The Waldorf curriculum promotes well-rounded development in children by exposing them to a wide variety of subjects using an interdisciplinary approach that complements the students’ natural abilities.
Waldorf learning respects the uniqueness of each child while working in rhythm with the natural stages that children pass through. The pattern which unfolds in the individual child in many ways reflects the pattern which has unfolded throughout human history. Since these stages are in harmony with the development of civilization itself, the great stories of all time – from fairy tales and fables to Nordic and Greek myths – become the cornerstone of the curriculum. The young child learns by sparking the imagination through myth and the older child embraces learning through scientific inductive reasoning.
the head
thinking and knowledge
Waldorf education fosters high academic standards. The emphasis is not on what to think but on how to think. It embraces complexity rather than simplified facts. To be truly prepared for the future, it will not only be necessary to discover unknown answers to a given problem, it will be necessary to define the problem, ask the right questions, and envision many different solutions.
the heart
feelings and motivation
Waldorf education touches the hearts of the children in order to help them care about their fellow human beings, to reassure them that there is beauty and goodness in this world, and to show them that they play a role in preserving it. Artistic activities (painting, drawing, drama, music, and handcrafts) are part of the school experience each day. They foster a heartfelt connection between the student and the subject and make education more meaningful and more memorable.
the hands
purposeful activity
Children develop self-discipline over time through repetition and gentle insistence on good habits.The Waldorf curriculum instils confidence and fosters self-esteem in order to find a meaningful path in a complex and confusing world where self-determination and strong character are needed. Without self-discipline, our children’s hopes and dreams will not translate into action.
The Waldorf curriculum strives to appreciate the changing abilities of the growing child in a very concrete way by offering subject matter specifically suited to the faculties which the child is developing at a given age.
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