Do you know any graduates of Waldorf schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. I’m curious as I’m reading about many Silicon Valley types sending their kids to Waldorf and forest schools. Mainly driven by desire to get away from screens. With the decline of our schools in general, is it possible that these approaches will actually turn out the most mentally stable, and as a result prepared for the world, children?

I'm not sure I'd lump forest schools and Waldorf schools together. Both share an emphasis on nature, of course, but Waldorf is underpinned by Rudolf Steiner's philosophy. Forest schools tend to be a mashup of Montessori and other pedagogies.

I know a couple of Waldorf kids who transferred to regular high schools once they were at the appropriate age; they did fine. One went to UCLA.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who went to Waldorf schools and is now a successful lawyer. Interestingly, she is not sending her kids to a Waldorf school even though her parents offered to pay the tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I lived in an anthroposophical community where the kids went to Waldorf schools and then to the local public high school. Some of them felt that Waldorf was fine, others felt like it left them really behind and they never caught up. Definitely not good for kids with learning disabilities, and you want to look into their approach to bullying.

Can...can you elaborate? I'm Googling it and...I don't understand. Something about karma? Massages?

[Anonymous]

Waldorf is a

[Anonymous]

I'm from southern CA and the only people I know who send their kids to waldorf schools are antivaxxers

[Anonymous]

Is...is this description representative of Waldorf schools?

http://www.montessorianswers.com/my-experiences-with-waldorf.html

[Anonymous]

Like, you have to be a certain age to use a color of paint? Reading is purposefully delayed and books are discouraged?

[Anonymous]

...gnomes?!??!

[Anonymous]

Lots of felted wool…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I lived in an anthroposophical community where the kids went to Waldorf schools and then to the local public high school. Some of them felt that Waldorf was fine, others felt like it left them really behind and they never caught up. Definitely not good for kids with learning disabilities, and you want to look into their approach to bullying.

What’s their approach to bullying?

[Anonymous]

It seems to be a policy of non-intervention or denial. Either bullying "doesn't happen" or it is part of some divine karmic retribution. I'm not joking.

[Anonymous]

i thought waldorf schools were basically montessori schools and upon reading about them i am horrified

[Anonymous]

Those of you who have been to Waldorf schools: what did they do to lefties?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i thought waldorf schools were basically montessori schools and upon reading about them i am horrified

Yeah many people are--they lure you in with the natural materials, nature focus and play down the more cultish aspects. Like Montessori, some are closer to the original philosophy than others, but any school with the name Waldorf on it is choosing to be guided by Steiner philosophy. That's why there are "forest schools" etc. that are not Waldorf.

[Anonymous]

So much misinformation about Waldorf. My child is in a local Waldorf school and doing great socially, emotionally, and academically. We sort of stumbled on it while searching for an alternative to virtual school during the pandemic. We love that the program incorporates nature, movement, music, and art into the curriculum. This is really how young kids should learn, as opposed to being stuck at their desks all day doing worksheets, tapping on iPads and chromebooks, and taking standardized tests. Our school has a lot of international families, as I think other countries embrace this type of education over the current American system (which, let’s admit, is a pretty broken model).