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Waldorf education (also known as Steiner or Steiner-Waldorf education) is a pedagogical movement based upon the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy.^[1] The first Waldorf school was founded in 1919; Waldorf education is now practiced in over 950^[2][3] established independent Waldorf schools and 1400 independent Waldorf kindergartens^[4] located in approximately sixty countries throughout the world, making up one of the world's largest independent educational systems, as well as in "Waldorf-method" government-funded schools and in homeschooling environments.^[5] Waldorf methods have also been adopted by teachers in some other state and private schools.^[6][7][8] Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Since 1929 Annen is a part of the City of Witten (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany). ... Pedagogy, the art or science of being a teacher, generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction[1]. The word comes from the Ancient Greek παιδαγωγέω (paidagōgeō; from παῖς (child) and ἄγω (lead)): literally, to lead the child”. In Ancient Greece, παιδαγωγός was (usually) a slave who supervised the education... Philosophy of education is the study of such questions as what education is and what its purpose is, the nature of the knowing mind and the human subject, problems of authority, the relationship between education and society, etc. ... Rudolf Steiner. ... Anthroposophy, also called spiritual science, is a spiritual philosophy based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner,[1] which states that anyone who conscientiously cultivates sense-free thinking can attain experience of and insights into the spiritual world. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... // Public education is education mandated for the children of the general public by the government, whether national, regional, or local, provided by an institution of civil government, and paid for, in whole or in part, by taxes. ... A young girl studying at home in a 1896 painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. ... Private schools, or independent schools, are schools not administered by local, state, or national government, which retain the right to select their student body and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition rather than with public (state) funds. ...

Overview

Waldorf educationalists emphasize the role of the imagination in both teaching and learning.^[5][9][10] Studies of Waldorf education describe it as aiming to develop^[11] and succeeding at developing^[12] thinking that includes a creative as well as an analytic aspect and to provide young people the basis with which to develop into free, moral^[13] and integrated individuals.^{[14][15][5][16]} Waldorf education seeks to integrate practical, artistic, and intellectual elements into the teaching of all subjects.^[17] Learning is interdisciplinary and coordinated with "natural rhythms of everyday life". Teachers are given creative freedom to define curricula. The education's explicit task is to aid every child to unfold his or her unique destiny.^[18] Imagination is accepted as the innate ability and process to invent partial or complete personal realms within the mind from elements derived from sense perceptions of the shared world. ... Look up freedom in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... -1...

Pedagogy and theory of child development

The structure of the education follows Steiner's pedagogical model of child development,^[19] which views childhood as divided overall into seven-year developmental stages similar to those described by Piaget,^[9] each having its own learning requirements.^[20] According to Waldorf pedagogy: This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

• early childhood learning is largely experiential, imitative and sensory-based.^[21] The education emphasizes learning through practical activities.^[22]
• Elementary school years (age 7-14), learning is regarded as artistic and imaginative. In these years, the approach emphasizes developing children's "feeling life" and artistic expression.^[23][20]
• During adolescence, it's believed that the capacity for abstract thought and conceptual judgment develops.^[22] The approach emphasizes learning through intellectual understanding and ethical thinking, including taking social responsibility.^[20]

Infant playing with a book. ... Experiential Education is a philosophy in which educators purposefully engage with learners through a variety of experiential methodologies in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills and clarify values. ... Senses are the physiological methods of perception. ... Primary or elementary education is the first years of formal, structured education that occurs during childhood. ... Young Men Organization Teenager and Teen also redirect here. ...

Pre-school and kindergarten: birth to age 6 or 7

Waldorf schools approach learning in early childhood through imitation and example.^[24][25] In Waldorf schools oral language development is addressed through songs, poems and movement games. These include daily story time when a teacher usually recites a fairytale from memory.^[26] Extensive time is given for children to play freely, under the guidance of adult(s), in a classroom environment that is homelike and includes natural materials;^[20] such an environment is considered by Waldorf pedagogues as supportive of the physical, emotional and intellectual growth of the child through something known as "assimilative learning."^[27]

Waldorf early childhood education emphasizes the importance of children experiencing the rhythms of the year and seasons, including seasonal festivals drawn from a variety of traditions. Waldorf schools usually celebrate Michaelmas and Martinmas in the autumn, Christmas in winter, Easter and May Day in the spring, and St. John's Day in summer.^[28] Michaelmas (pronounced ), or the Feast of Ss. ... In the Christian calendar, Martinmas, or November 11 is the feast of Saint Martin of Tours and one of the Scottish quarter days. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. ... Winter is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Easter, the Sunday of... May Day is May 1, and refers to any of several holidays celebrated on this day. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Midsummer may refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the diverse celebrations of it around the world, but more often refers to European celebrations that accompany the summer solstice, or to Western festivals that take place in June and are usually related to Saint John... Summer is one of the four seasons of the year. ...

