Navigating Moments of Tension in a Waldorf Classroom

Abstract

How do we conceive of and encounter ‘moments of tension’ in our daily teaching practice? Using qualitative research methodologies, namely observation and interviewing, in a single classroom over a two-week period, the following paper explores the tensions that arise in the classroom context. Initially conceived of as the dissonance between the teacher’s lesson plan and the unpredictable reality of the classroom, the concept of ‘moments of tension’ changed to become more contextually-based, acknowledging the roles of both the teacher and students as responsible for its appearance, as well as its resolution. Using ‘possibility thinking’ and the imagination, ‘moments of tension’ can be re-imagined and used as a didactic tool to bring about learning and transformation. With a re-evaluation of these ‘moments of tension’, the question remains how we might further develop teacher education, to build the capacities of teachers to successfully encounter such moments, using them as tools for learning.