Utilisateur:Phase/Critiques de la Pédagogie Steiner-Waldorf

Un article de Wikipédia, l'encyclopédie libre.

[modifier] Sources

[modifier] Steiner

There is no question that Steiner made contributions in many fields, but as a philosopher, scientist, and artist he rarely rises above mediocrity and is singularly unoriginal. In some cases, e.g., agriculture, he is pseudoscientific. His spiritual ideas seem less than credible and are certainly not scientific. His belief in his own clairvoyance should be disturbing to those who think he is one of the great minds of all time.^[5]

Steiner told followers of his clairvoyant abilities and other psychic powers, claiming to read the Akashic record to obtain information and channel Zarathustra. The Akashic Record is believed to be an invisible chronicle that records every word spoken and deed performed by mankind since the beginning of time. Occult believers say this record can be found in the ether and read by clairvoyants. Steiner taught believers how to read to the dead and to meditate on the deceased?s handwriting in order to communicate with those that have died. He lectured profusely on topics such as reincarnation, hypnotism, occult science, Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, mystery centers of the middle ages, astral bodies, gnomes as life forms, angels, karma, Christian mysticism, how to see spiritual beings, modern initiation, Atlantis, Lemuria, etc. Steiner?s sermons, setting out his occult teachings, were recorded by his disciples and published in more than 350 volumes. In a paper such as this, it is only possible to scratch the surface of the vast body of tenets that he imparted to his followers.^[6]

Clair's teacher was referring to Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), an Austrian-born philosopher, self-proclaimed clairvoyant and occult scientist who, in his heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, produced dozens of books and essays, lectured widely, and founded Anthroposophy, a philosophy resembling a mystical twist on Christianity that incorporates belief in, among many other things, reincarnation, karma and gnomes.^[3]

Waldorf schools were founded by Rudolf Steiner, a prominent New Age-style Austrian philosopher and self-styled clairvoyant who started a movement called Anthroposophy.^[8]

[modifier] Anthroposophie

Anthroposophy is a cult-like religious sect following the teachings of Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925).^[2]

Steiner split with Theosophy, forming his own group, which he called Anthroposophy. He was a charismatic leader, and most of the German section came with him, forming an instant cult. Later he claimed to have been teaching Anthroposophy all along, and Anthroposophical presses went so far as to change "Theosophy" to "Anthroposophy" in some of his earlier books.^[2]

Anthroposophy cobbles together a hodge-podge of spiritual traditions, claiming to teach comprehensive truths which are only partially found in other religions. At its foundation are the concepts of reincarnation, karma, and polytheism, which derive from Hinduism. Steiner was something of a fundamentalist Platonist, saying that the real world was all illusion, that objects are reflections of eternal essences in the spiritual world; but for Steiner the essences weren?t abstractions, they were living beings. He also espoused Plato's political philosophy and may well have imagined himself as the philosopher-king. From the ancient Persian religion Zoroastrianism he took dual gods of light and dark. He identified the light god as Lucifer, and created his own trinity of Lucifer, Ahriman (the dark god), and a Gnostic conception of Christ, usually referred to as ?The Christ Spirit,? who dwelt in the body of Jesus for only three years.^[2]

As if this weren?t enough, Steiner stirred it all together with a liberal dose of European occult traditions: Cabbalism, numerology, Rosicrucianism and Masonry, and spiced it with vegetarianism and the pseudosciences of astrology, herbalism, and homeopathy. Steiner claimed to make "exact scientific observations" in the spiritual world, so nothing that he said could be discussed substantially by his followers without questioning the foundations of the faith.^[2]

More than any other sect of occultism, except perhaps Shrine, Anthroposophists apply themselves to activities in the outside world. The pamphlet lists the activities of "Anthroposophy at Work" as Waldorf education, adult education, healing dance, medical practice, elder care, biodynamic agriculture, the arts, banking and financial consulting, health and hygiene, publishing, a formal church called Christian Community, and the Anthroposophical Society itself.^[2] These activities are usually referred to in Anthroposophical jargon as "initiatives". This author observes that they are claimed as Anthroposophical activities when it is desired to glorify Anthroposophy, but denied and called independent free associations when outsiders question their connection to problematic Anthroposophical doctrines. They are wholly carried out under Anthroposophical direction, ultimately taking guidance from divisions of the Anthroposophical headquarters (the Goetheanum) in Dornach, Switzerland. Each activity will, of course, have its own local non-profit corporation.^[2]

The school's values are based on Anthroposophy.
The school's priorities are based on Anthroposophy.
The school's organization is based on Anthroposophy.
Some of the teacher training is Anthroposophy
Some of the curriculum is Anthroposophy
Some of the education is Anthroposophy
Anthroposophy is not taught in the school.^[2]

Often, when ?difficult? tenets of Anthroposophy are brought up in connection with either private or public Waldorf schools, the defense is made that Anthroposophy is not taught in the schools. They claim that only Steiner?s teaching methods are used, and that they take what's good and discard the nonsense. I believe Waldorf without Anthroposophy might be possible, but it would be so difficult that I would be surprised if it ever actually happened. Anthroposophy is so tightly interwoven into the Waldorf movement that removing it would leave little but a constellation of pedagogical techniques that, taken separately, aren?t unique to Waldorf. If there is such a thing as ?Waldorf Method? or ?New Waldorf? without Anthroposophy, where are the teaching handbooks and curriculum resources? Everything available comes from Anthroposophy. Where are the periodicals? All the periodicals are Anthroposophical. Where are the associations, conferences, and conference proceedings? They are all Anthroposophical. Where is the teacher training? It?s all done by Anthroposophists. Everything in the Waldorf education movement comes from Anthroposophy.^[2]

The anthroposophical kindergartens and schools are an offer to people wanting an anthroposophical upbringing of their child. In addition they offer their own church, food production and grocers, bank, doctors^[4]

Steiner saw Anthroposophy as a spiritually complete Rosicrucian path which will guide pupils to higher worlds through an esoteric training, and although this principle of initiation is adhered to by Waldorf Schools, it is accomplished, often without participants' understanding or sanction.^[6]

The critics view Anthroposophy as a potentially dangerous religion that is New Age-like and mystical. They are troubled, for example, by how Anthroposophy rejects modern medicine and psychiatry and believes (among other things) in astrology, reincarnation and the existence of little gnomes in the woods. A contingent of Waldorf critics charges that some of Steiner’s Anthroposophical writings are racist, while others are simply bothered by the feeling of exclusion Waldorf schools create.^[8]

Anthroposophy is based on the prolific lectures and writings of Steiner. Described as a body of beliefs called “spiritual mysticism,” some key elements of Anthroposophy are reincarnation, destiny, biodynamics, eurythmy and Anthroposophical medicine.^[8]