Waldorf kindergartens and lower grades ask that children not be exposed to media influences such as television and recorded music, as they believe these to be harmful to cognitive development.^[29]

Elementary education: age 6/7 to 14

See also: Curriculum of the Waldorf schools

Waldorf elementary school classroom

In Waldorf schools elementary education generally begins when the child is nearing or already seven years of age. The elementary school centers around a multi-disciplinary arts-based curriculum that includes visual arts, drama, artistic movement, and both vocal and instrumental music.^[22] Lessons in two foreign languages, often German and either French or Spanish in English-speaking countries.^[30] The Curriculum of the Waldorf schools includes the following subjects. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... The Mona Lisa is one of the most recognizable artistic paintings in the Western world. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Eurythmy is a movement art originated by Rudolf Steiner in the early 20th century. ...

Throughout the elementary years, new material is introduced through stories and images, and academic instruction is integrated with the visual and plastic arts, music and movement.^[31] There is little reliance on standardized textbooks;^[32] instead, each child creates his or her own illustrated summaries of coursework in book form.^[33] The school day generally starts with a one-and-a-half to two hour lesson that focuses on a single main subject over the course of about a month's time^[12] and generally includes recitations of poetry, including a verse written by Steiner for the start of a school day.^[28] The Mona Lisa is one of the most recognizable artistic paintings in the Western world. ... Plastic Arts are those visual arts that involve the use of materials that can be moulded or modulated in some way, often in three dimensions. ... The Chinese poem Quatrain on Heavenly Mountain by Emperor Gaozong (Song Dynasty) Poetry (from the Greek , poiesis, a making or creating) is a form of art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its ostensible meaning. ...

An objective of most Waldorf schools is to have a single teacher loop with a class throughout the elementary school years, teaching at least the principal academic lessons.^[12] Looping is a process used in education in some elementary schools. ...

Four temperaments

Waldorf teachers use the concept of the four temperaments to help interpret, understand and relate to the behaviour and personalities of children under their tutelage. The temperaments, choleric, phlegmatic, melancholic, and sanguine,^[32] are thought to express four basic personality types, each possessing its own fundamental way of regarding and interacting with the world. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Personality type refers to the psychological classification of different types of people. ...

Non-competitive environment in lower grades

In Waldorf elementary education, children are expected to learn at their own pace, based upon the belief that a child will grasp a concept or achieve a skill when he or she is ready.^[34] Cooperation takes priority over competition.^[18] This approach also extends to physical education; competitive team sports are introduced in upper grades.^[21]

Secondary education

In most Waldorf schools, pupils enter secondary education when they are about fourteen years old. The education is now wholly carried out by specialist teachers. Though the education now focuses much more strongly on academic subjects,^[35] students normally continue to take courses in art, music, and crafts. The curriculum is meant to focus on helping the student develop a sense of competence as well as responsibility and purpose.^[36] Developing understanding of ethical principles and creating social responsibility is stressed now as well.^[20] At the secondary level, pupils are encouraged to develop their own independent and creative thinking processes.^[35]

Curriculum

Main article: Curriculum of the Waldorf schools

There are widely-agreed guidelines for the Waldorf curriculum,^[37][38][39] supported by the schools' common principles;^[30] nevertheless, independent Waldorf schools are autonomous institutions not required to follow a prescribed curriculum. Government-funded Waldorf-method schools may be required to incorporate aspects of state curricula. The Curriculum of the Waldorf schools includes the following subjects. ...

Eurythmy

Main article: Eurythmy

Eurythmy, a movement art, is largely unique to the Waldorf schools. It combines role play and dance and is designed to provide individuals and classes a "sense of integration and harmony".^[18] Eurythmy is a movement art originated by Rudolf Steiner in the early 20th century. ... Eurythmy is a movement art originated by Rudolf Steiner in the early 20th century. ...

