STEINER education - whats the low down?

[catASTROPHE]

Just considering all the options for my DD who is almost 3.

And weaving

I really do understand people's reluctance to shield their children from 'real life' and 'the big wide world out there', which is one reason often given for shunning Steiner education.

Here is something I heard at an education conference which has always stuck with me: 'If your child is going into a famine situation, are you going to starve them in preparation or or are you going to fill them up with good things to strengthen them for what's to come?.

I choose the latter. They will be toughened up soon enough.

And drawing pictures in a very limited range of colours. Not including black. Making sure the pictures are spookily similar to pictures done by other members of the class!

I don't want to get in to a fight with you, Seeker. Sounds like you've made your mind up.
I've got a kitchen full of Dr Who drawings with lots of black in them. Home is home and school is school - you don't have to agree with everything they do there!

Goodnight!

Sorry chattea - didn't mind to sound dogmatic! I think there os SO much main stream education could learn from th eSteiner schools. But I do think there are a few things that Stiener could learn form mainstream and in my personal experience, it is a bit difficult if you don't wnat to "get with the programme" completely. And I do worry about the lack of computers.

Goodnight!

have you seen this thread, cat?

it seems to answer a lot of your questions

You CAN sometimes choose the class teacher to an extent, some schools have several classes esp in early years. ds's kindergarten has 2 classes and we were able to choose the teacher (simply because she had run the p/t group and so knew him-we are lucky in that the other teacher is absolutely lovely and I would have been happy for him to go into her class). Also, somewhere like London you have a choice of several schools, transport etc permitting (parents are usually good about lift sharing etc)

I would also point out re the single teacher. 1. there are normally other teachers eg for languages etc. 2. in a primary school you have 1 teacher up to 11

re gcses/a levels. steiner kids do them and do well, bascially, like any other private school. actually, given that they tend to take on a higher than average percentage kids with SEN, they do very well.

and why do you worry about the lack of computers, seeker?

Most adults now didn't have computers growing up. And those we had were unrecognisable to us today-ZX81 anyone?

yet we can pretty much all use them fine.

steiner schools, by giving kids the chance to grow up at their own pace, spending inordianate amounts of time playing with mud, IMO develop (among other things) those mathmatical skills, concepts and creativity which actually are pretty important for a job in computing. Or indeed any job.

eek, this thread has taken off and I haven't kept up at all! Will read tonight as DC are revolting. Ooh, actually, DD has just initiated a duplo session and invited her little bro to join her...unheard of!

Thanks for the link Filly, will cheack it out later

Seeker - my sons are 10 and 7. They are absolutely computer literate simply through being allowed a limited amount of time on it at home in their free time. Believe me, computer literacy is the LEAST of your worries where today's kids are concerned!!

I go up and down in my feelings about Steiner, simply because my younger son's class has had a difficult year because his teacher was dreadful and left. The other teachers have held the class and are looking for a permanent replacement. My older son has the most brilliant class teacher you could hope for and for a 10 year old boy he is incredibly enthusiastic about school! My experience of Steiner kids is that they really lovely children, some are a little undisciplined (school or family??), but they have great spirit, even the 14 year olds.

oh DUH am SO thick

hi astrophe

ffs

hi Filly ...not keen on my name really so thought I should experiment a bit...I had a radical haircut today as well!

Does anyone know whether Elmfield in Stourbridge offer a before school/breakfast club?

but Steiner schools ARE religious - anthroposophy is a religion of sorts - a very weird one, but definitely religious

I like a lot of the ideas behind Steiner education - but the thing that puts me off is the religious/spiritual element. And Steiner himself had some rather dodgy ideas around race I believe.

have a look at the dates on this thread chaps......

Cat, Our school has been asked about children atting for one or two days a week.
We have said no to those requests as In Steiner schools we recall new material in the following days and this is an important aspect to our teaching, so 1 or two days is not really fitting in with this picture.

Willow... Steiner Schools examine all religions or at least the main one's in subject lessons. They are not really religious schools as we have muslim children and others among the children we educate.

Willow... Steiner Schools examine all religions or at least the main one's in subject lessons. They are not really religious schools as we have muslim children and others among the children we educate.

cat, have you got any further with considering your options?
...This thread is very civilized, a breath of fresh air!!!
I have two Dc's, Ds has done 3years in Kindergarten and 4 years of school and Dd has done 4 years of Kindi and 1year of school, both very happy. They come home and its as if school carries on with questions, feed back, songs, drawing, violin practice, homework and lots of fun.