In my perpetual quest to find the perfect education, I decided to check out the local Waldorf School for an impression of a different sort of school system. Situated on a quiet country road, surrounded by a forest, farms and large fields, I was most curious about how the school integrated nature into learning and how creativity was fostered. More significantly for our Digital Generation, how did the lack of technology influence students and their education?
In 1919, Rudolf Steiner developed the notion of a whole-body/soul educational experience; he saw learning as an opportunity to unit the intellect with the body. One of the central pillars of this new pedagogy was to see the beauty in all things, from a math problem to a dance. Steiner began his quest by establishing the first Waldorf School to educate the children of factory workers in Germany. His system was simple; children’s development falls into three developmental stages:
- From age 0-7 children learn through mimicry and imitation. In order to learn a concept, approach, or appropriate response, adults must first model the approach. We see this in children who play on plastic cell phones or pick up the language of the adults they are surrounded by. In a spiritual sense, these early years form empathetic humans who are conscious of the good in the world. They seek to please others, which is why they model the behavior around them so readily.
- From 7-14 children learn by doing. At this stage, children begin to role play, create narratives and art of their own, and contextualize their learning from a personal, “egocentric” point of view. At this stage, the teacher becomes a facilitator, guiding students and creating the scaffolding for their learning. Within the classroom setting, students create artistic portfolios of their learning. Everything is given a sense of beauty and personalization: number lines, mythology, music, biology and so forth.
- From 14 onwards, children learn by judging situations and applying critical thinking. In today’s education, the “Inquiry” based approach is equivalent. Students look at the big picture and dismantle each piece in order to fully understand; learning is deep and thorough. At this stage, students are asked to link learning to the real world and apply it to their own lives- both present and future.
Many of the early teaching practices are still applied today. For instance, the fact that Steiner started these schools for working class, and often poor, families meant that materials for learning came from their own lives. Hence the wooden blocks and rudimentary learning materials. Still today, Waldorf schools use chalkboards and do not use textbooks. Learning materials are created BY the students, through drawings and plays, crafts and hands-on experiences. This can be a difficult philosophy for many, as today’s gadget infused world implies that better learning is equal to better technologies and tools.
Many of the Waldorf’ Schools around the world apply the concept of simplicity to the physical school itself. Waldorf Schools are more often than not unassuming and modest structures. Some may even be build out of natural materials, such as cob. They are subtly colourful within; you will not find stark white corridors and classrooms. In keeping with a modest architecture, desks are wooden, the room is not cluttered with posters, shelves and displays. Instead, student work is featured in the hallways. 
In the younger grades, classrooms are cozy and almost ethereal: linens are draped, small nooks are created with cloth tents, and little chairs and tables dot the room.
One of the most significant characteristics of Waldorf education, perhaps more poignant in today’s world, is a true sense of order and discipline. This is especially obvious as student’s transition from one activity to another. They bring out their work and copy down lessons with artistic individuality and focus. There are perhaps two reasons why lessons appear to be so fluid and orderly. For one thing, they are! Each lesson is linked to a previous day’s lesson; this is because each morning students have a devoted block of core learning on a subject that will continue for several weeks. In other words, if students are learning about fractions, each morning for several weeks, they will continue their lesson on fractions. Once this unit is complete, they will begin an ecosystems unit, for example, and continue that for the morning lessons. This is, in many ways, similar to a traditional education. Imagine each course (Science, Math, SS) as a lane in a pool. Students in traditional schools learn by swimming up and down individual lanes, with each lesson being taught at its own pace, side by side with other lessons. On the other hand, the Waldorf curriculum is more like diving, where each topic is tackled one at a time (though I have to point out that Language Arts is also taught each day) and there is much more of an emphasis DEEP cross-curricular learning.
The approach to Waldorf teaching is largely Socratic. 
As I observed a grade four class, I was interested to see how well the teacher used open-ended questions to gauge students understanding and recall. It was simple to see who “got it” and who was still in the dark. An important skill to master is to call on all students throughout the lesson, rather than the ones who put up their hand. This can be done by drawing names written on Popsicle sticks out of a jar, but also in creating a really safe learning environment in which all answers are considered. Waldorf, like so many other modern teaching methods, guides students and redirects their thinking not through criticism but with graciousness. Rather than, “Oh, that is not right,” a teacher might say, “This number is doing something tricky here. Let’s see if we can make sense of it.” While this may seem a little bit belabored, it creates a genuine sense of compassion for learners.
My lasting impression of the Waldorf system is primarily positive. I believe that the tools and styles of teaching implemented are practical and thorough. I enjoyed being in a class that used colour and art to create meaning and personalized materials, rather than simply filling in worksheets and textbooks. I also appreciated the emphasis on nature, and on natural materials for learning. That being said, there were a few questions in the back of my mind as I left the school. The first was my confusion at why Waldorf insists on abiding by principles adopted in the early 20th century. I feel that Steiner would frown at the way the curriculum has been stagnated. His emphasis, after all, was on using the most applicable, current tools for teaching. If he was using wooden blocks and spindles to teach math in 1940, would it not stand to reason that in 2014 we should be using technology that is applicable to the work force today? I do not suggest that an iPad should be placed in each child’s hand; I simply mean that playing movies, researching on the internet, utilizing cameras and video and so forth have benefited so many students. I myself could not have helped certain students without the direction of these tools. I also feel that the curriculum and method of teaching are incredibly binding; there is little room for autonomy and flexibility in the curriculum. It seemed, from my first impression, that students learned the same thing, with the same projects, year after year after year. I would not be surprised if a Waldorf student from 1950 produced the exact same portfolio, project or art project as a child today. And perhaps this is the reason so many people are either drawn to or discouraged from Waldorf Schooling. While many people find the predictability and consistency of the system to be exactly what they want for their child, there are others who see the benefit of a changing, malleable education system that moves with the times.
After spending some time watching and researching Waldorf education I feel that I have a better sense of the education system Like so many philosophies and pedagogues, I see the value in taking the best from this system and applying it liberally to my own ideals and experiences. With perhaps more modern tools and more autonomy in the planning and execution of learning, I feel that Waldorf will continue to be a strong alternative to the public learning system.
If you are interested in hearing more details about my visit to the school, or would like more information, please feel free to contact me any time.
For more information, visit:
– http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/02_W_Education/
– http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/07_Community/marketplace.asp
FOLLOW UP LESSONS:
Multiple Intelligences in the Everyday Classroom 