Standardized Testing

Waldorf pedagogues generally consider standardized tests problematic, especially in the elementary years. Despite their lessened exposure to standardized testing, U.S. Waldorf pupils' SAT scores have usually come above the national average, especially on verbal measures.^[21] Studies comparing students' performance on college-entrance examinations in Germany found that Waldorf graduates had in 1981 triple^[21] and in 1990 double^[32] the passing rate of students graduating from state-sponsored schools. Educational successes of private Waldorf schools may partially reflect the social status of their students.^[32] Originally a standardized test was simply a standard test – of academic achievement or of knowledge in a specific academic or vocational domain. ... The SAT (pronounced S-A-T) Reasoning Test, formerly called the Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic Assessment Test, is a type of standardized test frequently used by colleges and universities in the United States to aid in the selection of incoming students. ... Abitur (from Latin abire = go away, go off) is the word commonly used in Germany for the final exams young adults (aged 18, 19 or 20) take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling. ...

Governance

One of Waldorf education's central premises is that all schools (not only Waldorf schools) should be both self-governing and grant teachers a high degree of creative autonomy within the school.^[31][19][40] Most Waldorf schools are not directed by a principal or head teacher, but rather by a number of groups, including: Self-governance is an abstract concept that refers to several scales of organization. ... A principal is generally the chief administrator in an elementary school, middle school, or high school. ... A head teacher, headmaster or headmistress (all often referred to simply as the head) is the most senior teacher in a school in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. ...

• The college of teachers, who decide on pedagogical issues, normally on the basis of consensus. This group is usually open to full-time teachers who have been with the school for a prescribed period of time. Each school is accordingly unique in its approach, as it may act solely on the basis of the decisions of the college of teachers to set policy or other actions pertaining to the school and its students.^[28]
• The board of trustees, who decide on governance issues, especially those relating to school finances and legal issues.

Parents are encouraged to take an active part in non-curricular aspects of school life.^[18]

There are coordinating bodies for Waldorf education at both the national (e.g. the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America and the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship in the UK and Ireland) and international level (e.g. International Association for Waldorf Education and The European Council for Steiner Waldorf Education (ECSWE)). These organizations certify the use of the registered names "Waldorf" and "Steiner school" and offer accreditations, often in conjunction with regional independent school associations.^[41] Some Waldorf schools are independently accredited by governmental authorities.^[42]

Social mission

Social purpose

Waldorf education was developed by Rudolf Steiner as an attempt to establish a school system that would not only facilitate the inclusive, broadly based, balanced development of children, but would also act in a socially responsible and transformative fashion.^[43] Rudolf Steiner. ...

Intercultural links in socially polarized communities

Waldorf schools have linked polarized communities in a variety of settings.

• Under the apartheid regime in South Africa, the Waldorf school was one of the few schools in which children of both races attended the same classes, and this despite the ensuing loss of state aid. The Waldorf training college in Cape Town, the Novalis Institute, was described by UNESCO as an organization which had a great consequence in the conquest of apartheid.^[44][45]
• In Israel, the Harduf Kibbutz Waldorf school includes both Jewish and Arab faculty and students and has extensive contact with the surrounding Arab communities;^[46] it also runs an Arab-language Waldorf teacher training.^[47] A joint Arab-Jewish Waldorf kindergarten has also been founded in Hilf (near Haifa).^[48]
• In Brazil, a Waldorf teacher, Ute Craemer, founded a community service organization providing training and work, health care and Waldorf education in the poverty-stricken areas of the city called Favelas.^[49]

A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ... City motto: Spes Bona (Latin: Good Hope) Location of the City of Cape Town in Western Cape Province Province Western Cape Mayor Helen Zille Area  - % water 2,499 km² N/A Population  - Total (2004)  - Density Not ranked 2,893,251 1,158/km² Established 1652 Time zone SAST (UTC+2... Kibbutz Dan, near Qiryat Shemona, in the Upper Galilee, 1990s A kibbutz (Hebrew: ; plural: kibbutzim: קיבוצים; gathering or together) is an Israeli collective intentional community. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... Languages Arabic other minority languages Religions Predomiantly Sunni Islam, as well as Shia Islam, Greek Orthodoxy, Greek Catholicism, Alawite Islam, Druzism, Ibadi Islam, and Judaism Footnotes a Mainly in Antakya. ... Hebrew חֵיפָה Arabic حَيْفَا Founded in 3rd century CE Government City District Haifa Population 267,000 1,039,000 (metropolitan area) Jurisdiction 63,666 dunams (63. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Links to UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, known as UNESCO, states that the Waldorf movement's "ideals and ethical principles...correspond to those of UNESCO,"^[50] and has chosen a number of UNESCO Waldorf schools in Germany, Africa and Asia^[51] to be associated project schools. The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ...

