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FEATURE | EASTERN HORIZON 13

My first pupils at Tashi Waldorf School- Kindergarten, Kathmandu The shrine at Tashi Waldorf school class 1, 2001, Kathmandu, Nepal
Nepal 2000

for Kindergarten Curriculum for Tibetan Exile Schools’, A Buddhist Children’s Pedagogy
in 2003. A new pedagogical approach developed from the
fundamental understanding of the aim of education as
In 2004, myself and 15 other experts were invited by progression along the pathway towards liberation. The
the Tibetan-Government-in-Exile Prime Minister to knowledge, experience and expertise gathered over
advise on a new education bill that was being presented years of the aforementioned research and practice,
to the exile parliament. The education bill sought to become precious tools in constructing a new educational
integrate Tibetan language, culture and dharma into framework and content. While Buddhism provides the
the curriculum with the explicit goal of sociocultural educational lense for my work, it is essential that this
integration and preservation of children’s linguistic worldview is embedded within a children’s pedagogy
and cultural heritage and dharma. Such an educational that is also Buddhist. However, here lies the gap;
approach can validate and foster children’s positive Buddhist learning and teaching methodology has been
identities as well as providing a resource for learning. I predominantly developed for adults.
rejoiced in the knowledge that the Exile government’s
concerns and actions were aligned with my own in A Buddhist children’s pedagogy needs to be
relation to heritage language and cultural preservation transformative, experiential, and developmentally
and most importantly, as His Holiness the Dalai Lama appropriate to nourish children’s beings towards
emphasised, to ensure that the Buddha dharma continues freedom. As a former teacher at a Waldorf school with
to support inner development towards liberation. 30 years of experience in education (also in teacher
training and curriculum development), I identified
I subsequently embarked on a PhD at The University the Waldorf transformative educational approach as
of Bath in England to continue this work of cultural providing such a pedagogy, with it’s deeply holistic
heritage preservation within the curriculum in order understanding of child development, and integrated
to maintain the essential connection between global this with the Buddhist contemplative and meditative
communities and their dharma and heritage language (experiential) methodology. This synthesis became
and culture, whilst also meeting the demands of a new educational approach, termed ‘Abiding Heart
the 21st century. From my fieldwork, working with Transformative Experiential Buddhist Education’. It is
Buddhist communities in Nepal, the need for a Buddhist founded on a sound philosophy of education and a view
transformative experiential education for children age 3 of a profound path towards inner freedom.
to 14 or from kindergarten to class 8 became clear and
propelled my work both during and after my doctorate I reside in Boudha, the heart of Buddhist Kathmandu,
studies. By the beginning of 2016 the development of a where many of the great teachers were questioning
Buddhist education became my main focus, and what a how to integrate Buddha dharma into the Nepali
joy it was! children’s curriculum in monastic schools. It became