Waldorf: Notes and Definitions...

[labelleizzy]

From my lecture notes, Nov. 14 "The Teacher as Artist"

"The goal of Waldorf Education is not primarily to teach a child how to make a living.

The child should be empowered to develop their whole BEING: to develop their capacities so they can go forward in their life to meet their future and succeed with creativity, courage, warm-hearted clear thinking, healthy forward-thinking, focused strong wills."

and

"Waldorf teachers have a simultaneous challenge to develop heart and spirit as well as mind at a comparable pace as conventional education techniques."

Comments

[yangming.livejournal.com]

That's cool!

[satyrlovesong.livejournal.com]

I realize that I'm going to be the voice of dissent here, but that's precisely WHY I don't care for Waldorf.

[parnasus.livejournal.com]

Please elaborate.

[satyrlovesong.livejournal.com]

When I toured the Waldorf school here in Davis several years ago, they told me that they don't teach any reading or any mathematics until about 8 years old. By 8, reading was already the love of my life and I was ripping through the classics. It's all very well to stress art and movement and creativity and social skills, but kids also need to know how to read, write and do basic sums. All of the other academic areas (history, science, sociology, etc) need a firm grasp of the basics, which the Waldorf school in Davis doesn't teach until a rather advanced age.

I actually toured Waldorf, Montessori (which had the OTHER end of the spectrum - too much academics and not enough unstructured or creative time), and Merryhill which was just too bloody expensive but I liked their focus on second languages.

I liked a lot of what I saw at Caesar Chavez (our Spanish immersion school) but they offered no parental assistance for parents who didn't already speak Spanish.

In the end, the regular Davis public schools ended up the best fit. They offered a strong academic program liberally enhanced with music, art, PE, cooking, public service, organic gardening, drama, dance and unstructured play time.

[felinasm.livejournal.com]

It is true that the Waldorf method isn't the best for all children. Each parent has to weigh what is best for their child, and what fits their personality and learning style best.

My daughter would not do well in a traditional classroom setting and I NEVER wanted to put her in one. For us, it's the most amazing discovery we could have ever made. Plus Riella loves reading and writing. While she may not learn it in school yet, it's not discouraged either. In fact, she's taught just about all the kids in her class how to write their own name. She loves books, loves being read to, and is starting to learn how to read on her own. That is exactly how they think a child should learn to read ~ as a natural progression through curiosity instead of repetition and recollection. She's also equally interested in Spanish as she is English.

But then I clashed quite a bit with other mothers regarding breast feeding. *shrugs* I've always thought it's best to take your cues from your child's reactions and find the best fit for them.

[labelleizzy.livejournal.com]

which part do you not care for?

[satyrlovesong.livejournal.com]

Please see above.