UNESCO also sponsored an exhibit about the Waldorf schools^[28] at the 44th Session of their International Conference on Education in Geneva. An exhibition catalogue was published by UNESCO under the title Waldorf Education Exhibition Catalog On Occasion of the 4th Session of the International Conference on Education of UNESCO in Geneva.^[52]

Origins and history

Growth in the number of Waldorf schools world-wide

See also: History of Waldorf schools

Rudolf Steiner wrote his first book on education, The Education of the Child, in 1907. The first school based upon these principles was opened in 1919 in response to a request by Emil Molt, the owner and managing director of the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Company in Stuttgart, Germany. This is the source of the name Waldorf, which is now trademarked for use in association with the educational method. The Stuttgart school grew rapidly, opening parallel classes, and by 1938 schools inspired by the original school or its pedagogical principles had been founded in the USA, UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Hungary, and in other towns in Germany. Political interference from the Nazi regime limited and ultimately closed most Waldorf schools in Europe; the affected schools, including the original school, were reopened after the Second World War.^[53] The growth in school numbers through 2005 is shown in the accompanying chart. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Waldorf schools, also known as Steiner schools, are schools based upon the approach to education founded by Rudolf Steiner in response to a request by industrialist Emil Molt, who in 1919 wished to start a school for the children of employees of his Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany. ... Rudolf Steiner. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... Emil Molt was the founder of the first Waldorf School. ... City Center seen from Weinsteige Road Solitude Palace The 1956 TV Tower U.S. Army Kelley Barracks Stuttgart (IPA: []) is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. ... National Socialism redirects here. ...

Spiritual Foundations

Anthroposophy's role in Waldorf education

Main article: Anthroposophy

Both historically and philosophically, Waldorf education grows out of anthroposophy's view of child development, which stands as the basis for the educational theory, methodology of teaching and curriculum. Waldorf pedagogics see that the teacher has "a sacred task in helping each child's soul and spirit grow".^[19] Steiner's "extra-sensory anthropology" has been the source of criticisms of Waldorf education in Germany.^[32] Anthroposophy, also called spiritual science, is a spiritual philosophy based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner,[1] which states that anyone who conscientiously cultivates sense-free thinking can attain experience of and insights into the spiritual world. ... Anthroposophy, also called spiritual science, is a spiritual philosophy based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner,[1] which states that anyone who conscientiously cultivates sense-free thinking can attain experience of and insights into the spiritual world. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Curriculum has many different conceptions. ... Extra-Sensory Perception (ESP) is the apparent ability to acquire information by paranormal means independent of any known physical senses or deduction from previous experience. ... Anthropology (from Greek: ἀνθρωπος, anthropos, human being; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the comparative study of the physical and social characteristics of humanity through the examination of historical and present geographical distribution, cultural history, acculturation, and cultural relationships. ...

While anthroposophy is not generally taught as a subject, the degree to which anthroposophy is described by the schools as the philosophical underpinning of Waldorf education typically varies from school to school. This has at times, led to parents objecting that the role of anthroposophy in the educational method had not been disclosed to them, prior to enrollment.^[54] According to journalist Todd Oppenheimer:^[21]

"Waldorf teachers say they hide anthroposophy not because they see anything evil or dangerous in it but because they don't want to push their philosophy onto the students. The purpose of the teachers' anthroposophical studies is to enliven their own sensibility and deepen their understanding of evolution. Only then, according to Waldorf theory, can they inspire students with the wonder and curiosity that make for profound learning."

One study noted that many Waldorf teachers display an uncritical attitude toward anthroposophy and questioned the reliance on a single theory of child development.^[55]

Spirituality and religion

Throughout the curriculum, Waldorf education is implicitly infused with spirituality; one school review committee described this as "an appreciation of the complexity and mystery of both nature and human experience."^[18] The curriculum includes a wide range of religious traditions without being oriented on any particular one of these.^[53][18]

In Germany, where religious classes are a mandatory school offering in some federal states (although never obligatory for individual students to take),^[56] each religious confession provides its own teachers for the Waldorf schools' religion classes; the schools also offer an open religion class for those who have no confessional affiliation. Religion classes are universally absent from American Waldorf schools.^[57]