[modifier] Professeurs

Waldorf teachers are different from teachers in any other kind of educational theory. It is expected that they will participate in a group spiritual life. ?What is unique in these schools is the inner path of the teacher? wrote artist and Waldorf teacher Mary Richards. ?The teacher's personal path is to enter into a consciousness of the human being and universe and to enter into teaching as a practice of this consciousness. A community is thus created among the teachers by the fact that they are students together and are connected through a meditative life? (Richards, 1980, p. 16).^[2]

The full-time teacher training program is a two-year course. The first year, called the ?Foundation Year,? is a survey of Anthroposophy, and is also offered to anyone interested in learning more about Steiner's philosophy.^[2]

The second year of teacher training addresses education, but students are required to have taken the Foundation Year first, or to demonstrate that they have equivalent indoctrination in Anthroposophy.^[2]

Applicants aren?t asked for a recommendation from, say, an employer or professor concerning their suitability for teacher training, but from an Anthroposophist.^[2]

What's remarkable about the Waldorf teacher training is what's missing. Waldorf teachers don't study any of the other educational theorists in more than a cursory fashion. They aren't given any training in core academic subjects at all. They don't study classroom management. In Waldorf, devotion to Anthroposophy is all. Everything else is supposed to take care of itself'somehow.^[2]

Teachers are supposed to start with a first-grade class, and stay with the class all the way through elementary and middle grades, through the eighth grade. This makes the Waldorf experience extremely variable, depending on the talents of the teacher. Since there is no standardized testing, and teachers are hired more on their ability to represent Anthroposophical devotion than their teaching ability, two successive classes graduating from the same school may have very different levels of competency.^[2]

In most Waldorf schools there are two classes of teachers. The senior teachers form a group called the ?college of teachers? that runs the school. Junior teachers aren?t invited to join the college until they are ready to commit themselves to Anthroposophy.^[2]

Thus it is only through passing a religious test that a Waldorf teacher can achieve full status, with a voice in the government of the school.^[2]

The two year Waldorf teacher training program involves one year of indoctrination into Anthroposophy, a sect of theosophy, with practical training on how to bring Anthroposophy into the classroom the second year. They believe they are speaking the only truth, because Steiner said so.^[10]

8--What do Waldorf Schools have to do to alleviate your criticisms?

It would have to start with the teacher training program. Waldorf teachers need core academic training _more_ than indoctrination into Anthroposophy. Waldorf's child development model is based on reincarnation, it remains untested and could be damaging to children. Waldorf's history curriculum is based on theosophy's world view. It is a racist theory and inappropriate for modern public school systems.^[10]

[modifier] Science

Weird science. In a chemistry lesson, the teacher burned different substances and the students drew and described the qualities of the flames, smoke, and ash. No mention was made of oxidation or, for that matter, any chemistry at all. In a lesson on the physics of light, they were taught that Newton was wrong about color and Goethe was right. White light is a unity and cannot be divided into the colors of the spectrum; the colors are merely an artifact of the prism. I thought perhaps these mistakes were due to the ignorance of particular teachers, but when I obtained Waldorf curriculum guides, I discovered that the inadequate and erroneous science was part of the Waldorf system.^[2]

My son David was taught, in seventh-grade physics at the San Francisco Waldorf School, that Newton was wrong, and Goethe was right about color. The following example is from the lesson book of a high school senior in the flagship school associated with the West Coast teachers college: Newton continued to elaborate on his Theory of Colors. He determined that specific colors came about because all the other colors were absorbed. For example, a blue shirt, is determined as blue because the shirt has absorbed every other color, and has emitted (reflected) only that blue. Though his theory has been proven incorrect, it is essential to learn about many of Newton's theories in order for us to better understand the scientific frame of mind. . . . Just one of the many aspects of Newtonian physics that we have adopted is Newton's Particular (particles) Theory of Light. (Charren, 1988, npn.) This is totally backwards, yet there are no corrections by the teacher. Newton's theory of why a blue shirt appears blue has not been proven incorrect; it is as valid today as it ever was. Newton's theory of light particles was rejected by later science, and it didn't have any influence on the development of today's quantum theory. It is quite incorrect to say that it "has been adopted."^[2]

Another place that Waldorf science differs radically from the rest of the world is in physiology. Anthroposophy has its own physiology. Steiner taught that the heart does not pump blood, blood moves itself.^[2]

To prevent parent revolts, this doctrine is usually skirted in Waldorf classes. The lesson block on circulation will be taught in an ambiguous way without mentioning the pumping function of the heart.^[2]

Then his son complained "they're teaching us baby science." A specialist science teacher had told the sixth grade "the elements are earth, air, fire, and water." Dugan looked at several science lesson books, and found more bad news. "Planetary influences" were said to affect the growth of plants. In physiology, the body was said to be made up of "the nerve-sense system, the metabolic-muscular system, and the rhythmic system." Worse than the occasional items of cult pseudoscience was what was left out. The science curriculum was based entirely on observation, and the theories which form the backbone of scientific knowledge were almost completely omitted. The children were not to be "prejudiced" by "materialistic dogma," but were to make up their own minds about how the world worked from direct observation.^[9]

Dugan sent a survey to all 270 parents in the school, asking their positions on a selection of religious, new-age, scientific, and Steiner beliefs. Thirty-two responded. Most of these parents agreed with New Age beliefs like reincarnation that Steiner followers also hold, but almost none knew about or agreed with the pseudoscientific statements taken from Steiner literature. It appears that their children were being indoctrinated in weird science without their knowledge.^[9]

6--If children are taught that the heart does not pump blood and that Newton was wrong (as mentioned in articles by Dan Dugan), wouldn't these kids be having problems later in life as a result of their scientific miseducation?

Waldorf curriculum is deletist where Steiner's beliefs no longer comply with mainstream thinking. The science curriculum used in Waldorf schools includes frequent examples of lunatic fringe beliefs. Steiner taught that the heart does not pump blood, so while Waldorf students may draw beautiful diagrams of the human circulatory system, they will never learn how it works. Public school teachers at my sons' tax supported Waldorf school defended their belief at a public meeting by saying that there is current research being done at a certain college that will prove they are correct, "The heart is not a pump." I think this is an example of naive thinking and two years of indoctrination into Anthroposophy. They forget that the rest of the world does not think the same way they do.^[10]

[modifier] Racisme

Racism. I was shocked to pick up a Steiner book for sale at the school and read: ?If the blonds and blue-eyed people die out, the human race will become increasingly dense if men do not arrive at a form of intelligence that is independent of blondness? (Steiner, 1981, p. 86). Why would a school in San Francisco in 1988 be promoting 1920s German racism? They would, I thought, have to be some kind of cult to be so out of touch with reality.^[2]

Mr Pereira, who is from Sri Lanka, said his concerns about Steiner's racist beliefs were realised when his children were not allowed to use black or brown crayons because they were "not pure". He said Steiner teachers at the state-run school recommended they not immunise their children because it would lead to the "bestialisation of humans". ^[1]

