Steiner education

[alloveragain]

Can anyone suggest an appropriate forum in which I could talk to someone about Steiner education? We have our concerns about it, but our children are still at a Steiner school.
Thanks

Gnomesrus, I completely understand what you mean, there is just so much to wade through.

Over the last few years I've begun to understand why all his writing is up there as it has helped me understand the appalling behaviour of some of the teachers and families that followed the philosophy.

I ran away intimidated, terrified and confused. Now if one of those buggers happened to bump into me today, I would be sooo ready to fight back, reading RS can be rather empowering, you suddenly see how it's anti-science, anti-intellectual and anti-educational.

So sad. Just lost my lovely neighbours to the steiners. They have moved to a very out of the way place where there is a very active school/community; their DD, who just turned 7, was my DD's best friend. Funny enough, when my D started reading at age 4, the little friend would spend hours being read to by my DD; eventually, when the friend was 5, DD started teaching her to read because she was fed up doing all the reading. Very subversive..
The mum struck me as something of a 'spiritual seeker' type of person, and maybe this is what attracted her to steiner education. She is a very talented, trained singer, who has sung with prominent classical ensembles, orchestra choruses, etc., and there will be no outlet for that where they are going, but apparently she is willing to toss it all overboard for the steiner thing. The dad has had no contact with his family of origin since he left for college, probably 20 years ago.
I met a lot of their friends from the steiner school at barbeques and birthday parties over the years, and I have to say, I found them all a bit lax in their supervision of the children -- it seemed to me that the law of the jungle prevailed when they all got together. My neighbour's child had what her mum called a strong personality (I found her heavy going and bratty a lot of the time) and I think she was the dictator of the group she was in at the school. They tried a montessori school with her when her little brother was born, because it was closer and cheaper, but she couldn't deal with the structure, the behaviour expectations, or the academic focus. So they took her out and went back to the steiner place.

LauraIngallsWilder - hello! If you are who I think you are, the maths equipment and exerice books arrived and are fab, thanks for all your help and if thats not you...doh!

Hi lola - yes that was me, except I now realise that I was then posting under yet another name. All these name changes gets really confusing
Normally Im someone beginning with a Y

I'm suprised this thread is still here...

Hey Barking,northernrefugee,manatee

Have you heard about the new editing whatnot proposed for Wikipedia - I heard about this on the radio and immediately thought of the manic editing that goes on every time someone tries to publish the truth (well actually I thought specifically of you peeps and your quest )

I just caught the end of it but from what I heard wiki will soon make it so editing to controversial topics will be moderated before going live - I think I am talking goobledigook, must go to bed!

Lola - me too!
I think it is because no one scary has discovered it yet
It wont take long though

Storymama - I tried to CAT you privately about this but your MN settings would allow me to

No criticism whatsoever from me on your approach to life or the way you home educate your kids, Im home educating mine too ..........
Please humour me and alter your MN profile so you havent got your kids full names on there for friend or foe to see and potentially misuse

LauraIngallsWilder, yes I've heard that too, it will be interesting to see if it can be done. Wiki handed over previous mediation to... a Steiner teacher!

The movement monitors it round the clock, tis utter pants.

The bit that really annoys me is that innocent folks dont know this - the way they control the web

We didnt, hence we spent 18 months or so caught up in a steiner place......... we would never have gone if we had known what we know now

Am bookmarking this page in case it suddenly disappears before I have time to investigate the links -- thanks Barking.

Lolapoppins, one of your posts has been deleted already....

Interesting documentary here

I found it very helpful.

I saw that documentary when it was on. I always tell people about the similarities in the way the two organistations work. Both set up by nutcases. But, at least with Scientology, you pretty much know what you are getting into. They don't lure you in through your children with the promise of fresh baked bread and healthy fresh air. I find Steiner followers much more sinister.

