The
Waldorf Approach
The
School of the Beartooths is part of a rapidly-growing international
school movement arising from the philosophy and educational methods
of Rudolf Steiner, who founded the first Waldorf School in Germany
in l9l9. The Waldorf
curriculum takes unique form at each school, but all Waldorf schools
base teaching on Steiner's theories of child development and education.
Steiner's work has also led to new approaches in medicine, agriculture,
the arts, economics, architecture, science and social life.
The
School of the Beartooths is an initiative member of the Association
of Waldorf Schools of North America. What this means is that we
align ourselves with, are inspired by, and are constantly learning
from the Waldorf movement and its model of education.
Waldorf
education is designed to address the whole child: head, heart and
hands. It fosters intellectual development with a full spectrum
of traditional academic subjects and their interconnections. It
nurtures healthy emotional development by making reverence, respect
and wonder part of learning, and by emphasizing collaborative learning
rather than competition. It teaches the hands and physical body
to be valued elements of the child’s being through a broad range
of experiential, artistic and physical activities.
Learning becomes much more than the acquisition of information;
rather, learning becomes an engaging voyage of discovery, both of
the world and of oneself. Because Waldorf education reaches children
on many levels, children remember what they have learned more easily,
and develop a lifelong love of learning.
Although
each Waldorf school is independent, all share a core of curriculum,
methods and beliefs. One element that we at the School of the Beartooths
embraces is the idea that a fulfilled and creative life involves
considerably more than academic achievement or the ability to earn
a living. Every child also needs the balance provided by the strong
and healthy development of the will (the ability to get things done)
and of the feeling life (emotions, aesthetics, and social sensitivity).
There
are more than 800 Waldorf schools worldwide. In addition, many public
schools throughout the U.S. are adopting Waldorf theory and methods
in their classrooms.
Numerous
resources are available for learning more about the philosophy,
pedagogy, and research surrounding the Waldorf approach. Please
see our Links and Resources page.
