Recent Lectures/Discussions with Eugene Schwartz
The MP3 Podcasts below may be downloaded from this page at no charge.
To purchase other lectures by Eugene Schwartz, visit our Online CD Catalog
Help support our efforts to offer free resources about Waldorf education: become a Member of MillennialChild.com.
For more information click here.
A Culture of Untruth:
Media and the Waldorf Student
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Essential Grade Five Conference
Mancos, CO
July 8, 2010
Waldorf education is well known for its "zero tolerance" of media in the home, and most Waldorf schools pride themselves on the tough wording of the strict codes presented in their handboks. Yet, throughout the scores of Waldorf schools that Eugene visits across North America, parents complain bitterly about the rampant presence of video games and iPods, digital movies and social networks among Waldorf children fourth grade and up (if not younger!). What has gone wrong? Are Waldorf schools fighting a losing battle, or are they fighting the wrong battle? And why do so many schools continue to pretend that the media is not a problem for their families? Eugene asks some challenging questions -- and offers some stimulating answers. (Other lectures from this conference may be found in the Teaching Grade 5 section of our Online CD Catalog.)
Click here to download the lecture
The Inner Life of the Teacher
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Essential Grade Two Conference
Kimberton, PA
June 27, 2010
The Waldorf philosophy is unique in its recognition of the central importance of the teacher’s inner life as the foundation of a healthy classroom. In this lecture, Eugene contends that Rudolf Steiner’s path of inner development “fits the needs of the Waldorf teacher like a glove fits a hand.” He then examines the simplicity and efficiency of Steiner’s exercises to show how “customized” they are to the demands of the modern age. These exercises, Eugene points out, are meant to be practiced “in the midst of life,” requiring neither an ashram nor a monastery. (Other lectures from this conference may be found in the Teaching Grade 2 section of our Online CD Catalog.)
Click here to download the lecture
Encountering the iGeneration
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Technology and the Human Spirit Conference
sponsored by New View magazine, London, UK
April 24, 2010
Although we may bemoan the damaging effects of modern media on today’s children, how can we account for the fatal attraction that computers and video games, smart phones and social media, texting and tweeting, have upon the younger generation? Eugene explores the trajectory of the human being in the life after death and points to unique spiritual influences that are being carried to the earth by reincarnating souls in the twenty-first century. He also discusses the role played by the telegraph and stained glass windows in laying the foundations for modern media.
Click here to download the lecture
The Karma of Education
Four Lectures Given by Eugene Schwartz
at Rudolf Steiner House, London, UK
April 16 & 17, 2010
In these lectures, given at the invitation of the St. Michael Steiner School in South London, Eugene explores the multifarious descriptions of life after death given by Rudolf Steiner. He traces the progress of the human soul and spirit through the “planetary spheres” as the consequences of one life become the foundation for the next, and he pays special attention to the pedagogical ramifications of this modern understanding of Karma. Click on the lecture links to access them.
Click here to download Lecture One
Click here to download Lecture Two
Click here to download Lecture Three
Click here to download Lecture Four
Computers and Consciousness
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at Anthroposophy NYC
January 8, 2010
Eugene examines the historical, philosophical, and technical roots of the “computer revolution.” Drawing together the threads of lives from Frances Bacon to Steve Jobs, and discoveries from Leibnitz to Turing, he vividly depicts the “mise en scene” wrought by Ahriman to bring the modern computer into being. But Eugene also looks at the way in which computers challenge us to understand the Michaelic nature of our higher intelligence, and the means by which anthroposophical impulses can meet and tame this wild child of modern technology.
Click here to download the lecture
A Talk with Fathers:
Is Waldorf Education a Good Investment?
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Westside Waldorf School, Santa Monica, CA
October 19, 2009
It is a truism that it is almost always the mother who immediately intuits that Waldorf education is right for her child, while the father goes along, slowly but surely recognizing the school’s high caliber. In our times, many parents of both sexes embody Oscar Wilde’s description of the man who “knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” Speaking to an audience of L.A. dads, Eugene goes straight to the issue of money, and examines whether the value of a Waldorf education is commensurate with its high price. This serious and weighty issue is taken up with humor and levity. This is a lecture meant to be listened to on your morning commute!
