The Australian Steiner Curriculum Framework Process

The Australian Steiner Curriculum Framework was developed in response to the 2009 Federal Government’s proposal to create a mandatory Australian Curriculum for all schools. As Steiner education is internationally recognised, we were given the opportunity to put forward an alternate curriculum framework for recognition, in order to protect the integrity of Steiner education philosophy and pedagogy.

The documents were developed from Steiner’s indications, not only to support schools and teachers, but for submission to government authorities, mapping the mandatory content, knowledge and skills of the Australian Curriculum in a Steiner rich context for recognition.

The Australian Steiner Curriculum Framework has Content Descriptors for each Topic or subject which are mandatory in implementation, whereas the written Content Elaborations are diverse examples only and teachers may create different learning experiences for teaching the content.

As in the Australian Curriculum, teacher’s professional judgement with regard to a particular cohort of student needs may vary the curriculum implementation one year before or after the designated staging.

The Australian Steiner Curriculum Framework has some areas of different staging of content in comparison to the Australian Curriculum, more particularly in regard to F-3.

1. Phase 1 [Part A]  Integrated Subjects

The following learning areas were recognised by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2011-2014:

English           History           Mathematics              Science          Geography

 

2. Phase 2: [Part B]. Separate Subject Documents

The following learning areas were Recognised by ACARA in September 2017:

The Arts         Health and Physical Education      Technologies

The following learning areas were Recognised by ACARA in July 2018:

 

3. Additions / Amendments

HaSS (including Civics and Citizenship and Economics and Business) and English amendments

 

CURRICULUM STRUCTURE

Educational Foundations and Child Development

This section provides an academic rationale for the pedagogical foundations of Steiner Education.

It aligns the Australian Steiner Curriculum Framework and Australian Curriculum on a philosophical and pedagogical basis.

Primary School Curriculum

The Primary School curriculum of Phase 1 subjects is an integrated curriculum; this section provides a document for each class, setting out Topics covering English, Mathematics, Science and HaSS (including History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship and Economics and Business)

Topics are content areas which can be taught as one or more integrated thematic morning blocks (Main Lessons) over 3–4 weeks. They are supplemented with practice lessons developing the content throughout the year.

High School Curriculum

The High School Curriculum arranges Topics by Phase 1 subjects, covering English, History, Mathematics, Science and Geography and Civics and Citizenship

As many Topics / lessons are integrated across subjects, the curriculum is also accessible by Class/Year.

Annotated Bibliographies

Support documents for teachers’ lesson planning, including Rudolf Steiner’s indications, reading lists and other resources. Annotated bibliographies are available in the SEA Members’ Area

 


Acknowledgements

We wish to acknowledge the following people for their expertise and commitment to the project:

Project Manager (2009–2012) Virginia Moller, (2012-2017) Tracey Sayn Wittgenstein Piraccini
Lead Writer and Primary Writer Peggy Day

Lead Researcher Bronwen Haralambous
Consultant Research Advisor Dr Jennifer Gidley
Primary English Andrew Hill
High School Writers: (Class 7-10):
English: Bronwen Haralambous
, Science: Peter Glasby, 
History: Elizabeth Baxendale, 
Mathematics: John Stewart, Geography/Civics and Citizenship: Terri McMillan
The Arts K-10: Visual Arts: Sue Schuster; Music: Christian Lillicrap; Speech and Drama: Linden McCall, Annika Andersdotter; 
Eurythmy: Elizabeth Chan, Josefin Porteous; Creative Movement: Jan Baker-Finch; Media Arts: Stuart Rushton
Health/PE: Tom Hungerford, Peggy Day, Kelley McGlashan
Digital and Design Technologies: Stuart Rushton
Foundations paper /Position Papers: Bronwen Haralambous, Peggy Day,
ICT K-12 Support Paper: Stuart Rushton
Editorial, graphics and layout: June Cunningham
Website: Evan Sanders/Bruce Naylor/Go4 Multimedia