Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Steiner/Waldorf Schools - requesting info from those in the know...

427 replies

Rantmum · 11/01/2008 15:08

...anyone know anything about the Steiner/Waldorf school system, pros and cons (particularly with reference to early years/primary education, but any info is good!. Had not really given them too much consideration but have recently moved and met several mothers who speak highly of the their approach.

OP posts:
maverick · 29/01/2008 18:11

uncletaz.com/steinerphotos/stein1.html

donotdoit · 29/01/2008 21:38

yes.........good looking man when he was younger....i googled and saw his photos as a young man...not bad looking at all.

but he defo. wasn't blonde.

Powerofjoy2004 · 04/02/2008 08:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

northernrefugee39 · 04/02/2008 12:32

Power- each time I read this quote, I'm truly horrified. Thanks for putting it on here.

Do you have a link to the story about the Scottish girl? I remember reading something about it on a site- but can't remember

There's another thread on Steiner education here
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/43/469080?ts=1202122057179&msgid=9515714&ts=1202124231168

Powerofjoy2004 · 04/02/2008 19:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

barking · 04/02/2008 19:55

welcome powerofjoy2004

I will bump the other steiner thread that is currently running. I think it may be useful to copy your posts onto the other thread so people see this information

northernrefugee39 · 04/02/2008 20:43

Good grief. Thank you Power for relating that. There have been some stories on the other thread running about Waldorf Steiner schools treatment of people with learning dificulties.

I find it completely astonishing that this sort of thing can go on unchecked.

The secrecy about incarnation and attainment of spirit worlds can cover up things like this. Eugh.

Chubbics · 08/03/2008 15:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

barking · 08/03/2008 15:59

Chubbics - I originally raised the concern of Landmark as it seems to play a big part at the school we were involved with.

I would be really careful about putting your telephone number on a thread, there have been some very 'eccentric' contributors to these threads recently.

Yes I've seen they coach young children now aswell - I'm horrified.

Have they tried to recruit you?

Chubbics · 08/03/2008 16:27

Barking - thanks for the warning. I haven't been recruited nor have they tried to recruit me but I do have friends who are, sadly involved. Is there any chance you could call me?

barking · 08/03/2008 17:50

Chubbics - sorry I would really like to help but don't feel comfortable with phoning. I see that this is your first post.

Is there a way you could explain a bit more on this thread or I could create another thread?

Barking
x

Chubbics · 08/03/2008 19:27

Hello Barking - ... you're right I am new to Mumsnet. I can understand that you'd prefer not to phone. But this isn't something I feel too comfortable in talking about publicly. the reason being is that the organisation has been described as being a cult (see the website of Rick Ross or just do a google search with the terms "landmark education" and "cult"). I don't know whether it is or not. If it helps you could always email me at [email protected] - that's a little more discrete without the problems of giving away identities or contact details. Best Regards

DianaW · 08/03/2008 20:42

If you don't feel comfortable talking about it publicly, and you are afraid of cults, why on earth would you put your phone number here? If you are sincere I seriously suggest you ask the administrators to remove it.

Chubbics · 09/03/2008 20:38

Hello DianaW - my phone number can't be traced. It's a pay-as-you-go.

Chubbics · 09/03/2008 20:39

Hello Barking - if you'd like to create another thread to discuss this, I'm happy with that.

Robean · 14/10/2008 14:45

Hi There,
I?m new to Mumsnet but am finding the information about these schools fascinating and feel they really need more research, I would love to interview some of you about your individual stories?
I am a final year journalism student and think this would be a perfect topic for a piece of work I am currently working on, I think it needs revealing.
Northern has already agreed to help me but unfortunately the thread where I previously posted this message to which she replied has since been deleted all of a sudden!!
I can interview you in person, on the phone or by email, whichever any of you would be most comfortable with?
It would also be fine if you wanted .o use a pseudonym.
I would love to particularly from anyone who either had to withdraw their children, whose children are still in these schools or people who went to the schools when they were little.
I think I have set up CAT so that any of you can contact me, if Northern could particularly CAT me that would be great after our last thread disappeared!
Thank you so much and I hope you can help me
Robean

Robean · 15/10/2008 22:02

You can also contact me on [email protected] if you prefer? Robean

MumRel1 · 30/06/2011 20:39

I keep trying to post a message at the bottom of the page but i have to log in again every time i finish this the message i've written has disappeared. Is there some trick to this?

