Pros and Cons of Waldorf Education

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With over a thousand Waldorf schools worldwide, more parents want to understand what they are all about. There is talk of alternative education everywhere as more families identify problems with current educational models.

There are some pros and cons to Waldorf education, which will help you understand more as you navigate the massive amounts of information on the web.

There are some pros and cons of Waldorf education. A pro is the consistent and comfortable routines due to familiar teachers and students within one class. Low vaccination rates in some schools is a major con.

This post identifies some of the pros and cons of Waldorf schools. I discuss Waldorf schools more thoroughly here. We will summarize the educational model and examine the pros and cons so you can decide whether they apply to you. Are you ready?

Summary of Waldorf Education

In Waldorf schools, teachers integrate the “head, hands, and heart” with creativity and an emotional connection to the children’s world to provide practical lessons and encourage problem-solving.

Waldorf education focuses on art and imagination as teachers promote community-driven projects and highly independent thought. Classroom sizes are very tiny –ranging from 7 to 15 students– and teachers typically stay with the same children for many years.

Academics are usually delayed until grades one and include the traditional subjects, but teachers weave them into the play-based curriculum. Because this model emphasizes a highly spiritual connection to the world, students are encouraged to participate in art, movement activities, and nature. Children typically play pretend, cook, clean, garden, and build complex structures.

Pros of Waldorf Education

Creativity
Community-oriented
Consistency same teacher
Holistic
Slow pace block learning
Hands-on
Autonomy
Nature-based

Creativity

Waldorf schools weave academics with story-telling and fantasy and are highly imaginative environments. Classrooms promote art and movement while instructors integrate creative themes with typical subjects to reinforce the knowledge. Children can paint, draw, dance, knit, cook, and build. Creative arts take center stage as the children are introduced to folk tales, legends, myths, and fables. The development of creativity is a major plus for many families who wish to instill a love for artistic journeys. Many families crave this exposure as drama, music, and dance permeate our culture.

Community-oriented

Waldorf values social responsibility and integrates community learning into children’s daily activities to teach respect for all humans. Practical knowledge helps children identify common problems, and teachers guide them into problem-solving methods. Educators also encourage the children to understand their community better, so they learn to create solutions to better our society.

Consistency

Children stay with the same teacher who builds relationships and keeps children safe. As they get to know and understand one another, children feel safe with their goals and ideas. Predictable patterns help children as they explore and flourish within an environment.

As defined by Rudolf Steiner, looping is when the teacher remains with the same set of students for many years –sometimes up to eight years. By providing the children with a consistent routine, comfortable rooms, and familiar faces, children learn to feel a deep sense of community. The teachers stay with the same set of students, so they are all very familiar with one another–teachers and students.

Holistic

A benefit to Waldorf schools is the child-centric focus! A typical hot topic, holistic learning, encourages the whole child to learn. Teachers respect each individual and value their unique patterns and behaviors. Waldorf schools emphasize “head, hands, and heart” to teach their children that people are more than one body part, but are all pieces working together. The head helps foster independent thought, the hands create, and the heart feels.

Slow Pace

Also called block learning, the long periods allow kids to play, stay focused, and engaged as they participate in independent activities. Waldorf teachers do not hurry or rush children and understand that children have personal rhythms. This slower pace is a tremendous advantage to Waldorf because many kids are often interrupted.

Hands-on

Waldorf schools are highly play-based; the teachers encourage children’s unique goals through practical lessons and hands-on learning opportunities. Together they identify specific tasks to perform and suggest different techniques to solve an issue they are having. These schools are very sensory-oriented and involve many natural manipulatives.

Autonomy

Children are free to explore within the Waldorf classrooms and communal outdoor areas. Waldorf teachers value autonomy and are available as requested. The kids usually transform their classroom, create toys, cook, clean, and garden without interruption. Children are natural problem-solvers, so they are free to examine and develop ideas.

Nature-based

A considerable component of Waldorf education is its love for integrating nature-based themes and tools into the children’s school day. There is rarely any technology –until the students get older– to keep children focused on the natural learning aspect of the program.

Kids are often playing with natural fibers and wood with the appropriate tools for building. There are many opportunities for children to be outside, and some of the programs are exclusively outdoors. The indoor areas are painted soft pastel colors with accompanying decorations that mimic the outdoors. Classrooms are inviting and calm to represent nature which helps children explore their learning environment.

