My visit to Newcastle Waldorf School - Dan Maslen - A Commissioned Report
After I retired from full time teaching last year I spent two months in India and the Andaman Islands as a volunteer helper teaching in the Hyderabad Eurythmy Training, the Andaman Upper School Oceanography Course and Abhaya Waldorf School.
Towards the end of my stay in Hyderabad , in December 2016, Sophia Montefiore and Gareth (?) came to give a painting course in Chennai and the outcome of our meeting in India lead to an invitation for me to visit Newcastle the following Spring.
So, after a family Christmas in England I flew via Hong Kong to Sydney where I was warmly welcomed by my host family, the Montefiores.
Although March in Australia is the beginning of Autumn it was still very warm when I arrived despite a few rainy days!
I was given a beautiful ‘ log cabin’ studio close to the school to live in and the first thing that struck me was the amazing birdsong by day and the stars at night. Very different from the Northern hemisphere. The Southern Cross being a special feature which I had only seen once before when I visited Melbourne to teach on the Eurythmy Training there some years ago.
As I had a few days before beginning my work at the school, Sophia's mother Keitha looked after me very well - taking me to local beaches and wonderful cafes nearby. For supper I was often invited to Sophia and Evans’ house next door. Excellent food and local Hunter Valley wines every time!
I was given a full timetable at the school (my choice!) and I thoroughly enjoyed teaching these enthusiastic, earthy, sometimes cheeky children!
Positive energy, humour and goodwill seems to fill the whole school community.
I gave a Geometry Main Lesson to Class Six and taught Eurythmy and Form Drawing to most of the other classes in primary and middle school. I also brought some songs and movement exercises to upper school morning assembly.
One of the highlights was the Ballad of Semmerwater which classes 6 and 7 performed in eurythmy at the end of term.
I was amazed how quickly the children learned the gestures and choreography considering they don't usually have eurythmy and I am eternally grateful to Tracy their class teacher for her brilliant support both in the geometry main lesson and during the eurythmy work.
I also loved working with all the other classes and judging by the feedback from parents the children enjoyed it too.
I have learnt during my many years of teaching children eurythmy that you have to make it fun and bring a balance to the more serious, inner work through games and definite performance goals. Three games proved favourites among the children: All Move House, Follow the Leader and Bus Stop!
It was refreshing for me to be in such a warm, caring environment where the children are thriving and happy.
The school is lucky to have such a beautiful multi purpose theatre, ideal for eurythmy,music,drama etc. And wherever you look the whole school campus is blessed with Sophia Montefiore’s brilliant artwork and murals.This along with all the dedicated work from teachers,parents and children helps give the school an atmosphere of being cared for. It feels like a special place where the spirit of Steiner Waldorf education can thrive.
In addition to my teaching work I gave a Talk ‘Who was Rudolf Steiner ‘ to parents,teachers and friends of the school community.
After Term ended I was taken on a tour of the famous Hunter Valley vineyard region and to the Royal Easter Show in Sydney. Then a new project began, directing the Prospero Players’ production of William Shakespeare's ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream.’
Rehearsals for this actually began a few weeks before Easter but now became much more full on.
The cast were so talented which meant that I really didn't need to do much directing (apart from reminding the cast to always be aware of the audience and to ‘involve’ them in the artistic process wherever possible. Something I learned during my many years touring with Eurythmy Stage Groups and as a Folk Rock performer in my 20s and 30s.
The audience must always be the most important group for any performing art.
The production side of the Play was taken care of by Sophia and Evan so I could concentrate much of my time on the music for the play. I was fortunate to have four very talented musicians who formed a band with me and I got lots of inspiration for the musical ideas from the atmosphere in the beautiful school theatre with its lovely stained glass window.
Although it was hard work, The Play was a great success and after the final performance I flew back to Springtime in England!
I would like to thank everyone at Newcastle Waldorf School for the warm welcome you gave me and a special thanks to Sophia, Evan and Keitha for being such good hosts.
I have been invited back for another visit in 2019 and hope very much that this will be possible.
Warmest greetings,
Dan Maslen
After I retired from full time teaching last year I spent two months in India and the Andaman Islands as a volunteer helper teaching in the Hyderabad Eurythmy Training, the Andaman Upper School Oceanography Course and Abhaya Waldorf School.
Towards the end of my stay in Hyderabad , in December 2016, Sophia Montefiore and Gareth (?) came to give a painting course in Chennai and the outcome of our meeting in India lead to an invitation for me to visit Newcastle the following Spring.