Celebrations and festivals

Festivals play an important role in Waldorf schools, which generally celebrate seasonal observances by showing work of students in the class. The faculty of each individual school decides which festivals and celebrations would best meet the needs and traditions of the students in their particular school. Waldorf theories and practices have been adapted by schools to the historical and cultural traditions of the surrounding communities, whereby there is wide variation to what extent educators detach from Waldorf education's traditionally European Christian orientation.^[11] Examples of such adaptation include the Waldorf schools in Israel and Japan, which celebrate festivals of their particular spiritual heritage, and classes in the Milwaukee Urban Waldorf school, which have adopted traditions with African American and Native American heritages.^[18]

Reception

Reception by mainstream educationalists

• Dr. Ernest Boyer has described Waldorf education as having an "unparalleled" integration of the arts into traditional content.^[58]
• Thomas Armstrong sees Waldorf education curriculum as organically embodying Howard Gardner's seven intelligences in a more thorough way than other schools.^[59]
• Professor Robert Peterkin has stated that in his opinion Waldorf education holds principles which are in agreement with goals for educating all children. He sees it as a healing education.^[60]
• Thomas Nielsen of the University of Canberra articulated seven forms of imaginative teaching used in Waldorf education - exploration, empathy, story-telling, arts, discussion, drama and routine - that he suggests mainstream educators could valuably employ.^[61]
• UK educational evaluators see the Waldorf approach conforming to the principal direction of educational theory based upon Comenius and Pestalozzi.^[19]

Some of the methods used in Waldorf schools have also been adopted by teachers in other private and state-run schools.^[62] Ernest L. Boyer (1928-1995) is considered by some to be the most influential figure in modern American education. ... It has been suggested that Naturalist Intelligence be merged into this article or section. ... The theory of multiple intelligences is a theory proposed by developmental psychologist Howard Gardner in 1983. ... Portrait of Comenius by Rembrandt John Amos Comenius (Czech: ; German: ; Polish: ; latinized: Iohannes Amos Comenius) (March 28, 1592 – November 15, 1670) was a Czech teacher, scientist, educator, and writer. ... This name could refer to a number of different people: Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827) Hans A. Pestalozzi (1929-2004) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Private schools, or independent schools, are schools not administered by local, state, or national government, which retain the right to select their student body and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition rather than with public (state) funds. ...

Reading and Literacy

Todd Oppenheimer, a free-lance journalist,^[63] compared the Waldorf schools' approach to reading to the approach used in most other American schools:

"Emphasis on the creative also guides the aspect of a Waldorf education that probably frightens parents more than any other: the relaxed way that children learn to read. Whereas students at more-competitive schools are mastering texts in first grade, sometimes even in kindergarten, most Waldorf students aren't reading fully until the third grade. And if they're still struggling at that point, many Waldorf teachers don't worry. In combination with another Waldorf oddity -- sending children to first grade a year later than usual -- this means that students may not be reading until age nine or ten, several years after many of their peers. ... It's no surprise, then, that Waldorf parents occasionally panic. Others may distrust Waldorf education because they have heard tales of parents who pulled their children out of a Waldorf school in the third grade when the kids still couldn't read. 'That's like a standing joke,' [one parent], the mother of two graduates of the Rudolf Steiner School, told [Oppenheimer]. 'People say, "Oh, can your kids read?" There was no concerted effort to drum certain words into the kids. And that was the point.' Before teaching sound and word recognition, Waldorf teachers concentrate on exercises to build up a child's love of language. The technique seems to work, even in public schools. Barbara Warren, a teacher at John Morse, a public school near Sacramento, says that two years after Waldorf methods were introduced in her fourth-grade class of mostly minority children, the number of students who read at grade level doubled, rising from 45 to 85 percent. "I didn't start by making them read more," Warren says. "I started telling stories, and getting them to recite poetry that they learned by listening, not by reading. They became incredible listeners." Many Waldorf parents recall that their children were behind their friends in non-Waldorf schools but somehow caught up in the third or fourth grade, and then suddenly read with unusual fervor."^[21]

Child psychologist David Elkind cites evidence that late readers ultimately fare better at reading and other subjects than early readers.^[21] Elkind also separately examined Steiner and the Waldorf schools' non-academic focus with hands-on exploration and conceptualization in early childhood education.^[64]

According to Lucy Calkins, a reading specialist at the Teachers College of Columbia University, in most public schools the students who start reading later tend to do worse. Calkins also says that Waldorf students might also benefit slightly if they started earlier, but stated that she "would not necessarily be worried in a Waldorf school." Adding, "The foundation of literacy is talk and play."^[21] Columbia University is a private research university in the United States. ...