Scientologist are just so much cooler though - threatening you in their dark glasses, suits and expensive cars. I just imagine all the Anthros sitting there in their pastel coloured natrual fibre shirts covered in mud from weeding the veggie patch, surrounded by their pale wishy washy artwork and feel a bit sorry for them 'cos they are not as hard

Plus, you know, the scientologists have got Tom Cruise and John Travolta. Who have the Anthros got.....Melinda Messenger?

I read recently the original world headquarters for Scientology was in Forest Row, next to the Michael Hall Steiner school..

I remember starting a thread here once to save Melinda Messenger's children from the claws of SW, I wait with great interest her interview with Phil and Holly on the sofa explaining Social Threefolding and physiognomy as an external manifestation of karma

Melinda does make me laugh though. One second she sending her children to a Steiner, the next she's spouting about the merits of Kabala and hanging out with Madonna and Guy

Oh Barking - that last link reminded me of one of my all time Stiener favorite quotes "there will eventually be no races there will eventually be only one undifferentiated sex instead of two (at this point we will give birth through the larynx)" Ouch! And no fun at all

They do stare though, don't they. It can be really rather un nerving. I found that the older children had learned the Steiner stare as well. I used to walk back through the yard with them all staring at me, fighting the urge to say "what? Do I have spinach in my teeth? what's wrong?"

The kidergarten teacher had such a hard time pegging ds. He was 'perfect' to them. Blonde hair, blue eyes. But, also an eigth indian, with a dark haired, dark eyed, dark skinned mother. Of course, he didn't fit into any of their little boxes either. And his ears are apparently, 'not the shape you would expect'. That threw them.

hi
please can you kindly contact me if you willing to share of course some of your stories-i actually joined mn to read about steiner as hoping my son will go to kings langley which i visited last year and fallen in love with the school(true some things seemed a bit over the top-for example we are not vegetarians,etc-football ban) but still is seems like an amazing shool and the only alternative I can see to my local-now I am really confused-any input will be greatly appreciated as to go to the above school we will have to move
many thanks

Hi dandmmama. It's a shame we aren't able to discuss our children's personal experiences of Steiner here at mumsnet, because if we do, mumsnet is threatened with legal action, and posts are deleted.

This in itself sets most people's alarm bells ringing, and rather satisfyingly, has set in motion The Streisand Effect, drawing more attention to the negative aspects of the education, and more importantly, invites people to question the websites of those promoting Steiner waldorf, and look into it more deeply.

You can get the gist of the Steiner posts, even if many links, or even quotes by Steiner himself have been deleted, by searching old threads.

Do cat me if you want.

My daughter is now in her 4th year at a Steiner school and is changed person - keen to learn, keen to engage and confident in her abilities. Of course, the transition from 'normal' to Steiner was a challenge, but not in the ways I feared. The challenge was more my perceptions that were so quickly were dashed by a mix of parents that pretty much matched the ones I had know at my daughter's previous school (independent all girls, a BIG mistake) and my stepson's state and my A type persona expecting results to be delivered regularly. I am very happy with my decision and the school in Bristol is thriving. If there is anything she is missing out on then that's what clubs are for and then I feel the mix is about right for the moment.

cotham lucky you that your daughter thrives. Perhaps there were problems with the independent girls' school you chose for her before... amongst other family difficulties you mention, which have since been resolved? You still sound doubtful to me about that Steiner school...

I saw your name on a previous thread, if you didn't read it all then I suggest you do now (what's left of it). If you can read what mothers say on mumsnet & still send your daughter to one of these schools you have an unusually strong stomach

How many school systems do you know of that have survivors' groups? Critics in the US, in the UK, in Sweden (where the Stockholm University Steiner teacher training course was closed for being 'unscientific') in Norway, in Germany, Holland, vociferous critics in Australia...? Are they all deluded, or lying?

It's worth thinking about that criticism, however uncomfortable it makes parents of children now at Steiner schools.

In my dd's school there is singing, craft & organic gardening. It is not entirely unusual to find examples of inspiring craft, music & activities in primary schools all over the country without an 'alternative' emphasis.