Rudolf Steiner/Waldorf schools

[pogofish]

Do you have to pay for it?

Yes, although I was on a 95% bursary from the local education department becaused of my supposed "problems"

Various others were from ordinary backgrounds on the same sort of funding. Many with some form of "special needs" the kids of the Steiner residental staff were paid by their organisation & there were a few others whose folks paid full-price.

The profile of the average family was indeed middle-class hippy/progressive, as were many of the teachers but all-in, it was the most inclusive & multicultural school I attended & certainly the only place that was not vilely racist/religiously intolerant or driven by its own divisive ethos, culture & internal barriers/pecking-orders.

 

[christonabike]

So if you want this:

"it was the most inclusive & multicultural school"

you have to pay?

Doesn't sound very inclusive to me - sounds like public school like Eton or such like

 

[pogofish]

Doesn't sound very inclusive to me - sounds like public school like Eton or such like

Err, fuck no!

 

[christonabike]

OK, I don't know about this school

 

[pogofish]

Perhaps reading the thread might help?

Plenty of pros & cons put over so far.

 

[christonabike]

I have been doing - I realise how methods there are different

I can't get over the £4000 per annum fee

 

[ebird]

Yes, although I was on a 95% bursary from the local education department becaused of my supposed "problems"

An' me! Apparently it's a different kind of "special" that teachers use, compared to the "special" that your mam and dad think you are.

I went to a RS School in Gloucestershire, but only for about a term and a half before my parents moved away from the area. I was too young to form a "proper" understanding of the place, but l thought it was the most un-school like school I ever went to, free of all the nasty-ness that pogofish mentions.

There certainly were lots of kids who were ded posh, with slightly hippy like parents, but I say it was a million miles from your average public school experience.

 

[christonabike]

So, if you ain't got the dosh, what are the criteria for getting in?

 

[wake_up]

This might be worth mentioning...

An exchange that occured between myself and an ex steiner student:

Me
"So you don't think it's harder for, say, a poor black girl from tower hamlets to succed in Britain today than a white, middle-class man?"

Former Pupil:
'' No. It's a matter of attitude''.

Me
''S you don't think anything needs to change in British society today? You think we've pretty much achieved equality?''

Former pupil:
"I think it's pretty much equal. Everyone has a fair chance''

Ok, so that conversation may not be word for word accurate. But you get the piont right? The view is: ''We are all bourgois hippy's now...except for those who are not (silly road sweepers!). Ho Hum, well I guess there's no helping some people. Not eveyone can be as enlightened as us.''

That's a pretty untidy charicature there. Possibly a tad OTT. But having read testimonies of others that have known former waldorf pupils, I don't think it's a million miles off a general outlook on life that these students go out into the world with.

Oh dear, I can see I'm going to get some angry replies to this!
Just so you all know, I don't mean to offend anyone with what I have said.
My comments are born out of genuine concern, and I accept all critisicms with open arms!

 

[pogofish]

So, if you ain't got the dosh, what are the criteria for getting in?

For state support, their ability with a range of special needs would be one major criteria. In my day, state provision was next to non-existant & although state provision is now much better, it still fails many. Steiner schools still help to fill the gap.

 

[pogofish]

That's a pretty untidy charicature there. Possibly a tad OTT. But having read testimonies of others that have known former waldorf pupils, I don't think it's a million miles off a general outlook on life that these students go out into the world with.

Pretty accurate for quite a number of them, but by no means all. More so for the kids who came-in from other Steiner institutions/Waldorf schools or the realms of hippydom. There was more than an air of "We are the special people" about them. Most though did live a lifestyle that was a bit detached from the real world. Not that this was a bad thing in itself & the communities they came from were a model of sustainable living that were years ahead of their time. North Scotland then was a tad insular harsh in its outlook & an insight into other ways of living was of some value.

For the rest of us who had to bus it back to grim reality every night these ideals were nice but a bit abstract!

 

[pogofish]

I ever went to, free of all the nasty-ness that pogofish mentions..

Sorry, most of the nastiness described the state schools.

