Friday, December 12, 2008

The Advent Spiral

December 6, 2008 The Kolisko School gathered to celebrate the Advent Season as it began a week ago. Most significant of theis celebration was really the coming together of the family and their children, with their teachers and friends...we came to take the walk around the Advent Spiral.

After a solemn gathering of the parents in the Pangat Balanghi room, the children trooped quietly to their seats, parents too....and each child took that special walk...careful steps in a path that went inwards...to find the One Light that Burns Brightly within. Each child lighted their own little candles and planted it on the ground...and as the night became evident, the Light in the Center and those around it grew brighter.

After everyone completed their journey and the path became clear, the whole family gathered around the Advent Spiral. In silence we held hands. And then each one took turns to snuff out the light from those little candles...from the beginning of the Advent Spiral Path towards the Center. A child, a parent, a teacher, a friend, a guide ...each one blowing off the tiny flickers...one after the other...until the One and Only True Light Burning Brightly for All of Us To See.

As I looked back remembering that moment of stillness, voices in a hush but giggles of children on the side, parents gathering together and teachers guiding along...I felt a depth of gladness that we have responded to The Call and took the journey to build The Kolisko School and everything else necessary to help us remain on course to fulfill its intended purpose (see here and here). The road is rough, and sometimes the walk can really be frustrating and confusing. But like the long wait for the Coming of Christ, when done with clarity of intention; and with eager anticipation and gladness then the journey with our fellow travelers becomes a delightful process of creation and co-creation.

"When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life.
~ Greg Anderson

See more pictures here

The Journey taken on Heroes Day

What was so special about Heroes Day 2008?

Well, most of the founders of The Kolisko School - KoFe members (who are mostly The Kolisko School parents) and partners (faculty, staff and other parents) all came together to strengthen further our purpose and direction for a better tomorrow.

Thank you to the PAGASA Core Group especially to Kuya Dale!! In agony over his own health concerns, he guided us through! Thank you soo much. Thank you too to Ica, Jay and most especially to our Teacher Janneke - a PAGASA Core and same time a Bahay-Bahayan Teacher.

See the gathering here



Gunner Inglorious


Last November 29, 2008 a gathering of friends, family and college scholars trooped to Bantayog ng Bayani to watch and enjoy the Gunner Inglorious.

Quite a different experience - to watch 1 man tell the life-story of a world war 2 veteran who at that time was mere 22 years old. He told the story in an animated way and he did paint quite clearly the different emotions and scenarios by mere acting on his own with a chair on a side. I was so caught up with the story that I did not notice that time was almost over! The live performance took the audience to experience the events as they occur – the squalor, the agony, the futility of war, but also the ability of the human spirit to find humour and heroism in the midst of adversity.

Thank you to all the sponsors who gave 20 college scholars the chance to watch the show. The scholars came from Pathways to Education and the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde's Scholars Program for Indigenous People's Youth.

And thank you Michael for sharing your gifts of energy and creativity to us. May God continue to bless you!!

see more pictures here
About the Artist -

Michael Burton is a playwright and he wrote the one-man show of Gunner Inglorious after reading the book written almost 50 years earlier. He has also written and performed Being Beethoven in New Zealand.

He had series of workshops on TRANSFORMATIVE SPEECH as a tool for self-transformation held recently at Institute for Steiner Ideas in Practice (I.S.I.P.)

Sunday, November 23, 2008

A View from the Heart

Last November 8, 2008 we had our MADAGASCAR project held at TRINOMA. It was a celebration of kinship and friendship - many borne out of personal history and affiliation. But the web of support weaved from these relationships for The Kolisko School and the children were borne from each one's heart, moved by the call to help.

The 200+ children and their teachers/guide/parents from partner communities were there because of the choices people made to help. Thank you for those choices...you have blessed the children and The Kolisko School.

Special Thanks to the Ninong and Ninang of The Kolisko School -

World Chicken
Theresa & Chris Bech's Bobon Beach Resort (Bobon, Eastern Samar)
Roberto Dumaual
Jose Sevilla and Liwanag Candles
Navarro Family

And A BIG HEART-FILLED THANK YOU to the the Ninong and Ninang of the children -

Assumption HS Batch 1982 (Chiqui, Connie, Tinet, Michelle M., Michelle G, Beth, Marissa)
Lazatin Family (Mela and her sisters)
Philamcare Information Techonology Group
Nancy's RRJ Apparel
DLS-CSB SDEAS and COSCA friends (Matt, Dhonn, Oca, Toni, Ria, Ferdi, Bobby Du, Tin, Candy & Alfie)
PAGASA Friends (Chiqui, Paula, Bob, Jason)
TeamEnergy Friends (Ethel, Cathy, Atty Factor, Joyce, Ambo)
Atty Grace Andres
PJ Construction
Marissa Raquiza
Margie Tajon
Atty Rose Alberto
George Chiu
Carol Mercado
Arlene Artajo
Gayia Beyer
Pogs Yalung and Friends
Dr. Elmer and Helen Fernando
Friends of Malou & Robert Medrano (Dr. Tere, Camara, Dr. V, Arlene)
Hannah Arena and her friends (Cherry, Geoff, Ms. Ui, Bluethumb team, Lloydee)
Friends of Noemi Jara (Kenny, Romi, Sam, Mildred, Henry)
Tes and Ed Sobeng
Simon and Izza Pascual

The happy children and their parents/guides/teachers came from the following partner communities and organizations -

HOPE Worldwide Foundation
KIDS Foundation
BATINO Elementary School (Deaf Program)
Bo. Obrero Elementary School (Deaf and exceptional children)
Laura Vicuan Drop-in center for streetchildren
Drop-in Center for streetchildren managed by Don Bosco Salesian Sisters

Special thanks to all the family and friends of KoFE and The Kolisko School who all helped to make this project successful. The strength of numbers only made a difference because each one of you took to heart the call. Thank you.

Thanks to Allan Velasco and Jason Quiones. Your pictures will make it possible for the children to reach their ninongs and ninangs. You may find them here

Again, thank you to all our friends and family, our ninongs and ninangs. Writing this message made me feel once again the heartwarming kindness that overflowed those weeks of searching that made November 8 a truly special day for all of us. Thank you sooo much for giving each of us the chance to be blessed by God through you. May you be blessed, always.

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To celebrate the National Heroes Day 2008, KoFE will be hosting Gunner Inglorious a one-man performance of Michael Burton. This show is based on a personal account of Jim Henderson, war veteran and novelist, who at age 22 served as a gunner sent to fight for his country in the 2nd World War. This one-man-play has been performed a total of 106 times mostly in New Zealand, and the last three performances shown recently in Davao. This unique performance takes the audience to live through the events as they occur – the squalor, the agony, the futility of war, but also the ability of the human spirit to find humour and heroism in the midst of adversity.

