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Uncover the Beauty and Uniqueness of Waldorf Education
What is Waldorf Education?
Waldorf Education, sometimes known as Steiner education, was founded by Rudolf Steiner in 1919 in Stuttgart, Germany. Steiner, an Austrian philosopher, scientist, and artist, believed in educating the whole child; his approach emphasised the integration of intellectual, artistic, and practical skills, aiming to foster balanced and creative individuals who could contribute meaningfully to society. Today there are over 1,200 Waldorf schools in more than 70 countries, including Australia, with Sophia Waldorf School being the first Waldorf School Initiative located on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
Philosophy and Educational Approach
At the heart of Waldorf Education is a deep respect for the individuality of each child. The curriculum is designed to meet children at their specific developmental stages, nurturing their intellectual, emotional, and physical growth. Waldorf education is not just about imparting knowledge but about cultivating imagination, creativity, and a love of learning.
Key Principles of Waldorf Education
Developmentally appropriate learning: Education is tailored to align with the natural stages of child development. This ensures that learning experiences resonate with the child’s growing capacities.
Integration of arts and academics: The curriculum is rich in artistic and practical activities, which are seamlessly woven into academic learning. This holistic approach fosters creativity and critical thinking.
Emphasis on moral and social responsibility: Steiner education encourages students to develop a strong sense of ethics, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.
Stages of Development
Steiner education recognises three main stages of child development, each with its own educational focus:
Play
Early Childhood - Playgroup
In the early years, children learn through play and imitation. This stage focuses on nurturing a sense of wonder and joy in learning. Activities are hands-on, sensory-rich, and involve a lot of imaginative play, which builds the foundation for future intellectual development.
Imagine
Primary School (Class 1-6)
As children enter primary school, their imagination and creativity are at the forefront. Learning is brought to life through storytelling, artistic expression, and experiential activities. This stage is about fostering a deep connection to the material, encouraging students to think creatively and engage fully with their learning.
Reason
High School (Class 7-12)
During the high school years, students develop the ability to think critically and independently. The curriculum becomes more academically rigorous, with a strong emphasis on analytical thinking, problem-solving, and self-reflection. This stage prepares students for the challenges of higher education and adult life, equipping them with the tools to reason and make informed decisions.
Inside The Classroom
Waldorf Teachers
Primary School children learn best through the authority of a person whom they know and trust. Ideally each Class Teacher stays with the same class from the beginning to the completion of the primary grades. The continuity of this important personal relationship provides a secure basis for the children to mature in later years, confident in their own independent judgement and action. The class teacher’s continuity of leadership, understanding and interaction creates an exceptionally inviting classroom context, dependability, authority, personal relationship and trust. It is an intellectually and emotionally healthy environment, matching challenge with reassurance. The benefit of this approach is the teacher’s thorough understanding of each student’s capabilities and interests, which also makes the home-school connection productive.
The Class Teacher is responsible for the Main Lesson period each day, with specialist teachers giving instruction in areas such as languages, crafts, music and eurythmy.
The Main Lesson is a thematic and integrated approach to a topic and stays with the same subject for a few weeks, allowing the children to explore issues in depth and from many different angles. The teacher works creatively, always seeking to find a fresh connection with his or her subject matter and to recognise readiness for learning.
The background to the lesson themes is drawn from the major epochs of history and, through the medium of stories, the children experience the development of mankind. The Primary School child lives and thinks in a world of pictures and all subjects are approached through the realm of art and imagination, in response to the child’s particular stage of development.
In Waldorf schools, teachers are encouraged to take initiative and assume responsibility for their teaching. Knowledge of human temperament, personality formation, physiognomy and child psychology, based on soul/spiritual knowledge, help the teacher understand the most profound mystery of creation - the human being. Over the seven-year cycle, the teacher is able to artistically sequence the children's learning program and weave through it recognisable themes, images and stories. To accompany a class through seven years of Primary School is a challenging, adventurous, sometimes daunting but always inspiring journey through the foundation years of education. At the end of seven years together, the teacher and the class truly experience a sense of completion and fulfilment.
Main Lesson
