The Art of Teaching
Feb 15, 2026 | by Claudio Salusso
“What children learn must develop the natural forces and capacities within them. Ours is not an educational system but an art - the art of awakening what is actually there within the human being.” Rudolf Steiner.
Natural forces and capacities need their own time to emerge, beyond what we adults often can wait, but if we do, the rewards are immeasurable. At The New Village School, we hold a picture of the developing human, accompanied by a curriculum that addresses the stages of that development, and we teach in ways that engages the whole human being. What follows is a simple summary of the Seven-Year Cycles:
0 to 7: Imitation, Willing, Goodness.
The education of the young child is based on imitation and example. Because young children soak up impressions of all that surrounds them, we strive to provide students with examples that are worthy of imitation in a setting that is full of beauty. Young children live in a world of deeds; to them, play is work and work is play. Our preschool and kindergarten offer a wonderful array of imaginative and practical activities that nourish the children’s imaginations and strengthen their will.
7 to 14: Imagination, Feeling, Beauty.
Children in elementary school learn through their feelings for those who teach them. Therefore, their education is based on discipleship and authority - they need teachers who they love and trust. We move from imaginative and experimental approaches into the world of concepts and ideas. The arts play a prominent role throughout these years, for artistic work engages the students’ feelings and develops creativity.
14 to 21: Authority, Thinking, Truth.
In this cycle the education is based on respect and freedom; adolescents need to be taught by teachers who are experts on their fields. Throughout these years students should be challenged to develop their thinking, inspired to apply themselves in the world in meaningful ways.
Which capacities do we teachers strive to nourish and draw forth from our students? Primarily, to foster the capacity to think clearly, logically, creatively, trying to guide the child toward self-knowledge. Second, there is the hope of engendering the capacity to feel deeply, to be sensitive to the beauties, the joys, the sorrows of this world, to experience compassion for others. Thirdly, we attempt to cultivate the strength and willingness to act, to do what must be done, and to work not only for oneself, but for the benefit of all humanity and for the Earth.