The benefit show will be on the eve of National Heroes Day November 29, 2008, Saturday at Bantayog ng mga Bayani at 230pm and 430pm. Come and join us as we give honor to those who have been casualties of war and serve as a prayer for peace and the abolition of warfare. Email admin.kolisko.school@gmail.com or text 0917-6048725

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Send A Child to Watch Madagascar Escape 2 Africa

The Kolisko Foundation for Education (KoFE) is holding a Block Screening of MADAGASCAR ESCAPE 2 AFRICA the movie. KoFe hopes to help the following kids to enjoy the movie on November 8, 2008 4pm at Trinoma. We hope to send 25-30 kids from each of the groups below. As of this morning, we have now 74 kids who will get a chance to watch the show. Seventy-six (76) more tickets to go!!

So far the background of our beneficiary groups for the sponsored tickets are:

1. HOPE Worldwide - will be sending 10-15 year old abused kids from their center in Payatas who are undergoing therapy
2. KIDS Foundation - a young non-profit org that helps disadvantaged youth
3. Brgy. Paltok Urban Poor Kids
4. Bahay Bata 127 Deaf Kids from Payatas
5. Batino Elementary School Deaf Kids
6. Bo. Obrero Elementary School Deaf Kids and Exceptional Kids

More organizations are on standby if there are more people willing to sponsor the tickets of the kids. Most of these kids live in really marginalized conditions - either they have been excluded from society by virtue of their disability, economic conditions or due to abuse and neglect of significant others.

This may be their only chance to watch a movie, or go to a mall, or step inside Trinoma! This may be one of the rare opportunities for them to feel that the world is not cruel, that there are kind people, even strangers, who care for them. Help us find more people who may be able to help increase the number of kids to enjoy this show. Through your help we will be able to give them this rare opportunity and in the process contribute to help save their childhood.

A ticket only costs Php350 to give a child a chance to enjoy the day on November 8 and watch the well loved MADAGASCAR movie. P1,000 to send 3. P3,000 to send 9 kids and P5,000 to send 15 kids.

Company sponsors are welcome and we can publicly acknowledge your contribution on site and in our blogs and future newsletters if at least 30 or more kids can be sponsored. This is a tiny little project that may never reach media or high society pages. But I know that isn't important to you. However, this will be a memorable moment for these kids who will have this grand experience only because you made it possible.

Please make check payable to: KOLISKO FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION. I can also arrange for a pick up if necessary. Just let me know where and when.

You may also deposit the check or cash to CHINA BANK Shaw Blvd Branch. Email me or text me date and time of deposit so we can well account it in our record books.

ACCOUNT NAME - Kolisko Foundation for Education (KoFE)
ACCOUNT TYPE - Current Account
ACCOUNT No - 131-077781-5

So Why Are We Doing This?

As a backgrounder - Kolisko Foundation for Education or KoFE is an initiative of a group of parents and friends who so wish to contribute to Heal Our Land through education, care for the environment and wellness of individuals and communities.

Of burning desire to us is to make Steiner/Waldorf Education accessible to as many children from middle to lower income groups. We have one such school - The Kolisko School for Steiner Education at #10 Alabama St. Brgy Kristong Hari, E. Rodgriguez. (More info here and here)

We are doing fund raising project for two things. One is provide support to The Kolisko School and its children (through our KEAP project or click here for more information).

Two, to reach out to our partner communities and share our blessings through short term projects such as MGA KUWENTO NI LOLA BASYANG (check it here ) and this MADAGASCAR project. Long term direction may eventually involve subsidizing some of the children from these partner communities to study in The Kolisko School for Steiner Education. Or even creating more Steiner/Waldorf schools for these children.

There are more ways to help. Let me know if you are interested to walk with us in our journey. The possibilities are endless.... ;-)

But for now thank you, thank you to each of you who have made it a point to help. Each ticket helps a beneficiary child to enjoy this great movie experience AND helps us in our work in The Kolisko School.

Come and visit The Kolisko School one of these days and see the fruits of many hands who shared many gifts. I quote from an article I wrote earlier on here -

And as you visit us one time, pass by the hallways, the rooms and the garden. Listen to the voices and bask at the smiles of the children and adults who come your way. Feel, smell, see and touch the beauty created by helping hands of caring individuals who have made an imprint on every seen and unseen creation in this place.

You know that weaved in its very essence is a gift of Your Love. Thank you Dear Friends (relatives included!). Your Light burns brightly! And every ray that shines through brings forth blessings that unfold a thousand gifts! May this message Bless You Too!!

I am sure blessed to know you are one of those who made things possible. ;-)

Monday, October 20, 2008

Lola Basyang and The Children

October 18 was a special day.

Almost 450 individuals trooped to PETA Center to watch a very special play – MGA KUWENTO NI LOLA BASYANG.

It was special – because Lola Basyang was sooo candid and energetic; she brought the house down…to think she just started with instructions on how we were to respond by stomping and clapping as we answered her questions with laughter and excitement. There was the youthful cast as well all so full of life, wearing all the colorful costumes creatively and playfully done – slippers wrapped around as belt, baby bottles in a round bottle carrier as the queen’s crown, and all the other stuff that adorned the cast. They all gave life to the stories. Their voices were so beautiful and all the antics brought laughter and joy to the viewers.

It became very special – to the families, teachers and friends of Kolisko Foundation for Education (KoFE) and The Kolisko School for Steiner Education who went to watch the show. We laughed and interacted with the characters, feeling bursts of joy as we watched our own children laugh and shout with glee as they enjoyed every bit of the stories that unfolded before us.

But it was all the more special to the children and their guides from our partner communities. It was the first time for many of them to step inside a real theater, and watch a real play. They were there because someone gave them that chance to be there. And you my dear reader, you were one of those individuals who found a way to help. Your selflessness has moved our children to find joy in your love even when they are strangers to you, and you to them.

To us who were there we saw the children who are deaf, abused, orphaned, urban poor children, and those who once lived on the streets; and the youth from marginalized sectors such as poor artists from Antipolo, the struggling Deaf artists and entrepreneurs, the Indigenous Youth from Kalinga, Compostela and Samar - We were all blessed that we had this rare opportunity to enjoy, laugh and go wild with Lola B with them around us...just as they too were blessed with the gift of that one rare chance to experience the same. And their day ended with a memorable experience that would never be made possible without you finding a way to look for their sponsors. About 200+ were there because of you. The remaining 200+ were there, well because of you too!! ;-)

And let me share my appreciation to ALL of the parents, teachers, family and friends who made it a point to find a way to take those extra miles (a thousand i think!) to help - selling 1 ticket to selling over a hundred!!! convincing others to join us more so, finding those individuals and families who gave more by sponsoring 1 child and some even a dozen at a time!! And so thank you, thank you. We did not only help The Kolisko School raise the needed funds, but we made many children happy too. ;-)

And we just couldn’t get over the joy of what Lola Basyang brought us - the stories and the joyful children and adults who came out of the PETA theater that afternoon of October 18. Maybe a repeat can happen again, with your help.