Oppenheimer also cautions "the system isn't fail-safe," noting that faith in the Waldorf system for reading instruction can lead teachers to overlook genuine learning disabilities including dyslexia, in some students.^[21] This article is about developmental dyslexia. ...

Concerns over Immunizations

See also: PARSIFAL study and vaccine controversy

Rudolf Steiner (the founder of Waldorf education) believed that children's spirits benefited from being tempered in the fires of a good inflammation.^[65] A report about a growing trend against childhood immunizations describes parents of a Waldorf school in Colorado who believed vaccinations had harmful effects,^[65] and concerns at times have been raised that unvaccinated students, some of whom attended Waldorf schools, may have been compromising public health by spreading disease, even among vaccinated populations.^[66][67][68] In 2006 the PARSIFAL multicenter study [1] (Prevention of Allergy—Risk Factors for Sensitization Related to Farming and Anthroposophic Lifestyle) was conducted, and is the largest and most coherent study conducted among Steiner school children to date, covering 5 European countries, and the diversity of the anthroposophic lifestyle between the... It has been suggested that Anti-vaccinationist be merged into this article or section. ... Public health is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. ... The term disease refers to an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs function. ...

In response, The European Council of Waldorf Schools, representing 630 of the 900 Waldorf schools world wide, ^[69] has stated unequivocally that opposition to immunisation per se – or resistance to national strategies for childhood immunisation in general – forms no part of the goals of Waldorf education. It also stated that a matter such as whether or not to inoculate a child against communicable disease should be a matter for parental choice, and that insofar as schools have any role to play in these matters, it is in making available a range of balanced information both from the appropriate national agencies and from qualified health professionals with expertise in the field. ^[70] Immunization (AmE) or Immunisation (BE) has a number of meanings: In medicine immunization is the process by which an individual is exposed to a material that is designed to prime his or her immune system against that material. ...

Studies of Waldorf education

U.K. Comparison with mainstream education

A UK Department for Education and Skills report noted significant differences in curriculum and pedagogical approach between Waldorf/Steiner and mainstream schools and recommended that schools in the state sector could benefit from the following elements of Waldorf education:^[71] The Department for Education and Skills is a department in the United Kingdom government created in 2001. ...

• early introduction and approach to modern foreign languages
• the combination of block (class) and subject teaching for younger children
• development of speaking and listening through an emphasis on oral work
• the good pacing of lessons through an emphasis on rhythm
• the emphasis on child development guiding the curriculum and examinations
• the approach to art and creativity
• the attention given to teachers’ reflective activity and heightened awareness (in collective child study for example)
• collegial structure of leadership and management, including collegial study.

There were also aspects of mainstream practice which, the researchers recommended, could inform good practice in Waldorf schools:

• management skills and ways of improving organizational and administrative efficiency
• classroom management
• work with secondary school-age children
• assessment and record keeping.

U.S. Waldorf schools survey

A 1995 survey of U.S. Waldorf schools found that parents overall experienced the Waldorf schools as achieving their major aims for students and describe the education as one that "integrates the aesthetic, spiritual and interpersonal development of the child with rigorous intellectual development", preserving students enthusiasm for learning so that they develop a better sense of self-confidence and self-direction. Some parents described upper grades teachers as overextended, without sufficient time to relate to parental needs and input, and wished for more open and reciprocal parent-school support. Both parents and students sometimes described colleges of teachers as being insular and unresponsive.

The students overall were positive about the school and its differences; experienced the school as a "community of friends"; and spoke of the opportunity to grow and develop through the broad range of activities offered, to learn when they were ready to learn, to develop imagination, and to come to understand the world as well as oneself. Many students spoke of the kindness of their peers and of learning to think things through clearly for themselves, not to jump to conclusions, and to remain positive in the face of problems and independent of pressure from others to think as they do. Improvements the students suggested included more after-school sports programs, more physical education classes, more preparation for standardized testing, a class in world politics and computer classes.

Faculty, parents and students were united in expressing a desire to improve the diversity of the student body, especially by increasing representation of minority groups such as African-Americans and Hispanic Americans.^[11] Languages Predominantly American English Religions Predominantly Christianity and Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... The Hispanics in the United States or Hispanic American is an American citizen or resident of Hispanic ethnicity and can identify themselves as having Hispanic Cultural heritage. ...

