SuperDad Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Can someone compare Waldorf theology and practice versus Charlotte Mason? Thanks, SuperDad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDad Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 bump I am very curious about this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Well, they are completely different philosophies and entire books have been written in both of them. Googling Anthroposophy would be a good start toward understanding Waldorf. He had some pretty kooky ideas, IMO. Charlotte Mason was a proponent of learning through living books. I tend to think of TWTM as a combination of neo-classical education and CM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDad Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 Well, they are completely different philosophies and entire books have been written in both of them. Oh. I always sort of thought of them as similar, though I suppose that reveals my total lack of understanding of the Waldorf philosophy. I read, studied, and researched, and I simply don't understand Waldorf. I've stopped trying :D. I do know all about CM, though... my homeschool is a mixture of CM, Classical, and eclectic. I just Googled anthroposophy. It looks... well, um, rather odd. Cultish, even. How does it relates to education? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 My op should have said about, not in, boo for typos. I just Googled anthroposophy. It looks... well, um, rather odd. Cultish, even. How does it relates to education? Anthroposophy is Steiner's philosophy/pseudo-theology. Waldorf schools are built around many of Steiner's ideas. More info here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDad Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 The Wikipedia article was a big help. I'm still fuzzy on the details, but such it life. I love your siggie, by the way. I'm a big fan of The Oatmeal, though I'm careful to keep to the grammar and cat-related comics and steer away from the... ah, cruder material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 The Wikipedia article was a big help. I'm still fuzzy on the details, but such it life. I love your siggie, by the way. I'm a big fan of The Oatmeal, though I'm careful to keep to the grammar and cat-related comics and steer away from the... ah, cruder material. Probably wise, LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I know this is not what most believe here, but I'm a fan of Waldorf and think you can take the good without believing all the underpinnings and odd things the founder said. (I had a great educational experience in a Catholic school growing up, and I wasn't Catholic. So I have a long experience of taking the good without agreeing with all the theology.) My younger son is in a Waldorf school and it has been an amazing experience. There is a definite developmental perspective, but this school is not hard-core about accepting their ways of doing things. The parts I love: -- strong foundation in art and music; child is surrounded in wonder and beauty -- appreciation of the natural world; lots of time outside -- celebration of holidays -- international awareness (study 2 languages, teachers and students are from around the world) -- hands on learning which has really engaged my son. Small example -- they draw or do handwork while listening to stories or read alouds, often on the same theme, which makes it so much easier for my son to stay focused. In addition to learning instruments, they sing frequently to punctuate the day. -- they read lots of classic books, study mythology, history, geography. Much more of what I would consider core knowledge is covered than public school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDad Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 EmilyK - THANK YOU!!! Can you compare/contrast it to other popular homeschool methods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 You might be interested in this thread from last year What is the difference between Charlotte Mason and Waldorf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth in MN Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 The underlying issue is that Steiner and Mason had their own theories about child development and education. Both were doing their own schools in the same generic period. They are similar but different all at once. Steiner was big on not making kids grow up too quickly. He was also big on kids actually spending time in natures, as was CM. Steiner had lots of theories about how to live life from what foods to eat to what your house should be like. CM has theories about how a child learns best and how to educate them but, as far as I know, she didn't really go into other realms of life. I know much more about Waldorf than I do about Charlotte Mason. For my daughter the perfect Early Childhood education was 90% Waldorf and 10% TWTM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 CM has theories about how a child learns best and how to educate them but, as far as I know, she didn't really go into other realms of life. She does recommend wearing wool and airing out one's bedclothes! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 As I understand it, one big difference is that Waldorf schools tend to delay all reading instruction until 7 or 8 years of age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachrose Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 both classical educations. Waldorf starts off slow and I could write a long post as to the why but it is easier to post a link to this video to a very interesting lecture on the how and why reading is taught in Waldorf schools. I have found them spot on with my kids as far as what is needed for their age and interests. It's kind of like potty training a child at the right age. They enjoy it,you do too vs. try too early it's hard and the kids hate it. 90% of Waldorf grads go on to higher learning,ivy league colleges. So the in the end ,you know the curriculum is rigorous enough. I like CM, but I prefer the way Waldorf really encourages creative,critical thinking and frankly more of a world view. I like how it is huge on training kids to use their thinking, feeling, and willing ( "head, heart, and hands"). I do not belief in Steiner's new age beliefs. I modify or address anything I do not believe. I find the addressing some of these beliefs is a great way to help my kids critically think through their faith, with me as a mentor. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 I find a lot of the most popular aspects of Waldorf are really the ones that aren't specific to Waldorf - like spending time in nature, or avoiding television, or using natural materials. People are attracted by those things and often Waldorf schools offer them in a really great way, especially compared to the public offerings. But they could theoretically be found in other places, including a CM school. But I think both Steiner and CM saw their really unique educational vision coming out of their underlying beliefs about human nature. So CM comes from a Christian vision of Children as persons made in God's image but also fallen and so needing direction - capable by nature of learning and having authentic relationships. Steiner's vision was a bit different - he believed kids had to work out the results of their previous incarnations, for example, and this affects how teachers relate to and deal with what is going on with their students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachrose Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 (edited) I disagree with bluegoat on the surface they seem similar and they are in part. Waldorf methods approach intellectual problems in deeply creative ways which is hardly unChristian. Just because Steiner attaches something to the method it still doesn't mean the gift of using your noggen isn't God given. They teach for instance, the relation of whole to parts, and perceiving that successful solutions may require experimentation, imagination, and constant refinement. It's like the method is presenting something ,get the kids to ask the questions, and then have them come up with solutions with a bit of help of a mentor. Big difference from reading someone else's thinking and narrating it back. I don't hate CM but I don't it is a stimulating as Waldorf methods. Waldorf can be every bit as Christian as CM . Specially when you consider true waldorf method is creating your own lessons so if your view point is Christian well it will come across in how and what you choose to teach. Edited April 18, 2012 by beachrose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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