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A first grader draws a bee as part of a math lesson on the number six.
In the above article, mention is made that "there are about 44 Waldorf-inspired public schools, most of them K-8 charter schools located in the West". I'm wondering if the author or someone out there can direct me to the list of 44 and their contact information.
My son attended the Detroit Waldorf School for 9 years. While I was wary at first of the Euro/Christian-centered concepts that he was to be exposed to, I soon decided that is a very small price to pay for the developmental and wholistic education he received.
As a HS SE teacher who does receive a student just about every year on my case-load who has attended a Waldorf school, I have found these 9th Graders to be thinkers. They are better prepared to access education at a higher level thinking ability to most students from other schools. They are also a whole lot less stressed out and more sure of themselves.
It is interesting that Brain Based research into education is validating the methods developed and used by Waldorf educators and Rudolf Steiner. My wish is for all students to have the ability to be educated in such a caring environment.
Where do you live? There are a few for K-8 in Southern Ca and One in South OC. Journey is one in OC. From there check on line for Waldorf inspired Schools, for high schools it is the same thing look on line.
I love this education for my kids. It is amazing how it can motivate the learning. One big thing is No Screens for the Kids, No Media, No computers no T.V and No Video Games. Early Bed times 10-12 hours of sleep and Great nutrition. Healthy lives and reading lots of books being read to or reading as a family. Waldorf promotes family participation whatever your family may be.
It is a welcome change from traditional schools and hand out forms for the kids to fill in the blanks all day long. These kids learn from memory and story telling, singing and play.
Hello, we are living in germany and we would not send our child to the waldorf schools here. We had so many discussions about the principles of these grammar schools. One thing: Many of my voice talents which I am working with (see Sprachaufnahmen) are sending their kids to Waldorf schools. But they are artists and want their kids to become artists later. These schools are not very competetive for "harder" education like mathematics or tecnical staff. But they are improving. The other thing is the dogmatism on which Steiner`s ideas are sometimes grounded. It is not only that he felt he was something better than other people in his time. His pseudo scientific argumentation is something that is making me cautious.
Is there a link to Southern California Waldorf inspired schools. If so, please share.
My goodness, this seems to be quite a heated debate. I would assume it really boils down to the teacher as to whether a philosopy/religion is imparted. As we are well aware, learning is maximized if the teacher is wonderful and the student is motivated to be successful. I do imagine that Waldorf and Waldorf- type structures will continue to be more appealing as "Race to the Top" and more testing is foisted on schools. Are Waldorf public schools eligible for federal and state funding? Title one funds are contingent on compliance in many categories, many of which squarely based on student performance on standardized tests. How then is a Waldorf school funded?
I was wondering if there was anyone out there who knew of grants or donors that were willing to help this Waldorf school continue to grow? We almost doubled our student body this year and would like to continue offering this wonderful style of education to everyone.
Why keep the name Waldorf?
I don't understand why a school who claims "[a]t Waldorf methods charter schools, special care has been taken not to violate the the establishment clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution..." would you want to keep the name connected with Rudulf Steiner's idealogies? If the curricula has been revised, why does the school still associate itself with its founder, who vehemently believed: "Waldorf teachers must be Anthroposophists first and teachers second. It must never be forgotten - and one must be emphatic about this - that the whole of teaching matter and method in Steiner schools is aimed at developing within each child the [occult] consciousness that spirit permeates everything in the world" (Morehead, 1997). Even more perplexing is the fact that there are no unbiased, peer approved research material validating any of these methods as effective! No one is trying to bash Waldorf's methods although, many it find necessary to defend their position, seem to be are evading the the real issue at stake here. Waldorf can certainly run its schools although independently, then why is it necessary to try and fit in with the mainstream? Once a choice to enter the public arena is made, changes HAVE to be made within the structure of the school, whereby Waldorf then loses all of its uniqueness and it is no longer a Waldorf school. Which brings me back to my original question, why are they so insistent on keeping the name Waldorf? Better yet, why do they want to enter the public arena and then continue to struggle to maintain its independent structure? Seems as though there a lot more than mystic idealogies that should worry the public. A child's education is not something to be taken lightly and should be questioned by all of us.
I commend Mr. Dugan for his bravery and not allowing religion or spirituality to invade our Constitutional right for a democratic education. Go ahead and stand by your principles but, stay out of the public mainstream!
In reading all of the comments to date, I am left with the thought of asking this: If God, or the "Light within us" does not exist in reality, then WHAT keeps us animated in this dense body of minerals and water?
To negate or fail to recognize a "something" in education is to negate our very existence. The elephant in the room is ______.