In April 1919, an Austrian philosopher named Rudolf Steine r gave a lecture at the Waldorf-Astoria tobacco factory in Stuttgart, Germany. In front of an audience consisting mainly of members of the tobacco working class, Steiner spoke about the need to build an educational model not based on the assumption that human beings must learn in order to adapt to the demands of governments and large companies .

Schools, Steiner said, should serve to develop all human potential in a natural way, not to equip young people with the tools with which they will later be forced to keep the wheels of state and industry turning.

A few months later, at the request of the factory’s general manager, the philosopher created the new educational centre for the workers of the Waldorf-Astoria factory . The first so-called Waldorf school had seen the light of day. Today there are more than 1,000 of them worldwide.

Understanding the origins of Waldorf schools

The ideals of which the Austrian spoke in his tobacco conference were part of the germ of a new way of understanding teaching and the possibilities of personal development of what would later be known as Waldorf pedagogy , an educational system proposed by Steiner himself and which is still applied today in many private schools.

Why has it become so popular since the creation of the first Waldorf school? Probably in its favour is the rejection of formal education which saw a new impulse from the New Age movement of the 1970s and which has given oxygen to several “alternative” education initiatives in which formal education and the imposition of rigid patterns of behaviour are rejected as far as possible.

Although Waldorf pedagogy had its beginnings in a period of economic and political instability in which the risk of poverty threatened important layers of the population, the current welfare states have found a place for these alternative schools as reliable proof of the freedom with which certain people can opt (if they can pay for it) for the type of education that best fits in with their philosophy.

What are the characteristics of Waldorf education?

It is clear that if the educational centres of the tradition initiated by Steiner exist, it is because there are people who recognise their qualities and know how to distinguish them from the others , since they are basically private schools . Now, what are these characteristics?

It is difficult to summarise in a few points the differentiating aspects which characterise Waldorf education, especially as not all schools which adhere to it do so in the same way, but the following points can be highlighted:

1. Embraces an “integral” or holistic educational approach

Waldorf pedagogy emphasises the need to educate not only the intellect, but also human qualities whose scope goes beyond rationality , such as the management of moods or creativity. In practice, this means that in the Waldorf schools aspects and skills are worked on whose potential is, according to the followers of Steiner, insufficiently worked on in the majority of schools.

2. The idea of “human potential” has spiritual overtones

Education is not conceived as a transmission of knowledge or a teaching and learning process whose fruits can be evaluated with standardized tools for assessment and fulfillment of objectives. It is, in any case, a dynamic between the student and the educational community that must allow him to develop both in objectively measurable skills and on a spiritual plane .

3. Flexibility and creativity in learning is encouraged

The content of the school curriculum used in Waldorf schools largely revolves around the arts and crafts . In this way, pupils learn through the artistic representation of the contents of what they are taught, whether it be by creating stories related to what they have learned, inventing simple choreographies, drawing, etc.

4. The need to form educational communities is emphasized

Waldorf pedagogy seeks strategies to promote the involvement of parents in the education of their children both at home and in extracurricular activities . At the same time, a large part of the activities carried out in the classes of the Waldorf schools have to do with everyday activities of domestic life. In short, the emergence of a networked education in which both family members and teaching professionals participate is favoured, so that the teaching space at school is not reduced.

5. The focus is on the uniqueness of each student

Waldorf education places special emphasis on the need to offer personalised treatment to students, and this is reflected in a certain flexibility when it comes to evaluating the progress of each student . Thus, in many cases, standardised tests are only used when it is essential and when the legality of each country so requires.

6. Education is adapted to the three phases of development in young people

Steiner theorized that during the first years of life, all human beings experience three stages of growth, each with an associated type of learning . According to this thinker, we learn by imitation until we reach the age of seven, through rhythm, images and imagination between the ages of seven and fourteen, and from abstract thinking in later years. In short, these three stages are ordered from a phase in which students can only learn from those images with which they are directly confronted to one in which they can freely draw conjectures about the reality around them.

Based on the idea of development in three phases, Waldorf teachers are concerned with adapting the quality of learning to the stage of growth through which each pupil theoretically passes , and believe that exposing a person to a type of teaching for which he or she is not prepared can be harmful to him or her. That is why, among other things, Waldorf schools are known for not teaching their pupils to read until they reach the age of 6 or 7 (somewhat later than is usual in other schools), nor do they use technologies such as computers or video games until the pupils have reached adolescence, from the belief that these devices could limit their imaginative capacity.

Progressive schools?

Waldorf pedagogy seems to be ahead of its time in many ways. For example, the idea that education goes far beyond the classroom is something that has only recently been taken on board in the predominant education systems in some Western countries. Similarly, it is not so long ago that the notion of learning that is not based on the accumulation of practices and memorized lessons has become widespread among schools, but rather on the use of the tools provided by the teacher to learn certain things when the stage of development is adjusted to these objectives, neither before nor after.

