Steiner Voices XYZ

Steiner Education Australia
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Education
  • Updated Bimonthly

Welcome to Steiner Voices XYZ, a podcast series hosted by Steiner Education Australia. We’re a forum for some of the varied voices of Steiner school communities and their people around the country, of teachers, parents and students. Steiner education is a worldwide movement of some 1100 schools across the globe, on all inhabited continents and embraced by parents, teachers and students of all cultural backgrounds. In Australia we have 52 schools who are members of Steiner Education Australia and are all dedicated to delivering the rich and uplifting Australian Steiner Curriculum framework, recognised by the government education regulator ACARA as an approved equivalent to the Australian Curriculum version 9. Listen to our Steiner Voices podcast series and you’ll meet some of the many people who make our Australian Steiner schools such vibrant learning communities.

  1. 4d ago

    “Who Am I?”: The Journey and the Gift of a Language Teacher

    Yasushi Hayashi began life on the outskirts of Tokyo and now lives on the outskirts of Geelong, near Melbourne as the Japanese teacher at Freshwater Creek Steiner school. His life journey in between has taken him around the world. After his first fascination with the English language at school as a teenager, and then hearing about Steiner education on Japanese radio, he has followed both these themes for the rest of his life. The journey has taken him to training at Emerson College in the UK, and teaching in Scotland and then three schools in Australia. Moving between cultures and countries has brought to him the very contemporary question of “Who am I?”: am I Japanese, am I Australian, am I a world citizen? The question goes to the heart of why languages are so important in Steinerschools. We can be all of these: the gift of another language and culture helps us experience a larger version of ourselves. For more information about Steiner education: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/⁠⁠ For more information about locations and contact details of Steiner schools: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/schools/⁠⁠  Teacher education and professional learning: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/events/⁠⁠  Working in a Steiner school: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/jobs/#vacancies⁠⁠  Our facebook page is ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/steinereducationaustralia⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/steinereducationaustralia/⁠⁠  The beautifully performed theme music ‘Libertango’ is played by Esther Abrami and Alexandra Whittingham.   Esther’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.estherabrami.com/⁠⁠  Alexandra’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.alexandrawhittingham.com/⁠⁠ Podcast produced by: ⁠⁠https://piccolopodcasts.com.au/

  2. Aug 31

    “Joy and Wonder”: A Foundation for Life

    Five Steiner schools on three continents! Nishka Varghese is a multiple Steiner X, having attended five different Steiner schools across three continents in the course of her school journey. She is now studying Criminology, with plans to complete a degree in Law, at Melbourne University, and is enjoying a busy life style in theatre and music as well. Nishka has been a long term member of the Waldorf Wayfarers, the choral and performing troupe led by Judith Clingan AM which travels Australia and the world bringing original music to Steiner schools and communities. In this podcast Nishka reflects on the common, unifying threads that underlie all the Steiner schools she has attended, including the main lessons and outdoor education camps which particularly inspired her. Most of all, she remembers the beautiful place of story-telling in the early childhood years, a place of joy and wonder that continually inspires her even now, and has given her a foundation for life. For more information about Steiner education: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/⁠⁠ For more information about locations and contact details of Steiner schools: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/schools/⁠⁠  Teacher education and professional learning: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/events/⁠⁠  Working in a Steiner school: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/jobs/#vacancies⁠⁠  Our facebook page is ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/steinereducationaustralia⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/steinereducationaustralia/⁠⁠  The beautifully performed theme music ‘Libertango’ is played by Esther Abrami and Alexandra Whittingham.   Esther’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.estherabrami.com/⁠⁠  Alexandra’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.alexandrawhittingham.com/⁠⁠ Podcast produced by: ⁠⁠https://piccolopodcasts.com.au/

  3. Aug 17

    Relationship before outcome: the work of a Relational Wellbeing Counsellor  

    Lisa Devine wears many hats: psychologist, priest, eurythmist and youth worker. She is neither a teacher nor a parent yet she has been active in many Steiner schools as what she calls a “relational wellbeing counsellor”, working with relationships and community. In her wider community work, Lisa has spent 30 years working with young people and adults in trauma situations, some at the lowest points in their lives. Her journey has taken her through many painful moments where she has sat with those “on the threshold”. Yet she is still in awe of human beings: their resilience, their capacity to recover meaning in life, and to be there for each other. She is now working with Emergency Pedagogy, and she describes the profound impact its has had locally in the aftermath of both the Bondi terrorist attack and the Victorian bushfires. Her message is simple: relationship before outcome, and ultimately, everybody matters. For more information on Emergency Pedagogy training, see For more information about Steiner education: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/⁠⁠ For more information about locations and contact details of Steiner schools: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/schools/⁠⁠  Teacher education and professional learning: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/events/⁠⁠  Working in a Steiner school: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/jobs/#vacancies⁠⁠  Our facebook page is ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/steinereducationaustralia⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/steinereducationaustralia/⁠⁠  The beautifully performed theme music ‘Libertango’ is played by Esther Abrami and Alexandra Whittingham.   Esther’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.estherabrami.com/⁠⁠  Alexandra’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.alexandrawhittingham.com/⁠⁠ Podcast produced by: ⁠⁠https://piccolopodcasts.com.au/

