THE WALDORF DIFFERENCE

“To produce individuals who are able, in and of themselves, to impart meaning to their lives.”

There are many things that make the Calgary Waldorf School different from other independent and public schools. In addition to the points below, a visit to our school will provide a tangible experience of our difference. Please join us for a tour or special event.

Some of the ways Waldorf Education will provide an extraordinary experience for your child and your family:

• Waldorf methodology helps develop an internal motivation to learn by freely using arts and activities in the service of teaching academics.
• The curriculum directly reflects the developmental stages of childhood.
• Academics are de-emphasized in the early years of schooling. The Waldorf Kindergarten experience focuses on the cultivation of pre-academic skills. Literacy readiness begins in Kindergarten with formal reading instruction beginning in Grade One.
• The class teacher stays with the same class for several years developing a strong educational bond as the teacher gains an indepth understanding of each child’s unique learning style.
• Certain activities, often considered “frills” at mainstream schools, are central to the curriculum at the Calgary Waldorf School: art, music, handwork/woodwork, outdoor activities, and two second languages.
• There are no “textbooks” in the first through fifth grades. Children learn from lecture and observation and develop “main lesson books”, workbooks in which they record their experiences and learnings.
• Learning in a Waldorf school is a noncompetitive activity. The teacher writes a detailed evaluation of the child at the end of each school year.
• The use of electronic media, particularly television, by young children is discouraged in Waldorf schools. So too is the over-emphasis of commercialism and busy extra-curricular schedules. The importance of a balanced and strong family life is emphasized, encouraged and supported at our school.