No, it's not a salad. (That's a different Waldorf). Waldorf schools were developed by Mr. Rudolf Steiner in 1919, and they stand out because of (a) their emphasis on creativity, (b) their lumping together big age groups of kids, and (c) their focus on individual growth and love of learning. Ask most Waldorf parents or grads: it's not about what to think, it's about how to think.

 

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The Heart, the Hands, and the Head

Waldorf education was developed based on the desire to transform education into an art that would reach the whole child, having emotional, social, creative, and interpersonal applications. Yes, that's in contrast to just being able to plop down in front of a standardized test and fill in bubbles.

The goal, according to the official Waldorf site, is to get students to have a lifelong love of learning, be able to engage with the world around them, and ultimately want to give back to that world.

But how?

What you'll see when you actually walk into a Waldorf school is bright walls, lots of student artwork—and that's not even mentioning what you'll hear (11:00AM singing class) or smell (got to learn to bake). Overall, kids experience learning through physical activity and hands-on tasks, whether they're studying math or doing "non-academic" tasks like acting, playing instruments, or writing poetry. Want to know more? Read about a typical day in a Waldorf school.

But wait, there's more. That emphasis on creativity also means less on technology. None, in fact: computers, video games, and electronics are totally banned not only in schools, but at home, too. And guess what? Even Silicon Valley parents are sold on having their kids learn through hands-on activities—and that doesn't mean putting their hands on a keyboard or a swipe screen.

Waldorf through the (Kids') Ages

Waldorf is all about 1-3, or three developmental levels based on phases of childhood. So these schools lump bigger groups of kids together in the age groups of 1-7, 7-14, and 14-18. The idea is that then the little ones grow into role models by learning with the previous role models on a daily basis.

Sounds complicated, but that's why teachers have to go through a complex certification process with the goal of helping them help students be able to reach their highest potential and find motivation within. Plus, the idea is that teachers can learn more too by working with the same kids for a handful of years. Sounds like a fair trade to us. (Unless you just really, really don't like that brat Billy).

So how do you put babies and seven-year-olds in a room together and tell 'em to go learn something? Well, says the Waldorf site on child development, these phases are based on how different-aged children experience their surroundings in different ways. For the first seven years there's imitation, when kids are actively absorbing everything they see—and not only language and ways of acting, but also attitudes and values.

Then there's the imagination stage, when kids develop "the faculty for more sequential and logical thought" (and all based on losing their milk teeth—thanks again, Waldorf). The teacher's job is to foster that growing imagination in a way that will help the kid be creative, but also capable of critical thinking, throughout their lives.

So, Imitation, Imagination, yay. What's next, Inspiration?

Kind of. But it's also way more intense.

TRUTH, DISCRIMINATION, AND JUDGMENT!

Boy, do we feel that. High school was all about judgment as far as we know. But, erm, not to rehash old days, the way Waldorf schools look at that phase doesn't just mean the cheerleaders judge the goths and the goths judge the nerds.

Here's what they say:

"By the third developmental stage—adolescence—the child is on a search for truth, and she begins to experience the power of her own thinking. Two other features are present in the adolescent psyche: a healthy, valuable idealism and a vulnerable sensitivity-about both one's own inner experiences and the unfolding, insecure sense of self….The adolescent behind the barrier [of self-protection] is constantly seeking a role model with qualities to emulate."

That's deep, yo. If only we'd known that in high school. Anyway, the idea is that the older kids will be nicer and less, you know, walled-off (huh, sounds like Waldorf) when they're together with the tweens, and the little 'uns will be better at coping with that idealism and vulnerability as it kicks in.

Into the Whirlwind…er, Spiral

Waldorf schools like to talk about "an ascending spiral of knowledge." This refers both to the structure of a school day—one big class in the morning and related activities with various degrees of artsiness throughout the day—and to the way students are supposed to integrate their new knowledge through their three stages of learning. Not to mention all the mini-stages in between.

The Waldorf style isn't for everybody, but some parents and kids totally swear by it. Don't take our word for it: listen to Jamie Quirk, who's the Communications and Outreach Director at the Waldorf School of Princeton in New Jersey. She says, "When [children] leave the Waldorf environment, they are equipped to rely on their own inner compasses to help steer them on their individual journeys, rather than fit into one specific niche."

Got your compass? Time to head north.