  4. Aug 3

    “You’ve got to make it come alive!”: The creative work of the teacher with Jim and Barb Henderson

    Is this a record? Jim and Barb Henderson put their all their five children through the Melbourne Rudolf Steiner School in Warranwood, Victoria, and now all of their 12 grandchildren attend or have attended the school as well. What a commitment! Jim and Barb later became teachers at the school, now retired, and in this episode they reflect on their long journey with Steiner education. One of their many reflections is that none of their children ever hated school. What an achievement in this age of disaffection among young people and school refusal! They still live a creative life, nourished by nature, art and of course their growing extended family. As teachers they both reflect on the importance of being well prepared for the classroom, and building relationships of trust with students. Jim’s inspiration was always to make his lesson material as dramatic as possible and his advice to teachers is “You’ve got to put your heart into it. You’ve got to make it come alive!” For more information about Steiner education: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/⁠⁠ For more information about locations and contact details of Steiner schools: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/schools/⁠⁠  Teacher education and professional learning: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/events/⁠⁠  Working in a Steiner school: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/jobs/#vacancies⁠⁠  Our facebook page is ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/steinereducationaustralia⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/steinereducationaustralia/⁠⁠  The beautifully performed theme music ‘Libertango’ is played by Esther Abrami and Alexandra Whittingham.   Esther’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.estherabrami.com/⁠⁠  Alexandra’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.alexandrawhittingham.com/⁠⁠ Podcast produced by: ⁠⁠https://piccolopodcasts.com.au/

  5. Jul 20

    Creation Story: Memories of Milkwood

    Lara Andropov was one of the founding students of Milkwood Steiner School in Darwin, NT. After years away, she has returned and twenty years on she runs the After School Care program at Milkwood. Lara has a child’s rich memory of the school’s founding and of all the dedicated work that her parents and other families contributed to establishing the school. From the school’s humble beginnings in a Scout Hall where every day the school furniture had to be stored away and recreated the next morning, to its present well established state offering a Kindergarten to Year 10 curriculum, Lara’s story details the hard work, commitment and passion of the founding families with a vision of a Steiner school in Darwin. This “creation story” is intertwined with Lara’s own story of how she dealt with significant learning challenges. On the way she developed her own commitment and passion to using some of the methods she learned from her education to support children and adults meet their own challenges in learning and life. For more information about Steiner education: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/⁠⁠ For more information about locations and contact details of Steiner schools: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/schools/⁠⁠  Teacher education and professional learning: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/events/⁠⁠  Working in a Steiner school: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/jobs/#vacancies⁠⁠  Our facebook page is ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/steinereducationaustralia⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/steinereducationaustralia/⁠⁠  The beautifully performed theme music ‘Libertango’ is played by Esther Abrami and Alexandra Whittingham.   Esther’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.estherabrami.com/⁠⁠  Alexandra’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.alexandrawhittingham.com/⁠⁠ Podcast produced by: ⁠⁠https://piccolopodcasts.com.au/

  6. Jul 6

    Islands of Coherence: Steiner schools and the Future

    Dr Brad Kershner continues his keynote presentations from our recent GLAM (Governance, Leadership, Administration and Management) conference at Samford Valley Steiner School. Qld. In this second keynote, Brad develops his theme of Steiner schools as islands of coherence in the sea of chaos and complexity in which we find ourselves at this challenging point in human history. Through our commitment to human values in learning, art, community, nature, ritual and the seasonal cycles, Steiner schools can model coherence and become “attractors” that draw other elements to them, thereby helping to stabilise the wider system in society. In Brad’s view, if we do the necessary inner work that disrupts the negative patterns from the outside chaos, we can start the healing process in both ourselves and the world. So a potential new story can emerge, and ray out to help forge a future balance and harmony. For more information about Steiner education: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/⁠⁠ For more information about locations and contact details of Steiner schools: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/schools/⁠⁠  Teacher education and professional learning: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/events/⁠⁠  Working in a Steiner school: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/jobs/#vacancies⁠⁠  Our facebook page is ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/steinereducationaustralia⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/steinereducationaustralia/⁠⁠  The beautifully performed theme music ‘Libertango’ is played by Esther Abrami and Alexandra Whittingham.   Esther’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.estherabrami.com/⁠⁠  Alexandra’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.alexandrawhittingham.com/⁠⁠ Podcast produced by: ⁠⁠https://piccolopodcasts.com.au/

