Waldorf Schools in America

I’d like to devote my post today to Waldorf education. Being a graduate of a Waldorf elementary school program myself, it is quite near and dear to my heart.

You may be thinking “wait, isn’t Waldorf a type of salad?” And I’ll tell you– the only thing Waldorf education has in common with the salad, it that you might find the latter at one of the regular seasonal festivals of the former.

Well then, what is “Waldorf”?

One of the fastest growing educational movements in the world, Waldorf education began in Stuttgart, Germany in 1919. Based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, Waldorf education is structured in a way that it presents material at a time and in a way that is considered particularly suitable for the child at a certain age.

For example, at the Kindergarten level, activities that are easily learned by imitation, such as baking, painting, gardening and handcrafts are the focus. In addition, the child’s power of imagination and play-acting is also nurtured, and the love of music so central to Waldorf education begins to take root.

Such early educational classroom environments are typically warm, loving and home like, and contain an array of natural toys for guided play, such as colored silks, smooth wooden toys, stones and small, soft gnome and fairy toys made of natural fibers.

After Kindergarten, the emphasis is on artistic expression across a wide variety of visual and performing arts. Children enter the first grade and become acquainted with their their Class Teacher, who very often remains the student’s primary teacher throughout grades 1-8. Beginning in the first grade, children are commonly taught 2 languages, in English speaking countries it is usually German, and then either Spanish or French.

As the child progresses through the grades, the subject material progresses with them. For example, in grade 4 it is common to do a study block on “man and animal”– man’s relation to the earth, the animals and plants around us. In the 5^th, 6^th and 7^th grades the focus moves on to ancient civilizations, such as Ancient Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia, and Rome. In 8^th grade focus moves on to the middle ages, the Renaissance, and further.

Whatever the subject might be, it is first introduced through a series of stories, illustrations and songs. Rather than relying on standardized textbooks, the students great their own illustrated and constructed “textbooks” known as Main Lesson Books.

A sense of respect for the beauty and value of childhood, a focus on a nurturing social environment, and the incorporation of music, art, movement and language is common throughout the entire K-8 curriculum.

Seasonal festivals, performances of plays, and visits to 4-day long “camps” each spring (such as the “Potlatch” in 4^th grade, “Olympiad” in 5^th grade, “Roman Encampment” in 6^th grade and “Renaissance Faire” in 7^th or 8^th grade) are also important parts of a Waldorf education, (the camps more so in the American Waldorf schools).

Rather than take up even more of this page with my typing, I will put the links to some informational websites below, incase you want to learn about Waldorf education!

The School my 'Class Teacher' started!

More Information

Seattle Waldorf School