Controversial Aspects of Waldorf School Education Essay

Waldorf trains argon a fairly new phenomenon in our country. They firstly appe atomic number 18d in our upbringingal dodge in the groom day year1992/1993 and since their demonstrateation aim expanded. Nowadays, we rear protrude a Waldorf school or at least its scion almost in e truly(prenominal) city. Their popularity among p arnts increases and although they struggle for their existence, they nearhow manage to keep their status of a state school. To an uninitiated observer, such a school type seems very creative and child friendly. Many positive aspects cannot be denied and there atomic number 18 perpetu ally two sides to everything.Unfortunately, not umpteen a(prenominal) critical essays were compose on the topic of Waldorf gentility, although more or less aspects are primal and should be in public disclosed. The aim of this paper is to focus on the aspects and help parents as rise as the teachers themselves to direct their attention to Waldorf thought con text which is not openly presented. If parents consider enrolling their child in a Waldorf school, they should be highly sensible of the fact that it is not scarce the school itself and its nice methods that are presum competent and very alluring at first glance, but principally, it is the lifestyle that accompanies it.Waldorf nurture is not for everyone, especially not in the 21st century. Their rejection of technological devices or even of some scientific theories of know directge should be transparent. spate oft choose it on account of their own often unhappy puerility but such a decision is not for us but for the children we love and want the best for. According to one Czech apothegm which declares that It is never similarly late for a rectification, the child psychologists do not agree in the case of Waldorf pedagogy.When there appears a sound problem, parents along with the psychologist are to react speedily. It is too late to start persuasion ab kayoed a change of s chool in primary folk five. In such case, the best solution, according to specialists, is to stay and complete the satisfying Waldorf school. A child would need too numerous problems and serious difficulties to change to an ordinary school system. Such a decision could even slump the satisfying situation. If the result of an elementary school choice, which is crucial for the future examine attitude of our children fails, it can lead into a disaster.If, (especially Waldorf) schooling fails due to all misunderstanding and misuse of the philosophy or due to insufficient knowledge of teachers who explain sure aspects in the wrong way, the result equals psychological problems of the child, the faltering of education, then school in general and as the icing on the cake could be the sleepless nights and nausea of the whole family. One should always get the opportunity to learn the pros and cons of the numerate as we are all aware of the great vulnerability of children.Histori cal backgroundRudolf Steiner, the recrudesce of the first Waldorf school in Germany in 1919, based the curriculum of Waldorf school on unique elements of art in which the students learn subject matters stimulate by dint of an amount of different representations. His pedagogy is designed for the students developmental growth. He establishd a whole system in which teachers themselves govern the school and along with the parents and supporters of the school, they create a community based on the aspects of Anthroposophy (a school of thought that grew out of Theosophy), a spiritual path from which Waldorf school springs and is devoted to.Steiner himself describes the initial surgical process of the whole base of Waldorf school as follows. The first idea was to add an education for children whose parents were prepareing in the Waldorf Astoria Factory, and as the Director was a appendage of the Anthroposophical Society, he acquireed me to arrange this education and so, in the firs t place, the Waldorf School arose as a school for charitableity as such, fashioned, it could in fact be said, out of the working-class ere then, we have an educational institution arising on a social basis, that seeks to found the whole spirit and method of its teaching upon Anthroposophy. (Rudolf Steiner, A Modern Art of Education p. 88) Waldorf Schools and Religion Waldorf schools are often called cease Waldorf schools and they are also said to be non- ghostly. Such facts do not entirely correspond with the exposition of Anthroposophy a philosophy created by Steiner. Waldorf education itself is grounded on Anthroposophy although such a fact is not often publicly proclaimed.The definition of Anthroposophy given by Rudolf Steiner in 1923 is following an association of hoi polloi who would foster the life of the soul, both in the individual and in human society, on the basis of a true knowledge of the spiritual existence. (Rudolf Steiner spill the beans on Color and the Races of Humankind 1923, London) Such a definition discloses the religious implication of Anthroposophy. The life of the soul could be also suggested as a religious term as advantageously as the spiritual world.Steiners allegation of true knowledgein the definition evokes the idea that no other philosophy might be true and thus can Anthroposophy be viewed as a junto according to some definitions. Despite the fact that Waldorf schools deny being religious or occultist, many earthy sources define Anthroposophy as a religious movement. Encyclopedia Britannica defines Anthroposophy as a movement based on the notion that there is a spiritual world comprehensible to pure but accessible only(prenominal) to the highest faculties of mental knowledge (http//www. ritannica. com, 20/11/12) The Merriam-Websters Collegiate mental lexicon defines Anthroposophy as a 20th century religious system increment out of theosophy and centering on human development. (http//www. m-w. com/cgibin/dictionary, 20/11/12).The Oxford lexicon of Philosophy interprets Anthroposophy in a convertible way and names it The Christian and occultist movement associated with Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) emphasizing the cultivation of spiritual nature and the way to attain spiritual awareness of a higher world (Oxford, 1994, p. 5) Anthroposophy is not only obscure in education but we can recognize this philosophic direction in several other activities including healing dance eurhythmy, the arts, checkup practice, health and hygiene, biodynamic agriculture, banking and financial consulting, publishing, the anthropological Society and also a dinner dress Church called The Christian Community. (http//www. waldorfcritics. org, 6/12/12). Criticism of Waldorf SchoolsEducation or schooling of our children should certainly be objective as much as possible without occultist practices. We should educate strong-minded human beings able to view their lives with freedom, able to search for verifiable informa tion themselves without penalties. Freedom of choice should be the remedy for every individual. One should not be excluded or asked to leave when request inconvenient or suspicious questions.The evidence is not only found in personal experience of many people, but there are several commentaries about obscure theories and indefinite views described on a website for non-sectarian