Waldorf Education
Waldorf education is the largest and fastest-growing nonsectarian educational movement in the world, recently spreading to Eastern Europe, Russia, Japan, Africa, India and South America, with over 2,000 schools and kindergartens worldwide.
Waldorf education is based on the work of Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), an Austrian-born philosopher, artist, scientist and teacher. Steiner offered insights into a broad spectrum of human endeavors based on a spiritual vision. Steiner called his work “Anthroposophy” (Greek for ‘wisdom of the human being’) or Spiritual Science. He emphasized that faculties lie dormant in the human soul that, if properly nurtured, can lead to knowledge of spiritual reality, self-knowledge, and a new understanding of the world. He described a path of self-development using clear thinking, acute observation, refined feeling and transformation of the will. Anthroposophy is not a religion and it is not meant to substitute for religion.
In 1919 just after World War I ended, the owner of the Stuttgart, Germany, Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory asked Steiner to create a school for the workers' children. The vision was to pioneer an education that would help the world create a just and peaceful society.
How did the school he created differ from others? Primarily in the emphasis on the arts and the inner life. Said Steiner simply, "Waldorf school education is not a pedagogical system but an art - the art of awakening what is actually there within the human being."
While building a rigorous academic foundation, Waldorf education takes an innovative approach to educating the child. Teaching is holistic, with beauty, striving for the sublime, and creativity "warming" all subjects. Art, music and language are emphasized equally along with science, math and English in the curriculum. The goal is to teach children how to learn, and to cultivate in children a love of learning that they will carry with them throughout their lives.
Waldorf education develops students who think critically, have a highly-developed ethical standard, love to learn, value communication, approach problems with innovation and cooperation...in short, the kind of people our world needs.