According to Theosophy and Anthroposophy, the present time is in the ?Earth? Planetary Condition, the ?Mineral? Life Kingdom, the ?Physical-Etheric? Global State, the ?Aryan? Root-Race, and the ?Aryan? Sub-Race. Why are the smaller time periods called ?races?? Because, according to divine plan, humanity, which has always been present throughout cosmic history, is supposed to evolve through higher and higher racial forms. According to the plan, the races whose evolutionary tasks are done are supposed to die out. The actions of evil deities flawed the plan, however, and so ?left behind? races still exist. Steiner taught:^[2]

This mythology, of the Aryan race originating in Atlantis, migrating to Asia and then west to Europe, provided what was claimed as a scientific foundation for racism and anti-Semitism in Steiner?s time. The mythology can be traced from its origin in Blavatsky to Steiner and the Ariosophists, like List and Lanz in the next generation, and on to its tragic finale with Nazi theorist Rosenberg and the Holocaust (Goodrick-Clarke, 1992, Rosenberg, 1993)^[2]

First, teachers study racist texts for their training, and consequently, racist materials will always be present in the schools. Second, the Theosophical theory of history is the framework for the history curriculum. Third, teachers may use racial criteria for treating students and teachers differently.^[2]

Some of the books that are required reading for Waldorf teacher training include racist material, for example, Knowledge of Higher Worlds, Theosophy, and Conferences with Teachers. In any Waldorf school, public or private, these books, and many more, will be used for reference by the teachers.^[2]

The Waldorf curriculum was designed by Steiner in a ?spiral? plan that cycles the students repeatedly, with increasing detail, through what Steiner called the ?evolution of consciousness,? the development of the mythical Aryan race over time. The first cycle is the first and second grades. In the first grade, fairy tales are used. These contain, according to Steiner, the unwritten ancient wisdom of the Aryan race. In the second grade, the lives of saints are studied, bringing the students into the Christian era.^[2]

The ?development of consciousness,? according to Anthroposophy, doesn't involve Africa, Asia, the Americas, or Oceania.^[2]

Waldorf teachers are trained to consider the past lives and racial backgrounds of their students. The director of teacher training at Rudolf Steiner College, the main West Coast Waldorf teacher training college, wrote: In learning to understand a child, it is important to consider?in addition to hereditary factors, which include race, ethnic background, and the biological strands supplied by father and mother?what the soul has brought with it out of supersensible realms. If we deepen this line of thought, we shall take into account not only the prenatal ?gesture,? but also the spiritual origins as they manifested themselves in previous incarnations. In other words, just as we have applied certain questions regarding our own spiritual origins, we should without jumping to quick conclusions also consider to which spiritual streams our students belonged. (Querido, 1995, p. 85)^[2]

Steiner taught that Africans represent a child-like stage of evolution. Consequently, Waldorf teachers may treat African-American children and teachers as though they have different potential than those of European ethnicity. One such incident is documented in a Waldorf supporter's article about racism in Waldorf: A white mother of a successful biracial (African American and white) child loved her son's Waldorf school but had to work constantly against teachers who would tell her of the evolutionary limits of Black children. (McDermott, 1996, p. 4) An African-American Waldorf teacher who was the first black teacher hired by the New York Steiner School (in 75 years!) is suing them for racial discrimination. The legal complaint is available at: http://www.waldorfcritics.org/active/articles/charmainecomp.pdf.^[2]

Jewry as such has long since outlived its time; it has no more justification within the modern life of peoples, and the fact that it continues to exist is a mistake of world history whose consequences are unavoidable. We do not mean the forms of the Jewish religion alone, but above all the spirit of Jewry, the Jewish way of thinking. (Steiner, 1971, p. 152) These blacks in Africa characteristically suck in, absorb, all light and all heat from the cosmos. And, humans being humans, this light and this heat from the cosmos cannot pass through the entire body. It does not flow through the entire body, but it stops at the skin. In this way, the complexion itself becomes black. Consequently, a black in Africa is a human who absorbs and assimilates as much light and heat from the cosmos as possible. As he does this, the forces of the cosmos work throughout that human. Everywhere, he absorbs light and heat, really everywhere. He assimilates them within himself. There really must be something which helps him in this assimilation. That something is mainly the cerebellum. This is why a Negro has an especially well developed cerebellum. This is linked to the spinal marrow; and they can assimilate all light and heat which a human contains. As a consequence, especially the aspects which pertain to the body and to metabolism are strongly developed in a Negro. He has a strong sexual urge as people call it, strong instincts. And as, with him, all which comes from the sun light and heat really is at the skin?s surface, all of his metabolism works as if the sun itself is boiling in his inside. This causes his passions. Within a Negro, cooking is going on all the time; and the cerebellum kindles the fire. ... And we, Europeans, we poor Europeans, we have the thinking life, which resides in the head. ... Therefore, Europe has always been the starting point of everything which develops the human entity in such a way that at the same time a relationship with the outside world arises. ... When Negroes go to the west, they cannot absorb as much light and heat any more as they were used to in their Africa. ... That is why they turn copper red, they become Indians. That is because they are forced to reflect a part of the light and heat. They turn shiny copper red. They cannot keep up this copper red shining. That is why the Indians die out in the West, they die because of their own nature which does not get enough light and heat, they die because of the earthly factor. ... Really, it is the whites who develop the human factor within themselves. Therefore they have to rely on themselves. When whites do emigrate, they partly take on the characteristics of other areas, but they die more as individuals than as a race. The white race is the race of the future, the race that is working creatively with the spirit. (Steiner, 1980, p. 67) White humankind is still on the path of absorbing the spirit deeper and deeper into its own essence. Yellow humankind is on the path of conserving the era when the spirit will be kept away from the body, when the spirit will only be sought outside of the human-physical organization. But the result will have to be that the transition from the fifth cultural epoch to the sixth cultural epoch cannot happen in any other way than as a violent battle of white humankind against colored humankind in myriad areas. And that which precedes these battles between white and colored humankind will occupy world history until the completion of the great battles between white and colored humankind. Future events are frequently reflected in prior events. You see, we stand before something colossal that?when we understand it through spiritual science?we will in the future be able to recognize as a necessary occurrence. (Steiner, 1974, p. 38)^[2]

Steiner's remarks on religion and race have caused an outcry among Waldorf critics, who say that Waldorf schooling cannot escape Steiner's bigoted roots. "Jewry as such has long since outlived its time; it has no more justification within the modern life of peoples, and the fact that it continues to exist is a mistake of world history whose consequences are unavoidable," said Steiner in an 1888 article in the German Weekly. Steiner's theory of reincarnation states that souls travel an upward path of consciousness, beginning with the "sub-races" (Africans) and ending with Aryans -- the most "enlightened" race. Said Steiner, "If the blonds and blue-eyed people die out, the human race will become increasingly dense ... Blond hair actually bestows intelligence."^[3]

