Between Form and Freedom: A Must-Read Book for Parents of Waldorf Steiner Homeschool Teens

REVIEW: BETWEEN FORM AND FREEDOM

I was delighted when I was asked to review the 2022 edition of Between Form and Freedom by Betty Staley first published in 1988. Betty Staley is an educator and international lecturer, and author of eight books. She was the first to bring Waldorf education to public schools in the U.S. and helped to found six high schools. This is the book often recommended for parents of adolescents in Waldorfland and I think it is a must-read book for parents of Waldorf Steiner homeschool teens. If you are jumping into Waldorf-inspired education “late,” (there is no “late,” by the way) or if your brood have not yet reached the tween and teen years, this book is still for you. Read on to find out why.

When I first began my Waldorf inspired homeschooling journey, my kids were seven and three. They were the ideal ages to dive right in. Although we had started down a traditional brick-and-mortar path with my older child, we were well placed to have a do-over of sorts and start fresh. Fortunately, there is a veritable treasure trove of resources for early childhood and the elementary years in Waldorfland and I quickly found just what we needed. Fast forward several years and a world-wide pandemic that found many families schooling at home and the growing number of resources available now is overwhelming. There are scads of books, podcasts, blogs, seminars, and countless online retailers now with all of the silk, wooden, and wool things one could possibly desire. Many entrepreneurs have cashed in on the Waldorf trend, reducing it to a mere aesthetic or unit studies and churning out open-and-go materials sometimes overshadowing the tried-and-true creators who have worked to bring materials true to Steiner's ideals.

But even so, our Waldorf-true materials options now are much more limited. My kids are now in Year 9 and Year 5, respectively. And while they still enjoy a good folktale or fable, we have moved well beyond gnomes, playsilks, finger puppets, and counting with acorns. Our options in Waldorfland have narrowed considerably, and not only for fully fleshed-out curriculum guides and materials, but for books about the adolescent experience from a Waldorf-Steiner perspective that take into account the world we live in. Fortunately for us, Between Form and Freedom exists!

One of the best things about the book is the language used. I have read many books in the Waldorf “canon” including many of Steiner’s lectures in translation. They can be difficult to understand. Between Form and Freedom is different. Even when delving into esoteric concepts that are unique to anthroposophy and Waldorf-Steiner education, Staley uses plain English to explain. She is succinct, precise, and clear. Staley’s tone is conversational, much like a beloved aunt or teacher-mentor might speak over coffee and banana bread. As she shares relevant personal experiences, best practices for educators, and summarizes reams of current research, she makes it all very clear and easy to follow. This use of accessible language is refreshing. I also enjoyed the poetry and quotations included with each chapter heading. 

Between Form and Freedom is also easy-to-navigate with clear chapter titles and a bulleted summary at the end of each chapter. It is organized into three sections, each one a series of chapters on the theme. The first section “The Nature of Adolescence” covers such topics as the stages of adolescence, the search for the self, the birth of the intellect, and the release of feelings. For those who may be new to Waldorf-Steiner education and/or to the anthroposophical view of the soul, this section also provides an excellent overview of child development beginning in early childhood. Staley also dives into describing the four temperaments and soul types and gives specific ways those can be expressed and nurtured in the adolescent years. This section was a good review for me and I learned many new things as well. This section also includes chapters on strengthening the life of will (which some might call “self discipline”) and on developing character, two things that many parents need help with especially for those of us raised in authoritarian homes who want to do things differently.

The second section is “The Challenges of Adolescence.” Again, for someone coming to Waldorf-Steiner education with older children, Staley provides an overview from early childhood on. She discusses relationships with family and friends, the influence of schools, both traditional and Waldorf, and the importance of the arts. For a homeschooling family, this section was a good reminder to me to prioritize the opportunities we have for social interaction, teamwork, leadership, and for classes taught by other trusted adults. Staley also discusses love, relationships, and sex. The information and tips on gender identity, human sexuality, and body autonomy are excellent for progressive parents wanting to fully support their children’s unfolding. She also discusses how to help adolescents develop self-esteem. My children very much want to change the world, and they will need all of the self-esteem.

The final section is “The Challenges of Adolescence” in which she addresses alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sex and pregnancy, food, and media. I very much appreciate her recognition that many of us are not really living in Waldorfland. We live in a world made up of many different types of families with different ways of doing things, a world where many kids have easy and constant access to information, technology, substances, and exposure to sexual images, language, and situations. In the early years, it is very easy to limit children’s exposure to media, but as my kids have gotten older, it is a near-constant struggle. Finding the balance between allowing them to be connected to friends and to be culturally literate and protecting them from things beyond their maturity level and playing gatekeepers of what they consume is difficult. Between Form and Freedom is an excellent resource for these issues and has given me a great deal to think about.

Anyone working with adolescents and looking for a fresh way to do things, a new way to see children as they develop during this time, will benefit from this book. Between Form and Freedom is chock-full of practical tips and advice for adults working with adolescents in any capacity - family, educators, mentors, etc. It is meaty; to really take in all this book has to offer, a leisurely read would be best with plenty of time to digest, perhaps a summer. My copy is well highlighted and bookmarked and I plan to revisit it myself many times over the next few years.

You can find Between Form and Freedom at Steiner Books https://steinerbooks.presswarehouse.com/browse/book/9781912480722/Between-Form-and-Freedom and at Hawthorn Press https://www.hawthornpress.com/books/family/parenting/between-form-and-freedom/ or wherever books are sold.