Transition from Waldorf to MCPS - Your Experience?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have experience with kids transferring from a Waldorf school into MCPS?

- How did they handle the transition?
- What grade was it?
- Were the academics an issue?
- Any problems/issues?

I am thinking in terms of elementary school. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

My kid just transitioned out of a different private into MCPS and its been fine so far. She has a sibling at the school which helps - because they can pass each other at lunch or recess and take the bus together.

Any transition can take a few weeks, but we found moving in the middle of the year is a slight advantage - because all the kids in class want to get to know the new student. And there is strangely less pressure than changing at the start of a new year when there are a lot of other kids going through the same thing (though of course, that could be helpful, too).

[Anonymous]

Very different learning styles obviously and much less movement.

[Anonymous]

Maybe not completely on-point, but my children went from Waldorf nursery/pre-K to MCPS kindergarten and did fine. Neither of them knew the alphabet or all of their numbers, but picked it up quickly.

Our older child has some motor issues that have required OT for several years. Had this been caught earlier (in preschool), it would have been much easier to deal with. In that regard I regret sending DC to the Waldorf preschool because they are not at all focused on learning disabilities.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you to those who responded. I am interested to hear other parents' experiences with a transition during/after 1st - 5th grade.

[Anonymous]

DS moved from a montessori school to public school in first grade.
I know montessori is waaaaay different than Waldorf, but here's our experience anyway:

Overall, it's been great and a lot easier than I thought it would be.

I emailed his teacher at the beginning of the year to let her know of some of the eccentricities she might see (in our case, cursive writing instead of print, great phonics but little site words, and not having a ton of experience with large group/lecture type teaching). She seemed appreciative of the email.

Last summer we worked on printing, because I knew that was one area that could really cause problems if he wasn't able to read/write like his classmates. He still had a bit of a hard time in the beginning and would need to be reminded to print, but nothing too difficult. Now his handwriting looks like all of his classmates. So if there's something specific that you know Waldorf does differently that will probably be a problem, I think it's worth the time to really focus on it the summer before hand.

Every once in a while (less than once a month), we'll run into a topic that DS hasn't been exposed to yet but the other kids have. If it's quick and easy (which most of the time it is), I'll just review it at home. One topic was a bigger deal, so I emailed the teacher to just let her know that he hadn't been exposed to it yet and we would work on it at home. She then also gave him a little more focus on it during class time.

All in all, I've been pleasantly surprised at how well prepared he was and also at how willing his current teacher is to meet him where he is and help.

All that said, 1st grade is a lot different than 5th grade.

[Anonymous]

OP. have you allowed your DC to watch tv or movies while at the Waldorf?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP. have you allowed your DC to watch tv or movies while at the Waldorf?

Yes, she watches movies. Usually one/two movies over the weekend. We do not strictly follow the Waldorf recommendation about no TV/electronics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP. have you allowed your DC to watch tv or movies while at the Waldorf?

Yes, she watches movies. Usually one/two movies over the weekend. We do not strictly follow the Waldorf recommendation about no TV/electronics.

Then transition will be easier. The kids do talk about movies and TV shows they like and if they had never seen anything that would have been a minor social hurdle.
Academically we find the MCPS curriculum to be very accessible and effective. The basic math which is taught in Waldorf schools is definitely different to 2.0 but when we moved here from an entirely different school (French) in a different state, it was actually easier to understand and adapt to for our DD, who had never really flourished in math before. Also the teachers have access to a MCPS teacher website where they can ask for tutoring help on behalf of their students (which you'd then set up and pay for yourself) - so you know the person teaching your child is an active teacher in the district already, following the same curriculum.

Hope helpful.

[Anonymous]

We are at a Waldorf school and my child transferred there from another private. I will not be sending my child back to Waldorf next year. IMO, the transition into Waldorf is far more difficult than the transfer out. If your child has been at Waldorf since the beginning, the only difficulty I could see is getting adjusted to having more homework, more classroom structure and less art, music and outdoor pay. However, if your child is in 2nd grade or below, you can expect to have to get some private tutoring for them to catch up in a few subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are at a Waldorf school and my child transferred there from another private. I will not be sending my child back to Waldorf next year. IMO, the transition into Waldorf is far more difficult than the transfer out. If your child has been at Waldorf since the beginning, the only difficulty I could see is getting adjusted to having more homework, more classroom structure and less art, music and outdoor pay. However, if your child is in 2nd grade or below, you can expect to have to get some private tutoring for them to catch up in a few subjects.

No one below 2nd grade really needs tutoring. Academics at public only become serious (if you can call it that) from 3rd grade onwards and by the end of 2nd grade you'd have a clear idea of where you are and what if anything you'd need to do over the summer to catch up.

[Anonymous]

We moved to MCPS at 4th grade level from a very laid-back progressive school in another country where they emphasized social-emotional learning, field-trips, community building for the students, and fun. Moving here nearly broke my child (who has mild special needs). It's taken us a long time to adjust, and knowing that "it doesn't have to be like this," with all the academic pressure and lack of fun in school here, still makes it hard many years later. But we make the best of it. We may be an unusual case. We know others who made a similar switch who adjusted faster. If it's a necessary switch, I'm sure it'll be fine. But if you are happy where you are, enjoy what the Waldorf system has to offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at a Waldorf school and my child transferred there from another private. I will not be sending my child back to Waldorf next year. IMO, the transition into Waldorf is far more difficult than the transfer out. If your child has been at Waldorf since the beginning, the only difficulty I could see is getting adjusted to having more homework, more classroom structure and less art, music and outdoor pay. However, if your child is in 2nd grade or below, you can expect to have to get some private tutoring for them to catch up in a few subjects.

No one below 2nd grade really needs tutoring. Academics at public only become serious (if you can call it that) from 3rd grade onwards and by the end of 2nd grade you'd have a clear idea of where you are and what if anything you'd need to do over the summer to catch up.

Well, Waldorf has a very delayed reading program. I would imagine that a child may need extra help catching up to the class with respect to reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at a Waldorf school and my child transferred there from another private. I will not be sending my child back to Waldorf next year. IMO, the transition into Waldorf is far more difficult than the transfer out. If your child has been at Waldorf since the beginning, the only difficulty I could see is getting adjusted to having more homework, more classroom structure and less art, music and outdoor pay. However, if your child is in 2nd grade or below, you can expect to have to get some private tutoring for them to catch up in a few subjects.

No one below 2nd grade really needs tutoring. Academics at public only become serious (if you can call it that) from 3rd grade onwards and by the end of 2nd grade you'd have a clear idea of where you are and what if anything you'd need to do over the summer to catch up.

Well, Waldorf has a very delayed reading program. I would imagine that a child may need extra help catching up to the class with respect to reading.

Maybe. But actually when they start, they move faster and catch up - so it will depend on the grade this OP's child is already in. If they are transferring out of 1st they may need to do some catch up with reading, but if they're leaving 3rd, probably not.