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Waldorf News

Boulder Waldorf Kindergarten Reborn After Flood

February 24, 2014

The school had over 80 families enrolled this school year when the devastating floods hit Boulder, Colorado, on September 11 to 13, 2013. In the middle of the night, nearby roads became rivers and eventually flooded the entire interior of the school. The wall of muddy water that rushed through the school reached 4 and a half feet high and destroyed everything that wasn’t on high shelves: toys, dolls, silks, furniture, craft materials, appliances, and office equipment. We had just begun with enthusiasm the new school year – it was only the ninth day of school when the flood hit – and now we had to abandon our dear school building. A temporary location to house the school was quickly found, and with only donated toys and materials, we reopened in a nearby synagogue on September 23rd. Over the next few months, donations continued to pour in, both from our local community and from around the country. Waldorf schools all over the world sent us well wishes and tangible support. We were uplifted by this outpouring of generosity and kindness; honestly, that support is what sustained us through the dark times. More »

Waldorf Education Blossoms in the Andes

February 17, 2014

The students of Marin Independent High School, a young high school initiative associated with the Marin Waldorf School, recently went on a trip to Pisac, Peru as part of their Ancient Civilizations main lesson block led by Ken Smith. Pisac is a village in the Sacred Valley of the Incas where the students—along with Ken, myself, and MIHS co-founder Megan Neale—spent almost two weeks visiting and sketching ancient ruins, learning about pre-Columbian history and indigenous culture, and volunteering at Kusi Kawsay, a bilingual Spanish-Quechua school that combines Waldorf pedagogy and traditional Andean practices. We also had the opportunity to work side-by-side with a group of 17-year-old Kusi Kawsay alumni on the small permaculture farm they had started as a school project. We found that Pisac was an ideal site at which to locate our main lesson, as much of the traditional indigenous culture—from the Quechua language, to agriculture, to arts such as weaving and dancing—is alive and thriving, so that the study of Ancient Civilization became enlivened by such vibrant experiences as visiting the traditional farming community of the Amaru or learning about pre-Colombian astronomy while standing in the ruins of an enormous Incan calendar. Here, in excerpts from essays they completed upon returning home, the students of MIHS share their experiences, reflections, and questions inspired by the trip. More »

The Role of Purposeful Work in a Waldorf Kindergarten

January 27, 2014

As Waldorf early childhood educators, one of our primary goals is to teach by example. Through our work, the children learn important lessons to prepare them for the academics they will begin in grade one. This teaching method is quite different from the trend in mainstream education today, where out-of-context abstract concepts provide the basis for all learning, and opportunities for shared work activity with adults are not available. There is much work to be done in a Waldorf kindergarten. As the calm and steady focal point, the teacher places herself in the center of all the activity, projecting an attitude of purpose and enthusiasm for her work. Preparing the food, dusting, polishing, repairing toys, folding the laundry, washing the dishes, sewing, and mending are all jobs the children can learn to accomplish. More »

'Preparing for Life' — A New Film from Paul Zehrer and the Waldorf School of the Peninsula

December 31, 2013

'Preparing for Life,' a new film from Paul Zehrer and filmed at the Waldorf School of the Peninsula in California. The New York Times sparked national media coverage with its front page story on why Silicon Valley parents are turning to Waldorf education. This film picks up where that story left off. "Preparing for Life" takes viewers inside the Waldorf School of the Peninsula where the focus is on developing the capacities for creativity, resilience, innovative thinking, and social and emotional intelligence over rote learning. Entrepreneurs, Stanford researchers, investment bankers, and parents who run some of the largest hi-tech companies in the world, weigh-in on what children need to navigate the challenges of the 21st Century in order to find success, purpose, and joy in their lives. More »

14-year-old Tanzanian Girl, Arafa, Dreams of Going to Waldorf High School in the US: 18-year-old Ali Reinhold Is Making It a Reality

December 16, 2013

My name is Ali Reinhold. I am 18 years old and a senior at Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School in Ghent, New York. I know a brave 14 year old Tanzanian girl named Arafa who dreams of schooling in the U.S. My school will give her a 5-year scholarship if I can raise the necessary traveling and living expenses. Arafa’s life is hard. She lives in a stick home with a dirt floor, no water, and no electricity. Statistics show that girls in rural Tanzania are likely to drop out of school and marry by age 15. I want to empower Arafa and allow her to choose her own path. Her parents want this for her as well. Please help me to help Arafa to succeed. More »

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