WaldorfschuleWaldorf School

Sascha*

• In 1919 he founded the 1st Waldorf School• Born on Feb 25, 1861• German-Austrian origin• Philosopher and scientist• He believed in sense of individuality

and personal freedom

• Unique and distinctive approach to education• Recognizes the specific developmental stages of

children• Follows the methods of anthroposophy• Educate the whole child, “head, heart and

hands”• Create a genuine love of learning with each child• Use of electronic media by young children is

strongly discouraged

• Key point in Waldorf education

• The study of freedom

• Recognizes the human being as a being made up of body, soul and spirit

• AKA a spiritual science-wisdom or knowledge of a man

• Speaks to our basic artistic needs

• Individual judgments and decisions

Waldorf Curriculum• Enable students as fully as possible to make choices• Have the freedom to realize their individual path

through life• Elementary-use artistic elements in different forms• Learn to understand and relate to the world

• Every child is independent• Help children understand and

appreciate their independence • Draw out the children's inherent

capacities• Help children appreciate their

background and their place in the world• Recognize themselves as part of

humanity and world citizens

• Teachers follow one class from grades 1-8• Waldorf students have no “textbooks”• All children have a “main Lessons book”• They produce their own textbooks• Teachers build up the subject matter as students build

up their Main Lessons books

• Pictorial introduction to the alphabet, writing, reading, spelling poetry and drama

• Folk and fairy tales, fables, legends of Old Testament stories

• Numbers, basic mathematical processes of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

• Nature stories, house of building and gardening

• Morse myths, history and stories of ancient civilizations

• Writing, reading, spelling, grammar, poetry, and drama

• Local and world geography, comparative zoology, botany and elementary physics

• Review of the four mathematical processes, fractions, percentages and geometry

Upper grades 7-8

• Creative writing, reading, spelling, grammar, poetry and drama

• Medieval history, Renaissance, world exploration, American history and biography

• Geography, physics, basic chemistry, astronomy, geology and physiology

“Fostering play … allowing children to be children longer” – Janet Quartermain, school teacher

• Handwork• Foreign Languages (varies by schools)• Music• Art• Movement

• Waldorf teachers have a special education• In-depth courses in Waldorf education• Teachers education strengthened by the

teachers commitment to self-development

• Teachers follow a day to day rhythm– Review previous days material– Further developmental of subject matter

Currently….• There are 900 Waldorf school in 60 countries• About 150 Waldorf schools are in North America• Public Waldorf programs in Milwaukee,

Wisconsin, and Michigan• Directory of Waldorf schools can be found

through AWSNA

• 94% attended college/university• 47% chose humanities or arts as a major• 42% chose science or math as a major• 89% are highly satisfied in choice of

occupation• 91% are active in lifelong education• 92% placed high value on critical thinking• 90% highly value tolerance of others’

viewpoints

Mays, Robert, and Sune Nordwall. "Waldorf Answers on Waldorf Schools and the Philosophy and Practice of Waldorf Education." Waldorf Answers on

Waldorf Schools and the Philosophy and Practice of Waldorf Education. Apr. 2004. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://www.waldorfanswers.org/>.

"The North London Rudolf Steiner School." / Articles / London North / LOCATIONS / Home. Families London North, 13 Apr. 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2012.

<http://www.familiesonline.co.uk/LOCATIONS/London-North/Articles/The-North-London-Rudolf-Steiner-School>."Waldorf Education in Canada." Waldorf Education in Canada. Web. 27 Apr. 2012.

<http://www.waldorf.ca/>."Why Waldorf Works - Home." Why Waldorf Works. ASSOCIATION OF WALDORF

SCHOOLS OF NORTH AMERICA. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/>.