Cons of Waldorf Education

Limited technology
No assessments
Competition
Religion and race
Involvement
Cost
Vaccination
Less academia

Limited Technology

While for some, this could be a benefit of Waldorf schools, many people shudder to think their children will have fewer exposures to technology. However, the low-tech component of this educational philosophy is done with great intention, and most Waldorf schools eventually introduce technology. Typically students are exposed to tech in the fifth grade when they examine common problems with the internet and learn conscious ways to navigate the web.

Waldorf educators believe it is far more important for students to interact with one another and their teachers, and work with real materials than to interface with electronic media or technology.
Media & Technology Philosophy – Waldorf School of the Peninsula (waldorfpeninsula.org)

No Assessments

Waldorf believes that children are natural-born learners and do not implement assessments or standardized tests. For some families, their kids could fall behind in certain areas. Teachers use portfolios and collect work for the documentation but do not administer specific tests for measuring success.

Teachers and administrators do evaluate the students for school placement, but they do it with the whole child in mind. Waldorf schools are also firmly against standardized tests and do not think that competition is something of value.

Families with special-needs children might be cautious if there are no assessments. Waldorf will probably not assess until requested or unless it is a concern. There is a chance that each Waldorf school operates on regional rules, so I’d consider reaching out to the school you are considering to ask more questions.

Competition

Because of the holistic learning approach to Waldorf schools, there is virtually no competitive nature in the classrooms. They do not support tests and assessments, so students do not learn to value competition. The children are usually encouraged to engage in personal activities, so they learn to appreciate their pace and unique exploration. Some children crave a more competitive environment and like competing in things like sports, spelling bees, and games.

Religion and Race

There is no religious affiliation with Waldorf schools, but they are highly spiritual and value anthroposophy. Some schools may explore Christian studies and introduce the children to religious themes and lessons. This is a massive challenge for some because kids may get confused about learning faith or spiritual-based lessons if they are unfamiliar with those ideas.

Some families prefer steering away from schools that incorporate these lessons as they may promote racism and violence towards people of color. Waldorf schools are accused of racist acts and fail to acknowledge the problem with their white-centric methods.

This website has a Statement of Equity and Racial Justice.

The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) recognizes the historic and ongoing impact of racism on our continent and the injustice and discrimination faced by Black, Brown, Indigenous and People of Color.
Statement of Equity and Racial Justice – Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (waldorfeducation.org)

They do call attention to the fact that Rudolf Steiner made racist comments and that those comments go against Waldorf’s educational models. It could be helpful if they elaborate more on the current model versus the dated model.

Involvement

Parents must be involved in their children’s education. Waldorf explores this idea thoroughly because children are highly independent and rely on teachers to provide tools and feedback for their success. Some families may struggle with this idea if they require particular compliance and limit their children’s responsibility and independence within their homes.

Waldorf students are very active in their own ideas and will require parental support and involvement in developing their ideas. Parents should be willing to accept their role and accommodate their children’s independent thoughts.

Cost

Waldorf schools tend to reach 30 grand in tuition and fees, while some are closer to 20. The costs associated with this educational model are significant disadvantages to some who can not afford this price tag. There are non-refundable application fees, tuitions, and field trip costs. Most schools don’t offer lunch, so you are responsible for paying and packing your kid’s food and snacks.

However, some schools do offer payment plans, discounts, and even scholarships.

Vaccination

For some, a huge con is that Waldorf schools have low vaccination rates because some schools do not force students to vaccinate. According to this website, vaccination rates at this school were only 22%. Critics of the Waldorf method highlight that their schools do not support vaccination. However, some Waldorf schools state that they enforce vaccinations and comply with all laws.

This website says that teachers are not medically trained professionals and do not have the authority to tell families they should or should not vaccinate. They remain firm in stating that Waldorf schools are not anti-vaccination and that they support education, health, and proper emotions.

In my particular experience with Waldorf, the teachers required my kids to provide proof of vaccination. While we all want our children to experience life fully and in the highest amount of comfort, bliss can cause harm and maybe disease. 😷

Covid-19 aside, there are still diseases that increase in unvaccinated communities, like measles. Check the school policy in your area to see if it aligns with your vaccination beliefs.

Less Academia

Waldorf schools do not require teaching academic subjects until the first or second grade. Early schools don’t enforce subject learning and focus heavily on creative expression, play, and movement. While this is a positive for some, it could be a negative if parents want their children to be highly involved in particular subjects.

Some Waldorf schools also do not support the scientific approach in a modern way, with some critics stating that Waldorf is a pseudoscientific and “dangerous creation school.” Others in favor of Waldorf methods mention the importance of early development and nature-based programs to enhance learners’ understanding of the natural world and science.