For now, bask in the happiness that your love brought to these children and to our lives. Stop for a while and imagine those smiles and the brightness of life;s Light that beamed oh so bright that day.


Come and meet the children courtesy of Roxas family and Maralit family. Video soon to be uploaded courtesy of Macatuno family.

Thank you to the following
- MAJOR SPONSOR - World Chicken (Be good to your heart, eat grilled)
- DONORS - Mama Sita and Little John's Convenience (Camp John Hay, Baguio City)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KoFE is holding a block screening of MADAGASCAR ESCAPE 2 ARICA on November 8 (Sat), 4pm at Trinoma Cinema 5. About 103 kids who are deaf, children with autism, mental retardation and other exceptional children from Bo. Obrero Elementary School will be given this chance to enjoy a movie with your help. Contact admin.kolisko.school@gmail.com, noemi.pamintuan.jara@gmail.com, velvethere@yahoo.com, maralitcam@yahoo.com and techiedelatorre@gmail.com or any KoFE member or The Kolisko School parent/teacher for more details on how you can help. Maybe you or your friend can be their Ninong/Ninang on November 8? ;-)

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

BREASTFEEDING IN THE WORKPLACE

For moms out there who breastfeed and would like to breastfeed their child without having to leave work.Do pass on to those who can benefit from it especially now that (melamine tainted!) formula milk is replacing the best milk for babies.

BREASTFEEDING IN THE WORKPLACE

Being (and Keeping!) a Productive Employee Who Raise Healthy Children

Breastfeeding is a rewarding and nurturing experience for both working mother and child. Learn how you can continue breastfeeding even after you go back to work.

Get helpful tips on how to sustain your supply of breast milk before you are tempted to buy a can of formula milk out of desperation.

Find out how employers can support productive employees who desire to raise healthy children through breastfeeding.

Get it straight from VELVET ESCARIO ROXAS, Deputy Executive Director of Arugaan – an NGO that is a staunch advocate of breastfeeding and earth-friendly and indigenous diet for children

OCTOBER 18, 2008
9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

The Kolisko School for Steiner Education
10 Alabama Street, Brgy. Kristong Hari, New Manila, Quezon City

Php 250 donation entitles you to a seat.

Fifteen (15) slots only!
Please reserve a seat before October 18.
Contact 0906-3034065, savechildhoodnow@gmail.com

About VELVET ESCARIO ROXAS
Wife of Jonathan Adam Roxas, head of TATAY - a father support group especially for breastfeeding

Mother of Jehielle, 6 years old, Bahay-Bahayan at The Kolisko School, breastfed for 3 years and 2 months

Mother of Voegelle, 15 months old, currently breastfeeding. Her waterbirth is a Philippine Medical pioneer - the first ever recorded hospital-based waterbirth in the Philippines!


High School Mathematics Teacher
Philippine School for Innovative Studies
Malingap corner Malumanay St., Teachers Vill. West, Diliman, Quezon City

Deputy Executive Director, Arugaan
April 2003-Present
#2 Starlight cor. Vista St., SSS Village, Marikina City
Email: arugaan@mozcom.com Tel: +632-4905452

• Counsels mothers on good infant and young child feeding practices
• Teaches proper breastfeeding techniques to other mothers and other health practitioners including doctors, nurses, midwives, etc.
• Co-authored the book "Let's Eat, Learn and Play"
• Creates crèche/daycare for babies and toddlers
(home-based, community-based and in workplaces)
• Instrumental in organizing the "First International Workshop on Indigenous Foods for Complementary Feeding" of 13 countries in Southeast Asia held in Bangkok, Thailand
• Organized 1,000 women and youth leaders as breastfeeding counselors and defenders held in Quezon City Hall
• Team leader and team member in coordinating and organizing different events (trainings, seminars and workshops) supported by different organizations including WHO (World Health Organization), UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), DOH (Dept. of Health), WABA (World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action), IBFAN (International Baby Food Action Network), Plan International Inc., etc.
• Trains, presents and lectures for different national and international trainings, seminars and workshops


WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS

Lecturer/Trainor/Presentor:
Asia Pacific Conference on Breastfeeding (November 30 - Dececember 3, 2003 New Delhi, India)

First International Workshop on Indigenous Foods for
Complementary Feeding
(June 2004 Bangkok, Thailand)

Every Mother is a Working Mother (August 14, 2004, St. Luke's Hospital, Quezon City)

Lifeskills Training for Brgy. Health Workers and Day
Care Workers
(January 30 – February 1, 2006 Llorente, Eastern Samar;
September 2005 Lilo-an, Leyte)

Women in Media's "Bulong Pulungan": Pushing Up
Breastfeeding as a Culture for Moms
(August 2007, Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Pasay City)

The First Father Support Summit (October 2007, UP Diliman, Quezon City)

Breastfeeding at the Heart of Waterbirthing (November 2007, AMA School of Medicine, Antipolo)

Waterbirthing for City Health Workers (Feb. 2008, Maasin City, Southern Leyte)

UPCOMING PUBLIC EDUCATION LECTURES at The Kolisko School:

  1. BIODYNAMIC COMPOSTING

By Greg Kitma
President, Philippine Biodynamic Agricultural Research Foundation

OCTOBER 26, 2008 (Sunday)
7 a.m.-2 p.m.
Malvar, Batangas

Php 750/adult, Php 350/child
Contact BABA ALBERTO 0921-2234844

  1. SOURCES of STRENGTH: Exercises that Nurture the Soul
  2. Speech and the Developing Child
  3. The HEALING ART of HANDWORK:
    1. Creating a Stuffed Animal
    2. Crocheting for Kids and Adults
  4. Raise Nature-loving Kids in the Time of TV and Gadgets
  5. Effects of Electronic Media on Young Children
  6. COOKING for LIFE:
    1. Homemade Juice from Indigenous Fruits
    2. Budget-friendly Ways of Raising Healthy Families in the time of Junk Food
  7. Education That Promotes Social Transformation
  8. Teaching Math through Art, Movement and Music
  9. HAMOG/MORNING DEW: Harnessing the Power of Nature to Improve Health
  10. Sing a Song to Promote Social Health
  11. The Big C: Social and Spiritual Dynamics of Cancer
  12. Unclutter Your Home, Mind and Heart
  13. How to Start Saving for a Baby
  14. Household Rules for Working Parents
  15. Multiple Intelligences: Unfolding Your Child's Specific Intelligence at the Right Time

CONTACT: savechildhoodnow@gmail.com for more information.