Milwaukee Urban Waldorf School

Dr. Richard R. Doornek, Educational Curriculum specialist with the Milwaukee Public Schools in Wisconsin, reported in 1996 that since switching to Waldorf methods their Urban Waldorf Elementary School has shown an increase in parental involvement, a reduction in suspensions, improvements in standardized test scores for both reading and writing (counter to the district trend), while expenditures per pupil are below many regular district programs.^[72] The school converted to Waldorf methods in 1991, when it had 350 students, about 90% of them African American. On the Milwaukee public schools standard third-grade evaluation, the number of children reading above grade level went from 26% in 1992 to 63% in 1995.^[18] Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is the largest school district in the state of Wisconsin. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42°30N to 47°3N  - Longitude 86°49W to 92°54W Population  Ranked...

In 1996 a team of seven mainstream educational researchers conducted a study of the school. In a report published at the conclusion of the study, the school was cited as a positive learning environment, in which the students as well as their background seemed to be treated with respect, and where pupils are both encouraged and trusted to be responsible. The report quoted the school principal's evaluation of the Waldorf approach: "Practical and effective, not first and foremost in academics, but in allowing children to be children again...Waldorf gives you connection to your environment, to nature, to school, to others." Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

The article also discussed the challenge of meeting societal racism and unsuspected biases of teachers and students in modern-day America:^[18]

Many of the children seemed to have a distorted and negative picture of blackness, an internalized prejudice that runs deep ... Too often, we heard degrading terms...both in the classroom and at play ... The staff and faculty at Urban Waldorf represented a wide gamut of opinions on race and the possible presence of racism at the school. Some were quick to point to what they thought were unquestionable cases of racism inherent in Waldorf philosophy and practice, and others were as quick to deny the possibility of racism at any level, in any practice.

The research noted that teachers "have found a way to put respect for the children before other considerations", and that the school was attempting to combat racism:

They also understand that they must try. And so we found teacher study groups on African American culture (particularly on storytelling and folklore), and various individual projects on urban life ... the Urban Waldorf faculty has a commendable level of engagement with the difficulties of racism.

A further study commented on Waldorf's adaptable and individualized curriculum as being a factor in the school's success in addressing children of poverty and children of color, while criticizing the split between private and public Waldorf schools and the lack of greater efforts to implement Waldorf methods in public education.^[73]

Others

A Swedish study comparing several hundred Waldorf students (grade 9 and 12) to corresponding students in Swedish public schools reported that the proportion of Waldorf pupils who supported counteracting or stopping Nazism and racism was considerably greater (93%) than that of pupils at municipal secondary schools (72%).^[74]

An Australian study found that Waldorf-educated adolescents were more oriented towards improving social conditions and had more positive visions of the future than those who attended state schools.^[75]

A study of 6,600 children from five European countries, ages 5 to 13, showed a lower incidence of allergies amongst children attending Waldorf schools, an effect which correlated with the extent to which they lived an "anthroposophic lifestyle" in terms of restrictive use of antibiotics, antipyretics, and measles, mumps and rubella vaccination.^[76] A second, Swedish study found a 13% incidence of atopy or allergy-like symptoms in Waldorf pupils compared to 25% incidence for pupils in neighboring schools.^[77] This article needs cleanup. ... Eczema-a typical atopic manifestation Atopy (Greek ατοπία - placelessness) or atopic syndrome is an allergic hypersensitivity affecting parts of the body not in direct contact with the allergen. ...

See also

• Alternative education
• Kodaly method

Great Neck Village School, an alternative high school in Great Neck, New York, USA Alternative education, also known as non-traditional education or educational alternative, describes an education that is modified or particularized for those having singular needs, such as maladjusted people and gifted children. ... The Kodály Method is an approach to music education which was developed in Hungary during the mid-twentieth century. ...

Notes

Ernest L. Boyer (1928-1995) is considered by some to be the most influential figure in modern American education. ... The University of the West of England (abbrev. ...

References

Works by Rudolf Steiner

See also: list of Rudolf Steiner's works on education

• Education: An Introductory Reader (Christopher Clouder, ed.), Sophia Books (March 2004), ISBN 1-85584-118-5. Collection of relevant works by Steiner on education.
• The Education of the Child, and early Lectures on Education (Foundations of Waldorf Education, 25), ISBN 0-88010-414-7. Includes Steiner's first descriptions of child development, originally published as a small booklet.
• The Foundations of Human Experience, ISBN 0-88010-392-2; also known as The Study of Man, these fundamental lectures on education were given to the teachers just before the opening of the first Waldorf school in Stuttgart in 1919.