  7. Jun 22

    “A magic happening in front of me”: Memories of Sylvia and building credibility

    Rosemary Gentle OAM has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in Steiner education. Beginning as a parent, she was over three decades a Class teacher, High School Coordinator,  College Chair and finally Board Co-Chair at Glenaeon School in Sydney, before becoming Executive Officer of the Rudolf Steiner Schools Association of Australia, precursor to Steiner Education Australia. Her memories of working closely with Glenaeon’s founder Sylvia Brose provide a unique glimpse of the remarkable woman who brought Steiner education to Australia. Rosemary recalls the early days when the struggles to build the credibility of a Steiner school in the eyes of sceptical NSW authorities was an ongoing challenge, and the benefits that hard-won credibility has brought to the Australian Steiner school movement. In recognition of her work with many schools, Rosemary was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for her services to Steiner education and the community. Her contribution continues today in her role as Co-Chair of the Steiner Education Foundation, a philanthropic body raising funds for Steiner schools and organisations across the country. For more information on the Foundation and its work, you can visit, and contribute directly to,  https://steinereducation.edu.au/about/steiner-education-foundation/  For more information about Steiner education: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/⁠⁠ For more information about locations and contact details of Steiner schools: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/schools/⁠⁠  Teacher education and professional learning: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/events/⁠⁠  Working in a Steiner school: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/jobs/#vacancies⁠⁠  Our facebook page is ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/steinereducationaustralia⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/steinereducationaustralia/⁠⁠  The beautifully performed theme music ‘Libertango’ is played by Esther Abrami and Alexandra Whittingham.   Esther’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.estherabrami.com/⁠⁠  Alexandra’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.alexandrawhittingham.com/⁠⁠ Podcast produced by: ⁠⁠https://piccolopodcasts.com.au/

  8. Jun 8

    Moving Through History to the Other Side of Complexity & Inspiration in a Time Between Stories

    Dr Brad Kershner is Head of School at the Kimberton Waldorf School, Pennsylvania, USA, and was the keynote speaker at our recent GLAM (Governance, Leadership, Administration and Management) conference at Samford Valley Steiner School. Qld. Brad has a fascinating background as an early childhood teacher, religious studies scholar, meditation practitioner, administrator, and now a school leader working with Steiner education and anthroposophy. We will explore Brad’s personal story in a coming podcast episode. His keynote addresses were powerful statements on the importance of Steiner education at this moment in world history and they received universally positive, indeed effusive feedback, so much so they deserve to be heard widely. Here then is Dr Brad Kershner in his first keynote where he explores the increasing complexity of the times in which we live, this time between stories, and the role Steiner schools can play in helping to move us to a positive vision of the future.  For more information about Steiner education: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/⁠⁠ For more information about locations and contact details of Steiner schools: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/schools/⁠⁠  Teacher education and professional learning: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/events/⁠⁠  Working in a Steiner school: ⁠⁠https://steinereducation.edu.au/jobs/#vacancies⁠⁠  Our facebook page is ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/steinereducationaustralia⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/steinereducationaustralia/⁠⁠  The beautifully performed theme music ‘Libertango’ is played by Esther Abrami and Alexandra Whittingham.   Esther’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.estherabrami.com/⁠⁠  Alexandra’s website: ⁠⁠https://www.alexandrawhittingham.com/⁠⁠ Podcast produced by: ⁠⁠https://piccolopodcasts.com.au/

See All (39)

Ratings & Reviews

About

Welcome to Steiner Voices XYZ, a podcast series hosted by Steiner Education Australia. We’re a forum for some of the varied voices of Steiner school communities and their people around the country, of teachers, parents and students. Steiner education is a worldwide movement of some 1100 schools across the globe, on all inhabited continents and embraced by parents, teachers and students of all cultural backgrounds. In Australia we have 52 schools who are members of Steiner Education Australia and are all dedicated to delivering the rich and uplifting Australian Steiner Curriculum framework, recognised by the government education regulator ACARA as an approved equivalent to the Australian Curriculum version 9. Listen to our Steiner Voices podcast series and you’ll meet some of the many people who make our Australian Steiner schools such vibrant learning communities.

Information

  • Creator
    Steiner Education Australia
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All material is owned by Steiner Education Australia
  • Show Website
    Steiner Voices XYZ