You may also visit -

http://kolisko-foundation-for-education.blogspot.com/

The Kolisko School SY 2009-2010

Waldorf/Steiner Early Childhood Program in SY 2009-2010: Provides a nurturing environment based on an understanding of the young child's special developmental needs before the age of seven. Modeled after a good home environment. The mixed-age kindergarten has the advantage of being even more like a large family; older children provide a model for the younger ones and help them, while the little ones bring a softer element to the 5 and 6 year olds.

Waldorf/Steiner Education Grades 1 to 5 SY 2009-2010: A 'Renaissance' education where children take all subjects and do not work only on areas in which they excel. The approach to learning is in a holistic way - arts, humanities and sciences are viewed as interwoven with one another, not as a separate fields.

Subjects taught are presented in a lively pictorial way, because the elementary school child learns best when information is artistically and imaginatively presented. During the rest of the day, special subject teachers fill out the rich curriculum by teaching foreign languages, Filipino orchestra, and other subjects.

Emphasis on moral qualities such as truth, beauty and goodness which are not proselytized but experienced in the way the classroom and school is built and cared for, in the actions of the adults around them, and in the content and approach in delivery of the lessons.


Steiner Education - for the world

Acclaimed by UNESCO as education for the new millenium, the Steiner/Waldorf movement has more than 900 independent Waldorf/Steiner schools and 1,600 early childhood programs on five continents. Each initiative is started by individuals or groups within the community. The Kolisko Foundation for Education-The Kolisko School for Steiner Education started this way.

Not only is the Steiner Education truly global in its scope, but also in its approach. Wherever

approach. Wherever it is found, the Waldorf curriculum cultivates within its students a deep appreciation for cultural traditions from around the world, while all the while being deeply rooted in its local culture and context.



The Kolisko School strives to provide an affordable education. The reason for this may be found here.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

So How Did It All Began?

Opening Remarks given 10 June 2008 By Divina Hey-Gonzales, M.D. on the occasion of the opening of the Kolisko School for Steiner Education.

Magandang araw ng kalayaan sa inyong lahat!

Ang pagbubukas ng isang paaralan ay laging isang okasyon ng pag sasaya at pagdiriwang sapagkat ito’y dagdag na pagkakataon para sa edukasyon ng kabataan. Higit na pinagdiriwang ang pabubukas ng isang paaralang Waldorf o Rudolf Steiner. Di lamang mga tao ang nagagalak sa okasyon na ito. Pati ang mga anghel at iba pang mga spiritual beings ay nagsasaya rin.

Ika nga, nagbubunyi ang langit at lupa sa ibayong pag-asa na maibibigay sa pagpapalaki ng mga bata tungo sa pagiging tao na may sariling kakanyahan. Isang tao na Malaya at marunong mag mahal. Ito’y dahil sa ang edukasyong dala ng Waldorf o Steiner ay naka ugat mula sa pilosopiya ng Anthroposophy. Malinaw na ibinahagi sa atin ni Rudolf Steiner ang tunay na kabuuan ng ating katauhan. Ang Katagang “Anthropo” ay na ngangahulugnang “tao” at ang “Sophia” naman ay “wisdom” o “karunungan”. Ang anthroposophia ay ang tunay na kaalaman tungkol sa tao. Ito ang basehan ng prinsipyo ng kurrikulum at paraan ng patuturo sa paaralang Waldorf o Stiener.

Ang unang unang Waldorf School ay itinayo dahil sa pag hingi ng tulong ng may ari ng Waldorf Cigarette Factory kay Rudolf Steiner na magtatag ng paaralang angkop para sa pangangailangan ng mga bata upang sila ay maging ganap na tao. Ang unang mga mag-aaral ng paaralang ito ay ang mga anak ng mga trabahador sa Waldorf cigarette factory.

Isa sa mga pangunahing katuwang sa inisyatibong ito ay ang unang- unang manggagamot ng paaralang Waldorf na si Eugen Kolisko. Si kolisko ang nag saliksik at nag paunlad ng ideya at praktis na ang tunay na edukasyon ay nakakapagpapagaling at nakakapigil ng pagkakasakit ng tao.

Nuong 2006, naganap sa Pilipinas, sa St.Scholastica’s College ang isang pagtitipon ng mga manggagamot at teacher ang Kolisko Conference. Tinagurian itong Kolisko Conference sa pagbibigay dangal at karangalan kay Eugene Kolisko. Ang Kolisko Conference na ito ang nag bigay ng inspirasyon para sa isang grupo ng mga magulang sa Manila Waldorf School para ituloy at lalong pasiglahin ang group study na sinimulan mga dalawang tao na nakakaraan.

Nuong Pebrero ng taong 2007, itinatag ang Kolisko Foundation for Education, Inc. na binubuo ng 28 na katao na ang tanging mithi ay makatulong sa kumunidad sa paraang pag tatayo at pagsuporta ng mga paaralang Waldorf/Steiner. Di nag laon ang desisyon para magtayo ng bagong paaralang Waldorf sa Quezon City ay nabuo na rin.

Mahigit tatlong o apat na taon inipagbuntis o pinagdalangtao itong paaralang ito. Maraming tumulong na wala ngayon, ngunit sila ay malaking bahagi natin. Mga haligi na di man matanaw ay nagpapatuloy na nagbibigay ng lakas sa kung ano mang mayroon tayo ngayon. Ito ay sila Atty. Joey at Weena Mendoza, Philip at ching Camara, George at Susan Chiu, Atty. Carol at Danny Mercado, Beejay at Arlene Artajo, Vanessa at Aldem Saldana, Susan Calalay-Yniquez,
Marissa Raquiza, at iba pang maaring aking nakaligtaan.

Sa pag lingon ko sa nakaraan ng unang paaralang Kolisko sa Pilipinas, masasabi kong para itong isang sanggol na umiiyak at nasusumamamong maisilang. Maraming hirap at balakid ang prosesong ng pagsilang ngunit ito’s nailuluwal ding Masaya. Nagtugma ang panahon at ang konstelasyon ng mga tao. Maging ang kinatatayuan ng paaralang ito ay isang biyaya na di inaasahan. Saan ka makakahanap ng bahay at lupang php1,000 sq.m. sa gitna ng E. Rodriquez na pinapaupahan ng php 13,500 kada buwan? Ang unang 30 na magaaral ng paaralang ito ay tiyak na dahilan ng pagsisibol nito. Kasabay ng pagbubukas ng Kolisko School for Steiner Education sa Quezon City ay ang pagbubukas rin ng paaralang Steiner sa Batangas na aming tinutulungan din maitatagag.

