What is a Waldorf education?

Uataara Tjgamba
Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. The first Waldorf school opened over a 100 years ago in Stuttgart, Germany. Steiner’s division of child development into three major stages is reflected in the schools’ approach to early childhood education, which focuses on practical, hands-on activities and creative play; to elementary education, which focuses on developing artistic expression and social capacities; and to secondary education, which focuses on developing critical reasoning and empathic understanding.
Waldorf elementary schools (ages 7-14) emphasize cultivating children’s emotional life and imagination. In order that students can connect more deeply with the subject matter, academic instruction is presented through artistic work that includes storytelling, visual arts, drama, movement, vocal and instrumental music, and crafts. The school day generally begins with a one-and-a-half to two-hour cognitively oriented academic lesson, or ‘main lesson’, that focuses on a single theme over the course of about a month’s time. This typically begins with introductory activities that may include singing, instrumental music, poetry, a verse written by Steiner for the start of the day.
Secondary education is provided by specialist teachers for each subject. The education focuses much more strongly on academic subjects, though students normally continue to take courses in art, music, and crafts. The curriculum is structured to foster pupils’ intellectual understanding, independent judgement, and ethical ideas such as social responsibility, aiming to meet the developing capacity for abstract thought and conceptual judgement.
Waldorf secondary students are supposed to learn through their own thinking and judgement. Students are asked to understand abstract material and expected to have sufficient foundation and maturity to form conclusions using their own judgement.
Elementary students paint, draw, sculpt, knit, weave, and crochet. Older students build on these experiences and learn new skills such as pattern-making and sewing, wood and stone carving, metal work, book binding, and doll or puppet making. Certain subjects are largely unique to the Waldorf schools. Foremost among these is Eurhythmy, a movement usually accompanying spoken texts or music which includes elements of drama and dance.