Colloquium on English - Research Institute for Waldorf Education

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in this <strong>Colloquium</strong> responded. These two responses are typical of the frustration that many respondents
expressed:
“ I wish students liked grammar more. I have always found it interesting – like a puzzle to solve and
understand. I also loved diagramming sentences. I have read Steiner’s ‘warning’ about this – about killing
off the sentence – the Word – I still use diagramming in my mind when I’m trying to understand a difficult
sentence – or compose one. But … I am not a writer so maybe that’s nothing to brag about. I have tried to
identify what is not correct in their writing and help them understand why it is wrong. This is obviously
not the same as teaching grammar in such a way that it enhances and leads to the development of their own
writing. I try to have ‘the other English teacher’ be a writer with a strong grammar background although I
do teach – and love teaching – the grammar tracks….”
“I once thought learning about grammar would help students with their writing. Over the years I
have decided there is very little transfer: students who already write well can understand and appreciate
grammar. Those who are poor writers, who make grammatical mistakes, tend to have the most difficulty
understanding it and applying it to their writing. I am willing to consider this my fault, and would be open
to learning to teach it in a way that would be helpful for the struggling students if someone has figured out
how to do it.”
The questions my research poses are these:
1. What currently is happening in North American Waldorf High Schools in the teaching or non-teaching
of English grammar?
2. What currently is happening in North American public high schools in the teaching or non-teaching of
English grammar?
3. What did Steiner say about teaching the grammar of the native tongue?
4. Considering Steiner’s basic tenet that teaching anything should lead from the phenomenon to the
concept, is there a way to teach grammar that is more in keeping with this principle?
When I asked in my AWSNA questionnaire why you were teaching grammar, almost everyone who
responded knew that Steiner had seen the teaching of grammar as necessary for the development of the
Ego. Steiner spoke many times about the need to teach Grammar, and also the How. Steiner actually knew
how to teach grammar and indicates that it needs to be studied in the same way as all phenomena, from
observation, through curiosity and interest, and finally to formulation of patterns. The Developing Child, by
Willi Apli has a excellent essay on teaching younger children based on Steiner’s indications. I believe that we
can continue the excitement of the approach of the beginnings of the teaching of grammar into our high
school teaching. One of my favourite quotes from Steiner is this:
“Sometimes I simply cannot understand how one can keep the children quiet if one talks to them
about adverbs and subjunctives, for really this is something that cannot be of any interest to a normal child.
At best it can happen that the children behave themselves out of love for the teacher… Above all I find that
the main trouble is that teachers do not know their own grammar… The way in which grammatical terms
are used is quite abominable. (Were I) a pupil I would raise a riot if I did not know why such things were
being thrown at my head. The point is that not enough time is being taken by the teachers to acquire a
reasonable amount of grammatical knowledge. Only then does it stimulate the pupils. The grammar lessons
are horrible, if I may speak plainly. All the stuff which you find printed in books ought to be burnt.
Something living must enter….” (Discussions with Teachers, Feb. 6, 1923)