Importante ring banggitin na nuong Oktubre ng nakaraang taon ay sinimulan rin sa St.Scholastica’s College ang Master of Arts in Education at Major in Steiner Elementary Education. Itinatag ito sa tulong ng Pedagogical Section sa Goetheanum at ng Institution for Practiced Based Research (IPF) sa Switzerland. Layon nitong tumulong sa pagaaral ng mga guro upsang mapanatili ang antas ng qualidad ng edukasyong Steiner.

Malaki ang hamon sa Kolisko School ngayon, lalong lalo na sa larangan ng pag sasanay ng mga guro at admin staff. Malaking hamon rin ang mabigyan ng pagkakataon ang maraming bata na makaranas ng Waldorf School.

Ang pagbubukas ng paaralang ito ay di magiging kumpleto kung di mabibigkas ang berso na aming binabangit sa umpisa at katapusan ng group study sa loob ng halos 2 taon. Inaanyayahan ko ang board ng KOFE na sabayan ako sa harap sa pagbigkas nito, Baba, Evangeline, Malou, Arns, Noemi, Techie, Annie, Eric ,Therese, Tess at Rowena.

Foundation stone for the first additional building of the Waldorf School in Stuttgart,
December 16th, 1921

May there reign here spirit-strength in love;
May there work here spirit-light in goodness;
Born from certainty of heart,
And from steadfastness of soul,
So that we may bring to young human beings
Bodily strength for work, inwardness of soul and
clarity of spirit.
May this place be consecrated to such a task;
May young minds and hearts here find
Servers of the light, endowed with strength,
Who will guard and cherish them.
Those who here lay the stone as a sign
Will think in their hearts of the spirit
That should reign in this place,
So that the foundation may be firm
Upon which there shall live and weave and work:
Wisdom that bestows freedom,
Strengthening spirit-power,
All-revealing spirit-life.
This we wish to affirm
In the name of Christ
With pure intent
And with good will:

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Work We Have Been Called To Do

Today we open the doors of The Kolisko School to receive with warmth and gladness the children to whom we have been called to take care of. They are Angels sent to this Earth for a purpose, just like you and me and everyone else who have responded to our own calls.

This week, 2 years ago, parents from all walks of life came together to share their yearnings to create options for their own children, and the children of others that they do not even know...or have never met.

That was June 12, 2006. We chided ourselves for finding such a fitting day to make declarations of the choices we wanted to make and create then. Today we stand and become part of a Vision that was created in the past, well the past now, but in 2006 we were at that present moment building on a vision and looking into our future. We continue to live and create Our Vision, today. We continue to build on the future that we want for our children, and the other children who are coming our way.

When we find our own freedom nestled in the heart of the Universe, we discover that amidst all odds, we can Create and be Creators of The Work We Have Been Called To Do.

And if all who journeyed this Path would sit in a circle and view this gift from where they sit, each one will have a piece that is totally unique and meaningful to the beholder. And when each view is shared and appreciated, we weave in our relationships and in our consciousness a piece of that gift that we have all been blessed to be part of its creation.

And for each loving and nurturing pull of the Weaver who is in all of us, the ties are strengthened that builds on the base for the links and connections that shall be tied in soon enough to this act of healing that we have become part of.

Thank you for all who responded to the call. And today, with the children and their parents, we continue to respond to that call, and many others that we hear in our hearts.

And may you be one who hears that call and journey with us to The Kolisko School.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Is it because of Indy?

Doing this Indiana Jones resource generation project of KoFE for The Kolisko School was a major baffling experience to me. We had a plan to do fundraising and we simply visualized the experience that we get sponsors, sell the tickets and watch the movie on May 25. It was easy to do.

We did our jobs, the best letters were written, sponsors were approached and we thought it would be all in the bag. Wow! We were 2 weeks on the road, and well we could not even find a bag. Ha! It was a low moment. How could it be that no sponsor was interested to sponsor Indiana Jones? And there it hit me - oh my, what if the tickets won't sell???

The printing also took sometime ...we barely had 2 weeks to sell and we were not sure when the tickets will be released. But Roger Cuan, the project manager of New World Printing assigned to Indiana Jones 4, kept his word to deliver on time. No matter how bleak that week was, the ray hope was bright because Roger kept his word. Thanks Roger.

And so anyway, all 480 tickets were packed in 4 separate big boxes. When my little girl saw it she asked if I bought a television. It was bulky delivery because the Indiana Jones ticket is not a regular ticket. It is a crate-designed box. When you open it Indy pops out and hands out your ticket number. Cool isn't it? Hands up to Solar UIP for the innovative design. But when I saw those packages that one rainy evening, my world stopped for a moment. Now aside from selling it, delivery seemed to be adding up on the list of exciting moments to hack and overcome.

But by the 3rd day, our supply was down to 50%. Today, a long line of buyers await news if there are still tickets available. This is a movie block screening that will be shown side by side with regular showing of Indiana Jones in 3 or 4 cinemas in the same mall. More so, there were other malls with the same arrangement. It’s a lot expensive than the regular movie showing but people were asking for more. Is it because of Indy?

We had no radio or TV announcements, no posters and fliers...we had no marketing tool except this blog, our friends' blogs, email and text announcements. I did a profile scan of the buyers of the KoFE and The Kolisko School members. They were family members, co-workers, friends, strangers who are friends of friends, and strangers who became friends. And those who couldn't come just offered help in another form - took the task to help sell, referred another who eventually bought the tickets, donated their weekend or a month's worth of movie/leisure budget to the scholarship program. Others made pledges for the next 12 months!

And our special sponsors.

  1. David Kuchenbecker sent funding because he supports our project. The email that convinced him to support us by the way was mis-sent mail! Regardless of the circumstance, he gave.
  2. Jose Sevilla of Liwanag Candles was asked via text about possibilities and after reading the emailed proposal, he later gave a text info that a deposit was made.
  3. Yellow Cab Pizza. Their support came as a surprise. It was a weekend after we were sure that there was no more hope for a sponsor to come our way. But we remained hopeful and so it was with this sense of optimism that I sent an email to their website's feedback form inquiring about partnership possibilities. A day after, Ms. Aileen Viloria, Yellow Cab’s Marketing Manager responded. By the end of the following week we got confirmation of their support.

Amazing isn't it? All three had varying experiences of how they made the decision to help. But I am certain that they found meaning in the help we were looking for and in their own best capacities found a way to respond to that call. And our ticket buyers! I continue to baffle at this amazing experience. And we are not talking about tycoons or CEOs of big time corporations, or seasoned philanthropists. These are ordinary folks like you and me who found meaning in the work that we do that sharing and giving support was easily done and freely given.

