Waldorf education

As a Waldorf teacher immersed in my own little magical world of the fun adventure of education with my class, I was rather shocked to hear of a program in the public schools called "Reading Without Tears." How sad! I thought. Childhood is challenging enough in this day and age. Providing our children with the best possible educational experience, one that is well rounded in helping them develop on all levels, not just as automaton readers or test takers, is essential, and really a gift: a gift of a happy childhood.

Here is some more good info about the pitfalls of pushing early reading. Dr. Johnson's website has a lot more great articles too. She went through Waldorf teacher training as a result of what she was seeing in her pediatric practice, and saw how Waldorf offered the best in education for children. Developmentally appropriate, soul-enriching, joy-filled, nature-based, artistically expressive, and downright fun! Truly a wonder-full education.

Warm regards,

Catherine Flynn
Glacier Waldorf School - Dedicated to Preserving the Wonder of Childhood

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A recently released study of 550 Waldorf graduates reveals a profile of a typical Waldorf graduate that should be interesting to parents who are seeking an educational path for their child that results in a happy, well-educated, well-rounded adult who has a sense of service for their community and global view of themselves as citizens of the world.

The survey, based on a sample of around 550 participants spanning some sixty years, suggests that a majority of Waldorf graduates share many characteristics, of which three are predominant:

• Waldorf graduates value the opportunity to think for themselves and to translate their new ideas into practice. They both value and practice life-long learning and have a highly developed sense for aesthetics.
• Waldorf graduates value lasting human relationships and they seek out opportunities to be of help to other people.
• Waldorf graduates sense they are guided by an inner moral compass that helps them navigate the trials and temptations of professional and private life. They carry high ethical principles into their chosen professions.

  From the survey:

  "Regarding aspects of Waldorf education initially rejected but now viewed differently, the graduates express new appreciation for the value of bringing form and discipline to the classroom, for restricting exposure to media (especially television), and for providing a multi-faceted curriculum, particularly in the arts.

  The graduates surveyed demonstrated that they are capable of achieving what they want in life and are happy in the process of pursuing their goals. The majority consider life-long learning as a significant part of their life journey. They are devoted to their families, both to their own parents as well as to the families they are part of creating. In short, they know how to make a living, but more importantly they know how to make a life."

  Profile of a Typical Waldorf Graduate

  • After graduating from a Waldorf high school, attends college (94%)
  • Majors in arts/humanities (47%) or sciences/math (42%) as an undergraduate
  • Graduates or is about to graduate from college (88%)
  • Practices and values life-long learning (91%)
  • Is self-reliant and highly values self-confidence (94%)
  • Highly values verbal expression (93%) and critical thinking (92%)
  • Expresses a high level of consciousness in making relationships work - both at home and on the job
  • Is highly satisfied in choice of occupation (89%)
  • Highly values interpersonal relationships (96%)
  • Highly values tolerance of other viewpoints (90%)
  • At work cares most about ethical principles (82%) and values helping others (82%)
    

The below excerpt is from the book Music with the Brain in Mind, by Eric Jensen (also author of Teaching with the Brain in Mind)

THE WALDORF MODEL
Perhaps one of the best long-term models for examining the process and results of integrating music into the curriculum is the Waldorf school. For more than fifty years, learners attending Waldorf education programs have had the opportunity to explore their musical interests through standard curriculum activities. As an independent, arts-centered learning institution, the Waldorf school is one of the fastest-growing education enterprises in the world: Today there are 130 in America and 700 worldwide.
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A Waldorf educator, somewhere along the way, will inevitably get asked a question by a newcomer, really a concern expressed, over hearing from somewhere that Waldorf, while strong in the arts, is weak in the sciences.

The following is a response by a Professor of Pathology at Duke University Medical School which should dispel this myth quickly.

Daniel J. Kenan, MD and PhD, writes:

“I want to relay an observation. The Waldorf student workbooks (note: also known as Main Lesson books) were unbelievable! The one image I kept staring at as I sat on the front row was from a page entitled, The Nephron. As a biologist and physician who has spent countless hours studying the beastly nephron, I can tell you that this one beautifully drawn image captured the essential anatomical and physiological essence of this unit of function of the kidney. The attention to detail in the subtleties of the vascular interconnectivities could only have been made by someone who really “got it.”
(To continue article, click "read more" below)

Waldorf education is new to the Flathead Valley, yet it is currently the fastest growing independent school movement worldwide with more than 800 Waldorf schools in over 40 countries, over 150 in North America, and several public schools using Waldorf methods to enrich their teaching.

Waldorf education is more than just a school or method; it is a whole lifestyle and way of thinking and being. Indeed, the impulse behind Waldorf education is cultural renewal – an impulse that it’s founder, Dr. Rudolf Steiner, felt could be fostered through a new understanding of the individual and community. Fundamental to Waldorf education is the recognition that each human being is a unique individual who passes through distinct life stages and that it is the responsibility of education to address the physical, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs of each developmental stage. Waldorf teachers are dedicated to creating a genuine inner enthusiasm for learning, which is essential for educational success. They truly believe, as Yeats said, that, “education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” Guiding values are a life-long love of learning, creative thinking and self-confidence, a sympathetic interest in the world and the lives of others, and an abiding sense of moral purpose. Waldorf students learn with more than their heads; they learn with their heads, hearts and hands.
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