It is only healthy when the whole community is formed in the mirror of the human soul, and in the community lives the strength of the individual soul."
Rudolf Steiner
What is Waldorf education?
Waldorf education is a unique and distinctive form of education for children, practiced in Waldorf schools worldwide. Waldorf schools currently form the largest independent chain of schools in the world, e probably a that has grown most rapidly in recent years.
There is no centralized structure that “commands” all Waldorf schools in the world. Each is administered independently. But there are associations that provide resources, publish materials, sponsor conferences and promote the movement.
Why Is Waldorf Education Different?
If it were possible to sum it up in one sentence, we would say that “our highest commitment must be to develop human beings capable of, by themselves, giving meaning and direction to their lives”.
The main goal of a Waldorf school is to develop the child's “head, heart and hands” through a curriculum that balances school activities.
This curriculum includes music (recorder, alto, orchestra and choir); arts (watercolor, carpentry, modeling and sculpture in clay, drawing in black and white and perspective, photography, batik, stamping, mosaic, knitting, crochet, weaving and tapestry) as well as subjects such as: gardening, agricultural techniques and horticulture.
Through this methodology, teachers seek to awaken a taste for learning, making it a non-competitive activity.
What is the origin of Waldorf Education?
In 1919, in Stuttgart, Germany, Rudolf Steiner – an Austrian philosopher, scientist and artist – was invited by Emil Molt, the owner of the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory , for a series of talks for workers in his factory.
As a result, workers asked Steiner to found and run a school for their children. Emil Molt, supported and financed the realization of the idea. Steiner agreed, but – to do so – placed 4 conditions: the first was that the school would be open, without distinction, to all children; the second that the school should be co-educational; it should also be a school with a unified 12-year curriculum and, lastly, that the school's teachers should also be the directors and administrators of the school.
How many Waldorf Schools are there in the world today?
There are currently over 700 Waldorf Schools in 32 countries. But the network of Waldorf Schools is currently the fastest growing.
*We have a booklet at the School Office with the addresses of all the Waldorf Schools in the world.
What is the philosophy behind Waldorf Education?
In accordance with his philosophy, called Antroposophy, Rudolf Steiner outlined a curriculum that had the stages of child development as a background.
He thought that the role of the School was to provide for the needs of children, not to meet needs imposed by a Government or economic forces.
Does it have anything to do with religion?
Not in the way that a “religious” school is commonly understood. Although it has Christian foundations, no particular religious doctrine is defended or taught.
Throughout the year, festivals such as Easter, São João, São Miguel, Christmas and Spring Week are celebrated. They aim mainly at awakening in children values and feelings of understanding, admiration and reverence for the beauty of life and nature.
These and other parties, according to Waldorf Education thinking, serve to reconnect or connect humanity with the rhythms of nature and the cosmos.
These parties have origins in the most ancient cultures, and are an art form.
They are filled with the joy and enthusiasm of children, both in preparation and in celebration.
How does Waldorf education deal with struggling children?
Waldorf schools are reluctant to “classify” children with terms such as: “slow”, “aggressive” or “problematic”.
A child who has problems in one area – be it cognitive, emotional or physical – will usually have good and positive aspects to be highlighted. That is: in parallel with dealing with the particularity to be worked on, what is best about it must be revealed.
It is the teacher's task to try to deal with this whole of the child, thus seeking a balance between their difficulties and aptitudes.
Why do Waldorf schools recommend that children not watch too much TV?
The reason for this has as much to do with the physical effects that TV can have on a developing child, as with the content of most programming – including children's – presented on television.
Waldorf education believes that TV can hinder or seriously impede the development of imagination in children - and imagination, within the Waldorf vision, is the main faculty for an individual's healthy development. Likewise, the use of computers, especially video games, is not recommended for young children.
It is important to say that Waldorf teachers are not alone in this questioning and posture. A number of articles, books and studies on the harmful effects of TV and computer use on children have been published in recent years.