Education that engages children physically, emotionally and creatively.
Waldorf Education was founded in Germany in the years after the first world war. It was sponsored by the Waldorf-Astoria Company, which wanted a new kind of education for the children of its employees. The company turned to Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian scientist and thinker, asking him to develop a new educational program that would contribute to cultural renewal in the aftermath of the war. The first Waldorf school was unique in many ways: it was open to all children and was co-educational.
Waldorf education focuses on awakening in children their creative thinking, emotional intelligence, physical vitality and spiritual depth. All subjects in the academic program, including math and science, are integrated with art, movement and music. The theory is that by incorporating the artistic, the physical and the musical, you can engage students actively, emotionally and thoughtfully.
According to the Waldorf method, physical vitality fosters youthful energy throughout life. It is achieved through active participation in learning. Emotional intelligence is developed by teaching children to express themselves through the dramatic and visual arts, music and writing. Thoughtfulness is gained through creative intelligence, which shows children how to solve problems successfully using original thought, imagination and flexibility.