One day on the playground, a Waldorf teacher was observing the movements of middle school children in comparison with their elementary school peers. “There was a distinct difference between the movement patterns in the youngsters after the fifth grade. Some of the sixth graders had suddenly shot up and were long-legged and lanky; they seemed to tip forward slightly from the waist up as they ran, and sometimes they stumbled. They had lost the grace of the younger children, and seemed to go abruptly from standing still to tearing around like mad, with no transition whatsoever.” (Koepke, 1992, p. 41) The changes occurring outwardly in the adolescents’ physical body mirror the transformation of their emotional body occurring within.
Historically, cultures recognized this transformation of adolescence as a significant rite of passage into adulthood. It was honored with ceremony and celebration. Today, while some indigenous cultures still maintain these initiation traditions, most children who grow up in Western society do not receive this type recognition for the transformation they are undergoing from the inside out. Some modern Western versions of initiation include adventure education and ropes course challenges that provide opportunities for social and emotional processing.
In the seventh grade at Waldorf schools, students study African culture. As part of their study, they learn about the tradition of initiation ceremonies for African boys and girls in different tribes, as boys prepare to be warriors and girls to be mothers and wives. One such initiation practice involved ‘trial by poetry.’
Seventh graders write their own initiation poems, following the powerful metaphoric format of the tribe. It allows the students to discover themselves through images and metaphors of the outer world. The format begins with the phrase, “Young Woman/Man you are:” and is followed by five metaphors. The short, well-defined format creates a canvas on which adolescents can express themselves. The writing is followed by a read-aloud, giving students the opportunity to share intimate insights with their peers into whom they are becoming. The following poems were written by Waldorf Teacher Trainees at Antioch in their study of seventh grade curriculum. Try it yourself…
Young man you are:
The warm tones lifting from a brass instrument
The spark of passion in a forest fire
A watchful owl over a field of workmice
A galloping steed on the desert of my life
An unspoken promise whispered into a lonely ear
By Aleshanee Aiken
Young woman you are:
A braid of joy, sorrow, and stardust;
A glass jewel held up to the sun;
Tears from a happy whale;
Crimson silk hidden beneath rough wool;
Laughter from a pocket of wind.
By Anna Scalera
Young woman you are:
A white lily about to open and blossom
The gentle breeze that calls everyone to play
The strong oak tree that gives shade to those who are weary
The harmony that makes the melody sound just right
A locked treasure box that is looking for the key
By Jen Davis
Young woman you are:
A ponderosa pine growing straighter and taller day by day,
An eagle flying high above the trees, able to see what is below her,
A wise wild iris who knows that it is best to grow in the sand and shade,
A mama grizzly bear that has the skill to defend her young from danger,
Young woman your strength is a mountain that can not be moved.
By Carrie Reuther
Young woman, you are:
A crop of lettuce gone right to seed
The mandala on the third day
The only boat on the river at dawn
An unmetered verse
And so many cups of coffee
By Greta Jee
Young woman you are:
A bud swelling in the spring
A ray of intuition dancing in the sunlight
A loom upon which the grandmothers weave
A cavernous womb, black as the night sky
The buffalo who faces the storm
By Erika Danforth
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