Waldorf Education: A Philosophy of Education
By: Athira Nair
Tags: Systems Thinking, Education

Waldorf Education (Source)

Educational Philosophy is understood as a statement that spots and clarifies the beliefs, values and understandings of an individual or group concerning education. It may be defined as a more-or-less organised body of knowledge and opinion on education, both as it is conceptualised and as it is practised. A philosophy of this sort is critical in defining and directing the purposes, objectives and focus of a school. It also serves to inspire and direct educational planning, programs and processes in any given setting. A philosophy of education may influence what subjects or topics are taught, how they are taught, and perhaps more importantly, the supporting beliefs and values that are taught, both implicitly and explicitly, within and around the core curriculum.

This write-up tries to understand how Waldorf Education, a philosophy of education, started as an experiment by Rudolf Steiner. Write-up talks about how Steiner came up with the Waldorf Education philosophy and how it ended up into a movement in the education field as an independent school.

In ‘Human Values in Education’, Rudolf Steiner says, “Where is the book in which the teacher can read about what teaching is? The children themselves are this book. We should not learn to teach out of any book other than the one lying open before us and consisting of the children themselves.”

IDEOLOGY AND THINKERS CONTEXT

Rudolf Steiner (Source)

Waldorf Education was developed in Europe nearly 100 years ago by Austrian philosopher, social reformer, and visionary, Rudolf Steiner. He was also the founder of Anthroposophy.

The first school-based upon the ideas of Rudolf Steiner was opened in 1919 in response to a request from Emil Molt, the owner and managing director of the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Company in Stuttgart, Germany was looking to develop a school for the children of his employees. Molt was seeking a curriculum that would not only meet the children’s intellectual needs but speak also to their spiritual essence and humanity, thus helping them to flourish in the turbulent aftermath of the Great War. To develop this pedagogy, Molt turned to Rudolf Steiner. Steiner agreed to take on the task, under the conditions that the school be:

· Self-governed

· Artistically and culturally enriching

· Comprehensive (that is, not split into separate academic and vocational tracks)

· Open to all the workers’ children — girls and boys — from every walk of life

Steiner insisted that his school’s teachers should perceive and respond to the developmental needs of the children. The expected outcome was to bring up young people who were independent thinkers and problem-solvers, capable of creatively meeting the challenges of their time. This inclusive and forward-thinking spirit of idealism, commitment, and engagement with the world continues to be a hallmark of Waldorf Education.

This is the source of the name Waldorf, which is now trademarked in some countries when used in connection with the overall method that grew out of this original Waldorf School.

INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT

Growth in the number of accredited Waldorf schools from 1919 to 2016 (Source)

Waldorf Education system has led to the opening of many Waldorf Schools around the world. The first Waldorf School opened in 1919 in Stuttgart, Germany. A century later, it has become the largest independent school movement in the world, with about 1,200 independent Waldorf schools, 2,000 kindergartens and 646 centres for special education located in 75 countries. There are also several Waldorf-based public schools, charter schools and academies, and home-schooling environments.

Its pedagogy strives to develop pupils’ intellectual, artistic, and practical skills in an integrated and holistic manner. The cultivation of pupils’ imagination and creativity is a central focus. Waldorf Education is also known as Steiner Education.

The structure of Waldorf education follows a theory of childhood development devised by Rudolf Steiner, utilizing three distinct learning strategies for each of three distinct developmental stages. These stages each last approximately seven years, as Steiner believed human beings develop in seven-year-long spiritual cycles(1). The stated purpose of this approach is to awaken the “physical, behavioural, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual” aspects of each individual, fostering creative and inquisitive thought (2).

BENEFITS OF WALDORF EDUCATION

Waldorf Education begins with the premise that childhood is made up of three distinct stages of roughly seven years each — birth to age seven (early childhood), seven to 14 (middle childhood), and 14 to 21 (adolescence). Each stage shapes the way children feel about and approach the world — intellectually, emotionally, physically, and spiritually — which, in turn, shapes the way they learn. Waldorf educators believe that curricula and teaching methods should be appropriately tailored to these developmental stages, each evolving as childhood unfolds.

1. Children enjoy an unhurried childhood.

In our frenetic world, where pushing children to “hurry up or fall behind” has become the norm, Waldorf Education takes the point of view that childhood is something to be savoured. By being free to develop according to their natural rhythms, Waldorf-educated children enjoy full and rich childhoods, gaining the experiences they need to become healthy, self-actualized individuals.

2. Learning is hands-on and age-appropriate.

In Waldorf Education, learning is an experiential activity. It’s not a matter of doing without certain experiences; it’s a matter of introducing children to each experience at the right time in their development. When it’s time to teach the merits, uses, and hows of technology, Waldorf school teachers do so.

3. Students learn how to take an active role in their education.

From discovering the alphabet in the first grade to discovering anatomy, algebra, and U.S. history in the eighth grade, and all the way up through their high school studies, Waldorf students take part in the learning process by creating their own textbooks — beautifully-drawn journals containing stories, essays, poems, maps, illustrations, lab descriptions, and math equations. Rather than relying on pre-digested material presented to them in conventional textbooks, the act of creating their “main lesson” books allows children to absorb the lessons their teachers bring them and to make learning their own.

CONCLUSION

The increasing discontent with the high-level tests presently being performed through mainstream learning ;the growing recognition of the many benefits a child receives through experiences with art, movement, and nature; a concern over a reliance on technology by younger and younger students; and the news that leaders in the high-tech industry are touting the lifelong benefits of low-tech Waldorf schools in educating their children, more and more parents and educators are taking a closer look at the Waldorf approach and what it has to offer.

References

1. Uhrmacher, P. Bruce (Winter 1995). “Uncommon Schooling: A Historical Look at Rudolf Steiner, Anthroposophy, and Waldorf Education”. Curriculum Inquiry. JSTOR 1180016.

2. Woods, Philip; Martin Ashley; Glenys Woods (2005). ‘Steiner Schools in England’ (PDF). UK Department for Education and Skills.

3. Sunbridge Institute, What is Waldorf Education, viewed 8 September 2019, <https://www.sunbridge.edu/about/waldorf-education>