Waldorf Education and the 21st Century: Compatable or Clashing?

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

Five Acre School Tour/Adventure

I hope you are sitting down, because this is a school worth talking about!

My summer Professional Development has consisted of researching as many of the teaching practices and pedagogues out there as possible. It seems that our world is ripe with innovative, active and conscientious practices, but independent of each other, are these classrooms missing the mark? Is it possible to create an education system that incorporates the unique and thoughtful philosophies of:

• Montessori
• Waldorf
• agriculture
• ecology
• formal education
• indigenous
• autodidactic
• vocational
• Multiple Intelligences
• Integrated
• Integral
• Unschooling

Can any one style of teaching reach students adequately? The more I looked into the types of systems out there, the more questions arose. In an effort to discern at least one possible solution, I set out for Sequim, Washington to visit Five Acre School.

No sooner was Victoria behind me and Washington coast  before me than I was launched into my scholastic adventures. With the stunning Olympic Mountains as a backdrop to this beautiful valley, Sequim county is a sprawling countryside that has the lucky chance of running along the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge– 636 acres and the longest natural sandspit in America.

Less than three weeks had passed since I had gone out on a limb and called the school after hearing about it from some friends. To tell you the truth, the school just looked too good to be true when I looked at the website. Outdoor-orientated education, gardening, animal care, individual learning styles… it sounded like just the school I have been searching for. No sooner had I sent the email than I received a much anticipated reply from Autumn, the new owner of Five Acre School, informing me that they would be delighted to have me visit.

The school was started in 1994, when founders Bill and Joanita, both school teachers, wanted to create an alternative to the public system they had been working in; a place where “children ha[d] room to grow.” The school was born out of several philosophies: Montessori and Waldorf among them, but essentially a desire to provide hands-on education that allowed students to nurture their natural talents, and to learn to work cooperatively. It was truly the latter which formed the foundation for the school. Over the years, the building grew from a single room cob building (build by Bill Jevne) to a multi-room complex for children ranging from preschool to (for the first year, this year) grade seven.

When I met with Autumn in the schools (very) humble office, it was like I was meeting an old friend. She launched into a tour of the school. In the first classroom we visited, the Pre-k/Primary Class. The first thing that struck me were the Wardolf/Montesorri stations set up throughout the room. The space was neat and orderly, with wooden blocks, counting manipulatives, a library, nature station (complete with microscopes and magnifying glasses), a washing station, art station, and just about everything you could think of to inspire your students to think and learn and grow!

The next classroom is set up for grades K, 1 and 2 (Discovery Class). As with the Primary room, the Discovery class was laid out in an open space, with shelf upon shelf of wonderful manipulatives and resources. The room was notably well-lit, with windows looking out on the playground and garden.

Two things really struck me about this space: the first was a space dedicated to the students “theme of choice.” In past years students have recreated this space into a jungle, a cafe, and grandma’s house. The work area becomes a springboard for the students spring play. In other words, the work that students embark on is centered around their ideas and their development. And this brings me to the second revelation: this school absolutely projected a sense of student-centered learning. From the height of the stations to the open layout of each room, it was evident that students worked independently and in small groups, with the teacher as facilitator.

The third classroom that I visited was the 3-6 Explorers Class. What was interesting about this room was that it had a completely different vibe to the room, as though it was more expectant than the others. Autumn explained that the kids would come in September and make the space their own; they would decide how to set up the room. I was really taken back, thinking of all the endless hours I had put into making my classroom just right for the students; I recalled teachers who had spent hundreds of their own dollars to buy posters and boarders and wall paper.

It seemed almost selfish to me, to think that I had created a classroom in my own image of what was right for the kids. What a great idea letting them create their own space. What an incredible start to the school year to collaborate and plan and design together, to create the workspace that suits YOUR needs, as a student. Henceforth, my students will be excited to know that they can create their own classroom work environment!

It should be noted that the school would next like to add an “intermediate” classroom, as the school is expanding to grade seven, and perhaps beyond.

Next on the tour was the great outdoors: tunnels in the hillside, a sandbox with shovels and wheelbarrows, a re-furbished jungle gym, and 636 acres of Nature Refuge. There was nothing in this playground that I didn’t love. It was simple, economical, and thought up by kids. I have to say, the thought of throwing some pipes into a little hill thrilled me.

“Big Blue”

 Student murals

The horse track/ running track/ marimba stage

Wetland project with lookout 

The sandbox/ tool shed. Students also use drainpipe, gutters and other materials to create water systems, mining troughs and, well, basically anything!

The students use recovered pallets to make forts, a pirate ships and basically anything their heart desires!

The final classroom was the band room. Five Acre School boasts an incredible marimba band, “Sound Waves”. Each year the students perform in house, at public events, and have even produced their own CD’s each year. I was able to listen in the car when I left the school and found myself bouncing in my seat to  incredible little voices and very talented musicians!

Suddenly it dawned on me that I had found something unique, and which I hope to replicate in my own classrooms to come. I cannot wait to head back once school is in session to check out the school in action! There is no substitute for internet research like seeing an amazing school in action. Keep your eyes open for Five Acre School Tour/Adventure Part II, coming sometime in October or November!