If you know what Waldorf/Steiner education is...do you/would you send your kids to one of their schools?

From what I’ve read of the pedagogy, I think my 3rd & 4th grade years at what was once Elm Creative Arts School (a Milwaukee public elementary school) in the mid-70s relied on some of those principles, and those were the best two years in my academic life.

I would if I had kids, but I’d let the teachers know that religious / spiritual education is in my hands, not theirs.

Nope. I love the creative way they teach, but quite honest: They end up like freaks.
I live in a community with a strong tradition for Steiner-education, and you can tell just by looking at peolpe whose gone through that education.
HUGE colourful flowing clothes, weird hobbies (like underwater-pilates…) and a blank look in their eyes, like they’re in a constant state of confusion.
Sorry, but that’s just the way it is…

@Miladyret: do they enjoy the huge colorful flowing clothes and weird hobbies?

Better to be in odd clothes and have weird hobbies and be happy and fulfilled than to have conventional clothes and hobbies and be downright miserable.

@cwilbur agreed! Good outlook.

@cwilbur
Hehe, actually, I’m not sure about weither they enjoy their clothes and weid hobbies, because of that empty/lost/blank look in their eyes.
Sure, I’m all for doing your own thing, and I do that myself, but I have to ask: Do they see that they often look ridiculous? That they’ve gone BEYOND the point of ‘doing their own thing’ and the result is strange looks and giggeling behind their backs?

On the other hand: Many of the Steiner-kids I know are fun, smart, creative and outgoing people, it’s when they reach adult age they seem to lose it :P

Just in response to the whole “freak” thing, my closest friends growing up were all enrolled in Waldorf school. They were also the only kids I knew who truly enjoyed going to school every morning. By the time they graduated from the 8th grade all four of the girls seemed to have a wonderful well rounded education. They had learned what the rest of us had about math, science and what not but also had a great appitite for reading, could play some instruments and dance as well. They are kind of preppy dressers so…I mean I guess you could call them freaks if you think that wearing pearls with jeans is freaky. Or being incredibly well read, interesting and articulate is freaky. Or ending up with creative and interesting jobs is freaky?

@Milladyret: as far as I’m concerned, the people who are doing their own thing have nothing to be ashamed of, but the people who are giggling behind their backs need to get over the junior high mentality and grow the @#$% up.

@cwilbur
Hey, I agree!
Angry, tightly wound, square, up-tight narrowminded people are the WORST!

;)