Speaking from personal experience, Heather Goodwin believes that puppets can speak for human beings in ways that lead to improved health and confidence -- indeed, improvement all round. Heather teaches puppetry at Emerson College in Sussex, south of London in the U.K., and she will be in Tokyo this month to introduce Waldorf-style puppetry -- a uniquely European art form -- to Japan.
Waldorf education was founded by the Austrian anthroposophist Rudolf Steiner, and stresses the spiritual growth of every individual. Now recognized worldwide, there is a Steiner school in Tokyo and other educational facilities throughout Japan.
Emerson College is an international center for adult education based on the work of Steiner. Students aged from 18 to 80 from all over the world attend courses and trainings in Waldorf teacher training, biodynamic agriculture, foundation studies, visual arts, sculpture, storytelling, creative writing, English, puppetry and the orientation program for 18- to 24-year-olds.