Click here to download the lecture
WFMU “Media Squat” Radio Interview
Eugene Schwartz Interviewed by Douglas Rushkoff
July 27, 2009
Douglas Rushkoff, author of Life, Inc, appears frequently in the press and on TV as an expert on the media and technology. He believes that, if rightly used, the Internet and other technological advances will serve to liberate human individuality and foster truly democratic societies. He interviewed Eugene Schwartz to get a Waldorf perspective on whether technology can help schools, and to understand how Waldorf schools are themselves working with -- or against -- technology. This provocative interview is available either as an excerpt from the hour-long “Media Squat” broadcast or as a stand-alone excerpt.
Click here to listen to the interview only
Click here to listen to the entire “Media Squat” broadcast
Of Prophets and Profits:
Navigating Otto Scharmer’s Theory U
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at Anthroposophy NYC
May 22, 2009
In this lecture, the third in a series entitled “Steiner & Sons,” Eugene explores the organizational theories of Otto Scharmer, an MIT professor and renowned corporate consultant whose roots lie in Anthroposophy. Navigating a clear course through the complexities of Scharmer’s demanding language and concepts, Eugene relates contemporary corporate life and its challenges to the ancient Mysteries and links modern businessmen to pre-Christian Initiates finding their way in a world of entirely new conditions. Scharmer’s “futuristic” approach, when seen in the light of Rudolf Steiner’s cosmology, is presented as a harbinger of Michaelic transformation.
Click here to download the lecture
New Paradigms of Parenting
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Waldorf School of Princeton
May 1, 2009
The paradigm of parenting in America changed profoundly when millions of mothers joined the workforce in the last third of the twentieth century. At the same time, rising divorce rates led to the growth of single-parent families. Waldorf schools rose to the occasion, developing new programs and strengthening the community-building quality of their education. In the first third of this new century, the paradigm is changing again. A dramatic rise in adoption, increasing numbers of gay and lesbian parents, and new methods of fertilization and impregnation are altering traditional models of birth and parenthood. Eugene faces these issues and discusses their ramifications for the future of Waldorf education.
Click here to download the lecture
Waldorf Education in the Twenty-First Century
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Washington Waldorf School
March 20, 2009
The Education of the Child, Rudolf Steiner’s first educational lecture, was given over 100 years ago. Has Waldorf education kept pace with the almost incomprehensible changes that have occurred since that lecture was given? Are Waldorf schools prepared for the growing numbers of children diagnosed with ADHD, Asperger Syndrome, or even mental illness? How will the growth of the Waldorf public school movement affect the independent Waldorf schools? What steps must Waldorf teachers take to keep their schools relevant and even ahead of the ever-changing times in which we live? These are some of the issues Eugene Schwartz explores in this comprehensive lecture.
Click here to download the lecture
Green Science:
How Waldorf Schools Nurture Sustainability
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Novato Charter School
March 10, 2009
Since the first Waldorf schools opened their doors nearly ninety years ago, they have been teaching “green” science. It is no coincidence that Rudolf Steiner, the originator of Waldorf education, also developed Biodynamic agriculture, the first systematic approach to organic sustainability, and founded Weleda, the world’s first “natural cosmetic” company. From nursery/kindergarten through the high school years, the Waldorf science curriculum was – and is – far ahead of its time in fostering a love for the natural world that is being studied and an insight about the profound links between the earth and humanity. Eugene Schwartz draws upon his 25 years’ experience as a class teacher to share the ways in which such science lessons prepare a young person to be effective in facing today’s environmental challenges.
Click here to download the lecture
Raising Balanced Children in an Unbalanced World
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Whistler Waldorf School
March 2, 2009
Even as the invention of the incandescent light bulb rendered us independent of the rhythms of day and night, the thermostat and air conditioner liberated us from the dictates of the four seasons, and cars and planes can make our limbs almost irrelevant. While these miracles of modern life have contributed to the unfolding of adult freedom, they are not necessarily beneficial to children, who tend to do best when they are connected to regular alternations of light and darkness, cold and warmth, and movement and rest. The link between the unbalanced nature of modern life and the learning problems and behavioral challenges we find in our children may be more than coincidence. In tonight’s lecture we will explore the ways in which parents and teachers may re-establish healthy balance in the lives of their children -- and their own.
