From Resistance to Compromise

Abstract

This article examines the tensions that arise between educational reforms and established
pedagogical traditions. The case is the Norwegian Steiner Schools’ encounter with the national educational
reform known as Reform 97, which included lowering the school starting age from seven to six. Reform
97 affected both the values and the practices of Steiner education. The article traces developments from the
late 1980s, when the reform process began, to contemporary practice. It is a narrative of resistance, internal
tensions, and the gradual movement toward compromise. The findings highlight the significant role that value
orientations play in both the preservation and the further development of educational practice – a theme that
carries broader relevance beyond this specific context.