'Steiner' and other 'alternative' forms of education? (esp M/cr)

[Levanna]

Does anyone know where I can go to find out more? Or, if there are any in or around the manchester area?
TIA

Forever is this what you meant? It makes good reading.

I like Montessori too. My youngest was at a nursery, and it really suited her, the gentle self directed theme. When we moved on to the gnome school, there was a lot of shifty looks when I praised Montessori, because although it seems very free and unstructured, the calm and involvement of the children was amazing at Montessori- while kindegarten Steiner it was a chaotic free for all with adults not even "observing"- ignoring would be more approriate word.
What would worry me is the "spiritual" aspect... which is mentioned in a few pieces about Montessori...but is missing entirely from Wikipedia's description.. which makes me wonder about it in the same way as gnome school misses out that rather important aspect.....

Really? we're banned from discussing Steiner?

When did that happen? Blimey!

yes -point taken

I don't think we're absolutely and completely banned from discussing Steiner, but after some very long and very heated discussions on the subject there were threats of legal action from people keen to protect SteinerWaldorf's internet image, and we should therefore be careful to avoid the kind of discussion which could give rise to more of the same.

I think certain posters who were heaviy involved in those threads may have been asked to keep away from the topic, as it would be likely to heat up again!

midnight- from another thread
there was a lot of controversy and high up Steiner people not wanting our stories told

from this thread
" By Angel178 on Fri 04-Jul-08 03:02:13
I think they were banned because they told the truth. I guess that is not allowed on here...(rolly eyes)

It is sad to me because I come here for advise and some information. I didn't realize that if people tell me the truth, they get silenced

What kind of site is this? I'll make sure to inform all of my parent friends......not to visit here...."

There's an excellent section in the Independent Education on Thursdays - Reader's Quandary. One question is printed each week and readers are encouraged to comment. The column is run by the excellent journalist Hilary Wilce. This week's quandary is :

Quote:
'The Steiner school in my area is really popular and people keep telling me to get my little girl on the waiting list, but I always thought it was quite a hippie sort of education, and the parents I know who use it all seem off-puttingly fervent. Is it something worth thinking about, or not?'

send your replies to [email protected]. Please include your postal address.
Well worth an e-mail, I would have thought.

My ds spent 2 yrs at a Montessori pre-school. He was very self-motivated and independent-minded. He did a load of things that they don't concentrate so much on in main stream nurseries - lots of practical life skills. They also followed the early years curriculum as required by law.

Have had nightmare start to reception because of Montessori being 80/20 free choice and also because they allow children to finish something before moving on to another activity. Each activity had a prescribed way of being done but he could choose what activity he did. He has been labelled stubborn and uncooperative at school and we ended up having a meeting with the head. It is as if his character was allowed to flourish at pre-school but his school want him to conform more.

Fortunately we have had fab assistance from his pre-school teachers who have spoken to his school teacher to help her understand the type of child he is.

Interestingly I was warned by a reception teacher friend that I could have problems when my ds joined school as she said she usually had difficulties with children settling in who had come from a Montessori background. I of course thought that won't happen to my ds.

Having said all that I wouldn't change the fact that he went to a Montessori pre-school. He had a fab time there and learnt a lot that his friends in 'normal' pre-schools didn't.

Mmm. Interesting views on Steiner. I am a Steiner parent and no, I don't believe every bit of that anthroposophical stuff. And I will put my son and daughter straight if they come home with some nonsense about Atlantis or the progression of cultures. But that's not often.

And hey, I've heard that there are some other schools run by people with a quasi-religious philosophy. Some of them believe that their leader died and then came to life again after three days. Not only that, he is going to come back to life again some day. They also believe that this guy's mother was an actual virgin when she had him. Bizarre stuff, eh? These schools often insist on preaching some of these peculiar views at daily assemblies. These schools ? they're called Seeovee or summat ? also happen to teach around one fifth of the primary age children in England. Apparently some parents fall over themselves to get into them.

Cheers!

I love Montessori education and wish that the government would wake up to it as a realistic approach to state education.
My two go to a montessori school in London,one of the few that goes to the age of 11. Our trouble is that we are living in a two bedroomed flat and are basically staying here for the school.
Does anyone know any other Montessori schools up to the age of 11 ANYWHERE. There is one in Oxford that goes to 16 and I think one in Herts that goes to 16.
Makes so much sense to me,allowing your child to develope at their own pace.
love it!

Have you looked at Lords School in Bolton?

Hi ......ya all know that the Steiner Waldorf System is actually based on children of four and over and what you get in nurseries / pre schools is a kind of bastardised version? I am a qualified pedagogue btw..😉
I wouldn't knock it though since even that is better than "mainstream" nurseries. There's also the forest school system to look at....basically these two systems allows you babies to be children and they're not forced to comply with the governments stupid notions of Early Years Education, the only drawback is that you're allowing your child to be free, creative and most of all a child and unfortunately this is not encouraged in primary schools.....so you're ending up with a great well adjusted toddle and by the time they have to go to Primary the poor mites do t know what hit them. I'm lucky that my little Prince came from Waldorf to be home educated just like his son is now by me......happy grandson who's eager to learn = happy gran and daddy and mummy = not having mainstream school crap to deal with 👍🏻