Developed in the early 1900s by Rudolf Steiner, the Waldorf education model is a revolutionary education model based on the premise that children develop pertinent skills within three major age groups: early childhood education, elementary education and secondary education. The model concentrates on creating well-rounded children with instruction centered around developing the head (thinking), heart (feeling) and hands (doing), at all age levels.
If you have never heard about Steiner or his very different approach to education, it is notable that his program is currently used in over 60 countries, within approximately 1000 schools and 2000 early childhood programs.
It may shock you that the Waldorf education model has actually been used in the United States since 1928. Based in New York City, the Rudolf Steiner School was founded in that year to implement the learning process through the Waldorf curriculum. But it was only in the past decade that the Waldorf/Steiner model gained major traction within schools in the United States, as parents began realizing the benefits of this model versus the traditional education models, which focused more on technology and stressful testing.
Of course, it was only a matter of time till this teaching-learning framework made its way into our homes, as more and more homeschooling families adopt Waldorf methods of instruction.
Features Of The Waldorf Curriculum
Proposers of the Waldorf curriculum identify the program's repetitive mantra of "head, heart and hands" as the most attractive aspect of the approach. This is because Steiner believed that a child's education was based on developing the "whole" child:
Head - Children learn to think logically and independently.
Heart - Children are in sync with their emotions and can emotionally connect with the work which they are doing as well as their world.
Hands - Children become active in accomplishing their personal goals and contributing to the world.
The Waldorf model places heavy emphasis on balancing all of these areas in a child's development. Of course academics are important, but the emphasis on formal education comes only after a child is developmentally prepared to handle it. For example, reading instruction is delayed till the age of 7. The readers and textbooks commonly used in the early grades are not used in this model and, believe it or not, children are taught to write before they learn to read. Since the curriculum spirals, the instruction of topics gets reemphasized throughout different stages so that students master the concepts.
It may sound outright absurd that the Waldorf approach emphasizes that writing should come before reading, but in fact it follows the pattern of historic languages where spoken language developed first, followed by written language (like hieroglyphics), and only then did reading come in.
So How Is The Waldorf Curriculum Implemented?
1. Oral Expression, Storytelling and Art
In the early stages, language is taught and reinforced through a fun curriculum based on storytelling, singing songs and reciting poetry. The students are exposed to the arts quite early too through handiwork, art, music and body movements.
- Examples of Handiwork Activities: knitting, finger-knitting, crochet, sewing, and cross stitch
- Examples of Art Activities: watercolor painting, perspective drawing, and clay modeling
Examples of Music Activities: singing, recorder, percussion instruments and various instruments
- Examples of Body Movement Activities: group games, gymnastics, and eurythmy (an artistic version of movement art)
There is also major emphasis on seasonal festivals and celebrations, as these are part of the child's world and "connect the heart of humanity with the rhythms of nature and benefit the inner life of the soul".
2. Limited or No Technology During Instruction
With the growing incorporation of technology in the traditional classroom, adopting the Waldorf approach may seem like you are taking a step backward. But it really isn't so. It is unfortunate that the majority of people we come across are increasingly depending on technology to think, teach and guide them. Think about it? When last did you actively use a printed dictionary to look up a word? This would force you to not only know your alphabets but to know the chronological order of words beginning with the same first, second, third letters, and so forth.
Instead, in the Waldorf model, technological dependence is replaced by lots of tactile activities which foster creativity in the child. Simple wooden props, open-ended play and interaction with the environment builds children's imaginations and connects them to the real world. Even when technology is used, it is very limited and is mainly in the form of online support for learners and homeschooling parents.
3. Incorporated Spiritual Element
We know what you are thinking, but let's just clarify foremost that the Waldorf framework does not require your child to attend religious services and does not abide by specific religious rules. The model simply seeks to connect children with a deep inner respect for life through the spiritual science of Anthroposophy. This reiterates the model's philosophy of “head, heart and hands”, creating well-balanced students who leave with a full understand of self and their world.
How The Waldorf Curriculum Unfolds At Each Level
The Waldorf philosophy of learning, which is also referred to as the Steiner education philosophy, places children into these precise learning age groups, where they remain for about 7 years as they learn the skills which are important at their current age.