Click here to download the lecture
The MP3 Podcasts below may be downloaded from this page at no charge.
To purchase other lectures by Eugene Schwartz, visit our Online CD Catalog
Help support our efforts to offer free resources about Waldorf education: become a Member of MillennialChild.com.
For more information click here.
A Culture of Untruth:
Media and the Waldorf Student
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Essential Grade Five Conference
Mancos, CO
July 8, 2010
Waldorf education is well known for its "zero tolerance" of media in the home, and most Waldorf schools pride themselves on the tough wording of the strict codes presented in their handboks. Yet, throughout the scores of Waldorf schools that Eugene visits across North America, parents complain bitterly about the rampant presence of video games and iPods, digital movies and social networks among Waldorf children fourth grade and up (if not younger!). What has gone wrong? Are Waldorf schools fighting a losing battle, or are they fighting the wrong battle? And why do so many schools continue to pretend that the media is not a problem for their families? Eugene asks some challenging questions -- and offers some stimulating answers. (Other lectures from this conference may be found in the Teaching Grade 5 section of our Online CD Catalog.)
Click here to download the lecture
The Inner Life of the Teacher
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Essential Grade Two Conference
Kimberton, PA
June 27, 2010
The Waldorf philosophy is unique in its recognition of the central importance of the teacher’s inner life as the foundation of a healthy classroom. In this lecture, Eugene contends that Rudolf Steiner’s path of inner development “fits the needs of the Waldorf teacher like a glove fits a hand.” He then examines the simplicity and efficiency of Steiner’s exercises to show how “customized” they are to the demands of the modern age. These exercises, Eugene points out, are meant to be practiced “in the midst of life,” requiring neither an ashram nor a monastery. (Other lectures from this conference may be found in the Teaching Grade 2 section of our Online CD Catalog.)
Click here to download the lecture
Encountering the iGeneration
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Technology and the Human Spirit Conference
sponsored by New View magazine, London, UK
April 24, 2010
Although we may bemoan the damaging effects of modern media on today’s children, how can we account for the fatal attraction that computers and video games, smart phones and social media, texting and tweeting, have upon the younger generation? Eugene explores the trajectory of the human being in the life after death and points to unique spiritual influences that are being carried to the earth by reincarnating souls in the twenty-first century. He also discusses the role played by the telegraph and stained glass windows in laying the foundations for modern media.
Click here to download the lecture
The Karma of Education
Four Lectures Given by Eugene Schwartz
at Rudolf Steiner House, London, UK
April 16 & 17, 2010
In these lectures, given at the invitation of the St. Michael Steiner School in South London, Eugene explores the multifarious descriptions of life after death given by Rudolf Steiner. He traces the progress of the human soul and spirit through the “planetary spheres” as the consequences of one life become the foundation for the next, and he pays special attention to the pedagogical ramifications of this modern understanding of Karma. Click on the lecture links to access them.
Click here to download Lecture One
Click here to download Lecture Two
Click here to download Lecture Three
Click here to download Lecture Four
Computers and Consciousness
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at Anthroposophy NYC
January 8, 2010
Eugene examines the historical, philosophical, and technical roots of the “computer revolution.” Drawing together the threads of lives from Frances Bacon to Steve Jobs, and discoveries from Leibnitz to Turing, he vividly depicts the “mise en scene” wrought by Ahriman to bring the modern computer into being. But Eugene also looks at the way in which computers challenge us to understand the Michaelic nature of our higher intelligence, and the means by which anthroposophical impulses can meet and tame this wild child of modern technology.
Click here to download the lecture
A Talk with Fathers:
Is Waldorf Education a Good Investment?
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Westside Waldorf School, Santa Monica, CA
October 19, 2009
It is a truism that it is almost always the mother who immediately intuits that Waldorf education is right for her child, while the father goes along, slowly but surely recognizing the school’s high caliber. In our times, many parents of both sexes embody Oscar Wilde’s description of the man who “knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” Speaking to an audience of L.A. dads, Eugene goes straight to the issue of money, and examines whether the value of a Waldorf education is commensurate with its high price. This serious and weighty issue is taken up with humor and levity. This is a lecture meant to be listened to on your morning commute!