So, after a family Christmas in England I flew via Hong Kong to Sydney where I was warmly welcomed by my host family, the Montefiores.
Although March in Australia is the beginning of Autumn it was still very warm when I arrived despite a few rainy days!
I was given a beautiful ‘ log cabin’ studio close to the school to live in and the first thing that struck me was the amazing birdsong by day and the stars at night. Very different from the Northern hemisphere. The Southern Cross being a special feature which I had only seen once before when I visited Melbourne to teach on the Eurythmy Training there some years ago.
As I had a few days before beginning my work at the school, Sophia's mother Keitha looked after me very well - taking me to local beaches and wonderful cafes nearby. For supper I was often invited to Sophia and Evans’ house next door. Excellent food and local Hunter Valley wines every time!
I was given a full timetable at the school (my choice!) and I thoroughly enjoyed teaching these enthusiastic, earthy, sometimes cheeky children!
Positive energy, humour and goodwill seems to fill the whole school community.
I gave a Geometry Main Lesson to Class Six and taught Eurythmy and Form Drawing to most of the other classes in primary and middle school. I also brought some songs and movement exercises to upper school morning assembly.
One of the highlights was the Ballad of Semmerwater which classes 6 and 7 performed in eurythmy at the end of term.
I was amazed how quickly the children learned the gestures and choreography considering they don't usually have eurythmy and I am eternally grateful to Tracy their class teacher for her brilliant support both in the geometry main lesson and during the eurythmy work.
I also loved working with all the other classes and judging by the feedback from parents the children enjoyed it too.
I have learnt during my many years of teaching children eurythmy that you have to make it fun and bring a balance to the more serious, inner work through games and definite performance goals. Three games proved favourites among the children: All Move House, Follow the Leader and Bus Stop!
It was refreshing for me to be in such a warm, caring environment where the children are thriving and happy.
The school is lucky to have such a beautiful multi purpose theatre, ideal for eurythmy,music,drama etc. And wherever you look the whole school campus is blessed with Sophia Montefiore’s brilliant artwork and murals.This along with all the dedicated work from teachers,parents and children helps give the school an atmosphere of being cared for. It feels like a special place where the spirit of Steiner Waldorf education can thrive.
In addition to my teaching work I gave a Talk ‘Who was Rudolf Steiner ‘ to parents,teachers and friends of the school community.
After Term ended I was taken on a tour of the famous Hunter Valley vineyard region and to the Royal Easter Show in Sydney. Then a new project began, directing the Prospero Players’ production of William Shakespeare's ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream.’
Rehearsals for this actually began a few weeks before Easter but now became much more full on.
The cast were so talented which meant that I really didn't need to do much directing (apart from reminding the cast to always be aware of the audience and to ‘involve’ them in the artistic process wherever possible. Something I learned during my many years touring with Eurythmy Stage Groups and as a Folk Rock performer in my 20s and 30s.
The audience must always be the most important group for any performing art.
The production side of the Play was taken care of by Sophia and Evan so I could concentrate much of my time on the music for the play. I was fortunate to have four very talented musicians who formed a band with me and I got lots of inspiration for the musical ideas from the atmosphere in the beautiful school theatre with its lovely stained glass window.
Although it was hard work, The Play was a great success and after the final performance I flew back to Springtime in England!
I would like to thank everyone at Newcastle Waldorf School for the warm welcome you gave me and a special thanks to Sophia, Evan and Keitha for being such good hosts.
I have been invited back for another visit in 2019 and hope very much that this will be possible.
Warmest greetings,
Dan Maslen
Daniel Maslen - Brief Biography
Dan attended Wynstones Rudolf Steiner School as a child. He was born into a musical family, and went on to study composition with Finn Mortensen in Oslo and Eurythmy with Else Klink at Eurythmeum Stuttgart. Dan has been a Waldorf Teacher most of his life, but has also been involved with various music projects both classical and folk/rock. He has toured widely with Eurythmy (Ashdown, Eurythmeum etc). During the long summers which he spends in Austria, he finds time for composition. He has recently been working in India. Dan can be contacted at danmaslen (at) hotmail.co.uk
The talk will start with a short film Waldorf 100, which will be of interest to our school community and gives us a global context.
The talk will start with a short film Waldorf 100, which will be of interest to our school community and gives us a global context.
- Talk: “Who Was Rudolf Steiner? – his life and work” Thursday, March 23, 4-5pm. in the School Hall
- Parent and Teacher Eurythmy: 3:45 – 4:15 each Wednesday until the end of term in the School Hall.