Waldorf Education

Books:

Understanding Waldorf Education: Teaching from the Inside Out, by Jack Petrash



Founded in 1919, by Rudolf Steiner as a school meant to educate the employees of the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany. 

Rudolf Steiner's occult leanings meant that his educational philosophy wore a halo of imbedded spirituality. I'll write more on this when I am able to read more about Steiner's life and work. Suffice it to say that for now, what ever I ideas use from the Waldorf program, spirituality (religious or occult) is not included in the classroom.

In a nutshell, Waldorf schools are about integrating disciplines in order to provide a comprehensive education that includes academic, physical, emotional, social, and moral components. 

While morals often have religious connotations (i.e. "thou shalt not..."), the morals at play in a Waldorf education seem to emphasize self-discipline, integrity, ambition and an educated sense of responsibility to your community.

"A key element that enables self-discipline to develop in a healthy way is the early formation of good habits" (p.4 Petrash)

Abstract

The purpose of this website is to provide a record of the educational philosophies that have contributed to my understanding of education, and in turn, to reflect on how their use, individually and in combination, have helped or hindered my students. 

To do so requires two steps: outlining, and clarifying the philosophies I use in class, and observing and reflecting on their effects on my students.

This site will be a continuously updated effort toward the first.

My classroom (mrvallisclassroom.blogspot.com) site will provide space for the second, as well as encourage an ongoing conversation among both my students and their parents throughout the year.