How we have become
what we are today
It all began with the realisation that development does not stop when we become adults, and that learning continues throughout our lives. An insight particularly important for educators. Of course, learning new things happens quite naturally, especially when we interact with people on a daily basis. However, as people in educational professions and those who encounter others as part of their work bear a special responsibility, we need spaces and places that go beyond simply ‘learning from life’ – places where, through targeted programmes, we have the opportunity to ask questions and find possible answers and inspiration, with a view to both our professional work and our personal development. In this context, dialogue with colleagues or others who have also embarked on an inner journey plays a central role, as for most people, learning is not only an individual but also a social process.
This understanding of the importance of both collective and individual lifelong learning is in line with the weekly teachers’ conferences established by Rudolf Steiner at Waldorf schools as part of ongoing professional development, as well as with his observation that a willingness to engage in continuous self-development is a fundamental prerequisite for educators.
In 2016, after many years of experience – both as a participant and as a facilitator of face-to-face training courses – I had the opportunity to take part in an online course on Otto Scharmer’s Theory U. This allowed me to gain a great deal of new and useful insight for my own professional work. At the same time, I could experience for myself that, using this at the time rather new way of learning made it possible to create a space for professional development as well as foster an environment that encouraged personal growth. Theory U has stayed with me ever since and, together with Waldorf education, has fundamentally shaped the course of my life. My experiences from this first ‘learning journey’ played a key role in the founding of elewa–eLearningWaldorf and have influenced the design of our programmes.
Regardless of content, materials and media, the main focus of elewa’s programmes is on conscious interaction with one another, characterised and underpinned by mindfulness and mutual interest. In keeping with both the fundamental principles of Waldorf education and Theory U, we are committed to creating learning spaces in which our encounter with the world, with others and with ourselves forms the starting point for personal growth and professional development. We stand for non-judgemental coexistence and respectful dialogue.
Following a well-written, detailed recipe may well result in a delicious meal, but it will not enable us to achieve a similarly successful result using different ingredients and utensils. Cooking to a recipe will not turn us into chefs!
The realisation that understanding what I wish to learn for my teaching is an essential prerequisite for my learning efforts to have a lasting impact is also reflected in the elewa programmes – and has even found its way, quite by chance, into the name: in Kiswahili, the word ‘elewa’ – which was derived from e–learning-waldorf – means ‘understanding’
Truly transformative learning takes place when we first experience something new, then understand what it is about, are given the opportunity to apply the insights gained, and finally integrate the ‘new’ into our own practice or lives and make it our own – in other words, adapt it to the realities of our own actions and existence.
That’s why we don’t offer ready-made solutions, but rather a blend of background ideas, pedagogical reflections, suggestions for implementation and invitations to explore one’s own teaching or educational practice, whilst trying out new approaches and integrating them into one’s own work. This means they can be used by educators and parents alike, as well as by people from other areas who are interested in growth and development.
A fundamental design principle underpinning elewa’s offers centres on the theme of diversity, which is particularly close to my biologist’s heart because I am aware of its empowering effect. elewa’s courses and materials are aiming at a diverse group of people, make use of a variety of media and materials, and bring together the voices and experiences of different individuals. Whilst elewa is rooted in the fundamental principles of Waldorf education, it consistently encourages participants to look beyond their own horizons by integrating other educational approaches and perspectives, as well as insights from the scientific community.
Our resources facilitate a variety of learning formats and pathways. The spectrum ranges from asynchronous, offline materials to live online meeting spaces and even regional face-to-face groups. These diverse resources encourage personalised use and can be flexibly adapted to often very different life circumstances and learning habits.
This desire for diversity has also led to the decision to make the platform bilingual, in order to make the resources accessible to a wider circle of users. Despite modern technology, this may occasionally result in a layout that seems unfamiliar to some users. However, we believe that the opportunity for international engagement justifies these minor hurdles.
From the very beginning, elewa was conceived as a space for cooperation. On the one hand, this concept applies to the participants in the courses and online dialogues, who are invited to engage in mindful exchange. On the other hand, the platform also offers other individuals or organisations the opportunity to design their own courses and materials and make them available via elewa.
For users, a wide range of options increases the chance of finding something here that suits their own learning needs and habits. Providers of further education programmes find a functional environment on elewa where they can tailor their offerings to their specific needs. At the same time, they can benefit from the synergy of a shared platform.
elewa was born out of a vision and, over the course of 10 eventful years, has been able to develop its own identity, becoming a young adult with a strong connection to its inner, vibrant child. This has been made possible by the dedication of individuals, in particular Ulrike Barth and Martyn Rawson, as well as the founding members of the elewa-eLearningWaldorf e.V. association; the support of institutions such as the Pedagogical Research Centre at the BdFWS (PäFo) and the European Council for Steiner Waldorf Education (ECSWE); and the financial support provided by the Software Foundation and the Waldorf Foundation.
Most importantly, however, were of course the many people around the world who, by making use of our services, have clearly demonstrated their endorsement of our vision. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks for all this support!
The development and design of the website were largely implemented and overseen by Marten Sievers over many years. The new design and further development process for this website, carefully and thoughtfully guided by Sonja Peinemann, has made a significant contribution to the process of evolving and establishing elewa’s identity. which is now reflected in this new website.
The financial and conceptual support provided by the #waldorflernt project, a collaboration between elewa and the Pedagogical Research Centre (PäFo), was also a great help.
And I would like to express my sincere thanks for the support of the ‘Jede Stunde zählt” campaign by the German Waldorf Federation (BdFWS), which has allowed us to use some of its images on the website.
Here at elewa, we’re eagerly looking forward to what the future holds. In the spirit of the #waldorflernt podcast ‘Listening to the Present, Shaping the Future’, we’re particularly interested in the contributions and feedback from our users, so that we can continually adapt our services to people’s needs and opportunities. And we are listening to the world around us to explore what this era has to tell us and what the people growing up, living and working in these times might need. We do not simply want to ‘move with the times’, but above all to champion and enable a future in which people view life and the world holistically, treat one another with mindfulness and respect, whilst also looking after their own health.
With this in mind, we hope that the elewa co-learning space will foster a growing, vibrant community of users from all over the world who wish to learn and grow together. And we look forward to welcoming new contributors who are inspired by our vision of a co-working space and who wish to enrich the elewa community through their own initiatives.
August 2026 Ulrike Sievers
Ulrike Sievers
Martyn Rawson