attitude toward life, and inner harmony.鈥� 

This sounds, by modern definition, a lot like self-improvement and care. If we look at some of the hallmarks of foundational mind-body health, we can see how they establish a baseline for beginning and maintaining a mindset conducive to inner work. These include:

• Developing a healthy body and soul
• Finding our connection to all things 
• Finding balance in daily life, and
• Developing gratitude

Developing a Healthy Body and Soul 

Balanced eating, exercise, and deep breathing are easy starts. We cannot hold our breath through this moment in time, like one may do during a temporary pain like an ear piercing or a toe stubbing. So, breathe deeply, in the fresh air, each day. 

Breathing deeply is proven to calm us. According to , researcher at the National Institute of Mental Health, our breathing can . She says, 鈥渄eep breathing actually stimulates the opposing parasympathetic reaction 鈥� the one that calms us down,鈥� and this effect lasts over the long term in ongoing reaction to stress.

For the soul, or the mind if one prefers, try a balance of thought and an acceptance of uncertainty. American Tibetan Buddhist, Pema Ch枚dr枚n tells us: “The truth is that things don鈥檛 really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen.” 

It helps also to simplify expectations and to not value productivity over wellness. Many find comfort in working, and it can be easy to fall out of balance and forget to set boundaries and simplify. 

Finding our Connection to All Things 

Actively engaging in our school communities is an ideal source of connection. Until this possibility is back in our daily lives fully, we must find our creativity and dedicate specific time to reach out and be together in whatever ways are possible.

Time in nature is a fruitful way to feel a connection to all things. We can work outdoors, hike, and exercise, or even just sit and observe if the weather allows. As Steiner said, 鈥淵ou can get an idea of human nature only when you can see the relationship of the individual human being to the whole cosmos.鈥�  

Finding Balance in Daily Life 

Rhythm and repetition hold sway in nature and in our own lives. Ask any Waldorf early childhood teacher how routine influences humans. Routine for young children is everything. While we build a muscle for spontaneity and disruption as we age, routine is our warm home base; our backbone of wellbeing. 

Do as our early childhood teachers do. Have activities that breathe in 鈥� purposeful, productive, industrious 鈥� and then activities that breathe out 鈥� relaxing, still, and observational. In this way we can seek to bring balance and routine to our daily lives.

Developing Gratitude

The benefits of gratitude are well documented, such as in this study on . Noting our gratitude, literally , can improve our mental and physical health. 

If we make time to reflect on the world鈥檚 abundance, we can see what we are fortunate to have in life already. These moments not only help with appreciation of what we have, but also broaden our perspective of all that exists in the vast expanding universe. 

In conclusion, here is a morning and evening meditation from Rudolf Steiner:

Morning:

More radiant than the sun,

Purer than snow,

Finer than the ether

Is the Self,

The Spirit of my heart.

I am this Self.

This Self am I.

Evening:

I am the Self

The Self am I

The Spirit of my Heart

Is the Self

Subtler than the Ether

Purer than Snow

More radiant than the Sun

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