Early Childhood Education - From birth to 7, children learn primarily through creative play and tactile activities. Their senses are engaged and they imitate their instructors' interactions with the natural environment, rich and sensory stimuli, and other people. The foundations for investigative, imaginative, intellectual, emotional and physical skills begin setting at this stage as students gently explore with guidance. Learning is hands-on using concrete examples and the formalities of a regular classroom are actively left out at this point. With a lack of academic emphasis, there are no textbooks at this level and formal grades, like we know it, are not used to determine whether knowledge was acquired. At this stage the focus is on developing the limbs through doing.
Elementary Education - Between 7 and 14, children are motivated through connections with their emotions and creativity. Children are immersed into a world of a mixture of texts from fictional to real written material. They are introduced to formal academic classes but they are still not pressured to obtain formal grades in tests. Instead, students are assessed on the progress they have made throughout the school year. Instruction is focused on building students' imaginative skills and teaching them how to take control of their emotional well-being. Instructors at this level teach students using storytelling, dramatization, gardening, movement, visual arts, foreign languages and music. The role of the teacher at this point is equated to that of a parent from grades 1-8 as they help their students develop morality and assert their place in the world. At this stage the focus is on developing the heart through imagination.
Secondary Education - By age 14 up until 21, independence becomes the focus of instruction. Students are now encouraged to think critically and independently as they examine the world in abstract manner. Gradually, students are given autonomy of their learning with guidance from specialist teachers. Through community service, the students learn how to empathize and eventually, their entire education journey prepares them to be active members of society. At this stage the focus is on developing the mind through assessing the world around them.
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Benefits of The Waldorf/Steiner Method
An Inexpensive and Easily Implemented Curriculum - With the focus being on more practical experiences within the child's environment, storytelling, oral expression and a well balanced individual, learning in a Waldorf education system can be comparatively inexpensive for instructors.
Highly Student Centered - Because of our experience in the formal classroom where children who can't keep up get left behind, we tend to be a confused watching Waldorf children during the learning process. Waldorf children have the rare pleasure of enjoying the learning process as they live in the moment and explore freely. These children are in no hurry to grow up as they are taught to immerse themselves in their childhood experiences and learn through their natural experiences.
Holistic Child Development - It is no wonder that Waldorf-educated children tend to relish in their childhood experiences and learn the full potential of their talents and abilities. With lessons centered around developing the child's head, heart and hands, the curriculum basically covers the entire being. Children who are educated through this model are so much more self-aware and are better able to drive themselves to achieve their goals.
Learning Experiences Are Age-Appropriate - You will never have to wonder if your child is learning what he or she should be at that age. At every step, the learning process is simple and real, and is suitable to what your child is naturally achieving at that age, or in simpler terms, it matches with their milestones. The spiral curriculum is an amazing feature in this learning process, since complexity in topics builds as the child gets reintroduced to the topic at every level. And of course, because the model uses block learning, students study topics in depth in 3-4 week intervals. This makes the topic more enjoyable and memorable because the students are able to examine the information from various angles, using multiple approaches.
Children Take Responsibility For Their Learning - Unlike regular school systems, the children of this philosophy are more hands-on with their learning process. From the beginning, they are encouraged to create their own learning material, like Math and Science journals, which makes it easier for them to understand the information and thoroughly digest the topic. This opens students up to a wider world of academic responsibility rather than a passive approach to education where they just read material that was already prepared in textbooks. This practice prepares Waldorf students to be lifelong learners. Since there is less focus on grades and a greater emphasis on the learning journey, students enjoy the learning process as it naturally coincides with their individual growth. So, it makes sense that these children develop a natural hunger for discovery, investigation and exploration of their world. Interestingly, though Waldorf-based schools are usually regarded as "art schools" many of their graduates branch off into science fields.
The Purpose and Goal Of Waldorf
The ultimate goal of the Waldorf/Steiner teaching approach is to ensure that children get to experience a wide variety of activities which will help them navigate their interests and skills on their quest to independence. As such, Waldorf teachers are expected to be nurturing as they scaffold their students' lifelong development. When Rudolf Steiner took on the challenge of creating a school for children of the workers at Emil Molt's Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany, he wanted a school that developed competent problem-solvers and critical thinkers. With the absence of rigorous academic structures and the use of meaningful activities, the educational pioneer achieved just that.
If you are thinking of homeschooling your kids or you have been homeschooling but want to switch to a different curriculum, the Waldorf/Steiner model may be the right fit for you. There are plenty of homeschooling platforms which use the learning approach and because of its low cost, it can be implemented almost immediately.