There
are quite a few web sites on the internet that deal with Waldorf or
Steiner education.
Usually they are sites for a specific Waldorf school or an association
of Waldorf schools.
This
site is different. It is a private site, intending to provide answers
about
Waldorf education, in depth, that parents and prospective parents may
have,
and to clear up some of the misconceptions that may exist about Waldorf
education. Our intention is to provide a straightforward presentation
of
the facts about Waldorf education.
Waldorf
schools
Waldorf
or Rudolf Steiner education is a unique form of education from
preschool
through high school, which is based on the view that the human being is
a being of body, soul and spirit. The specific methods used in Waldorf
schools come from the view that the child develops through a number of
basic stages from childhood to adulthood. The Waldorf curriculum is
specifically
designed to work with the child through these stages of development.
Waldorf
education was developed by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) at the beginning
of the 20th century. It is based on Steiner's broader philosophy and
teachings,
called anthroposophy (literally, wisdom or knowledge of man).
Anthroposophy
holds that the human being is fundamentally a spiritual being and that
all human beings deserve respect as the embodiment of their spiritual
nature.
This view is carried into Waldorf education as striving to develop in
each
child their innate talents and abilities. Waldorf schools operate in a
non-discriminatory way, without regard to race, gender, ethnicity,
religion
or national origin.
Some
of the ideas in Waldorf education and anthroposophy are complex and
require
a degree of good will on the part of the reader to grasp. However, they
form a coherent whole and Waldorf education, as documented by numerous
studies and personal experiences, works well when done properly.
Waldorf
methods schools
This
site describes Waldorf education as practiced at schools consciously
working
out of an anthroposophical understanding and view of man.
There
are also private and public schools which to varying degrees use
"Waldorf
methods". While Waldorf methods constitute selected aspects of the
Waldorf
curriculum and pedagogy, the teachers and administrators at such
Waldorf
methods or Waldorf inspired schools do not necessarily work out of a
conscious
or specifically anthroposophical view and understanding of the soul and
spiritual nature of man. This distinction is discussed further in a
separate
section at this site.
The
Waldorf movement
Today,
the Waldorf movement is one of the fastest growing independent school
movements
in the world. Currently there are around 1,000 Waldorf schools world
wide.
If
you are a parent or prospective parent of a Waldorf school, we hope
this
site will provide you the background and answers to your questions,
presenting
the ideas of Waldorf and anthroposophy so that you are fully informed
about
the education you may choose for your children.
We
also hope this site will provide basic information for anyone who may
be
interested in Waldorf education and its relation to anthroposophy as
its
philosophical basis.
If
you think something is unclear and difficult to understand on the site,
or have suggestions for improving it, please feel free to write
to us about it.