Steiner’s thoughts about reincarnation imply also the rather interesting observation that European culture, funnily enough, is seen as more advanced than other cultures. African and Asian cultures have not, as yet, reached the higher evolvement of enlightenment. But beware! This is nobody’s fault; we’ve all been there. It’s just one of those things. We shall not dwell upon what Steiner claims about the Indians and the Jews here and now. But according to Steiner’s spiritual science some races are more developed than others due to their geographical placement on earth.^[4]

But his moral stature has been challenged by charges of racism. These charges have been met with a lengthy report in Steiner's defense. The fact is that Steiner believed in reincarnation and that souls pass through stages, including racial stages, with African races being lower than Asian races and European races being the highest form.^[5]

Steiner?s lectures are peppered with racism and anti-Semitism. His racist doctrine is similar to other occult variants like ariosophy, sometimes attracting interest from far-right publishers and distributors. Peter Staudenmaier studies racism and Steiner texts including untranslated German lectures such as those recorded in Die Geistigen Hintergrunde des Ersten Weltkrieges, (1974). (GA 174b)^[6]

He concludes that Steiner accepted as obvious the basic Theosophical notion that intelligence and beauty are correlated with ?racial characteristics? and links this to the classical Theosophical concept that ?primitive peoples? are the ?degenerative remnants? of older ?racial forms.? Staudenmaier notes that Steiner subscribes to ?esoteric Darwinism? in which inferior ?races? of his lifetime were believed by him to be descendants of the earlier Lemurian and Atlantean root races which were devolving physically and spiritually toward an animal state. In contrast, the fifth root race, the Aryans, continued evolving upwards, towards universal humanity. Followers will be saved from Steiner?s prophetic, apocalyptic ?War of All Against All??when white humanity will destroy ?colored? humanity who has not taken the spirit deep within the skin.^[6]

In a 1915 sermon in Stuttgart, Steiner said that advanced spirituality is tied to external skin color and that white skin is a sign of spiritual progress:^[6]

Racial selectiveness was important to Steiner?s doctrine which includes the notion that beauty and intelligence correlate with ?racial characteristics?:^[6]

Steiner?s doctrine of ?esoteric Darwinism? was steeped in Blavatsky?s basic theosophical teachings; ?savages? are considered degenerate remnants of older racial forms devolving into apes. A year before he died he was still preaching the same sermon:^[6]

In 1904, early in his Theosophical career, he taught that the ?backward races? were the descendants of the earlier Lemurian and Atlantean root-races which survived the Atlantean flood. Steiner?s clairvoyant powers enabled him to see far back in time, before the beginning of the world, long before that marked by historians and scientists. His psychic abilities enabled him to describe Atlantis in elaborate detail, when humans still had magical powers and could lift their hands above plants to make them grow rapidly, and when man drove vehicles that floated in the air. These ?backwards races? should have died out, but Ahriman thwarted this cosmic plan. Instead of evolving towards a more advanced spiritual state and higher stages of evolution with more ?beautiful bodies,? they physically and spiritually regressed. Steiner and other Theosophists asserted that these "lower races" were devolving toward an animal state, while the fifth root-race, the Aryans, led by Manu, was saved from the Atlantis flood and continues to evolve towards a higher Sixth race. Steiner taught that a ?universal human? would eventually return to pure spirit, free from the restraints of the physical body in his future Vulcan phase of cosmic evolution.^[6]

When I learned that black and brown crayons were not permitted in the kindergartens, I asked my daughter?s teacher how it would be possible for African Americans to draw themselves. The teacher told me that she would show the child how to ?smudge? their color from an assortment of other colors. I remarked that it seemed racist. What was going on? I later learned from reading Steiner that ?black is the spiritual image of the lifeless? and that dark skin is a sign of spiritual inferiority.^[6]

Other Waldorf critics are more concerned with the seemingly racist contents of Rudolf Steiner’s writings, some of which have been found in teacher training material.

“In the truest sense,” wrote Steiner in 1904, “everyone receives his allotted task from his family, national or racial group soul.”

“The Ancestors of the Atlanteans lived in a religion which has disappeared,” elaborated Steiner. “In theosophical writings they are called the Lemurians…. From this part the Atlanteans were formed…. The greatest part of the Atlantean population declined, and from a small portion are descended the so-called Aryans who comprise present-day civilized humanity.”

In public lectures during the same year (1904), Steiner declared, “Ever since the Atlantean Race began slowly to disappear, the great Aryan Race has been the dominant one on Earth.”

“That is a terrible thing the French people are doing to other people,” Steiner wrote from Germany in 1923. “[From] the frightful cultural brutality of transplanting black people to Europe … the French nation will become weakened as a race.”^[8]

[modifier] Médecine

Quack medicine. An "Anthroposophical physician" gave a lecture to the parents on "Anthroposophical medicine". It was classic quackery, claiming to be scientific but ignoring science in favor of cult beliefs, namely, Steiner's seemingly authoritative pronouncements. For example, Anthroposophical medicine doesn't believe in germ theory, teaching instead that the real causes of infectious diseases are karmic or spiritual, and that the presence of microorganisms is only a symptom.^[2]

Steiner also developed a spiritual medicine system based on his ?Spiritual Science? which incorporates alchemical, astrological, Cabalistic, and other magical concepts. His views on illness are unorthodox when compared to contemporary scientific medicine, but they are still upheld and promoted by his followers. For example, Steiner viewed certain bacilli as ?nothing else than physically embodied demons generated by lies,? (Steiner, 1981b, p. 69) and he claimed that certain children with learning disabilities are not really human but inhabited by beings that do not belong to the human race:^[6]

Errors resulting from devotion to the dark god, Ahriman, will be punished in the form of diseases in a following lifetime. Too much sex and desire for sensual pleasure in a past life will be paid back with a case of pneumonia in the next life. Karma will punish selfishness with malaria. Developing healing forces and overcoming diseases enables the human to evolve onwards and upwards on Steiner?s evolutionary path, towards his prophetic future.^[6]

Another aspect of the Waldorf approach is its rejection of traditional medicine in favour of the Anthroposophical herbal remedies that are often sold in the schools. An Anthroposophical medicine newsletter on display at the Ottawa Waldorf School contains articles on curing cancer with mistletoe, treating diabetes with herbs and homeopathy and “the spiritual psychology of chronic illness.” Waldorf children who are diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, autism and other serious disorders are often taken off their medication and parents are urged to withdraw their children from any psychiatric or psychological services they may be receiving.^[8]

But Waldorf’s rejection of modern medicine is largely based on Anthroposophy, which according to Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education in the United States, is not scientific. “Anthroposophical medicine claims that disease is caused primarily by a disturbance of the ‘vital essence,’ the heart does not pump blood, and there are twelve senses corresponding to signs of the zodiac,” she says.^[8]

[modifier] Vaccinations

immunisations were discouraged;^[1]

Vaccines are frowned upon by many Anthroposophists because they interfere with karmic compensation:^[6]

