Anyone here attend Waldorf schooling?

musicismylife78

learning about various child care things in school. the one that most intrigued me was waldorf. basically from what i understand, its child care and schooling sometimes up to 12th grade, but with an interesting view of it. Children dont learn to read until age 7, storytelling and oral storytelling are instead used. Technology is not part of the classroom. And the focus as i understand it, is art, and the search for the self. Nature plays a big part as do the seasons. And children are encouraged to use art and creativity. There also seems to be a spiritual element to it.

Ive never visited or attended such a place, but it seems to combine all my interests and also my ethical and moral views as well. I think the developing the artistic and search for self before learning to read is unorthodox but its something that i think i'd consider doing if i had a kid and was deciding what school program they would attend.

So has anyone here attended or visited waldorf schools?

Carey

I don't have much knowledge of this, but researched it a little when chosing a preschool for my daughter a year and a half ago. I settled on a Montessori program, which holds some of the same values (aside from the approach with reading/storytelling). It would be worth considering someday if you ever get to that point.

musicismylife78

Carey wrote:

I don't have much knowledge of this, but researched it a little when chosing a preschool for my daughter a year and a half ago. I settled on a Montessori program, which holds some of the same values (aside from the approach with reading/storytelling). It would be worth considering someday if you ever get to that point.

cool, yeah im in early childhood education, and dont have a kid, but as a person who is interested in the arts, spirituality and the search for self, as well as having a sort of antitechnology attitude, the waldorf approach stood out for me.

We are learning about montessori as well. thats quite interesting as well. the fact the teacher is a guide or director and the children sort of decide what they want to do, and can choose how long they work on stuff, and that they learn stuff like how to button their jackets, or how to cut strawberries. very interesting approach to stuff. Childsized and moveable furniture all that stuff

anthonybroxterman

I would be curious to find out about the effects of the reading approach. I know kids start recognizing written symbols as early as 18months, and I think there may be some gaps waiting until seven.

I am sorry I can't add anything to help answer your question.

curlygirly9

musicismylife78 wrote:

learning about various child care things in school. the one that most intrigued me was waldorf. basically from what i understand, its child care and schooling sometimes up to 12th grade, but with an interesting view of it. Children dont learn to read until age 7, storytelling and oral storytelling are instead used. Technology is not part of the classroom. And the focus as i understand it, is art, and the search for the self. Nature plays a big part as do the seasons. And children are encouraged to use art and creativity. There also seems to be a spiritual element to it.

Ive never visited or attended such a place, but it seems to combine all my interests and also my ethical and moral views as well. I think the developing the artistic and search for self before learning to read is unorthodox but its something that i think i'd consider doing if i had a kid and was deciding what school program they would attend.

So has anyone here attended or visited waldorf schools?

I have family friends who's kids go to Waldorf and they love it, but they are definite hippie types, so it probably depends on your worldview like you said, whether you would be into it or not. They even drive a long distance everyday to take their son there, but they have the same teachers throughout their entire middle/high school, and they really like it.

ZiggyStar

I don't agree with not teaching a child to read until they are 7. In fact, I think the earlier they have a good grasp on reading the better. The ages of 0-3 are so important in brain development....omitting reading from that time period just seems completely stupid to me. I love the idea of focusing more on arts, creativity and nature etc though.

musicismylife78

anthonybroxterman wrote:

I would be curious to find out about the effects of the reading approach. I know kids start recognizing written symbols as early as 18months, and I think there may be some gaps waiting until seven.

I am sorry I can't add anything to help answer your question.

as i said im in early childhood education right now, and according to the text we are using and my teacher, the students in waldorf, that when they do learn to read at age 7, they eventually match and meet their peers who were taught to read earlier and in more traditional schooling settings. i guess it doesnt have any ill effects. And i hear you, but its sort of a trade off i guess. they arent being taught to read, but instead are developing skills in oral storytelling and oral stories. in our culture we dont do that much, so i think thats pretty damn cool. I think thats a good facet of the body and mind to develop.

and i am definitely a hippie type, or at least politically and morally and ethically im a hippie, so it sounds right down my alley.

I guess alot of silicon valley entreprenuers, have no decided to have their children attend waldorf. kind of interesting because as i said, technology isnt allowed in the class and is shunned in waldorf.

musicismylife78

ZiggyStar wrote:

I don't agree with not teaching a child to read until they are 7. In fact, I think the earlier they have a good grasp on reading the better. The ages of 0-3 are so important in brain development....omitting reading from that time period just seems completely stupid to me. I love the idea of focusing more on arts, creativity and nature etc though.

i hear you, and its clear to me the montessori and reggio emilia way of early childhood classes is the way most people go. most people it seems dont go the waldorf route. i think it sort of depends on of course many factors. parents ethical and moral views, cost, location, etc...

As i said, each schooling type has interesting aspects to it. the montessori method allows children to use real knives to cut strawberries for example, so practical real world stuff they are learning. also learning to button shirts, practical stuff they need to know. and that they arent told they need to work on this project for 20 minutes or 10 minutes, they can spend hours working on a particular thing, and the child decides. all thats the montessori program. interesting stuff to say the least.

i am jealous of kids who went to waldorf though, at least from what ive learned about it so far.