In Waldorf schools, the “education of the heart” is “the heart of education.” This is not, however, meant in a vague and sentimental way. In this lecture we will see how the cultivation of “emotional intelligence” through stories and games, through art and science, through social interactions and academic rigor, the Waldorf student is given the gift of a lifelong love of learning. Eugene Schwartz will focus on some important turning points in children’s lives, particularly at ages 7, 9, and 12, so that we may experience for ourselves how Waldorf education speaks to the heart of the child.

Eugene Schwartz is a graduate of Columbia University. In addition to his thirty years of experience as a class teacher, high school teacher, and educator of Waldorf teachers, Eugene has served as a consultant to Waldorf endeavors worldwide. Eugene also worked closely with the late Ernest Boyer, the Foundation's president, to establish new curricular ideas and methods. Eugene is also the author of a number of books including Waldorf Education: Schools for the Twenty-First Century; Millennial Child; and Adolescence, the Search for the Self.