The Theory behind the Method.
Waldorf Schools were commissioned from Rudolf Steiner by Emil Molt in 1919 who owned the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette company, in order to provide education to the children of the workers. Steiner himself was provided educational initiative for working class adults, and through this he began researching the education of children.
Steiner’s views of education grew out of his opinions on individual development, which regard the human as being composed as of body, soul and spirit (Ullrich, H, 1994). In this way, learning is seen not only as academic or kinaesthetic, but as a whole person activity. This means that spiritual and personal development are just as important. Students are expected not only to submit academic assessment tasks such as writing samples, but also drawings, paintings, and drama performances (Oberski, I; Pugh, A; MacLean, A; and Cope, P; 2007).
Focusing on creative education is the premise behind the teaching of the alphabet, which is a highly artistic and imaginative process for both child and teacher. Alphabet knowledge is usually something that is generally thought should be learnt in kindergarten (Sabastian, P). However, Steiner schools are of the opinion that students are not ready to learn such unfamiliar concepts at that age. Rather than introducing an early intellectual focus, Waldorf instead seeks to nourish and to keep alive the young child’s healthy imagination and creative thinking powers. The child’s intellectual potential lies within, and it unfolds slowly, like petals of a maturing flower, as the child moves from one developmental stage to the next. (Shell, B)
Steiner is not alone in his ideas regarding the teaching of our young children (Larsson, J and Dahlin, B, 2012). Egan, an education philosopher, describes a teaching practice for the primary years that mirrors Steiner’s beliefs in regards to the alphabet. According to Egan, oral culture-that is the spoken language-has special tools for thinking which should be used in teaching. These tools, the use of stories and fairy tales, are so useful as children only use the spoken language until they learn to read. This makes the transition into early literacy that much easier for your child.
Steiner’s views of education grew out of his opinions on individual development, which regard the human as being composed as of body, soul and spirit (Ullrich, H, 1994). In this way, learning is seen not only as academic or kinaesthetic, but as a whole person activity. This means that spiritual and personal development are just as important. Students are expected not only to submit academic assessment tasks such as writing samples, but also drawings, paintings, and drama performances (Oberski, I; Pugh, A; MacLean, A; and Cope, P; 2007).
Focusing on creative education is the premise behind the teaching of the alphabet, which is a highly artistic and imaginative process for both child and teacher. Alphabet knowledge is usually something that is generally thought should be learnt in kindergarten (Sabastian, P). However, Steiner schools are of the opinion that students are not ready to learn such unfamiliar concepts at that age. Rather than introducing an early intellectual focus, Waldorf instead seeks to nourish and to keep alive the young child’s healthy imagination and creative thinking powers. The child’s intellectual potential lies within, and it unfolds slowly, like petals of a maturing flower, as the child moves from one developmental stage to the next. (Shell, B)
Steiner is not alone in his ideas regarding the teaching of our young children (Larsson, J and Dahlin, B, 2012). Egan, an education philosopher, describes a teaching practice for the primary years that mirrors Steiner’s beliefs in regards to the alphabet. According to Egan, oral culture-that is the spoken language-has special tools for thinking which should be used in teaching. These tools, the use of stories and fairy tales, are so useful as children only use the spoken language until they learn to read. This makes the transition into early literacy that much easier for your child.