Alex

Alex has been involved in Steiner education since 1985, both in the United States and here in New Zealand. She has extensive qualifications including a Master of Education and Steiner certificate, and is a member of the Anthroposophical Society and of The Society of Friends. Alex has been with Aurora Tamariki since 2019.

Alex has a passion for young people and what they mean for our future. She brings years of experience within Rudolf Steiner's framework of Anthroposophy, beginning in 1974 when she worked on a biodynamic farm with her husband. She has a real appreciation for boundaries and what they mean for human development and children's growth.

Handwork, woodwork, gardening, and animals are her points of interaction with the children at Aurora Tamariki, particularly the older children. Food preparation and eating together is another formative time with the group.

She enjoys working at Aurora Tamariki because it is a small endeavour, with a high quality of experience for the child due to good staff to child ratios and staffing rates. Alex sees part of Aurora Tamariki's role as providing support for parents and family life - childhood has changed so much over the years, but the needs of children haven't. The demands and distractions of modern life pull parents in many different directions, and support can be helpful to "keep the river in the banks", in terms of childhood development.

"We view the child as an intentional wise being from the heavenly realms, that is here to pursue and unfold a destiny, as opposed to the view of the child as a tabula rasa - a blank slate onto which you dictate knowledge. Children have an innate sense of their essential being, and we try to be responsive to that and to who they are in the world."

When asked about what she does outside of work, Alex says that she no longer views her life in terms of 'work' and 'out of work' - all of life is integrated. She and her husband run a small dairy farm, processing and supplying dairy products to the local community.  She loves spending time with her family and grandchildren, her books and bicycle, horses, pigeons, chickens, dogs, barn-cats, garden and trees.