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" The advent of the Waldorf Schools was in my opinion
the greatest contribution to world peace and understanding of the century.
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Willy Brandt, former Chancellor West Germany, former Waldorf parent, 1971
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate |
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The Waldorf Elementary School Day
The uniqueness of the Waldorf curriculum
lies primarily in how and when the children are taught.
Perception, feeling, concept: these are
the three steps in a learning process that prepares the intellect for
the abstract and conceptual thinking which will become possible later,
in adolescence.
The morning main lesson, a two-hour period,
starts each school day. Each core subject (math, ancient cultures, geography...)
is taught for a three to five week block of time. The teacher can delve
into each subject in-depth and has the opportunity to enhance these
topics with poetry, painting, modeling and drama. Intellectual learning
is always combined with artistic, rhythmical and practical work.
The uninterrupted, two-hour
main lesson is the academic cornerstone upon which the day is built. It
encourages the child to become absorbed in, even saturated with, his subject
when presented in this type of block structure.
Subjects requiring regular repetition in
shorter lessons (foreign languages, for example) make up the rest of
the morning. Afternoons are devoted to activities that are more social
in nature; games and sports, painting, handwork and gardening.
The Class Teacher
The Class Teacher follows the same class
of children through the elementary years (ideally from grades one to
eight), teaching all of the core academic subjects. For the teacher,
this means time to fully understand each child, to develop a strong
bond and to help them develop to their potential. Specialized teachers
in such areas as languages, music, fine arts and eurythmy enhance the
work of the class teacher.
Lessons are taught directly by the teacher,
rather than via textbooks or computers. The subject matter comes alive
through the teachings of the teacher. The children make their own books
for each subject, recording and illustrating the substance of their
lessons. These books, often artistic and beautiful, are an important
way by which art is integrated into every subject.
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