Waldorf schools

[Joannm]

Does anyone know anything about the Waldorf schools? We have a few families who want to sign up for our religious ed program but they are insisting on teaching their own children saying that the children don’t read yet (2nd and 3rd graders) and that they don’t use textbooks in their school so they don’t want ours. We also heard that the schools integrate a form of spirituality that might not conform to Catholic teachings. We are looking for more information so we can decide the best way to work with these children.

 

[mommamaree]

Run away as fast as you can from Waldorf schools.
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
All joking side now, they are not compatible with Christianity. They indoctrinate the students into New Age and occultic teachings, slowly but surely. Besides that, they are very totalitarian with how they run the school. They have very strict guidelines about use of color and lines, and when children will be allowed to learn how to read. They are not a good place for Christians to enroll their children.

 

[on_the_hill]

Run away as fast as you can from Waldorf schools.
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
All joking side now, they are not compatible with Christianity. They indoctrinate the students into New Age and occultic teachings, slowly but surely. Besides that, they are very totalitarian with how they run the school. They have very strict guidelines about use of color and lines, and when children will be allowed to learn how to read. They are not a good place for Christians to enroll their children.

I don’t know anything about Waldorf schools other than that there is one near here. But I have to think that the claims they are occultic and indoctrinate children are maybe a little far-fetched? Have you examples? What are your sources?

(at one time we looked at various preschools for our children and went with a Montessori, mostly because of location and scheduling. Although we were thrilled with the decision.)

 

[marymary1975]

I agree with mommamaree, run away from waldorf! I have a friend who has her daughter in waldorf and swears by it and has brought a few more acquaintances of.mine to waldorf (that is how I am familiar with it). I guess it should be good to mention that this friend of mine is a single.mother by choice, is an activist for single women having kids outside of.marriage, pro gay marriage, pro choice and radical feminist. The reason why she loves waldorf so much is precisely because Their teaching goes along this.mentality, so yes it is completely new age. I can tell you for a fact that the first thing they are going to teach your kids is that there is no difference between the sexes, that sex.is.merely a social construct that must be eliminated. There are big into the whole patriarchy concept and that patriarchy meds to be destroyed. I know they.do cross dress days where they have the girls dress like boys, and boys like girls. They push the concept.that sexuality is not.defined so that boys can like and fall in love with boys and they push the gay agenda into kids. They have also very weird.philosophies and ideas on how to teach children, I think the idea of ocultism comes from those weird philosophies. I cannot recall the exact philosophies, I would probably have to look back at my chats with that friend, but I do remember her telling some teaching techniques that horrified me. But you can be sure that since early the push the entire anti life agenda into kids. Again there is a reason why my radical feminist friends swear by waldorf.

 

[Eleanor61]

I have been involved in Waldorf education for many years, incorporating as many elements as feasible into my 25 years of homeschooling, and never heard of cross dressing days or any of that nonsense. They are actually very traditional, celebrating the catholic feast days, but with a new age twist. Research Rudolph Steiner and Anthroposophy if you want to know what they actually teach. Their educational methods are sound, if unconventional, and it is a very gentle and nurturing environment, where school is more homelike. They do not allow television or electronic games and toys, which is also sound developmentally.
There is a lot to admire, and Steiner was way ahead of his time in his development of schools and homes for the mentally and physically disabled - see Camphill movement. He was responding to the overly strict German educational model and founded his first school for the children of factory workers. He was at odds with Hitler, but died before it became an issue.

I have a large selection of books from Waldorf sources and all assume a traditional family structure with father, mother, siblings, etc. usually the assumption is that mother is home to do all the bread baking, knitting and sewing that contribute to the ideal Waldorf home. Just like you can find Catholics who will swear that the rules have changed and mortal sin no longer exists you will find people who have corrupted Steiner’s ideas, it is the spirit of the times.

Feminists and witches may be attracted to Waldorf schools, and individual schools may be off the wall, but that is not the essence of Waldorf education. Love, rhythm, tranquility and security is.

 

[Kindness]

I have a good friend here in Germany who investigated sending her daughter to a Steiner/Waldorf school as the conventional German school system was not the best fit for her. Although it is true that they emphasize a warm caring environment which can be attractive, ultimately their theology (not just philosophy) at the heart of their methods is incompatible with Catholicism. My friend was going to send her daughter until she found that they believe in reincarnation. As a result of their theology, which does seem to be compatible with New Age, all kinds of ideas can slip in and Waldorf schools can attract genuine seekers after good who nevertheless do not know Christ. As a result some Christians can get mislead to the point that the truth of Christianity would definitely become confused. There is the danger at the very least that a strong relativism would result (I.e. “all Truth is equal”). As a result of all the investigation she and her husband did regarding the Waldorf school and Steiner’s theology they decided to send their daughter to a Catholic girls school in the next city.

I would personally never send my children to a Waldorf school but there’s no reason not to adopt ideas about creating a simple, natural and family centered home which are available to anyone and not owned by Steiner (in fact they are traditional German ideas).

Their schools are also quite anti-science so Waldorf children generally do not learn about math and science to the same extent as children in other schools.

 

[Iheartcoffee]

I don’t really know anything about them, but if the people you know have 2nd and 3rd graders that cannot read yet, then there are some serious problems there. Language skills such as reading, writing, etc. should be fostered as early as the child is able to handle it. It only gets harder to master your language (or any other) as one gets older.