 

[wake_up]

calling all waldorf/steiner pupils

Just a reminder that I'd still be very interested at what people who are/ have been at these schools have got to say on the matter of Waldorf/Steiner education, as I and others on this thread still have very little idea of what the curricullum was like etc.

Also, this is turning into a one man rant on my part! I'm hoging all the discusion!

 

[soluble duck]

As I mentioned earlier, I went to a Steiner school for quite a few years, and as far as the curriculum went..... well

In the Lower school, you had Main Lesson- this comprised of a topic which would be learnt over a couple of moths or so, ie Norse Myths, Egyptians, Greeks, Geometry

With this we learnt French and German, RE, Eurythmy, Music, and for a couple of years even Country Dancing (no idea why).

 

[wake_up]

anthroposophy

Just found this site:

www.anthroposophy.net

Can't work out if this this site uk or usa based?

I'm pretty computer illiterate, so if the answer's probably in the address, please forgive me.

(oh, and I should probably beg forgiveness for illteracy in more general terms!
Jesus, my spelling sucks!)

 

[wake_up]

i am a silly billy

Sorry, the site is CLEARLY from the US!

I will endevour to actually employ my brain, afore me next post.

 

[soluble duck]

you should go to a steiner school

 

[wake_up]

hehe

must..(grunt).resist urge..(gasp).to post...sarcastic...repley...(grunt)

must...be...strong


oo! by the way, how come everyone else has got that cool eye rolling icon?
Where are you, oh great expressive one?
Damn, I hate computers!

I'll never be able to find...oh! Here it is

 

[mazzamom]

I'm interested in sending my daughters to a Steiner Waldorf school. I'm finding it difficult to find resources from former pupils who went right through the system, although i've found a few from pupils who attended for a few yrs.

 

[Elephants Geral]

I'm not condoning Steiners racist views and weird ideas, but lets not judge the attitudes of the past by the values of today. In the early 20th century racist attitudes were very much the norm.

Sir Isaac Newton, the father of modern science, was an alchemist who had some very funny ideas by todays standards, but he had some pretty good ones too.

Rudolf Steiner is long dead, but Steiner education is very much alive and relevant in todays society. Just as Newtons good ideas have been accepted and his crazy ones ignored, so "What Steiner Said" is not the be all and end all of modern Waldorf education. Here's an article about the results of a government funded study into Steiner Education in the UK - Steiner schools 'could help all'

There is no doubt that Steiner education has spiritual aspects. Does this mean that Christian, Catholic, Jesuit and Muslim school are also 'crazy', 'weird', 'cults', 'to be avoided'? To some people it probably does.

If you really want out find out what Steiner schools are like then why not stop talking about it and actually go and visit one. The Steiner school in Hereford has regular open days where childrens work is on display, and both parents, pupils and teachers are available to talk about the education and their experiences of it. As regards payment, this school is funded on a contribution based system where you pay according to your ability to pay. This may well change as the school is currently undergoing a feasibility study with a view to creating a government funded Steiner academy (The Independant - Schools Get Backing To Run Academy ).

Here's the OFSTED report on the Hereford Nursery & Kindergarten.

My experience of the puils emerging from the Hereford School at 16 is that, for the most part, they are happy, creative, and extremely confident individuals.

Here's what the Hereford Sixth College has to say:

"The college welcomes pupils from the local Steiner School. They are excellent students," said Dr Jonathan Godfrey, the Sixth Form College principal.​

The bottom line is that you have a choice about education. Take a good hard look at a real Steiner school. Take a good hard look at real state school. Take good hard look at some other schools with other ideas. Ask the questions you want to have answered and make up your own mind.

Here are some links that may help:
The Independent - Steiner schools: Learning from experience
The Guardian - State schools 'could learn from Steiner principles'
The Guardian - Explainer: Steiner schools
DfES - Steiner Schools in England
European Council for Steiner Waldorf Education
Steiner Waldorf Fellowship
Waldorf Answers
Waldorf World
Hereford Waldorf School