Note: all of Steiner's lectures on Waldorf education are available in PDF form at this research site This List of Rudolf Steiners works on education is a sub-article of Waldorf education Rudolf Steiners works on education include the following: The Childs Changing Consciousness: As the Basis of Pedagogical Practice, ISBN 0-88010-410-4 Discussions with Teachers, ISBN 0-88010-408-2 Education... City Center seen from Weinsteige Road Solitude Palace The 1956 TV Tower U.S. Army Kelley Barracks Stuttgart (IPA: []) is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. ...

Works by other authors

See also: list of works on Waldorf education

• Aeppli, W., The Developing Child ISBN 0-88010-491-0
• Clouder, C. and Rawson, M., Waldorf Education ISBN 0-86315-396-8
• Cusick, L, Waldorf Parenting Handbook ISBN 0-916786-75-7
• Edmonds, Francis, An Introduction to Steiner Education ISBN 1-85584-172-X
• Gardner, John F., Education in Search of the Spirit: Essays on American Education ISBN 0-88010-439-2
• Masters, Brien, Adventures in Steiner Education ISBN 1-85584-153-3
• Nobel, Agnes, Educating through Art: The Steiner School Approach
• Petrash, Jack, (2002): Understanding Waldorf Education: Teaching from the Inside Out ISBN 0-87659-246-9
• Querido, René, The Esoteric Background of Waldorf Education
• Wilkinson, R. (1996): The Spiritual Basis of Steiner Education. London: Sophia Books ISBN 1-85584-065-0

This is a list of works on Waldorf education by authors other than Rudolf Steiner. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Waldorf pedagogy

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Waldorf education

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Further discussion, outside views and reviews of Waldorf education

• News articles since 2004
• "Steiner schools' could help all" by Branwen Jeffreys. BBC News Report on British government-funded study on Waldorf education in the UK, July 5, 2005.
• Centre for Research in Education and Democracy study of Waldorf education in Britain
• "Waldorf Succeeds in Public Schools" by Claudia M. Lenart. Conscious Choice, August 2000.
• "Contrarian finding: Computers are a drag on learning" by G. Jeffrey MacDonald, The Christian Science Monitor, December 6, 2004.
• "Waldorf Education. Looking into the educational system developed by Rudolf Steiner" by Diane and Robert Gilman. In Context: A Quarterly of Humane Sustainable Culture, Summer 1984.
• "The Wisdom of Waldorf: Education for the Future" by Rahima Baldwin Dancy, Mothering Magazine, March/April, 2004.
• "Who was Rudolf Steiner and what were his revolutionary teaching ideas?" Richard Garner, Education Editor, The Independent
• "Schooled in spirituality" by Chrisanne Beckner. Sacramento News and Review, February 3, 2005.
• "Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925)" by Robert Todd Carroll, editor of The Skeptics Dictionary.

Waldorf resources

• Online Waldorf Library
• Research journals
  • Paideia, the journal of the Steiner-Waldorf Schools Fellowship in Britain.
  • Research Bulletin of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America
  • Waldorf Research Institute
  • Erziehungskunst, the organ of the German Association of Waldorf Schools
• Anthros.net - General information on waldorf education and anthroposophy

Schools and colleges

Associations of Waldorf Schools

• Association of Waldorf Schools of North America
• Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship of the UK and Ireland
• Southern African Federation of Waldorf Schools

Finding a Waldorf School

• A list of Waldorf Schools worldwide (in pdf form)
• AWSNA Affiliated Schools

Teacher training programs

• Distance Education Course, Email or Mail from Australia
• Antioch New England Graduate School
• Center for Anthroposophy in Wilton, New Hampshire
• Helicon Highschool, The Netherlands
• Emerson College in Forest Row, Sussex, England
• Parsifal College, Sydney, Australia
• Rudolf Steiner Centre Toronto, Canada
• Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, California
• Sunbridge College in Chestnut Ridge, New York
• The University of Plymouth, England
• West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy, Vancouver, Canada
• Sound Circle Center for Art, Seattle, Washington
• Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Homeschooling and special education

• Waldorf World's guide to homeschooling
• Camphill Communities are intentional communities of people with disabilities that recognize the potential, dignity, spiritual integrity, and contributions of each individual.]
• Waldorf Homeschoolers