Waldorf Education

 

Waldorf education was originated in Germany by Rudolf Steiner in 1909. It is an approach to learning that is based on the child's developmental stages rather than a predetermined curriculum. It emphasizes a holistic picture of the student: intellectual, physical, spiritual, emotional, social, and creative selves are all addressed. The teacher develops the qualities and skills in himself that he wants to cultivate in the children, because we learn by example much more than by instruction. The same teacher progresses with a class from first through eighth grade, creating a close learning community in which each individual is understood and accommodated. The teacher is expected to create lessons that will address not only the academic level of the students, but also help to shape their personal development. The curriculum is richly diverse, weaving together the arts, sciences, humanities, literature, arithmetic, history, physical and practical education. Topics are introduced from the "big picture" first, then broken down into smaller parts. For example, literacy begins with spoken language skills, then looks at familiar verses/stories, picking out sentences and phrases, then individual words, and finally their component letters. Mathematics begin with the activities we use it for, like cooking and building. Current brain research is validating the methods and philosophies that Steiner promoted 100 years ago. I've included links to studies that support some of the aspects of a Waldorf classroom that I'm able to incorporate here at Salmon Creek.

 

*In kindergarten, the prominence of "free play": child-created, imaginative, non-media-based pretend play develops self-regulation and executive brain function: 

 

http://www.journalofplay.org/

 

 AND

 

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/12/29/christakis.play.children.learning/index.html

 

AND

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/magazine/17play.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 

*The use of form drawing develops hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and visual-motor planning; it is the preparation for cursive writing, and the importance of hand-writing for cognitive ability has been proven to be superior to keyboarding skills:

 

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/memory-medic/201303/what-learning-cursive-does-your-brain

 

AND

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704631504575531932754922518.htmlKEYWORDS=GWENDOLYN+BOUNDS

 

AND

 

http://montessoriservices.addr2.com/view/2e1defa/5162d531/

 

*ALL motor skills, particularly ones that use rhythm, large muscles, crossing the mid-line and tactile connection with others, improve cognitive skills (like hand-clapping games):

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100428090954.htm

 

*One of the fundamental bases of Waldorf education is that experience must precede thought. We do first, then talk and write and read about it. Here's an interview with Adele Diamond, neuroscientist, about the power of DOING as it relates to learning:

 

http://www.onbeing.org/program/learning-doing-being-new-science-education/121

 

*Practicing attention as a learned skill is critical for later school success:

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131022170830.htm

 

*I do urge families to limit children's time in front of video devices. Despite claims of "educational tv" and "learning programs", screen time incubates impatience, poor attention, hyperactivity, and limits motor and social development:

 

http://www.screenfree.org/research-and-fact-sheets/

 

AND

 

http://www.whitedot.org/issue/iss_story.asp?slug=ADHDToddlers

 

AND

 

http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/02/how-playing-violent-video-games-may-change-the-brain/

 

*Much panic has ensued in recent decades about early literacy, yet with no evidence of long-term benefits. In fact, the stress of pushing academic work too early can be detrimental to a child. Waldorf has always recognized the physical, emotional and cognitive signs of reading readiness:

 

http://iris71.hubpages.com/hub/Early-Literacy-And-Brain-Development

 

AND

 

http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/Reading_at_Five_reprint.pdf

 

AND

 

http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/crisis_in_early_ed.pdf

 

AND

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8309153.stm

 

The American trend of ramping up the curriculum of kindergarten years has met with fierce opposition from educators, parents, scientists and others. Dozens of articles on the topic can be found here:

 

http://drupal6.allianceforchildhood.org/play_resources

 

So what does your incoming kindergartener need to succeed in his first year at "school"? -plenty of sleep, 10-12 hours a night with regular bedtime routines-good nutrition, with morning protein, minimal sugars-good language articulation, to ask for help and express self-independence to dress and feed self, clean up after self-strong imagination, curiosity, ability to "see" things in the mind-good balance, coordination and fine motor skills like buttoning, zipping, tying knots-low stress, predictable home environment with clear boundaries and responsibilities