ABSTRACT
Finland is famous for its educational system today. Is there room for educational alternatives in a national context that has been doing well in international comparison? In this study, I will focus on how Waldorf education is integrated into the public educational system in Finland. The results are based upon deep-seated interviews with six teachers/educationalists representing either academia or Waldorf education. The analysis of interviews resulted in a narrative where Waldorf schools are conceived as a pedagogical alternative with soft values, which requires adaptation on different levels into the Finnish educational system. At the same time, there is a constant threat posed by Waldorf’s anthroposophical background, which provokes suspicion in the surrounding community. These perspectives are developed in the chapter, providing a picture of the role and reputation of Waldorf education in Finland. Perhaps the biggest challenge for Waldorf schools in Finland is to develop their pedagogy in close connection to the surrounding society but without losing the core of the educational impulse.