LauraIngallsWilder · 30/06/2011 20:42

Hi Mumrel1
This is a very old (and contraversial) thread - why not start a new thread, that will probably be best.
Steiner threads are always contraversial though so you might prefer just to read old threads on the topic

MumRel1 · 30/06/2011 20:46

I would like to speak to parents of kids who have been through the Steiner System who are on the bright side academically. Has there been any problems with boredom? What's the % of kids that go on to university? The adults i've met who've been to Steiner schools seem a bit lost and not sure what they want career wise. My immediate concerns are to have a child who is healthy in all aspects, content, fairly calm and creative, considerate but untimately they will need to be fairly independent and able to support themselves in the wide world. Am particularly interested in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow.
Also concerned re discipline/boundaries and imposition of religious or spiritual opinions.

MumRel1 · 30/06/2011 20:48

Hi LauraIW,
Thanks for the suggestion....
What is a 'thread' and how and why would i want to start a new one?

MumRel1 · 30/06/2011 20:50

That is....Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh Steiner schools that i'm interested in.

LauraIngallsWilder · 30/06/2011 21:13

Hi again - welcome to Mumsnet :)
You need to start a new thread because this one is three years old!
You will find all the answers to your questions about steiner schools if you read old threads on the topic as all your questions have been asked many times before.
Steiner discussions always become contraversial on mn - they just do (read this one for example and you will get the idea)

If you want to start a thread of your own - scroll to the top of this page, find the bit where it says "start a new thread", click on that and off you go

I hope that helps

mathanxiety · 02/07/2011 20:45

Here's a large selection of verses recited throughout the day at Steiner schools.

Morning Verse

"The sun with loving light
Makes bright for me each day.
The soul with spirit power
Gives strength into my limbs.
In sunlight shining clear
I reverence, O God,
The strength of humankind
Which thou, so graciously,
Hast planted in my soul
That I, with all my might,
May love to work and learn
From thee comes light and strength
To thee rise love and thanks."

Morning Kindergarten Verse example:

"Good morning, dear sun. Good morning, dear earth.
Good morning dear stones, and flowers every one.
Good morning dear animals, and the birds in the trees.
Good morning to you, and good morning to me."

Numbers

"When at first we look at One
We find it in the shining sun.
For me and you,
we count one, two.
The day, the night
The good, the bad
The gay, the sad
The girl, the boy
We count with joy
They all are twos
That we can use."

In order to really understand the verses it is necessary to understand that Steiner saw Christ as a Sun God. Also note the balancing of opposites. Every detail in the Steiner environment is there for a purpose. Nothing that does not meld with theosophy/anthrosophy is included in the physical or intellectual environment.

This prospectus starts off by proclaiming "Waldorf Education is Non-Sectarian" and goes on to paint a wooly picture of new ageish harmony, including the phrase 'A fundamental tenet underlying the Waldorf school and community experience is a recognition of the human spiritual dimension..' This one, again in the US is a bit more upfront about the so called spiritual aspect of its mission. The prospectus touches many buttons with use of the words holistic, sustainable, morally responsible, mindfulness, social justice, renewal, egalitarian, and is also apparently prepared to be flexible wrt fees. '..we want Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School centered by Waldorf education and anthroposophy to be strong and vital and self-renewing: living lightly on the earth, holding each other and nature/the spiritual world in reverence and depth of understanding . . . imagining, modeling and communicating a vision of a healthy community among and within healthy communities.' More than the usual percentage of teachers in an elementary school, I would imagine, have studied in Germany/Denmark. The word 'joy' keeps on cropping up in Steiner literature it makes me wonder if there's another meaning to it in anthroposophy just as there seems to be a different meaning to the term 'developmental stages' from that understood by most prospective parents. The phrase 'Kraft durch Freude' keeps on springing to my mind.

restlessnative · 03/07/2011 20:58

Strength through Joy. Yes.

www.social-ecology.org/2009/01/anthroposophy-and-ecofascism-2/