Waldorf education is a unique and distinctive approach to educating children that is practiced in Waldorf schools worldwide. Waldorf schools collectively form the largest, and quite possibly the fastest growing group of independent private schools in the world. The Waldorf School Movement is a worldwide movement. There is no centralised administrative structure governing all Waldorf schools; each is administratively independent, but there are established associations which provide resources, publish materials, sponsor conferences and promote the movement. In substance and structure, all Waldorf schools are connected to the Waldorf curriculum. At the same time, however, each Waldorf school is an autonomous entity, governed by specific characteristics.

Each country’s Waldorf schools are grouped under the umbrella of a Federation and a Federation Council. In turn, these two bodies are accountable to the World Federation of Waldorf Schools. Waldorf education is age specific but does not stress mental age. The educational process is based on the developmental phases as they occur in the physical, emotional and spiritual/mental growth of the child. Thus, Waldorf Education is a matter of balance in capacities and values. The concentration on, and furtherance of special talents of a pupil begins only in the high school years.

In 1919, Rudolf Steiner, the Austrian philosopher, scientist and artist, was invited to give a series of lectures to the workers of the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany. As a result, the factory’s owner, Emil Molt, asked Rudolf Steiner to establish and lead a school for the children of the factory’s employees. Rudolf Steiner agreed to do so on four conditions: the school should be open to all children; it should be co-educational; it should be a unified twelve-year school; and that the teachers, those who would be working directly with the children, should take the leading role in the running of the school, with a minimum of interference from governmental or economic concerns. Molt agreed to the conditions and after a training period for the prospective teachers, ‘die Freie Waldorfschule’ (the Free Waldorf School) was opened in September 1919.

Dr Rudolf Steiner was a highly respected and well-published scientific, literary and philosophical scholar who was particularly known for his work on Goethe’s scientific writings. He later came to incorporate his scientific investigations with his interest in spiritual development. He became a forerunner in the field of spiritual-scientific investigation for the modern 20th century individual. His background in history and civilisations, coupled with his observation in life, gave the world the gift of Waldorf education. It is a deeply insightful application of learning based on the study of humanity with developing consciousness of self and the surrounding world.

Waldorf education aims to produce individuals who find meaning in their lives, focusing on the development of the whole child—intellect, emotion, and practical abilities (“head, heart, and hands”). The curriculum balances academic, artistic, and practical learning, fostering a love for learning without the need for competitive grading.

Key distinctions of Waldorf education include:

– Emphasizing play and pre-academic skills in early years, with minimal academics until second or third grade.

– Learners keep the same teacher for primary school (grades 1-7).

– Artistic activities like music, art, and crafts are central, with subjects taught through creative media.

– Children create “main lesson books” rather than using textbooks in the first five years.

– Learning is non-competitive; no grades are given, only detailed evaluations.

– Limited use of electronic media to encourage creativity and skill development before exposure to technology in high school.

Between the ages of seven and fourteen, children learn best through acceptance of authority, similar to how they previously learned through imitation. In primary school, the class becomes a ‘family’ with the teacher as an authority figure, like a parent. This approach allows the teacher to develop a deep understanding of each child and tailor their education over the years. The teacher also becomes an extended family member to many students’ families, reminiscent of the traditional ‘little red schoolhouse’ model.

Waldorf schools avoid labelling children as ‘slow’ or ‘gifted.’ Each child’s strengths in one area often balance weaknesses in another, and it’s the teacher’s role to help bring the child into balance. A child facing difficulties may receive extra help from the teacher, parents, or through tutoring. Similarly, a child who grasps the material quickly may be given more challenging tasks or encouraged to assist a peer who is struggling. The goal is to support each child’s individual development.

Seasonal festivals serve to connect humanity with the rhythms of nature and of the cosmos. The festivals originated in ancient cultures yet have been adapted over time. To join the seasonal moods of the year, in a festive way, benefits the inner life of the soul. Celebrating is an art. There is joy in the anticipation, the preparation, the celebration itself, and the memories.

While requirements within individual schools may vary, as a rule, class teachers will have both a university degree and teaching certification from a recognised Waldorf teacher training college or institute. Some Waldorf training programmes can also grant BA-degrees in conjunction with Waldorf teaching certification. Typically, the course of study for teachers is from two to three years of post-graduate training and includes practice teaching in a Waldorf school under the supervision of experienced Waldorf teachers. Teachers must also satisfy whatever national or provincial credentialing and licensing requirements might apply.

Rudolf Steiner, speaking in Oxford in 1922, defined ‘three golden rules’ for teachers: ‘to receive the child in gratitude from the world it comes from; to educate the child with love; and to lead the child into the true freedom which belongs to humankind’.

Generally, transitions to public schools, when they are anticipated, are not problematic. The most common transition is from grade seven in a Waldorf school to a more traditional high school, and, from all reports, this usually takes place without significant difficulties. Transitions in the lower grades, particularly between the first and fourth grades, can potentially be more of a problem, because of the significant differences in the pacing of various curricula. A second-grader from a traditional school will be further ahead in reading in comparison with a Waldorf-schooled second-grader. However, the Waldorf-schooled child will be ahead in arithmetic, art and practical skills.

The term ‘anthroposophy’ comes from the Greek ‘anthropos-sophia’ or ‘human wisdom’. Rudolf Steiner expanded an exacting scientific method by which one could do research for her/himself into spiritual worlds. The investigation, known also as Spiritual Science, is an obvious complement to the Natural Sciences we have come to accept. Through study and practiced observation, one awakens to his/her own inner nature and the spiritual realities of outer nature and the cosmos. The awareness of those relationships brings a greater reverence for all of life.

Rudolf Steiner and many individuals since, who share his basic views, have applied this knowledge in various practical and cultural ways in communities around the world. Most notably, Waldorf schools have made significant impact on the world. Curative education, for mentally and emotionally handicapped adults and children, has established a deep understanding and works with people who have this difficult destiny. Bio-dynamic farming and gardening greatly expand the range of techniques available to organic agriculture.

Anthroposophical medicine and pharmacy, although less widely known in South Africa, are subjects of growing interest. It should be stressed that while anthroposophy forms the theoretical basis to the teaching methods used in Waldorf schools, it is not taught to the learners.