[modifier] Gauchers

Steiner taught that before the age of nine children, generally, should be broken of left handedness. Some Waldorf teachers attempt to change children?s dominant hand in order to help them in future incarnations: The phenomenon of left-handedness is clearly karmic, and, in connection with karma, it is one of karmic weakness. Allow me to give an example: A person who was overworked in their previous life, so that they did too much, not only physically or intellectually, but in general, spiritually, within their soul or feeling, will enter the succeeding life with an intense weakness (Steiner, 1923 lecture, http://www.bobnancy.com/ retrieved March 3, 2003. Click on ?waldorf? then ?developing child?, then ?Left-handed Cross-dominance,? scroll to May 25, 1923 lecture).^[6]

[modifier] Critiques

I started speaking up at meetings and lectures about these problems. I requested a meeting with the College of Teachers, the committee of senior teachers that ran the school. They were "too busy". Instead, a committee of three teachers was delegated to give me an ultimatum: "You don't have to believe what we believe, but if you are going to talk about your disagreements with the other parents, you will have to leave." We left.^[2]

A group of concerned parents began a study group to educate ourselves about Anthroposophy in December of 1995. As part of our search, I found Dan Dugan. Out of this study group, and from what we learned, we formed PLANS, People for Legal and Non-Sectarian Schools. Out of the original study group, I am the only one left. I feel very supported by my fellow committee members, but the reprisals of this kind of work is not for the faint hearted. I have received death threats and my family is subjected to continual harassment by the local Waldorf community. I have been followed in my car, flipped off, screamed at [in front of my ill mother and children]. I continually receive mean spirited telephone calls (not to mention the daily telephone hang-ups).^[10]

[modifier] Réincarnation et Karma

RAY Pereira could not believe what he was hearing. His son's teacher had just said his child had to repeat prep because the boy's soul had not fully incarnated. "She said his soul was hovering above the earth," Mr Pereira said. "And she then produced a couple of my son's drawings as evidence that his depiction of the world was from a perspective looking down on the earth from above.^[1]

Reading and writing is delayed until children have developed adult teeth -- at age seven -- to focus on developing the child's healthy body.^[1]

Waldorf brochures will claim that the school is based on child development. What isn't explained is that Steiner's theory of child development differs radically from other theories (see Steiner, 1960). Steiner?s child development theory is based on what he calls an understanding of the "true nature of man." Reincarnation and karma are essential tenets of this doctrine. Humans have four interpenetrating bodies that incarnate in stages. The physical body is born at birth. The "etheric body" is born at age seven, signified by the change of teeth. The "astral body" is born at age fourteen (numerology dictates seven-year periods), and the "I", the eternal part of the human that is reborn forever, is born at age 21.^[2]

He also points out that the ultimate goal of Anthroposophy is to lead children through the stages of reincarnation, which blurs the line between education and religion to an even greater extent. Nancy Frost*, a former Waldorf instructor, concurs: "I heard in a faculty meeting that there were many important souls waiting to reincarnate in this century and that they would only be able to do so if there were enough Waldorf schools," she says. "By the end of the year I taught there I was completely convinced that Waldorf constituted a cultlike religious movement which concealed its true nature from prospective parents."^[3]

In dance classes, we performed “eurythmy,” a form of bodily movement that looks a bit like slow-motion modern dance, but that was actually intended to teach us the proper stances to manifest spiritual states of being—calling upon influences from our past lives and preparing the basis for our future lives.^[5]

[modifier] Monde spirituel

A great deal of time is spent doing strictly prescribed wet-on-wet watercolor painting. This is intended to be a spiritual exercise in which the students contact the spiritual world through color.^[2]

[modifier] Infantilisation

The consequence of this theory is what critics term an ?infantilizing? educational plan. In recent years research has shown that children who don?t master reading in the primary grades are often left behind for the rest of their lives (Snow, Burns & Griffin, 1998, p. 21). This has led to ?pre-reading? activity being common in kindergarten. Today children entering first grade are expected to recognize letters and numbers, be able to read simple words, and count. Waldorf is vehemently opposed to what they call ?pushing? children ?too early.? Everyone would agree with that, but what is ?too early?? Kindergartners in Waldorf are not only not taught letters and numbers, but many teachers make efforts to protect them from being exposed to print at all. Stories are told to them, not read. Parents have even been advised that questions about road signs and words on packages should be deflected, as too-early intellectual activity will damage the children (Ercolano, 2001).^[2]

Waldorf students learn letters in first grade, and basic reading in second and third grades. This is in accordance with Steiner, who said that in the best of all possible worlds, reading would be delayed until after puberty, but compromises had to be made with the demands of society. Since standardized testing is frowned upon, and slower students are expected to catch up in their own good time, children who still can?t read in fifth or sixth grade are not uncommon in Waldorf.^[2]

Steiner said over and over that children?s health later in life would be damaged if they were intellectually stimulated too early. Consequently, reasoning, the linking of cause and effect, is avoided till sixth or seventh grade. Science lessons, which begin in fourth grade, consist only of observations. No theories are taught until later. But it is impossible to teach science without theory, so what is really happening is that by being protected from the "materialism" of modern thought, the pupils are left open to accept the magical world view expressed in the mythology in which they are immersed, that nature spirits and gods are behind the illusions that appear to be the physical universe.^[2]

[modifier] Interdits

They are one of a number of families who have relayed strange Steiner experiences to The Weekend Australian, including claims that AFL football was banned because the "unpredictability of the bounce" would cause frustration among children; immunisations were discouraged; and students recited verses to save their souls in class.^[1]

Under the system, students have the same "main lesson" teacher for the first six years and textbooks are not used in primary school. Computers are banned in the primary years and television is discouraged to allow children to develop their "senses in the physical world".^[1]

After a rigidly controlled circle ritual and prayer (students do not share news from home or discuss world events), two hours of morning "prime time" is given to the "main lesson". (...) There are no textbooks.^[2]

The use of lines is forbidden in the early grades, except for ?form drawing,? which consists of repetitive exercises that are purported to be therapeutic.^[2]

Waldorf schools have a strict dress code, and elementary school students are not allowed to bring anything from home, especially toys, books, or popular music. The schools want to change the lifestyles of their students' families to conform to Anthroposophical ideals. Stricter schools will insist that parents sign an agreement to eliminate television, movies, and recorded music from their homes. Teachers often request that children not be enrolled in any after-school activities like dance or sports so that the influence of the school won't be diluted by popular culture. Parents are advised (or ordered, depending on the teacher) to put children to bed early and not to expose them to any stimulation before school. Some teachers inspect their students' homes; parents joke with each other about hiding the TV and plastic toys. Because of this complex of restrictions, Waldorf families, trying to do their best for their children, tend to become isolated, socializing only with other Waldorf families.^[2]

