Working out of Imitation,
an online workshop with Jane Swain
 
Saturday, February 28th, 2026 from 10 am - 1 pm ET
 
Rudolf Steiner recommends that those working in early childhood work out of imitation.  He considers imitation and example to be the magic words for the education of the young child, whereby the adult is to “give the child the actual physical pattern for [them] to copy.”  In other words, we are to model for the child rather than to verbally instruct them in the early period of life. 
 
What does working out of imitation look like in practical terms in the classroom and in the home?  What is Steiner’s reasoning behind this practice? How can one explain working out of imitation to parents and colleagues who are not familiar with it? 
 
Steiner speaks about imitation repeatedly, and he places great importance upon the adult’s practice of working out of imitation: “if children are to grow up to meet the needs of the social organism, they must be free.  People become free only if they were intensively imitative as children. . .  In spite of all political complaining about freedom, and in spite of all the other talk, people will become free only if we ingrain the strength of imitation in them during childhood.  Only what we thus implant during childhood can serve as a basis for social freedom.”
 
In this workshop, we will explore this vital topic.  There will be plenty of time for discussion and questions.