WALDORF PEDAGOGY AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPING THE SPHERE OF STUDENTS ‘FEELINGS IN THE PROCESS OF LABOR TRAINING

Abstract

The article considers the current issue of pedagogy humanization on the ideas of ‘free upbringing’ as a system of self-development and self-knowledge of the individual in partnership with the teacher. It is established that Waldorf pedagogy has a leading focus on the development of not only students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities but also the formation of their sensory sphere, creativity, development of self-determination, and individual responsibility of students for their actions. It is proved that Waldorf pedagogy has significant potential as a means of developing the sphere of students’ feelings in the process of labor training. It is substantiated that learning, which takes place freely, without any spiritual and physical coercion, based on the child’s needs, creates the most favorable conditions for the discovery of their natural abilities and the development of inclinations. The peculiarities of anthroposophical upbringing and development, which comes from the nature of the child and takes place in three seven-year cycles: 7, 14, and 21 years, are revealed. The content and means of teaching for each seven-year cycle are determined. The peculiarities of the organization of the educational process according to Waldorf pedagogy are considered: the teaching of basic subjects is carried out by one teacher; pupils’ perception of educational material is based on the algorithm ‘see-experience-be surprised’; education without rigidly established content of educational programs and textbooks; disclosure of subject material to students of the world in such a way that with age a young person retains an interest in history, music, folk crafts, literature and the world around them; lack of a scoring system for assessing pupils’ academic achievements up to 8th grade, which allows pupils to be participants in the process of labor training, based on interest in learning about different types of work when feelings are formed in a comfortable mental educational space. The results of professional self-determination of graduates of Waldorf schools are described; they are guided by their own mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional abilities, inclinations, and interests, which in combination with personal context contribute to the formation of unique personalities.