Shaping The Future: The Importance of Creative Education

Women’s history month is a wonderful time to look back and reflect on the immeasurable accomplishments that women have made throughout the years to reshape culture and society as a whole. From breaking the glass ceiling to being role models for young girls, there are countless empowering women that deserve the spotlight for their vision and dedication that have resulted into lasting positive impacts in today’s world.

Meet Dr. Ida Oberman 
Dr. Ida Oberman is a powerhouse Waldorf schools advocate and the Executive Director and Founder of the Community School For Creative Education (CSCE) in Oakland. Dr. Oberman has supported thousands of young minds through culturally rich, holistic education. Based in the United States, Ida Oberman is a Dutch-born woman who attended a Waldorf school in Germany, an experience that has left a profound impact on her to this day. Waldorf education, also commonly referred to as Steiner education, is an educational system that revolves around developing children's intellect, artistic, and practical skills through holistic means.

Waldorf schools were also co-ed, which was somewhat unique for the time. For
Dr. Oberman, being able to experience this advanced education influenced her dynamic perspectives on education and allowed her to truly grasp the power that art had at healing the world. 

Upon moving to Germany when she was nine years old, Dr. Oberman’s parents enrolled her in a Waldorf school primarily because they discovered that it was a place that was more tolerant of non-German speaking students. She enjoyed every moment of learning and developing through art, music, and building relationships that fostered leadership skills. Furthermore, Dr. Oberman accredits her 3rd-grade teacher and mentor, Hanna Lindengert, and the founding principal of Urban Waldorf School Milwaukee, WI, Dorothy St Charles, for being key women who have helped shape her into the woman she has become today. 

Ida Oberman in her home town of Tübingen, Germany, preparing to move to New York City for her first teaching job, 1984 (top left) - Hanna Lindenberg & Ida Oberman, Stuttgart, Germany - Dorothy St. Charles, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Community School for Creative Education Journey 
Upon graduating from school, Dr. Oberman chose to migrate to the United States to earn her Ph.D. Here she learned English as a foreign language and leveraged her previous holistic education foundation to succeed in her advanced career objectives. She always knew that the inspiration she received from her Waldorf education would translate into her opening a school someday. In fact, this was the beginning of a 20-year planning journey to make that blueprint vision a reality. But Dr. Oberman did not just plan to open a Waldorf school; she aimed to break away from the private sector and bridge the path to make this type of education available to everyone, launching the first-ever urban public Waldorf School in the world. 

Dr. Oberman became committed to bringing Waldorf education to society using the
public-school model so every child can have the education they deserved regardless of their economic status.

With this as her cornerstone angle, along with her tenacity and resilience, Dr. Oberman worked diligently with Oakland Community Organizations (OCO) since 2008. OCO convened a vast range of community leaders, public officials, educators, and parents helping to launch CSCE in 2011. This was a euphoric moment in her life that she simply describes as ‘incredible.’ 

CSCE Impacts 
Fast forward to today, Dr. Oberman takes immense pride in being able to provide children and youth with a Waldorf education that engages the whole child- head, hands and heart. To date, CSCE has built countless leaders such as Chiara Parks, who won the 2021 International Black Youth Techathon Education Series at age 11. Dr. Oberman is a creative fundraiser, and has formed a monumental intercultural network locally, state-wide and internationally. Some of those partners include The Alliance for Public Waldorf Education, Envision Learning Partners Bay Area Performance Network, BELL Learning, and the Alameda County Food Bank. Dr. Oberman also is a key ally with AHC, and together we have helped empower young minds through integrated arts education. According to Dr. Oberman, “Through art we grow into our true humanness in deep relationships with others. We are so thankful for our deep partnership.” 

Dr. Oberman is undoubtedly an educational advocate for all people, regardless of gender, race, or religion. But as a woman herself, she is exceptionally proud of how much opportunity has risen for women today and what they have accomplished from generation to generation. Now that she is established in her career, she finds great joy in being a mentor to others. She also understands the importance of  educational systems that allow young girls to capitalize on their strengths so they can live their lives to the absolute fullest and leave their own lasting marks that influence positive, global change.

