Vision and Values
Taikura Rudolf Steiner School is a Waldorf School arising from the educational principles and Anthroposophical impulses of Rudolf Steiner.
The school strives to keep the special character of this education fresh, alive and evolving within the cultural, historical, educational and geographic environment of Aotearoa – New Zealand and Hawke’s Bay.
The health and wellbeing of the school is created through a strong and engaged community that connects students, parents, teachers, support staff and Trustees. Through their working together a school and community spirit is built that enables a healthy foundation for lifelong learning. The chosen name ‘Taikura’ speaks of the different currents that flow into the school, and recognises that it is through the heartwood, and through many streams flowing together that the school stays strong.
To help each and every student progress towards becoming free, responsible and caring individuals able to impart purpose and direction to their own lives and as citizens able to contribute in manifold as well as unique ways to human society.
Since the school was founded in 1950 teachers have strived to educate with an attitude reflected in the following verse:
“Receive the child in reverence
Educate him in love,
Let him go forth in freedom”
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925)
The Meaning of Taikura
There are several possibilities of translation, all of them relevant to what we hope to embody at our school.
Taikura
Heartwood of Trees with Red Wood
Taikura is the heartwood of trees with red wood. If you contemplate our School logo you will see that it is heart-like. It is an open-hearted receptive gesture, composed of forms that are dynamic and suggestive of flames or of growth. We would hope that qualities that engender warmth and open-heartedness are alive in this school; enthusiasm, courage, interest in each other and in the world.
Tai
Currents (of influence, of emotion, of sensibility)
Streams (of consciousness, of philosophy)
Ocean Tides / Tides of Life
Tai can be translated as currents (of influence, of emotion, of sensibility), as streams (of consciousness, of philosophy), as ocean tides, as tides of life. This is a word that expresses movement and that is what learning is; a moving forward, a journey of growth, change, transformation. It happens in the meeting of ideas, in conversations, in questions where people experience each other’s individuality and difference. We welcome the different cultural streams that meet in the school and the aliveness and new possibilities this engenders.
Kura
Red Glow / Treasured Possession / Sanctum of Learning
Kura can be interpreted as a red glow, as a treasured possession, or as a sanctum of learning. It is also a sacred ochre, the pigment which comes from the blood that flowed in the separation of Rangi and Papa. This gave birth to humanity. As human beings we stand between heaven and earth. As spiritual beings on a human journey we are entrusted with the guardianship of this planet and with finding our task for ourselves and in our service to humanity. This is the task of our education and our hope for the students who leave the school.
