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Liberal arts education in the context of a Steiner-Waldorf School
Though 'liberal arts' or 'humanist' education may be understood in various ways, this page presents an overview of the range of human striving, as well as suggested classical texts, that may be found in Steiner-Waldorf education. I acknowledge that my choices celebrate a eurocentric perspective - in other places, texts that reflect similar human striving may alternatively be used.
Class
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Epoch / overarching principle
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Texts (alternatives may be used)
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1
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Fairy Tales
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Grimms and Andersons
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2
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Celtic & Stories of Saints
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P. Colum King of Ireland's Son; J. de Voragine Golden Legend
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3
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Old Testament
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Tanakh
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4
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Nordic
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Kalevala
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5
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Ancient India; Egypt; Greece
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Ramayana; Homer Iliad
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6
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Roman Empire
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C. Ptolemy Tetrabiblos
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7
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Mediæval Europe
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Dante Divine Comedy
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8
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Renaissance
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Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet
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9
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Limits & Boundaries
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Goethe Faust
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10
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Self in light of others
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Chaucer Canterbury Tales
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11
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Analysis
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Chrétien de Troyes Percival or W. von Eschenbach Parzival
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12
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Synthesis
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Steiner, R. Theory of Knowledge
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