Waldorf schools are based on the philosophies of Rudolph Steiner (1861-1925), a social philosopher and the founder of anthroposophy (the wisdom of man). One of the key principles of Waldorf is that each child is special and unique and they need to be accepted and celebrated just as they are.
Ann Sharfman, who is involved in Waldorf Educare Teacher Training, says that whereas many educational systems concentrate on school readiness or learning readiness as the main goal of the pre-school years, "we look at life as a whole and life is more than learning to read and write. Children need to be prepared for the future, for all aspects of life and its challenges."
Every single activity in a preschool morning is designed so the child can learn step-by-step about independence and self responsibility. For more information visit www.waldorf.org.za
What to bear in mind
There are a number of Waldorf schools in South Africa. Most, however, offer only pre primary and primary education, which means that at some stage your child may need to adapt to mainstream education. Again, although this may pose problems, certain skills which Waldorf education encourages can help the child manage more effectively in a traditional school.
Ann Sharfman, who is involved in Waldorf Educare Teacher Training, says that whereas many educational systems concentrate on school readiness or learning readiness as the main goal of the pre-school years, "we look at life as a whole and life is more than learning to read and write. Children need to be prepared for the future, for all aspects of life and its challenges."
Every single activity in a preschool morning is designed so the child can learn step-by-step about independence and self responsibility. For more information visit www.waldorf.org.za
What to bear in mind
There are a number of Waldorf schools in South Africa. Most, however, offer only pre primary and primary education, which means that at some stage your child may need to adapt to mainstream education. Again, although this may pose problems, certain skills which Waldorf education encourages can help the child manage more effectively in a traditional school.
