Customer Reviews

Introduction to Steiner Education: The Waldorf School

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This is a good book in that you will learn more what Waldorf is about, but I do not agree with what the author says in many cases. I think all parents should be told up front what waldorf is before they invest time and effort into it. I will start with the good points of this book. The author eschews technology for children, like TV and computer games, which can harm development. Also, it emphasises the importance of childhood. However for people like myself who already believe these things (which is why I'm looking into an educational philosophy like Waldorf) this is nothing new. Many people say in Waldorf book reviews that if you can get past the fluff or wierd stuff there are many good points. You know what Waldorf is without anthroposophy? Its called Reggio Emilia. There are several pedogogies of children that prescribe an organized, attractive environment that facilitates meaningful experiences for the child; spending lots of time outdoors in nature; child-led learning (this is not waldorf); not rushing children (David Elikind is a wonderful resource).

Here are the cons:

- First and foremost, the author suggests that parents should not be overly concerned with the foundation principals behind waldorf, only look for yourself at the results to see if you like it. I don't like secrecy. But some of the answers are here if you take your time to think about what you read.
- Pg 19 discusses losing baby teeth and the incarnation into earthly bodies. The curriculum is based upon this assumption that children have lived past lives and are in the process of reincarnating into their current earthly bodies. I am all for not pushing reading until a child is ready...but not because I am worried about their spiritual development. Way too weird for me.
-Children are classified based on temperment and treated accordingly. Temperments are a result of the "humours" in the body (blood, black bile, yellow bile, and phlegm). Seriously? I think this is completely outdated (by 200 years at least) and mideval.
-pg 111 smacks of racism. Apparently in India waldorf education can help "counter the tendency to remain too long suspended in images and to bring the intellect to birth more quickly." What is this supposed to mean about children in India having "tendencies?" There is another sentence which bears thought: "In our intellectual West we tend to set the same kind of standard for all peoples and for all the individuals of any one nation." I'm not sure what exactly the author means by this, but I'm not giving the benefit of the doubt based on the previous remarks on India.
-On pg 96: "As for the agnostic or free-thinking parent, a realistic view of history will show that all notable forms of human culture lead back to a religious source. It follows, therefore, if child development is underpinned by human development generally, that religion must play some part in it." So, what is a realistic view of history? The author doesn't explain that. Notable forms of human culture? Mmm..okay. And child development following human development? Not explained either, but I did find some interesting passages by Steiner online. You can google it. I honestly don't follow this logic. But there it is.
- The author goes onto say that one of the greatest blessings in a child's life is to experience devotion and awe (pg 96) and then "Let it be remembered that the core of true discipline is willing discipleship."(pg 106) This is starting to sound very religious to me.

What this book did for me was truly help me understand Waldorf before enrolling him in a Waldorf school. As an AP mom, it seems I have always been attracted to the "alternative." I desire natural open-ended toys and playthings for my children. My husband built a playstand and we have baskets of pinecones and tree biscuits. We dyed our own play silks. We toured a local Waldorf school a few years ago and since then I have been trying to learn more about Waldorf and get to the foundations of the curriculum so that I could implement it at home. Well, now I have learned about it and I am so glad I did not invest my child and our resources in an education based on an esoteric spiritual philosophy, racism, and false notions of human evolution, and reincarnation. I do not agree with all of this, and if the Waldorf school representatives were more honest in their answers (rather than so vague...and there is a reason: anthroposophy is not discussed with the uninitiated) it would have saved me a lot of time and energy in trying to create this special environment for my child. I can do all the wonderful things I see in Waldorf without all the hooey...its called natural parenting. Or Reggio Emilia. Or Montessori (yes, really..who says you can't bake bread in Montessori?). Anyway, this book helped me realize that Waldorf is not the answer. Steiner education IS anthroposphy. How can the two be separate?