Waldorf is as much a lifestyle as it is an education, with the school's philosophies lapping into home life: Parents are often asked to enforce rules about television watching and to keep a "media free" environment for children in lower grades (no TV or computers, period). Parents also receive guidelines for packing school lunches (an Olympia, Wash.-area Waldorf school's handbook states that lunches must be packed in a basket, not a lunch box, with two cloth napkins and a ceramic cup). Mary Hammond*, a Santa Rosa, Calif., mother of two, says the Waldorf school application she filled out asked questions about how long she'd breastfed her children and how much television she and her husband watched. In many ways, says Hammond, who eventually decided that Waldorf's mandates were too strict for her children, "I felt like I was on trial to see if we'd 'fit in' with the community before we even started there!"^[3]

We had no textbooks—we copied lessons written on the blackboards for us by our teachers. Reading was not emphasized in the lower grades.^[5]

Waldorf schools have no computers or high-tech gadgetry, and all classroom supplies are made of natural fibre (cotton, wood, wool, etc.). To keep pressure and competition to a minimum, there are no clocks, drill cards, textbooks or tests. No mirrors of any kind are allowed in Waldorf schools (they promote too much self-focus), nor are black crayons in early grades (a harsh and undesirable colour).^[8]

Waldorf’s approach to literacy is another controversial aspect of the school’s philosophy. Believing that too much early learning can hamper spiritual development, the schools have strict policies to curtail early literacy. These policies include the complete exclusion of books in the early grades, and postponing reading and writing until the child is around eight years old — depending on when the child’s permanent teeth emerge. “It is a very bad thing to be able to write early,” Steiner said. “Reading and writing are really not suited to the human being until a later age — the eleventh or twelfth year.”^[8]

If these children appear different, it is because, in many ways, they are. The act of placing one’s child in a Waldorf School is essentially a decision to remove him from mainstream society. Families are strongly encouraged to get rid of their televisions and keep their children away from movie theaters. Some parents, while professing a great love of music, go so far as to sell their stereos; they believe recorded music is unhealthy for young children.

Waldorf parents don’t shop at Toys R Us, and they don’t keep Fisher-Price in business. Plastic has no place in a Waldorf home; indeed, Waldorf children are urged to carry their lunch to school in hand-woven baskets. Dolls are handmade and devoid of facial features because, as Steiner said, “Children should have as few things as possible that are well-finished and complete and what people call ’beautiful.’ “ Blocks in a Waldorf kindergarten are not the machine-finished wooden shapes that well-heeled parents find in quality toy stores, but rough- hewn tree stumps of varying sizes. ^[11]

[modifier] Lecture

While Waldorf supporters see delayed reading as a positive step in a child’s development; others are not as impressed. Vancouver’s Wendy Van Reisen was a conventionally trained teacher when she sent her two sons to Vancouver Waldorf School at different times from 1989 to 1999. When Van Reisen’s younger son, Duncan, still couldn’t read in Grade 3 at the Waldorf school, Van Reisen became sufficiently alarmed to withdraw him from the school. “He had a slight learning disability,” reports Van Reisen, “but he certainly wasn’t intellectually slow, and he soon became a great reader once he left Waldorf and worked at home with me.”^[8]

“At Waldorf, they believed reading was a natural thing and you caught on when you were ready to,” says Cindy Haug. “But by the fourth or fifth grade several of these children weren’t reading, and you could tell they were so different from the kids in the outside world. Finally, at the end of seventh grade, I took her to an elementary school psychologist for IQ and reading comprehension. Of course, she’d never taken a test before in her life. It was an assessment test, to see where the child was. Her reading and math skills were at about a third grade level—and here she was at the end of seventh!^[11]

[modifier] Religion

Critics say that its philosophical basis is too religious -- even comparing it to Scientology -- to be in the secular public system. ^[1]

A pamphlet of the Anthroposophical Society in America (1993) quotes Steiner's statement of the purpose of the society given in 1923: ?an association of people who would foster the life of the soul, both in the individual and in human society, on the basis of a true knowledge of the spiritual world.? This reveals the religious nature of Anthroposophy. ?The life of the soul? is generally considered to be a religious matter, as is ?the spiritual world.? His assertion of ?true knowledge? marks Anthroposophy as a sect; it implies that other paths are not true.^[2]

Many common references identify Anthroposophy as a religious movement. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines it as "a 20th century religious system growing out of theosophy and centering on human development." (http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary, 12/1/02) The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy calls it "The Christian and occultist movement associated with Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) stressing the cultivation of spiritual nature and the way to gain spiritual awareness of a higher world" (Oxford, 1994, p. 75). Encyclopedia Britannica's article on Steiner defines Anthroposophy as "a movement based on the notion that there is a spiritual world comprehensible to pure thought but accessible only to the highest faculties of mental knowledge" (Britannica, 2002).^[2]

Holland argues that the religious basis of a movement is not the problem, but the lack of disclosure about its religious roots is. And since Waldorf's whole philosophy is based on a set of religious values, Holland says, there is no real way to separate Anthroposophy from the Waldorf curriculum. "It's a closed system," he says. "The timing of when certain things are taught, the subject matter itself, all is dictated by Anthroposophy ... I tell people that Anthroposophy is the DNA of Waldorf education."^[3]

The Steiner-school presents its pedagogy as independent of their religious views. This is, in fact, contrary to the actual praxis and the teachings of Rudolf Steiner himself.^[4]

But is it always this religious? Always. Not outspoken, not declared, but always implied. In all the rituals, the celebrations, the decorations and in the teachers’ views on child development.^[4]

Waldorf schools leave religious training to parents, but the schools tend to be spiritually oriented and are based on a generally Christian perspective.^[5]

Even so, because they are not taught fundamentalist Christianity from the Bible, Waldorf schools are often attacked for encouraging paganism or even Satanism. This may be because they emphasize the relation of human beings to Nature and natural rhythms, including an emphasis on festivals, myths, ancient cultures, and various non-Christian celebrations.^[5]

Many people participating in Waldorf schools do not know much, if anything, about the esoteric subtext. Followers of Steiner often claim that Anthroposophy is not a religion but rather a philosophy, and Steiner was a scientist, artist, educator and philosopher. Religion scholars, however, have classified Anthroposophy as a religion and Steiner?s doctrine certainly meets criteria for being classified as such: it includes worship of Christ the Sun Being as well as archangel Michael who is the messenger of the Sun and of the Christ; there is belief in various supernatural beings such as angels and demons, as well as gnomes, sylphs, salamanders, and undines which are ?elemental? spirits that dwell in earth, air, fire and water; there is a destiny of followers and assurance of eternal life in the form of reincarnation; a path to follow to gain psychic sight in order to see spiritual beings that surround mankind, use of rituals, the promise of a good reincarnation in Steiner?s prophetic future if one develops one?s ?I.? Followers stand to inherit the earth and ?all it will yield?. As in any religion, there are local communities of like-minded believers.^[6]

