Study courses postponed to autumn

The lockdown imposed in mid-March due to the Covid-19 pandemic came as a surprise in Turkey, too, and has changed life immensely. The directors of the anthroposophical teacher education seminar in Istanbul had to inform students that study courses would not resume until the autumn.

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Within a few weeks hundreds of deaths were reported. Those aged 65 and over were no longer allowed to leave their houses. Life was restricted to the home and then Ramadan started in May. This has made it easier to turn more inward: people understand that everything is transient and relative, but also that there is a potential for spiritual faculties arising through the individual heart forces. This has led to a sense of solidarity and made it easier to cope with the restrictions.

Schools will remain closed until September; the school year has ended. Our sponsor school Alev, where we hold our courses, is also affected. Luckily we already had the first module for third-year teacher education students at the end of January and the first module for fourth-year students in early February – all other courses as well as visits from mentors in Kindergartens had to be cancelled.

Conscious use of digital technology

Because associations were not permitted to hold any events, the Friends of Rudolf Steiner Education Istanbul (ESDD) also had to close. Only gatherings of up to five people are allowed who need to observe the recommended minimum distance. This means that nothing can happen at the ESDD.

The Waldorf School in Alanya, which has seven classes, quickly adapted to the new situation and started to offer digital lessons. Some Waldorf-inspired kindergartens did not want their children to sit in front of the screen and merely communicated with parents via Skype or Zoom, advising them on what they could do with their children. Other kindergartens have had digital contact with parents and children.

We were also asked if we would offer digital courses. We would have to ask all lecturers if they were willing and able to do this. It would be very difficult, because all our courses have to be interpreted in several languages. The lecturers were not keen to meet the students in that way.

Since April we have had four bi-weekly Zoom meetings with around 25 to 30 kindergarten teachers. This exchange was very important. The meetings are coordinated by Birgül T. Meriç, who is supported by Ayşe Tuzlacı who reads the weekly verse from Rudolf Steiner’s Calendar of the Soul in Turkish; Hande Başaran plays music live. Our lecturer Nurtaç Perazzo joins us occasionally from Berlin (DE).

Catching up next year?

Although all kindergartens were allowed to open again on 1 June, only a few did this because many parents are worried. Most kindergartens will offer three weeks of playtime in the garden in August, for which permission has been granted.

In order to keep our friends informed, esdd has translated several articles from newsletters and from Waldorf Resources and uploaded them to our website.

Now people can return to work again, but the regulations may change any time, existing instructions may be revoked or new ones imposed.

We are hoping for better and healthier times and will try to catch up what has been missed next year.

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