And so as we gear up for the weekend event, let me have the honor of saying THANK YOU on behalf of KOFE to everyone who came our way and made a difference. An act that flows from Love brings forth a wellspring of hope to others. And wow, what a really large and overflowing wellspring of hope we have here in this community. ;-) http://www.stservicemovie.com/

Monday, May 19, 2008

The Gifts of Love

I am amazed at how people from all walks of life have come at the right time to share what they can to help along the path of KoFE's work to build The Kolisko School for Steiner Education.

And it simply feels good to know how much love flows through. Have you noticed it? Each one finding a way to provide support, each one creating the bridge to establish the connection, each one extends a gesture of kindness that even a smile, an email or a text message can make your heart burst with butterflies and flowers...hahaha and the sunlight just shines through...

Just the other day I watched a movie and saw the trailer of INDIANA JONES 4 and I felt my heart glow. There goes Indy running and jumping, but instead of the excitement over the adventure I saw, I felt deep joy and gladness of seeing the people (even those I have not met yet!) who came our way and the love that they shared to help us build The Kolisko School.

And as you visit us one time, pass by the hallways, the rooms and the garden. Listen to the voices and bask at the smiles of the children and adults who come your way. Feel, smell, see and touch the beauty created by helping hands of caring individuals who have made an imprint on every seen and unseen creation in this place. You know that weaved in its very essence is a gift of Your Love.

Thank you Dear Friends (relatives included!). Your Light burns brightly! And every ray that shines through brings forth blessings that unfold a thousand gifts! May this message Bless You too!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

What The Kolisko School Offers

Waldorf/Steiner Early Childhood Program in SY 2008-2009: Provides a nurturing environment based on an understanding of the young child's special developmental needs before the age of seven. Modeled after a good home environment. The mixed-age kindergarten has the advantage of being even more like a large family; older children provide a model for the younger ones and help them, while the little ones bring a softer element to the 5 and 6 year olds.

Waldorf/Steiner Education Grades 1 to 4 SY 2008-2009: A 'Renaissance' education where children take all subjects and do not work only on areas in which they excel. The approach to learning is in a holistic way - arts, humanities and sciences are viewed as interwoven with one another, not as a separate fields.

Subjects taught are presented in a lively pictorial way, because the elementary school child learns best when information is artistically and imaginatively presented. During the rest of the day, special subject teachers fill out the rich curriculum by teaching foreign languages, Filipino orchestra, and other subjects.

Emphasis on moral qualities such as truth, beauty and goodness which are not proselytized but experienced in the way the classroom and school is built and cared for, in the actions of the adults around them, and in the content and approach in delivery of the lessons.


Steiner Education - for the world

Acclaimed by UNESCO as education for the new millenium, the Steiner/Waldorf movement has more than 900 independent Waldorf/Steiner schools and 1,600 early childhood programs on five continents. Each initiative is started by individuals or groups within the community. The Kolisko Foundation for Education-The Kolisko School for Steiner Education started this way.

Not only is the Steiner Education truly global in its scope, but also in its approach. Wherever

approach. Wherever it is found, the Waldorf curriculum cultivates within its students a deep appreciation for cultural traditions from around the world, while all the while being deeply rooted in its local culture and context.


Testimonials on the Waldorf/Steiner Education

"If I had a child of school age, I would send him to one of the Waldorf schools."
- Samuel Bellows, Author and
Nobel Laureate

"Being personally acquainted with a number of Waldorf students, I can say that they come closer to realizing their own potentials than practically anyone I know." - Dr. Joseph Weizenbaum, Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

"Waldorf education addresses the child as no other education does. Learning, is imbued with life and so with joy, which is the only true basis for later study. Such students possess the eye of discoverer, and the compassionate he study. Such students possess the eye of discoverer, and the compassionate heart of the reformer, which when joined to a task, can change the planet." - Dr. Arthur Zajonc, Associate Professor of Physics, Amherst College

"After having done thorough research into the neurological aspects of cognition, movement and maturity, it was a great pleasure to discover that that a curriculum so unexceptionable from a neurological point of view actually existed. With all my heart, I support the efforts to make Waldorf education more generally known." -Dee Joy Coulter, Ed.D., Univeriity of Colorado"

I fondly call my son 'baby magnet'. Notwithstanding his exuberance and being an only child, he has consistently, since the age of 5, shown care and empathy for any younger child that comes within close range. Little kids follow him around in complete trust and he is quick to defend the vulnerable. I believe Waldorf has significantly contributed and molded his strong and compassionate leadership skills, a keen eye for detail and beauty in any environment, creative and strong analytical skills, a confident and almost gleeful approach to math, and emotional and interactive resilience. I am therefore confident of his future and wish Wadlorf education to be experienced by other children." - Evangeline Navarro, Lecturer - Finance, University of the Philippines

Through the years, I watched my 3 children (and I, alongside with them) grow into individuals who nurture a reverence for life and a genuine love for learning in a Steiner School. Once, my daughter Samantha (now age 12) was working on her math exercises at home, she exclaimed, "when I am close to an answer, I can almost taste it!". As my children continue to flourish in a Steiner school, I am confident that their lives will unfold in a beautiful way that they will inspire others through the way they live their lives and extend the blessings of Steiner Education to the people whose very lives they touch." - Maria Lourdes R. Medrano, Pediatric Dentist, Waldorf-educated Teacher, Steiner-inspired Child Care Program




Saturday, May 10, 2008

The KEAP Project and The Kolisko School

What is The Kolisko School for Steiner Education?

As a project of the Kolisko Foundation for Education (KoFE), The Kolisko School provides affordable Steiner Education to Filipino children.

Partnership in the education of the child is at the heart of The Kolisko School. The school's influence is not only in the relationship with the child, but with the family and the greater community. By educating children and families and building communities that will care for others, the environment and the country, The Kolisko School helps achieve social transformation in the country through The Ripple Effect.

The Ripple Effect takes place when the impact of an action to an individual transforms that individual, who in turn creates a greater impact to everything in his environment and subsequently, other lives.

The Kolisko School also puts great value to the Environment and ensures that the child and its partner community share a deep connection to it such that the protection of environment is an outcome of the transformation of individuals, families and the country.

The Kolisko School is a unique Waldorf/Steiner initiative in the Philippines as it was created by a community of parents.

Why Steiner Education?

The Waldorf or Steiner Education of The Kolisko School prepares young people to meet the world with inner confidence, to trust in the value of each human being, and to think and work with initiative in their lives.

Developed by the Austrian scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner in 1919, Steiner Education is based on a profound understanding of human development that addresses the education needs of the whole child - the heart, the hands, as well as the head. Students are nurutred across the full range of human capacity - physical, emotional, intellectual, artistic, and spiritual.