Furthermore, the need to educate young people in aspects that go beyond the use of the intellect is becoming increasingly important. This is similar to Steiner’s ideal of education, in which all the potentialities of the human being are developed at the same time, in all human dimensions and in as many contexts as possible (at school, at home, in voluntary activities…). In this sense, Steiner’s ideas seem to be closer to the objectives set by current educational models than to the philosophical foundations of most schools at the beginning of the 20th century. Only recently, and in parallel to what Waldorf pedagogy has been proposing for decades, the hegemonic ideal of what education should be has tended towards a holistic approach to teaching and the need for teachers, parents and tutors to educate and cooperate from their different fields of action .

However, this image of a progressive education system does not cover all the flanks of Waldorf pedagogy. This is because, although Rudolf Steiner proposed a holistic approach to the education of young people, he did not propose any kind of holistic approach, nor one that would serve the (abstract) good of the pupils. The theoretical and practical principles of the educational system developed by Steiner are linked to a spiritual current of thought that Steiner himself devised and which, of course, is unconventional today.

This is an intellectual current that is often compared to the type of religious philosophy that is typical of sects and is also far removed from the secular vision of the educational models in vogue, which are based increasingly on the use of the scientific method to investigate the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of certain methods. That is why, before considering the possibility of resorting to a Waldorf school, it is worth knowing something about the type of esoteric thought on which they are based: anthroposophy .

Anthroposophy: transcending the world of the physical

When Rudolf Steiner laid the foundations of Waldorf pedagogy, he did so with a very clear objective in mind: to change society for the better . This is something that he shares with other thinkers related to the world of education, such as, for example, Ivan Illich, and of course, it has been a long time since important philosophers first glimpsed the social and political repercussions of pedagogy, its potentialities and the dangers that it can lead to not paying attention to the dilemmas that it poses.

However, in order to fully understand Waldorf education, its methods and objectives, it is not enough to take into account Steiner’s claims when developing his ideas. It is also necessary to find out how this thinker conceived reality and the nature of human beings . Because Rudolf Steiner was, among other things, a mystic who believed in the need to access a spiritual world in order for human potential to develop fully.

The whole original theory of Waldorf education has its raison d’être in anthroposophy . This means that in order to understand the educational system proposed by this thinker, it is necessary to assume that it is connected with a philosophy which deals with theological and esoteric themes far removed from the ways of understanding life and nature in the western countries of today. It is from this perspective of reality that Waldorf pedagogy makes sense, since its methods are not based on solid scientific evidence .

Among the postulates of anthroposophy is the assumption that there is a spiritual world which affects the physical world, that on some level of reality there is reincarnation, that past lives affect the sense in which young people can develop and that human beings have the potential to develop organs to access the spiritual world through a kind of self-realisation. These ideas are not simply theory to fill textbooks with, but they shape the kind of education that is given in Waldorf pedagogy and the goals of each of its teachers’ actions.

Of course, the content of the lessons is also affected by this esoteric cultural background . Some of the teachings that are associated with the Waldorf schools are the myth of Atlantis, creationism, the existence of a spiritual world that can only be accessed by initiates and a “spiritual science” that can be understood by accessing this alternative reality.

Conflict with Science

As a current of esoteric thought, anthroposophy is in itself a black hole for the scientific method, even though very concrete conclusions about the functioning of the physical world are drawn from it. This brings it into conflict with those forms of pedagogy that wish to set the educational agenda on the basis of empirical evidence to check which educational methods work and which do not.

For example, the fact of dividing the ontogenetic development of the human being into several stages of growth, with all the observable changes in both the physical and the behavioural, is something that evolutionary psychologists usually do. The stages of development proposed by Jean Piaget, for example, are a good example of this. However, Steiner’s theory on child development is not based on a series of checks made following the scientific method, but it is based, basically, on his beliefs about the separation between body and soul and concepts of a theological nature from which his explanations started.

Thus, the methodology used by traditional Waldorf pedagogy does not respond to criteria provided by exhaustive scientific research on the most effective ways of teaching and learning, but rather is based on a legacy of myths and theories that are impossible to prove . Waldorf education does not have the backing of science as we understand it today. However, this does not mean that anthroposophy is not established in various relevant bodies.

A legacy that goes beyond theory

The scope for credulity is so wide within anthroposophy that it is not surprising that it has flourished in many theories and even artistic styles. In fact, Waldorf education is not the only product of anthroposophy, but its main contribution in the field of education.

This current of thought makes incursions into all kinds of themes that have been studied for centuries by philosophers and scientists, resulting in disciplines of a markedly pseudo-scientific nature such as biodynamic agriculture or anthroposophical medicine . This explains why Steiner’s intellectual legacy is still present in all kinds of entities and organisations, from research groups to, for example, Triodos Bank.

The role that these entities play in the political and social sphere, although marginal, is nevertheless remarkable considering that they can act as pressure groups. Friction between the guidelines to be followed in schools provided by state and supranational bodies and the principles of anthroposophy, which are linked to the assumption that there is a spiritual world which only a few initiates can know, is not uncommon.

