The Waldorf kindergarten puppetry graduate paper consists of three parts: The first part defines the characteristics of Waldorf education to form the basis for understanding the characteristics of puppets and puppetry in the Waldorf Kindergarten. The paper then focuses on puppets and their significance. Majaron (2002) says that puppets come from rituals. It is expressed through three stylization levels: visual, locomotive and acoustic. The puppets can become an intermediate between the child and the educator. The special powers and energies of the puppets are very attractive to children and they can be used to create a magical atmosphere in the playroom. Waldorf puppets and puppet shows are later presented in greater detail, and compared to puppets and puppetry in public kindergartens.
The second, empirical part presents the observation of children playing with puppets in the Jutranja Zarja Kranj Waldorf Kindergarten. The founder of Waldorf school pedagogy Rudolf Steiner said that there are two magic words that can be used to show how children connect to their environment. These words are example and emulation (Oldfield, 2012). Emulation is the main form of learning during the preschool period. I wanted to observe whether the way children play with puppets will be any different before and after the puppet show that was performed by the teacher, and whether children will spontaneously emulate puppet shows. The paper then includes a detailed presentation of the teacher’s puppet show using Waldorf principles and the puppet show that I created myself.
The final part of the graduate paper contains the results of observing the child’s play with puppets before and after the show, comparing the characteristics of the puppets, puppet shows and other activities in the public and Waldorf kindergartens, and concludes that there are major differences between the puppets that are used and puppet related activities between the public and the Waldorf kindergartens.
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