Page 18 - EH66

16 EASTERN HORIZON | FEATURE

how to teach using transformative learning and teaching
skills and tools.

The process of teaching and learning should be a
lived experience, so we provide many handouts and
supporting resources that we created rather than a
single document. When a concept is crystallised into a
selection of lesson plans with accompanying instruction
on teaching, the process of education becomes that of
imparting abstract concepts. We believe this can hinder
End of semester 1 Painting Tara- Thangkha painting lesson, the dynamic inner processes within the child and
exhibition, 2019. semester 2, 2020 Kindergarten teacher becomes something that is imparted onto the child from
Experiential Foundation training.
Buddhist Studies. the outside. The right education at the right time using
the right approach, considers the developing child and
how they learn in relation to each phase of development.
The third pillar of Abiding Heart Education is our 3 This can make a difference to how a child receives
week course on Learning Theories and Methodologies: knowledge and whether this brings healing or becomes
Buddhist Pedagogy, the Transformative Learning detrimental to their well-being. For us, education is an
Approach of Steiner and other Contemporary Learning art; it is a responsive and creative process!
Theories. This course provides a synthesis of the three
components (Buddhist, taught by Khenpo Sonam Abiding Heart Education currently has a team of
Tsewang, Steiner, and other contemporary learning
theories, taught by myself) and forms the Abiding Heart
Education learning and teaching approach. Here again,
the course follows the same pattern of daily lectures,
meditation and artistic exercises.

The fourth pillar of Abiding Heart Education is the
curriculum content. This is introduced to trainee
teachers in the final part of semester 2 when we feel
they have the depth of knowledge and understanding,
both of heart and mind, and are at a stage when they
can immerse themselves in learning how to teach the Child Development from Birth to Rebirth module 1, 2020-2021.
Understanding Buddhist psychology, developmental science and
Abiding Heart Curriculum. The course is delivered
transformative experiential Buddhist pedagogy
over two and a half semesters and focuses on thorough
training on how to teach each individual subject to each
specific year group.

Curriculum delivery requires trainee teachers to learn
an array of new skills in a multifaceted role; to develop
confidence as speakers, writers, artists, meditators; to
train in child observation, and this is all anchored in
contemplative practice and the Buddhist view. I teach
this course myself, with the wonderful support of
Waldorf colleagues from around the world. Our trainees
receive the full curriculum content and are trained in
Khenpo Sonam Tsewang and 2019 students