Not all Anthroposophists deny that Waldorf is a religious school or wish to hide this fact. Eugene Schwartz, once director of Waldorf teacher training at Sunbridge College, Spring Valley, New York, made the following remarks about the Waldorf controversy, excerpted from his talk given on November 13, 1999, at a conference to which he invited Waldorf critic Dan Dugan to speak.^[6] «... To deny the religious basis of Waldorf education ? I would say it again ? to satisfy public school superintendents, or a talk show host, or a newspaper reporter is very, very wrong. And the Waldorf leadership, I would say is waffling on this matter. I would say we are religious schools. Religious schools plus; religious schools with a difference; religious schools light?whatever you want to call it. ...»^[6]

Schwartz later wrote to Dan Dugan to say that he was fired from Sunbridge after giving his speech and was demoted to Waldorf teacher.^[6]

Jessica Rukin and Bruce King met 16 years ago in Sussex, England, at Emerson College, at the culmination of personal odysseys that brought them from opposite corners of the Earth. At Emerson, people from around the globe come to study water color, sculpture, music, farming and education—all within the context of Steiner’s philosophy. Permeating the college is anthroposophy, the mystical, Christian-based religion that has grown up around Steiner’s philosophy and to which most Waldorf teachers subscribe. Although a Waldorf education is non-denominational, it has an unmistakable Christian spirit characterized by pictures of the Madonna in the kindergarten and a schoolwide celebration of all the Christian holidays. While neither Bruce nor Jessica King is a anthroposophist, they acknowledge that religion’s influence on the way they live and raise their children.^[11]

[modifier] Endoctrinement

But parents and religious experts are concerned that Steiner teachers learn about anthroposophy in their training and these beliefs seep into the classroom. "What a lot of people don't get is that Steiner is based on a spiritual system not an educational one," says cult expert Raphael Aron.^[1]

Beyond the explicit content of prayers and rituals, Anthroposophy is present implicitly in many Waldorf lessons. ?[I]n the great tableau of the main lessons from Class 1 to 12, you teach the child/student in clear, separate terms, about all possible spiritual matters. The curriculum is indeed, in a veiled way of course, Anthroposophy? (Whitehead, 1993, p. 27). Anthroposophical influence is most obvious in Waldorf science teaching, which ranges from odd to bizarre.^[2]

On the other hand, it is likely that some of anthroposophy's weirder notions about astral bodies, Atlantis, Aryans, Lemurians, etc., will get passed on in a Waldorf education, even if Steiner's philosophical theories are not part of the curriculum for children.^[5]

Scholars may also discover that Anthroposophy motivates all Waldorf classroom activity and that, for those ?in the know,? the pedagogy and curriculum serves as an Anthroposophic mystery initiation for both teacher and pupils.^[6]

Steiner?s hierarchical scheme of human evolution is subtly incorporated into the Waldorf curriculum. As part of their ?history? lessons, pupils learn ancient Indian religious stories as well as Persian, Egyptian-Chaldean, Greco-Roman and Germanic-Nordic myths which are meant to jog past life memories. Uninformed parents might interpret the lessons as ?multiculturalism?; in reality, however, pupils are being passed through a covert mystery initiation, corresponding to Steiner?s doctrine of the spiritual evolution of the Aryan.^[6]

To its detractors, Waldorf’s apparent humility and security are only a veneer. They point to the philosophy (some call it a religion) called Anthroposophy, developed by Steiner, and forming the cornerstone of all Waldorf schools.

Although not officially part of the Waldorf curriculum, Anthroposophy is pushed in brochures, newsletters and pamphlets that are scattered throughout the schools. Waldorf teachers are trained and well versed in Anthroposophy, and local Anthroposophy study groups are established at the schools. Waldorf classrooms include prayer tables, where the children recite daily incantations about spirits and rhythms in nature.^[8]

5--Is there any evidence that Waldorf students become anthroposophists as a result of their education?

Several former Waldorf graduates join our email list from time to time who are "defenders of the faith". We also hear from bitter Waldorf graduates who resent their "mis-education."

There are no studies of any kind performed in Waldorf. PLANS would love to see some statistics on this.^[10]

[modifier] Dissimulation

"The majority of people who enrol their kids don't have a clue who Rudolf Steiner really is." ^[1]

He said there was a lack of transparency in the schools and often parents were not told about what Steiner believed, making it not dissimilar to Scientology. "We have been contacted by a few people who have come out of the Steiner system and say they are damaged and are seeking help," Dr Aron said. Mr Pereira said he believed parents at Footscray City Primary School were deliberately misled about the role that Steiner's beliefs played in the classroom. "It is implicit in everything they do," he said.^[1]

Waldorf schools use various denials and subterfuges to conceal Anthroposophy.^[2]

In the private Waldorf schools, it's always been necessary to appeal to mainstream parents. There aren't enough Anthroposophists to support the schools, so the majority of the students will be from "outside" the group. From the beginning, the schools have taken care to conceal and deny the Anthroposophical content of the education.^[2]

There are many things in the Anthroposophical world-view that are too strange to be revealed unless the listeners have been properly prepared, i.e. sufficiently indoctrinated. For example, Waldorf teachers aren't likely to tell new parents anything about the role of Lucifer in Anthroposophy. Steiner taught that there is a trinity of spirits concerned with the evolution of humanity. The trinity is composed of two opposites and a harmonizing spirit. The opposites are Lucifer and Ahriman, taken from the dual gods of Zoroastrianism, the ancient Persian religion. They are gods of light and darkness in conflict with each other. Lucifer leads humanity to develop art, beauty, flexibility, and religious fervor. Ahriman promotes science, hardening, and rigidity. Both are necessary for evolution, but either influence is evil in excess or at the wrong time. The two polar gods are balanced by the Christ Spirit, whose role is not to redeem humanity but to help it balance between the opposing tendencies.^[2]

Popular Waldorf master teacher Eugene Schwartz put it this way in his Waldorf Teacher's Survival Guide: Most of that which contributes to our work as teachers, preparation work, artistic work, even meditative work, is under the guardianship of Lucifer.^[2]

The most successful vehicle for the dissemination of Anthroposophy is the network of Waldorf Schools established in accordance with the founder?s precepts?though many parents have little, if any, historic understanding of Steiner or his religion, Anthroposophy. The Waldorf School Movement is superficially perceived as a trendy, alternative education system because it is promoted as nonsectarian, art based, multicultural, scientific, new education. Critical investigation, however, reveals to the contrary that these schools are instead centers of occult initiation?modern mystery schools?where every aspect of the curriculum is rooted in Anthroposophy and its incorporated magic and rituals.^[6]

The Waldorf school did not present itself as a religious movement but, instead, claimed to be a scientific, art-based, nonsectarian school, having a multicultural emphasis incorporating stories and festivals from around the world as well as having an environmental focus.^[6]