"Education lays the foundation for a girl’s future" - Ida Oberman.

CULTIVATING PARTNERSHIPS AND PLANTS

Community School for Creative Education (CSCE) is one of the most ethnically and socioeconomically diverse schools in the city of Oakland. AHC's partnership with CSCE spans a decade and serves as the school's lead agency for extended day programs. As partners, AHC and CSCE are well matched. Waldorf education is 100 years old, spans 67 countries, and develops the whole child. Attitudinal Healing is an award-winning model for inner healing used successfully worldwide for almost 50 years. AHC brings culturally relevant, assets-based arts education rooted in three decades of helping Oakland students reach their full potential to CSCE, the only urban public Waldorf school in the US. Today, we highlight 3 of the outstanding initiatives to keep students engaged mentally, physically and creatively. 

Community Garden
Community Building Coordinator Sharifah Ihsan-Wilson said, “Gardening has been a part of the Waldorf school curriculum since the very first Waldorf school in 1923.” Having a community garden encourages students to go outside and get in touch with nature;  allowing them to be present for the changing of the seasons while they connect their hands with soil and help plants to grow. Family Garden Days and gardening clubs for grades K-8 encourage participation at all age levels. The garden invites students to plant, harvest, and even to prepare produce. Since the onset of Covid-19, students have been able to take plants home to continue care for them. CSCE Extended Day staff members and head volunteer Ms. Claudia have taken the lead in maintaining the garden during school closures. Once it is safe to resume, students will learn about local plants that are highly sustainable, needing a minimal amount of water and maintenance. The program offers students the ability to learn a wealth of knowledge about gardening that they can carry with them through adulthood.

Literacy Program
For the third consecutive year AHC has received funding for the CSCE Extended Day Literacy Program from the Oakland Literacy Coalition/Oakland Reads. This grant helps CSCE Extended Day distribute books to K-3 students and their families. The books given out are within the academic guidelines, age-appropriate, and speak to a multicultural, diverse audience. 
The program also hosts virtual events with guest speakers to create a meaningful, personal connection to literacy.  Matilde Hollander was a recent guest speaker. She is a bilingual teacher and children's author specializing in bilingual book readings. Her books allow parents to read in their own language while simultaneously learning the English language.  
The literacy program strives to dramatically increase reading proficiency levels, a critical foundation for future learning and success in school. Weaving together the strength of Oakland families, schools, and community partners, CSCE Extended Day is creating a future where Oakland children can fall in love with reading. 

The Murphy Family pick up their Art YOU Ready kit (above)

Art YOU Ready?
As shelter-in-place went into effect, AHC began it’s highly successful art kit distribution program; providing art supplies to CSCE and a multitude of Bay Area schools. As the year progressed, we saw additional challenges with major fires, poor air quality and floods. It became apparent that more support was needed for our community. 
The Art YOU Ready campaign was created to provide emergency preparedness information and activity guides to families, in addition to high quality art supplies.  The activity guides make emergency preparedness fun; showing students how to make a safety mask out of a t-shirt, and an emergency contact book out of manila envelopes. 
After picking up her Art YOU Ready art kit, CSCE parent Ms. Murphy shared, “Based on the fact that we are stuck inside, we’re looking for things to do, to keep busy, connect and interact with each other.”
CSCE will host two Art YOU Ready events later this month (details below). During this time of emotional hardship with the pandemic, they encourage students to express themselves through art.  Participating in art helps kids to connect with their creative side and steer away from negative thought patterns while being productive. 

Art YOU Ready kit distribution dates:
March 3rd and March 6th at CSCE

Emergency Preparedness Trainings
Tuesday, March 16th, 4:00pm-5:00pm (Spanish Speakers)
Wednesday, March March 24th, 5:00pm-6:00pm

Activities: bookmaking and protective mask making 
Interpreters will be provided

For more information contact: sharifah@ahc-oakland.org