schools called PLANS. We can find a number of such websites that criticize equal matters but PLANS seems to be working with dedicated researchers, people who used to work very closely for the Waldorf schools and whose first great impression of the whole system reached alarming proportions after several years inside the system.Many a reader may raise objections against their criticism but since there are always the same asked questions and repeatedly occurring the same problems that harm, we should not consider gently of this problem. One should be aware of the fact that it is not a common criticism of an ordinary school system and its problems. Students as well as their parents naturally face everyday unpleasant situations that appear at school due to many common factors.Such ordinary problems often surface from misunderstanding of two sides, students negative attitude towards their studies and similar problems. In Waldorf schools there certainly arise the already mentioned problems as well but what makes the two educational systems different is the fact that people involved in the common educational process do not unremarkably set up, in general speaking, groups against the system or organizations searching for precise fundamental questions about the nature of certain practices of the system itself.The following quotation from the website can sketch a broad outline of PLANS to clarify their activities. Welcome People for Legal and Non-Sectarian Schools (PLANS) is a world-wide network of former Waldorf parents, teachers, students, administrators and trustees who come from a kin d of backgrounds with a common goal to educate the public about the earthly concern behind Waldorfs facade of progressive, arts-based education. Waldorf is the most visible activity of Anthroposophy, an occultist sect founded by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). (www. waldorfcritics. org 4/12/12) The statement about the most visible activity of Anthroposophymight be one of the crucial points that may cause the everlasting confusion in understanding of who they actually are. on that point are certain signs that most decidedly catch the observers eye and facilitate Waldorf schools. It is always the choice of colours, natural materials and pictures that often render angels or such spiritual beings. Symbolism is used across the whole Waldorf educational system.These indications and signs often lead the outside observer to a certainty that Waldorf school uses religious devices to present itself. Nevertheless one of the official definitions of Waldorf school found in Webster Dictionary st ates that Waldorf education (also known as Steiner education) is the largest independent alternative educational movement in the world. It is based on the ideas of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy. Learning is interdisciplinary, integrating practical, artistic, and conceptual elements.The approach emphasizes the role of the imagination in learning, developing thinking that includes a creative as well as an analytic component. The educational philosophys overarching goals are to provide unripened people the basis on which to develop into free, morally responsible and incorporated individuals and to help every child fulfil his or her unique destiny, the existence of which anthroposophy posits. Schools and teachers are given considerable freedom to define curricula within collegiate structures. (www. merriam-webster. om 9/1/13) In the definition the reader does not catch any information about religious or occultist practice in Waldorf education. The whole characteristic of the school seems unique, interesting and at first commode describing an ideal type of school. Many a parent prefers such a school and there is no wonder that the description attracts parents who want to have an independent, creative child that is voluntarily seeking knowledge. The last sentence of the definition is nevertheless crucial and to an educated and experienced teacher, it probably foreshadows further questions.At this point it is essential to emphasize that particularly the Czech Waldorf school collegial structures are made up of often non- teachers or of teachers who reached the high school education only. A further sample of the text written by Debra Snell, the President of the association PLANS summarizes, through her personal experience, the feelings and thoughts of majority of people who happened to be a part or came into contact with the Waldorf education. My personal experience with Waldorf was very confusing.Instead of the progressive and liberal alternative s chool I was led to expect by the schools promotional materials and staff, I notice a rigid, authoritarian environment that seemed to be rooted in a medieval dogma that I did not understand. When, in an effort to make sense of things, I asked questions about this, I found Waldorf teachers to be curiously defensive. I was stunned to arrive at the conclusion that the education of children at least as I use the term education did not seem to be the schools most weighty focus and objective.But what was? I began to ask questions. What is Anthroposophy? Why dont teachers allow students in the preschool through the early elementary grades to use discolor crayons in their drawings? Why do students use the wet-on-wet watercolour painting proficiency exclusively for so many years? Why is mythology taught as register? Where is the the Statesn flag, and wherefore dont Waldorf schools teach civics lessons in America? In a school system that promotes itself as education toward freedom, wh y do students copy everything from the blackboard?Why do Waldorf teachers talk in high voices and sing-song directions to their classes? Why must the kindergarten room walls be painted yello deficiency pink blossom? Why is learning to read before the age of 8 or 9 considered unhealthy? Why do so many Waldorf classes have problems with bullying, and what is the schools policy for dealing with this? Why are teachers always lighting candles? (www. waldorfcritics. org 4/12/12) Snell points out existing questions and facts many parents begin to sense when explanations to their questions start being vague or ambiguous. any question is worth answering especially a question of a parent or a child. Unfortunately many parents who place their children to Waldorf school often get a recommendation to leave when asking too much. Why are not the answers obvious and logical? Why do not the parents receive any straight explanation? There have been many similar questions asked by parents all over t he world and as we can see, while browsing the internet and other sources such as debates and newspaper articles, very often such questions stay unanswered.No matter which country the Waldorf school backers come from, their experience and feelings are very similar. They wish to find clear answers, which is not a simple task, but generally one could be satisfied at least to gain some basic awareness and knowledge of the facts why at all we shall ask these questions. There are so many controversial issues, such as writing in capital letters only until the age of eight, as well as not learning to read until a certain time, the prohibition of electronic devices such as a CD, DVD player, a computer or the lighting of candles to attract the good spiritual forces.