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Some Thoughts
on the I will try to give a small outline of what Waldorf education is all about. It is based on the ideas of Rudolf Steiner who opened the first Waldorf school in Germany in 1919. There are about 20 schools and initiatives in Canada with the number growing all the time. The things that attracted me to the Waldorf philosophy are many but I will list a few of the highlights: - values play in the early years and prefers children to start grade 1 at age 7 - intellectual work is not started until this point - learning through natural imitation and activity rather than through direct cognitive instruction before age 7 - the curriculum stresses learning through storytelling (preferably from memory) to stimulate the child's imagination - with retelling by the child - writing leads to reading - all subjects are brought to the child in an imaginative and artistic way - painting , drawing, and music all play a big part of the curriculum - there is a very holistic view of the child - the development of the whole child, physical, emotional and spiritual, are given equal attention - through celebrating the rhythms of the year an appreciation for the natural world is developed This is a very short outline of what Waldorf means to me. There is an abundance of material on the web about Waldorf. Maybe others with similar interests would like to add their feelings on the Waldorf philosophy in a homeschool setting. Best regards, Carolin. |
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Carolin Brooks has a mail-order business supplying Waldorf materials across Canada. If you would like more information or would be interested in a catalogue email Carolinme. |
