What Is Waldorf Education?
In the post-World-War-One era, Dr. Rudolph Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and scientist, spoke of social renewal to a wide range of audiences. In response to his inspiring work and words, Dr. Steiner was asked to help start school which would be truly “independent”, and thusly teacher lead and community created. Steiner agreed to join in this endeavor and developed the framework for an ever evolving curriculum that is responsive to the developmental phases of childhood and nurtures the child’s imagination as a means of cultivating creative, independent thinking in the students.
Today there are more than 1200 Waldorf schools in more than thirty five countries, as diverse as South Africa, Japan, Tibet, Mexico, Argentina, China, Israel and Egypt. The central aims remain the same even though each Waldorf school has its own unique flavor and culture as created and maintained by the community in which it is formed.
Waldorf Education around the world seeks to support the development of well rounded human beings who are able to feel deeply and broadly, to think penetratingly and clearly, and then to act rightly out of conscious and free choice bringing purpose and meaning to their lives and to their communities.
When Waldorf Education was at its genesis, it was often said that it would be an education for the future. This future is now. We have crossed the threshold into the new millennium and parents and educators alike are faced with a myriad of new challenges. We see increased violence and cynicism among young people, a break down of community and family, shrinking capacities for creative thinking and self-discipline, not to mention diminishing capacities for reading, writing, conversation and facility in math. How can we address these challenges and create and sustain change in our communities? Waldorf education provides a means and a model to do just that.
Waldorf Education is far more than a set of educational mechanisms or methods. The overarching philosophies, values, and commitments found within Waldorf communities create a vessel that cultivates, in addition to an unparalleled holistic education, such attributes as reverence and responsibility, independent creative thinking, ethics and morality, cooperation and collaboration, skillful hands, and self reliance.
Waldorf graduates think for themselves and value the opportunity to translate their ideas into practice; they both value and practice lifelong learning. They value lasting human relationships and seek opportunities to help others. They are guided by an inner moral compass that helps them navigate the challenges of both professional and private life.
In a Waldorf school:
- Childhood is honored and protected.
- A consistent philosophy of child development underlies all that is brought to the children through the curriculum. The Waldorf approach has proven effective for over 85 years.
- Graduates are shown to be academically and socially advantaged when compared to peers.
The Waldorf advantages can begin in kindergarten or earlier. Tierra Madre Waldorf School, in Albuquerque, NM, will be offering kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs in the 2008 school year, adding one grade at a time in the following years. For more information on Waldorf education please visit AWSNA (The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America). Early Childhood
The Waldorf Preschool and Kindergarten differ from the usual approach to early childhood education. The Waldorf preschool and kindergarten experience fully cultivates language development, a true literacy and a love of literature. Using the oral approach at a time when auditory capacities are developing strongly, children are nurtured in mind and soul with verse, poem, song, and story. Without that inner sense for and love of language, reading is a rote process, a mere decoding. The Waldorf approach allows reading to evolve out of the larger, deeper experience of words that celebrate and express thought, feeling, beauty and ideals.
All the richness of early childhood is allowed to unfold and develop. No premature demands are made on the neurological pathways which have not yet fully formed. The reading center in the left brain and the connecting, bridge-like pathway between the left and the right brain are not yet developed, so teaching reading is left until the child is six or seven.
Creative play is a central activity and is a critical component of child development. It is the beginning of creative and abstract thinking. The ability in the young child to imagine, to transform an object in play, directly correlates with abstract thinking in later years, a skill that is needed in algebra, science and all problem solving.
When compared to children in academically oriented kindergartens, children from play based kindergartens are known to have higher comprehension skills, richer vocabularies, better problem solving strategies, and a higher ability to take the perspective of others. They show reduced aggression, better peer cooperation, more imagination, more innovation, and longer attention spans.
Waldorf Early Childhood Education offers story telling and puppetry, creative arts, such as water color painting and beginning handwork, nature walks, gardening and music of all kinds. The children prepare meals together -- soup from home grown vegetables, and bread from freshly ground grains. Each day includes a circle time full of music, movement, verse and poetry. We educate the whole child, “head, heart, and hands” -- cognitive abilities, social and emotional capacities and physical harmony and flexibility.
Join us for our preschool and kindergarten classes. Enrollment is underway! Click here to listen to the NPR story on the benefits of creative play 'Old Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills'. The following video is a preview of Waldorf Education by Eugene Schwartz, master Waldorf teacher and teacher trainer.
Discover Waldorf Education: An Overview
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