By nurturing children lovingly in an age-specific stress-free environment, The Kolisko School enables children to develop a lifelong love of learning, acquire creative independence and balanced maturity in adulthood, and achieve an understanding of what is beautiful in the world in the broadest sense of the word.

Steiner Education in The Kolisko School is being indigenized to enable young Filipinos to appreciate what is beautiful about the country.



The KEAP Project

Of 100 school-age Filipino children entering Grade 1, only twothirds will graduate elementary, less than half will graduate high school, and less than 25% will enter college.

Poor nutrition, poor literacy, and lack of motivation are the common reasons for drop out. Former Department of Education Undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz cites that the Philippine educational system have failed in the education of the Filipino children to become responsible, productive and self-fulfilling. “We are graduating people who are learning less and less," he said. National achievement tests for elementary students show that a Mean Percentage score of 57% was common.

If the country fails to care for our children, how can they take care of the future of the country, and the future of their own children?

Yet, change is possible.

In 2005-2006, the National Secondary Achievement Test (NSAT) for grade 6 children yielded a Mean Percentage Score of 54.5%. The following year, the scores increased to 59.94%. The marked increased was a result of an active partnership of everyone involved (e.g. schools, communities and local government units). When people – through a strong, supportive, and collaborative partnership - create the way to improve the lives of children, a difference is made.

The presence of a strong alliance between parents, teachers, school administration, and concerned school administration, and concerned individuals and groups is the key.

In 2006, a group of parents, having witnessed first-hand the inspiring results of Steiner education on their own children established the Kolisko Foundation for Education (KoFE), a nonprofit, non-religious organization that aims to promote, develop, and advance Steiner-inspired initiatives in the fields of education, agriculture, community building, economics, and the environment. Key to the Steiner philosophy is the development of free human beings, who are able of themselves to impart a unique purpose and direction to their lives for the good of society and the environment. These free purposive individuals will naturally contribute to the social transformation of a country in dire need of one.

Fueled by volunteerism, resource donations and community participation, KoFE established its first school -- The Kolisko School for Steiner Education to provide affordable Steiner education for young Filipinos.

As an intial thrust to serve the community, The Kolisko School has created The Kolisko Education Assistance Program (KEAP) or The KEAP Project to provide holistic Steiner education for children of Filipino parents, who contribute to the country's social transformation and development but are not in the financial position to provide good education for their own children.

The KEAP Project is a tuition assistance program that provides a formal program platform for harnessing the support of the community in creating moral and purposive young Filipinos, who will contribute to the social transformation of the Philippines. Specifically, The KEAP Project

  1. Educates qualified parents of their power to provide good education for their children beyond their own current resources; to recognize the presence of a community, which can help make this possible; and to prove them tools that will allow the education of their children and the children of others, who share the same plight.
  2. Offers individuals and organizations a transparent mechanism to donate and support directly to the cause of child development, education, social transformation and community development.
  3. Provides a venue, where creative initiatives and partnerships can be matched productively for the education of the young in The Kolisko School, and for addressing concerns shared by the community for the good of society and the environment.
The KEAP Project enables these via community education and implementation of a donor management system.

Who is the KEAP Beneficiary or The KEAPer?

The KEAP Project supports the proportionate tuition needs in The Kolisko School of deserving Filipino children, whose Filipino parents contribute directly to the social transformation and development of the Philippines but their full involvement in these areas often times do not provide them sufficient financial resources to provide good education for their own children.

The extreme demand of thier work requires a special support system to help them find balance and a healthy way of caring for their children that the Steiner education and its strong alliance with its community members can provide.

These KEAPer parents specifically are:

  1. low income Development Workers employed in non-government or government agencies that specifically address the welfare of marginalized sectors such as children, Indigenous People, etc and the welfare of the Environment either through advocacy, education, protection, rehabilitation, research or training.
  2. low income Teachers, who are involved in the education and care of children from families who belong to the lower middle economic strata, disabled children, and other children with special circumstances.
  3. low income Overseas Filipino Workers, those who have household income that still cannot afford a full paying tuition for their children.

How can qualified parents join The KEAP Project?

To join The KEAP Project, the interested parent must:
  1. Earn a maximum collective houselhold income of : Php30,000/mo if with one (1) child; and Php10,000.00 /mo for each additional child
  2. Submit all the following required documents (items a-c to be provided by both parents):

a. Curriculum Vitae / Resume - with all contact deails to facilitate the process and full Employment History with stated salary in each position

b. Certification of Current Employment with stated Position and Salary from Employer

c. Parent's Info Sheet - filled out completely

d. Child's/Children's Info Sheet - filled out completely

e. Photocopy of Child's Form 138 or Report Card for the preceding year

f. MERALCO bill - with address consistent to the one stated in the CV

Emailed Blank Parent's/Child's Info Sheet can be requested from:admin.kolisko.school@gmail.com.

  1. Submit all the documents in an envelope marked

"APPLICATION FOR THE KOLISKO EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM"

either by courier mail or in person to The Kolisko School for Steiner Education No. 10 Alabama St., Bgy. Kristong hari,New Manila, Quezon City

  1. Undergo the Interview. Qualified parents will be contacted by The Kolisko School for an interview – concurrently held for the parents and the child/children.

Interviews are scheduled by appointment daily between 8:30-11:30am and 1:00 – 5:00pm, Mondays-Fridays.

  1. Undertake Orientation on The KEAP Project, its support system for applicants and donors, and the methods for tapping into the community and enabling the enrollment of the child in The Kolisko School.
  2. Comply with mutually-agreed enrollment parameters.
  3. Personally, be active in school or community projects.

KEAP Applications are open for Pre-School to Grade 4 levels
(Ages 3 - 9) for
school year June 2008 - March 2009.

Regaining My Son's Childhood


Often, parents would refer to babies and young children as “angels,” a comment meant to describe young children – full of wonder and eagerness, the givers of unconditional love, the source of humor and compassion. Yet in the same breath, older parents would be quick to add, “but when they get older…” and we hear a litany of failed expectations accompanied by a deep sigh.

My husband Eric and I felt this way about our son Jose. Jose was not a wayward teenager or a young man in his twenties testing the bounds of freedom and rebellion. Our son, at the tender age of four, was tired of a hurried life. Jose has always been surrounded by a family that loves him. He barely watched television, and preferred books and play. Like other "angels," he shared many special moments with Eric and me. The most special were our nightime "read-me-a-book-Nanay" moments, a routine we followed regardless of how sleepy we both were.

Jose started his “academic training” for the traditional schools when he was three and a half. As parents, we thought, for Jose to have a meaningful life, he had to start young to excel among his peers. Like a popular milk commercial on TV, we subscribed to having children start life with a competitive edge. A child’s self-worth was to be measured by the number of contests he won, getting and staying ahead of the game, and being stronger than the rest.