In fact, the fit between the model of Waldorf education and state education regulations has also proved somewhat problematic, and organisations associated with anthroposophy are constantly struggling to ensure that the educational guidelines given by the public authorities do not stifle the way Waldorf schools are run and that schools associated with anthroposophy are eligible for public subsidies (something which has happened in some countries). An example of this was the Open EYE Campaign, an initiative involving Waldorf teachers, which aimed to put pressure on the UK Department of Education to shape its guidelines on how education for children up to the age of five should be conducted, so that its methodologies are not excluded.

The uncertainty around Waldorf schools

Is it possible that the divorce between the scientific method and Waldorf pedagogy does not make this education system a bad alternative? It is difficult to say, since not all Waldorf schools function in the same way, nor do they have to fully embrace the esotericism with which Steiner expressed himself . Similarly, it is difficult to know where the boundary lies between an orthodox Waldorf school and one that is simply influenced by the methods of Waldorf pedagogy or copies its strategies, without having anything to do with anthroposophy. Often legal gaps and a lack of regulations in the denomination of schools make it difficult to make informed decisions about whether a particular Waldorf school is a good alternative.

On the one hand, many parents’ associations complain about the legal loopholes in which some Waldorf schools operate and therefore ask for specific regulations to be established to enable them to be sure of the type of activities and methodologies used in the schools. On the other hand, the efforts of many Waldorf schools to adjust to the demands of demand and public regulations mean that, in practice, they are guided little by Steiner’s principles and it is therefore difficult to know what can be expected of them .

Despite the informative limbo in which schools related to Waldorf pedagogy seem to float, it should be remembered that the fact that Waldorf pedagogy denies the scientific method means that the more these schools conform to Steiner’s beliefs, the greater the risk that they may be implementing educational measures that put the integrity of very young children at risk. The lack of certainty about whether what happens in most Waldorf schools is appropriate for the pupils is in itself a negative thing. Therefore, the best way to judge how to work in a Waldorf school is to visit that particular school and judge on the spot .

Is Waldorf pedagogy harmful?

There is a relevant issue which goes beyond questioning the transparency, organisation and functioning of Waldorf schools. It is about the effects that teaching based on this educational system can have on the mental health of the pupils , especially those who come into contact with this type of school at a very early age. In the end, teaching about certain subjects and spreading certain beliefs does not have to imply that the psychological integrity of the students is being undermined or that their learning is being delayed in certain areas, even though what is being taught is not supported by science or the proven study of history, but the way in which certain skills are being taught and approached may be inappropriate.

The truth is that the only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that it is necessary to carry out research in this sense, because the lack of information is absolute . Few independent studies have been carried out which touch, even in passing, on subjects related to the effects of Waldorf education on the psychology of pupils, and they are insufficient in themselves to shed too much light on the subject. Most of this research deals with the age at which it is best to start teaching young people to read and write, and no great differences have been found between children who start teaching in nursery school and those who receive their first lessons on the subject from the age of 6 or 7. Thus, at the moment there seems to be nothing certain about the effectiveness or negative effects of this style of teaching.

Some recommendations

Beyond the scientific research specifically focused on aspects of Waldorf pedagogy, there are some recommendations that can be made from common sense. For example, young people diagnosed with autism might find it difficult to adapt to an educational model that places so much emphasis on flexibility and the lack of structure in activities and games, so that Waldorf pedagogy does not seem to be the right one for them.

In the same way, many of the advantages which Waldorf education seems to offer are not exclusive to it, but are typical of private education in general. The clearest is the option of having classes with few pupils in which the personalised treatment of the teaching staff towards the pupil is possible due to the economic situation of the educational centre. Today, what has opened the door to this possibility has not been the essentialist philosophy of a thinker, but the economic relief , where it exists.

Bibliographic references:

  • Cunningham, A. Carroll, J. M. (2011). The Development of Early Literacy in Steiner- and Standard-Educated Children. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 81(3), pp. 475 – 490.
  • Ginsburg, I. H. (1982). Jean Piaget and Rudolf Steiner: Stages of child development and implications for pedagogy. Teachers College Record, 84(2), pp. 327 – 337.
  • Steiner, R. (2001). The Renewal of Education. Great Barrington, Massachusetts: Anthroposophic Press. Originally published in 1977.
  • Steiner, R. (2003). A Modern Art of Education. Great Barrington, Massachusetts: Anthroposophic Press. Originally published in 1923.
  • Steiner, R. (2003). Soul Economy: Body, Soul, and Spirit in Waldorf Education. Great Barrington, Massachusetts: Anthroposophic Press. Originally published in 1977.
  • Suggate, S. P., Schaughency, E. A. and Reese, E. (2013). Children learning to read later catch up to children reading earlier. Early Chilhood Research Qarterly, 28(1), pp. 33 – 48.
  • Uhrmacher P. B. (1995). Uncommon Schooling: Una mirada histórica a Rudolf Steiner, la Antroposofía y la Educación Waldorf. Curriculum Inquiry, 25(4), pp. 381 – 406.