What about waldorf education?

[Imperiuz]

Been a long time since I hang around here last time, dear amicae. I finished gymnasium, said to be the equivalent of US University-preparatory school. Either I get into university, or Folk high school, or I'll get a job, or in the worst case scenario I'll be struck living on my parents and the welfare state.

However, I really miss those good ol' days when I fought for the faith and good values everywhere I had the chance. Being active in a political youth organisation has taught me a lot, but it has also taught me to censor myself. I feel my faith is in decline, and has been so for a time now.

Of course I have myself to blame for this (as well as my general laziness and increase in weight and so on ), but I can't help thinking how five years of occultist schooling could have effected me. I have participated in what schould probably be defined as occult rites, known as "eurythmics". These consists of wandering around in occult shapes together to piano music, sometimes throwing copper wands to each other (it was an obligatory course, they get taxpayer money for this crap). Among other things, we were told about how they fertilized their plants after the positions of the planets and about invisible "curry crosses" that could apparently cause cancer if you slept inside them. One teacher told my classmate that he had a weak spirit. I was also interviewed for another teacher's magisterial (master) essay who told me about the elemental spirits who thrive when you do not clean your room, and if you clean your room, you will get other elemental spirits who encourage you to be dilligent. These people do not want to teach their students to read and write before the age of nine, or to install adequate safety devices in their playgrounds, or even vaccinate their children from rubeola because of the believed "stages of incarnation". (thankfully, the government has done a crackdown on some of these things) For some reason, I can't believe that the people who design their education according to occult ideas won't let it effect students of any other religion.

Anyone here with experience of waldorf education or any idea of how good/bad it is for a believer?

Me dressed as a fish before an eurythmics play:

 

[MKJ]

The philosophy behind Waldorf is not compatible with Christianity, and it does impact their pedagogy. There are some great things in their schools, but it is probably be better to just take those things and leave the rest. (They use some beautiful materials, they don't try to push kids o academics they aren't developmentally ready for, kids spend a lot of time outdoors...)

I would consider putting a young child in a Waldorf pre-school if the other options weren't good, but I would be very careful beyond that. There are also certain problems associated with the Waldorf schools that are unrelated to Christianity but which I would be wary of.

All that being said, I don't think it is that useful to blame your current situation on Waldorf schools. Lots of kids come out of them and do very well, and it could easily become an excuse to evade personal responsibility.

 

[Brooklyn Knight]

I...um...yeah.

Not going to lie, can't offer my two cents here; first time I'm actually hearing about Waldorf schools. I looked up Rudolf Steiner and...are these schools similar to Scientology?

Again, do apologize. Am ignorant on the matter.

Anyways, congrats on graduating!

 

[MKJ]

I...um...yeah.

Not going to lie, can't offer my two cents here; first time I'm actually hearing about Waldorf schools. I looked up Rudolf Steiner and...are these schools similar to Scientology?

Again, do apologize. Am ignorant on the matter.

Anyways, congrats on graduating!

I don't think it is much like Scientology, but that could be because I don't know enough about Scientology.

Waldorf schools are sometimes called Steiner schools. They are very popular, but most people who attend aren't really part of the religious group.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

From what I am reading, that there is an occult underpinning to this Waldorf hysteria. To be honest, I have never heard of this movement until today. The only non-traditional schools I often hear about in Massachusetts, are the Montessori.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

I would suggest that you focus on Christ and the Cross. Pray, plea and petition God with your needs, problems and gripes.

 

[Virgil the Roman]

Pray, frequent the Sacrament of Penance and see your confessor often. Stay Close to our Lady and Jesus. Visit Christ in the Blessed Sacrament often. Taking up a Devotion to the Holy Face or Sacred Heart may be of spiritual benefit to you as well. And of course, pray the Rosary daily as our Lady asks of us.

Pax Domini.


(P.S. Glad to see ya back here once more. I'd taken a hiatus myself and similarly have struggled. However, our 'fervour' with which we feel the faith often ebbs and flows. The key here, rather, is whenever it wanes, we still must stick with Christ throughout the dry spells in our lives and in our faith. Jesus is faithful. He'll never abandon us!

Recall Christ's words to us at the end of my patron's Gospel:

“Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.”
— St Matthew XXVIII, xx.​

 

[Virgil the Roman]

Pray, frequent the Sacrament of Penance and see your confessor often. Stay Close to our Lady and Jesus. Visit Christ in the Blessed Sacrament often. Taking up a Devotion to the Holy Face or Sacred Heart may be of spiritual benefit to you as well. And of course, pray the Rosary daily as our Lady asks of us.

Pax Domini.


(P.S. Glad to see ya back here once more. I'd taken a hiatus myself and similarly have struggled. However, our 'fervour' with which we feel the faith often ebbs and flows. The key here, rather, is whenever it wanes, we still must stick with Christ throughout the dry spells in our lives and in our faith. Jesus is faithful. He'll never abandon us!

Recall Christ's words to us at the end of my patron's Gospel:

“Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.”
— St Matthew XXVIII, xx.​

 

[Antigone]

I'm a teacher and I had to look it up, but it's known as De Vrije School over here, which literally translates as the Free School (as in free of constraints, not free as in no money).

Some aspects of Waldorf schools are brilliant. I like their emphasis on early foreign language learning, the way they stimulate creativity and the fact that Waldorf students don't see 'passing a test' as their ultimate goal but are intrinsically motivated to learn.

Having said that, they underperform academically, not due to a lack of motivation but because they don't put enough stress on the importance of planning, structure and learning through hard work.

I think it depends on the child. I think I would have done really well at Waldorf primary education, but secondary perhaps not so much.

 

[Virgil the Roman]

I've never heard of the Waldorf system. I'm more up on the Classical System of Education (which, alas, is by far the minority these days).