But it was a false headstart. The push to be the best turned out to be a constant battle for Jose to prove he could meet our standards. He was in a pre-school that equated intelligence with parroting back information, and performing robotic acts of completing workbooks and tests. Mimicry, as opposed to originality, was rewarded with high grades and a promotion to the next grade level.

While Jose’s academic skills were noteworthy, he exhibited signs of aggression that were non-existent before he entered school. At times he was also passive, then restless or distressed. He was doing everything in a hurry, especially his school assignments. But in the process, he was actually accomplishing less and less. He began to also watch more television to escape the drudgery of homework.

Jose’s young life was a hurried life, vis-à-vis our own hurried lives. At the young age of seven, Jose complained,” I’m too tired to do anything else.” Soon unmet expectations led to clashes within our young family, marked by impatience, anger, and a constant struggle to pinpoint a culprit to blame. The cherished moments of storytelling and reading with Nanay were no longer a source of delight.

But angels have gifts of wisdom, and they never cease to try to fulfill their purpose. Despite our boxed up view of “should and should- not’s,” or being labeled as “troublesome,” by the disciplinary standards of his traditional school, the angel in Jose never died. True to his nature, he found ways to escape the academic prison he was in. While we thought he was attending special classes for academically advanced students at his school, he was in the middle of the football field, rolling on the grass, playing and laughing, enjoying how wonderfully blue the sky was. Once he shared a secret. Jose said that when he found something that made him happy he learned to refrain from expressing it as his teacher would see it as class disruption; instead, he would feel the happiness inside his heart and jump with joy but always with a mask – a deadpan expression on the outside. It was one of the saddest secrets I had ever heard.

As parents, we all have the same angel source in ourselves. And when we learn to quiet down, we discover that we too share the same wisdom that our angel children have. It was during one of those quiet moments that I deeply felt I was unwilling to have Jose suffer through his traditional school for yet another year.

A friend whose child was enrolled in a Steiner school convinced me to investigate its “stress-free” curriculum. I visited the first Steiner school in Quezon City with my son Jose in tow. While I visited the administrative office, my son explored the school grounds. When I had finished with my queries, I headed for the playground to look for Jose where I found him – quietly still and relaxed on top of an elevated structure, his eyes fixed at the blue sky. I savored the sacredness of that moment. I felt a sense of peace seeing him there; it was obvious, he too found his own. Later that afternoon, he joyfully announced to my colleagues at work that he was going to a new school, a Steiner school.

Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner established a school in 1919 for the children of the Waldorf cigarette factory workers in war-torn Germany. Today, Steiner education (also known as Waldorf education) is the largest and fastest growing, non-sectarian educational system in over 900 independent schools in at least 60 countries.

In Steiner schools, skills, subjects, and concepts are introduced only at a time when these are appropriate to the child’s emotional, psychological, and intellectual development. Beyond rote memorization, children are taught to ‘experience” concepts, and integrate age-specific abstract thinking into the realities of work and environment.

During an orientation program in Kolisko School for Steiner Education (KoSSE), parents were given crayons and paper. They were asked to remove their shoes and socks, wedge the crayons between their toes, and write their full names on the paper, first with the left, then with the right foot. Amid giggles, the adults complained that it was a difficult task. “This is exactly how your pre-schooler feels when you force him to learn the alphabet and write his name before he is ready for it,” remarked one of the teachers.

Jose readily adapted to his new school where the academic curriculum was creatively taught using painting, form drawing, puppetry, and games. He learned to play the recorder, the violin and indigenous instruments. His fascination for nature led to an interest in bird watching, a passion he now enjoys with his father. But I knew for sure that I had my little angel back when one evening, Jose approached me with a book, and lovingly said, “Nanay, please read to me.” I cried a river after that.

My experience isn’t unique; it is shared by other parents whose children are in Steiner schools. For the past year, Eric and I have joined a group of parents who are so gratified with the way their children have developed that they see it now as a calling, to spread Steiner education to as many Filipino children as possible. In June 2008, the Kolisko School for Steiner Education located at No. 10 Alabama St. Barangay Kristong Hari, E. Rodriguez (near St. Luke’s) Quezon City will make Steiner/Waldorf education available to middleclass Filipino families. The Kolisko School will offer a parent-toddler class (for 2-3 year-olds), kindergarten (for 3-6 year-olds), a first and a fourth grade.

Like Jose, we now want our youngest child, four-year old Yma, to experience an unhurried life at the new Kolisko School.

###

About the Author: Techie dela Torre is presently the Dean of the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies at De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde. She is also one of the founding members of the Kolisko Foundation for Education, Inc (KoFE, Inc.) and the Kolisko School for Steiner Education.

About KoFE

The Kolisko Foundation for Education, Inc. (KoFE, Inc.) is a non-stock non-profit organization that seeks to create opportunities that will contribute to the social transformation of the Philippines. It's mission is to be "a loving and compassionate community of parents and individuals that seek to HEAL OUR LAND through relevant education, fostering authentic relationships and self-awareness." KoFE dedicates itself to promote, develop, and advance Steiner-inspired initiatives in the fields of education, agriculture, community building, economics and the Environment.

One of it's projects is The Kolisko School. It was established to make Steiner education accessible to the average Filipino Family. As a sign of commitment, KoFE has set up The Kolisko Educational Assistance Program (The KEAP Project). It is a tuition assistance program that harnesses community support to help in the educational needs of children of specific low income groups, who contribute to the development and social transformation of the Philippines. These are Development Workers who serve the welfare of children, indigenous people, and the Environment (e.g. community organizers, social workers, researchers, advocates, etc); teachers involved in the education of children in special circumstances (e.g. low income, disabled children, abused, etc); and Overseas Filipino Workers who still cannot afford to fully fund the education of their children. The KEAP beneficiaries are KEAPers, and those who help them are The KEAPers' Friends. Be a KEAPer's Friend and join KoFE in this drive to help the country by helping those who are directly involved in the country's social transformation. For partnership opportunities, please contact Ms. Gay Cruz-Valdez (School Administrative Assistant) at 710-5279.

The Kolisko School holds Public Orientations for Parents and Short Lectures on particular weekends. Please call 710-5279 for inquiries. For those who wish to visit The Kolisko School for a one-on-one orientation session we are open Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 4pm Please call 710-5279 or 0917-5702946 for an appointment
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This article is a revised version of what was published in The Manila Bulletin and The Daily Tribune. Many thanks to the publishers of these newspapers, and their editors and writers. You made a difference in the lives of many who have been touched by this story. Your publication paved the way for their children to finally find us.

Many thanks to Susan Quimpo who helped me improve on the original article I wrote and read in the The Kolisko School's Milestone Party held last March 2, 2008. ;-). Thanks too, to Noemi Jara who helped further improve the above version.