Waldorf School

The origins and historical antecedents of the model/approach

Waldorf (Steiner) education is a

humanistic approach to pedagogy
based on the educational
philosphy of Rudolf Steiner

Body, Mind, and Spirit

Schools be open to all children

That is be coeducational

That it be a unfiled twelee year

scool

That the teachers, those

indiiduals actually in contact
with the children, hae primary
control oer the pedagogy of the
school, with a minimum of
interference from the state or
from economic sources!
The philosophical and/or theoretical principles that
are the basis of this model

The educational
philosophy"s
oerarching goal is to
deelop free, morally
responsible, and
integrated indiiduals
e#uipped with a high
degree of social
competence!

$nthroposophy holds
that the human being
is fundamentally a
spiritual being and that
all human beings
desere respect as the
embodiment of their
spiritual nature!

striing to deelop in
each child their innate
talents and abilities

Teachers generally use

formatie (#ualitatie)
rather than summatie
(#uantitatie)
assessment methods
Stage %

&uring the first

deelopmental stage
(under ' years old),
children primarily
learn through empathy,
imitating their
enironment, and
Waldorf pre(schools
and )indergartens
therefore stimulate
pupils" desire to engage
with the world by
offering a range of
practical actiities

creatie, imaginatie
play
Stage *

between ages '+%,,

children primarily
learn through
presentations and
actiities appealing to
their feelings and
imagination!

Story(telling and
artistic wor) are used
to coney and depict
academic content so
students can connect
more deeply with the
sub-ect matter!
Stage .

/n the third
deelopmental stage
(%, and up), children
primarily learn through
their own thin)ing and
-udgment!

abstract material and

are e0pected to hae
sufficient foundation
and maturity to form
conclusions using their
own -udgment

awa)en and ideally

balance the 1physical,
behaioral, emotional,
cognitie, social, and
spiritual1 aspects of the
deeloping person
2hysical enironment, materials, schedule
3urriculum (sources, organi4ation, goals, content)
Social/emotional enironment
Teacher instructional strategies
5ow children6s families and home lies are reflected
in the program
Role of Teacher in the 3lassroom

7oing, deliberate, careful, watchful, supportie

/deal model and protector of innocence

Storyteller

8urturer of play

9mbodiment of parent figures

2rotector of child innate dries and creatiity

2resent but not imposing

5elp deelop whole child:a free and creatie

thin)ing actuali4ation

$llow uninterrupted periods of time and open ended

materials
Role of the Student

/nteract independently with enironment

Wor) with artistic materials

5ae e0periences with nature through daily

outdoors, play, and gardening

;se imagination through storytelling and play

3reatie e0periences< painting, drawing, and

moement

/nitiated social or indiidual play e0periences

Role of 2arents

2repare and present eniornement worthy of

children

2articipate in the school community

$ctie olunteers

5elp raise momney

$pply same principles used at school

Benefits

The school"s goal is to be inclusie in it"s

studies!$lso that the schools hae proen
e0trodinary at combating unnecessary hierarchy!
Manyof the school do not hae a system based
around seniority, but instead efforts and
participation of the staff are rewarded!

Mc&ermott felt that the Waldorf program had

teacher that are trained to find srengths instead of
wea)nesses!
/s technology affecting young children in a positie
or negatie way>

$gainst Waldorf

?new research suggests that social(networ)ing sites

also offer unprecedented learning

@pportunitiesA

opportunities to meet and connect with people who

hae similar interests

?But when they"re actually doing something

themseles((in the irtual worlds on i2ads or

laptops((that retention rate s)yroc)ets to BCD!A

@ur @pinions

)indergarten classrooms were the closest to the

Waldorf program that we read about in the te0t!

The )indergarten"s were play based and had a free

whimsical ibe that was ery pleasant and child
centered!

We did not fully agree with the set up of thefirst

grade classroom with peg li)e stools for the children
to sit in!

There also was limited tal)ing and peer

conersation! $ positie was the amount of drawing
and student artwor) displayed!

The fifth graders of the school were learning Earsi

and had written their name in 9nglish, Eari and
Free)! This had us wondering if there was too
muchemphasi4e on other languages and culturesG
and if a 1happy1 medium was reached>

But we cannot answer this due to the fact that we

were only on the campus for a short time and did not
hae the opportunity to watch a full day of teaching!
So our perspectie is based on a short obseration!