Click here to download the lecture
WFMU “Media Squat” Radio Interview
Eugene Schwartz Interviewed by Douglas Rushkoff
July 27, 2009
Douglas Rushkoff, author of Life, Inc, appears frequently in the press and on TV as an expert on the media and technology. He believes that, if rightly used, the Internet and other technological advances will serve to liberate human individuality and foster truly democratic societies. He interviewed Eugene Schwartz to get a Waldorf perspective on whether technology can help schools, and to understand how Waldorf schools are themselves working with -- or against -- technology. This provocative interview is available either as an excerpt from the hour-long “Media Squat” broadcast or as a stand-alone excerpt.
Click here to listen to the interview only
Click here to listen to the entire “Media Squat” broadcast
Of Prophets and Profits:
Navigating Otto Scharmer’s Theory U
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at Anthroposophy NYC
May 22, 2009
In this lecture, the third in a series entitled “Steiner & Sons,” Eugene explores the organizational theories of Otto Scharmer, an MIT professor and renowned corporate consultant whose roots lie in Anthroposophy. Navigating a clear course through the complexities of Scharmer’s demanding language and concepts, Eugene relates contemporary corporate life and its challenges to the ancient Mysteries and links modern businessmen to pre-Christian Initiates finding their way in a world of entirely new conditions. Scharmer’s “futuristic” approach, when seen in the light of Rudolf Steiner’s cosmology, is presented as a harbinger of Michaelic transformation.
Click here to download the lecture
New Paradigms of Parenting
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Waldorf School of Princeton
May 1, 2009
The paradigm of parenting in America changed profoundly when millions of mothers joined the workforce in the last third of the twentieth century. At the same time, rising divorce rates led to the growth of single-parent families. Waldorf schools rose to the occasion, developing new programs and strengthening the community-building quality of their education. In the first third of this new century, the paradigm is changing again. A dramatic rise in adoption, increasing numbers of gay and lesbian parents, and new methods of fertilization and impregnation are altering traditional models of birth and parenthood. Eugene faces these issues and discusses their ramifications for the future of Waldorf education.
Click here to download the lecture
Waldorf Education in the Twenty-First Century
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Washington Waldorf School
March 20, 2009
The Education of the Child, Rudolf Steiner’s first educational lecture, was given over 100 years ago. Has Waldorf education kept pace with the almost incomprehensible changes that have occurred since that lecture was given? Are Waldorf schools prepared for the growing numbers of children diagnosed with ADHD, Asperger Syndrome, or even mental illness? How will the growth of the Waldorf public school movement affect the independent Waldorf schools? What steps must Waldorf teachers take to keep their schools relevant and even ahead of the ever-changing times in which we live? These are some of the issues Eugene Schwartz explores in this comprehensive lecture.
Click here to download the lecture
Green Science:
How Waldorf Schools Nurture Sustainability
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Novato Charter School
March 10, 2009
Since the first Waldorf schools opened their doors nearly ninety years ago, they have been teaching “green” science. It is no coincidence that Rudolf Steiner, the originator of Waldorf education, also developed Biodynamic agriculture, the first systematic approach to organic sustainability, and founded Weleda, the world’s first “natural cosmetic” company. From nursery/kindergarten through the high school years, the Waldorf science curriculum was – and is – far ahead of its time in fostering a love for the natural world that is being studied and an insight about the profound links between the earth and humanity. Eugene Schwartz draws upon his 25 years’ experience as a class teacher to share the ways in which such science lessons prepare a young person to be effective in facing today’s environmental challenges.
Click here to download the lecture
Raising Balanced Children in an Unbalanced World
A Lecture Given by Eugene Schwartz
at the Whistler Waldorf School
March 2, 2009
Even as the invention of the incandescent light bulb rendered us independent of the rhythms of day and night, the thermostat and air conditioner liberated us from the dictates of the four seasons, and cars and planes can make our limbs almost irrelevant. While these miracles of modern life have contributed to the unfolding of adult freedom, they are not necessarily beneficial to children, who tend to do best when they are connected to regular alternations of light and darkness, cold and warmth, and movement and rest. The link between the unbalanced nature of modern life and the learning problems and behavioral challenges we find in our children may be more than coincidence. In tonight’s lecture we will explore the ways in which parents and teachers may re-establish healthy balance in the lives of their children -- and their own.
Click here to download the lecture
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