To wish parents realised that Steiner/Waldord Schools are based on anthroposophy?

[abacucat]

Anthroposphy is a system of belief that believes amongst other things, that people are reincarnated.
The way schools are set up and run is set by this belief system. Everything from the colour of the walls, to the curriculum, to the use of wood and no plastic.
And any schools that are listed as Steiner/Waldorf schools do follow anthroposophy.
If parents are happy with anthroposophy influencing every aspect of the school, then fine.

The delayed reading is nothing to do with any education philosophy, just their batshit idea that children need to start losing their teeth before reading instruction is introduced.

If schools and parents are totally following Steiner principles, children should not have access to books at all until they first learn to write and then to read.
In places where children are taught to read later, it is normal for them to have access to books, to be read books, etc. So children are primed to learn to read. The Steiner/Waldorf philosophy is that children should start totally from scratch not knowing the alphabet or having had access to any books. That is very different.
As I said some children still learn to quickly read. But some do not and they are the ones that are I think failed by the Steiner reading method.

The truth is whatever method is used, most kids learn fairly quickly. Reading techniques need to be geared towards those kids who will struggle and need extra help.

Also in terms of creativity, I do not think the Steiner method is at all creative. Kids use water on water technique to create pictures and are at younger ages restricted to the number of colours they can use e.g. 3 colours only when young. They are taught to copy a picture. That is why the pictures all look the same.
Kids learn to knit, make felt gnome dolls, etc. That is what makes it look like a creative place.

Please reassure me that Montessouri is not like this? I always thought they were in the same general group as Steiner and Waldorf... might have to reconsider LO's nursery if that's the case...

I think all of us on this thread would agree that Steiner schools aren’t ideal. But mainstream schooling isn’t ideal either.

I wish there was some sort of half way house. I don’t want my kids being given homework at age 5 and, to be honest, I don’t want them being taught to read age 5 if they’re not ready (and I say this having worked in a classroom with 6 year olds, many of whom
hadn’t really grasped reading, and were already calling themselves and/or books ‘stupid’.) I don’t want them sitting at desks for multiple hours daily until they’re 7 or 8. I want them outdoors, playing, exploring, problem solving...

But nor do I want them learning that the heart doesn’t pump blood round the body (?) etc.

I just wish there was another type of education widely available - what I see at the DCs forest nursery but for older kids, I suppose.

Melody - Montessori is completely different.

melody DS is at Montessori and it's nothing like what's described in this thread.

They're a bit evangelical about their educational methods and they prefer natural materials, but all in all it's fine and DS is very happy.

Just read the Ofsted report for the Exeter Steiner Free school recently closed under emergency measures....

I had to do some research as I wasn't aware of this. The racial elements are very concerning, as outlined in this BBC article:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-28646118

More concerning for me is the low vaccination rate of students at these schools, on that basis alone I wouldn't send my child to one. As the article notes, the Health Protection Agency classified these schools as "unvaccinated populations for measles."

I wish there was some sort of half way house
Ah me too. I think there is a huge gap in the market for parents like me (and presumably you too, and many people on this thread who expressed similar thoughts). With no synthetic phonics and exam performance, but with absolutely no quackery either. Even sciences can be taught in a very fun way from a very early age, but still with sufficient rigour.
I am very academic myself, however, I really don't see any value in the rote learning at the age of 4.
We should start our own school

@SoaringSwallow
I agree on the point of learning through play, but there are still some academic expectations. An example is Germany with their difference between "Muss-Kind" (who has to start formal schooling due to age) and "Kann-Kind" (who may start formal schooling even being below the compulsory age). "Kann-Kind", to be recognised as such, has to pass a short academic test, which, at the minimum, includes knowing alphabet and numbers up to 20.

DS(6) goes to a Steiner-ish school. There is no anthroposophy, no faith formation of any kind (unless you count one of DS's friends who is being raised RC and talks a lot about god). The teacher does not tell them gnomes are real though she does play along about Santa as they all currently believe in him. They do practical maths and languages (when feeding the animals/baking/doing science experiments/etc) and worked on literacy from early on as the children mostly wanted to do 'school work' as well as art and outdoor play. I'm on site a lot and spend whole days with the class on a very regular basis, so I know exactly how a day goes for my DS.

I think Steiner schools can actually vary a great deal. I researched them extensively and was very, very wary of anthroposophy. But ime, they really are not all the same at all and they tend to have a philosophy that grows from the guidance of the founding teachers and parents. We're a super pop-culture, very skeptic/atheist, science/tech loving literary family. Honestly the last people who you'd think of when you'd think of Steiner. But DS's school is a perfect fit for him and is benefitting him enormously in every way. Not a day goes by since he started that I'm not excessively grateful for everything that had to happen for him to be able to go there.

And how is this different from a school run on more 'mainstream' religious beliefs?

Openness and transparency. The fact that many who send their kids to these schools are unaware of this suggests that they aren't exactly clear about it to parents.

Unlike every christian school I've been in which has a clear statement of faith in the prospectus, induction materials for new parents and clearly and prominently displayed on a noticeboard or two around the school.

How many of you getting upset by the idea of gnomes have an elf-on-the-shelf and tell your kids it’s real?

The significance of the gnomes is much darker than EOTS though. The gnomes are the force of darkness and can do harm, which is why their permission needs to be sought before going outside

I also agree that the 'creativeness' is very narrow and prescribed. When I saw that the paintings of the kindergarten were all identical I seriously doubted that they even did them.

The one I had visited had recently been given EY status so they offered funding for the nursery. The teacher laughed whilst telling me that for one day (the inspection) they had to make horrible changes, such as allowing junk art, but then it was back to 'the rhythm'.

trancepants Is the school listed on the Steiner/Waldorf website as a Steiner school? All schools listed there have to meet certain criteria to be there and all follow anthroposophy.
In the US waldorf is trade marked, so and group using this has to follow anthroposophy.

And agree that the gnomes are very different from elf on the shelf. Elf on the shelf is a bit of imaginative fun, nothing more.

Intrigued. Always thought I supported Steiner etc and lumped it in with Montessori.

Montessori is OK, right?

Montessori does not have a religious philosophy like Steiner.
In terms of whether you think it is good or not, probably best to do some research and google about criticisms of it.

There is a tension between those who want to remain "pure" Montessori and those who want to adapt to "modern world."

There is an accreditation scheme for Montessori to be called that, so you can check if somewhere you are considering really is Montessori, or simply inspired by that philosophy - although it may not matter to you which it is if you like the place.

www.montessori.org.uk/montessori-schools-association/accreditation/accreditation-process/eligibility-criteria

Some of the principles such as free flow play, are a standard part of most British nurseries.

Montessori is different (and lovely)
It shares the creative and natural aspects of Steiner without the weirdness

Montessori is quite prescriptive. Certainly the way you use their equipment and resources. There's no playing around, it is used in the way it's designed for. I'm thinking of settings I've worked in and I appreciate that it might be different in others though

Montessori isn’t prescriptive. Well I didn’t think so - it’s very much child led?

What are your qualifications in education, OP?

WhyDontYou Why do you think that is relevant?

I didn't know this about the Steiner Waldorf schools. What's the idea about the gnomes?