Our Curriculum
We are inspired by Waldorf Education
Being inspired by Waldorf Education and the curriculum from Dr. Rudolf Steiner means that we are not currently accredited by the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA). Once we have successfully completed our first year as a school we will be looking into the process to become an accredited Waldorf School. During our first year, we are welcomed and supported by the Waldorf schools in Michigan, Detroit Waldorf School and Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor, as a new Waldorf initiative.
What is Waldorf?
Waldorf Education was created by Dr. Rudolf Steiner in 1919, as a request from a friend who worked at the Waldorf cigarette factory in Germany. Following one of Dr. Steiner’s lectures on the threefold social order (Government, Economics, and Education) his friend, Emil, wanted Dr. Steiner to start a school for the factory workers’ children.
Now Waldorf Education is in over 70 countries, there are over 1,000 Waldorf grades schools and 2,000 Waldorf early childhood centers. In the United States there are over 120 Waldorf schools.
Waldorf education aims to develop the "whole child" — intellectually (head), emotionally and socially (heart), and practically and creatively (hands). This means integrating academic subjects with a rich array of arts, crafts, music, movement, and practical skills throughout the curriculum.
The curriculum is carefully tailored to the distinct developmental stages of childhood, typically divided into three seven-year phases: early childhood (0-7 years), grades (7-14 years), and adolescence (14-21 years). In the grades, learning is approached through imagination and feeling. Subjects are often introduced through storytelling, mythology, fables, and biographies, integrating artistic and practical activities to bring concepts to life. A "class teacher" typically stays with the same group of students for several years, building strong relationships.
More specifically:
Emphasis on Imagination and Creativity: Waldorf education nurtures the child's imaginative capacities from an early age, believing it's crucial for fostering creative thinking and problem-solving later in life.
Experiential and Hands-on Learning: Concepts are learned through direct experience, movement, and hands-on activities rather than solely through textbooks or rote memorization, especially in the younger grades.
Rhythm and Routine: A predictable daily, weekly, and yearly rhythm is emphasized in the classroom to provide a sense of security and structure for children.
Low-Tech Approach in Early Years: Waldorf schools typically limit or discourage the use of electronic media and digital devices in early childhood and elementary grades, advocating for a deeper connection to nature and unmediated human interaction.
Importance of Relationships: Strong, enduring relationships between students and their teachers, and among the students themselves, are highly valued and fostered.
Arts and Practical Skills Integrated: Art, music, handwork (knitting, woodworking, sewing), gardening, and drama are not extracurriculars but integral parts of the main curriculum, seen as essential for cognitive and emotional development.
Ethical and Social Development: Beyond academics, Waldorf education aims to cultivate moral strength, compassion, courage, and a sense of responsibility for oneself, the community, and the world.
A key to Waldorf Education is that it is education based on wisdom rather than the attainment of knowledge. Because of this difference, these schools operate without many of the modern day trends.
These schools do not introduce technology into the classroom until the child is in 8th grade, supporting the full capacity of creativity, brilliance, and innovation of the child.
These schools integrate at least as many types of art as academics, for a well rounded child and balanced brain development.
These schools incorporate a variety of movement courses to support the children in their quickly growing capacities.
There are no whole class standardized tests
The Waldorf way of education is a go slow to go fast method, with depth and breadth of educational philosophy that layers over the years which fosters a love of learning.