In the occult tradition, the group also used veiled vocabulary devised by Steiner i.e., the use of words having alternate meanings to the definitions we were familiar with which are generally accepted by mainstream society. For example, ?psychic sight? was termed ?imagination? by Steiner. Developing ?imagination,? which you?d expect at an art-based school, really meant developing ?psychic sight.? Even the word ?art? takes on a different meaning with acquired esoteric knowledge. ?Art? becomes ?The Art? (of Magic). The secularization of religious words became an effective tool for hiding the esoteric core from us as uninformed parents. ?Sermon? became ?lecture,? ?occultist? became ?scientist,? ?prayer? became ?verse,? Steiner?s scheme of reincarnation??The True Nature of Man??became ?child development model,? ?nature altar? became ?nature table,? ?pentagram? became ?star?, ?religion? became ?science? and ?sectarian? became ?nonsectarian.? Another word with dual meanings, ?materialistic,? was also used ubiquitously at our school. Its definition within Waldorf culture was ?non-spiritual??very different from my understanding of the term in those days, i.e., ?seeking wealth, goods, comfort and pleasure.? The word ?reincarnation? was never used in our presence at the school and was not mentioned in brochures we read or meetings we attended, despite the fact that reincarnation is a main doctrinal tenet of Anthroposophy crucial to Steiner?s ?child development model,? his prophetic future, and Waldorf?s curriculum and pedagogy. In fact, we only learned about the importance of reincarnation in Waldorf after we left the school and I began reading his sermons.^[6]

When Steiner developed Waldorf, he deliberately veiled Anthroposophy by ?organically? incorporating it into the classroom. Anthroposophy is inextricably intertwined with Waldorf?s daily classroom activity and lessons. In 1920 he asked the first Waldorf teachers not to call a prayer a prayer but, rather, a verse:^[6]

Teachers not as open as Eugene Schwartz are imposing worship of Steiner?s Sun Being on children without parental sanction. As my daughter?s parent, I was unaware of this prayer during our Waldorf haze. I did not know that this prayer was being prayed each morning by my daughter at her ?nonsectarian? school. I learned about it after leaving, when in my research I came upon this:^[6]

In the early years of Waldorf, I did not know that some fairy tales being taught were occult parables. Nor had it dawned on me that the ?festivals? celebrated throughout the school year were in reality Anthroposophic rituals devised by Steiner with deep esoteric meaning.^[6]

While many schools use slightly different words to describe the pedagogy the message is always similar. According to the school web sites Waldorf is basically an arts based, nonsectarian education attempting to nurture the child in a gentle atmosphere. And who, according to these Waldorf schools, was Rudolf Steiner? Incredibly, at each school web site there was no mention of Rudolf Steiner's connection or belief in Occultism, reincarnation, karma or soul work. In short virtually everything Steiner believed in and worked from and towards with regards to Anthroposophy and Waldorf Education - the essence of the man - is missing from these sites. Instead, from the sum of eleven Waldorf School web sites, we are told that Rudolf Steiner was a - teacher (mentioned 1 time), an architect (1), thinker (1), scholar (1), educator (5), artist (6) and a scientist (7). This misrepresentation of Rudolf Steiner and his work seems to be at the root of the Waldorf communication problem. We find a much more accurate portrait of Rudolf Steiner at other sites on the Internet. Only a few Anthroposophy sites are needed to find a completely different description of the same man.^[7]

Prospective new Waldorf parents usually know very little about Rudolf Steiner, his religion (Anthroposophy) or his "new social order." They are told Steiner is an educator and a scientist and a philosopher when, according to those who follow his teaching, Rudolf Steiner is known as a turn of the century occultist. Far from the nonsectarian arts based education we read about in Waldorf public relations material - this is a spiritual movement. It is about karma, reincarnation and soul work. Countless innocent families and the Waldorf movement itself would be better served if those promoting Waldorf Education would simply tell it like it is.^[7]

The education the parents were sold was simply not the education their children received. Beautiful, gentle, arts based, natural type of education has very little in common with a spiritual movement based on the religious/occult theories of one man and his followers. Why, for example, in a so-called non-sectarian, arts based school would a teacher (during training) be required to read books like:

Rudolf Steiner, Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and its Attainment
Rudolf Steiner, Occult Science
Rudolf Steiner, The Spiritual Hierarchies
Rudolf Steiner, Manifestations of Karma
Rudolf Steiner, Reincarnation and Karma
Rudolf Steiner, Karmic Relationships, Volumes 1-8

Unfortunately, the facade of Waldorf Education is very appealing to parents and until recently very few people have demanded accountability. How can Rudolf Steiner be described as an educator, a philosopher, an artist and a scientist by the Waldorf movement when the truth is he was clearly a turn of the century occultist? Anthroposophists know all about Steiner while new Waldorf parents had better do more than believe the public relations. At this point in time it is a case of buyer beware.^[7]

She found the curriculum riddled with “alchemy, magic, astrology and all the bizarre and weird ideas of the occult.” Lombard, who is also a regular contributor to an online discussion group whose aim is to bring concerns about Waldorf out in the open, believes there are elements of a “secret society” in how the schools are run. “Most of the parents go along with the program without a clue. Waldorf schools are not the progressive, liberal, artistic image that they are very good at portraying.” The “secret society” Lombard refers to takes the form of Anthroposophy study groups held by Waldorf staff for the true believers. There are many philosophical and esoteric issues that are discussed in these groups, including the topic of the gnomes. Look on the floors, walls, shelves, window sills, prayer tables, snack tables, play areas or just about anywhere in a Waldorf classroom and you will see the gnomes. There are cotton-felt gnomes, hand-knit wool gnomes and gnomes drawn with pastels and water colours. Small, handcrafted gnomes are also the mainstay of most Waldorf school fundraisers. While many parents believe the gnomes simply provide flights of fancy for imaginative play, Anthroposophists believe gnomes are a true life form.^[8]

“There is nothing in the [school brochures] about incarnating children’s souls,” says a Waldorf parent-turned-critic in British Columbia who requests anonymity due to pending legal action with a local Waldorf school. “How many parents even know that Waldorf teachers study Steiner’s occultism in order to teach at a Waldorf?” “When our son started in the San Francisco Waldorf,” recalls critic Dan Dugan, “I thought it was a progressive, artistic school. The teachers said they teach a standard curriculum, just based on Steiner’s teaching methods. In fact, it is more than that. Waldorf schools are actually about Anthroposophy.”^[8]

Occultist Anthroposophists do not believe it matters if people understand *what* they are doing, or *why* they are doing it - just as long as they *are* doing it. Morning verses, or prayers to their sun god are not necessarily offensive to parents who don't understand what the "verse" means.^[10]

10--Even if Waldorf Schools have a religious bent, what makes them different from, say, Catholic Schools?

Catholic schools are created to serve the children of their parish. While other folks [who are not Catholic] often send their children to Catholic schools because of the quality of the education - they are very clear that it is based on Catholic doctrine. It is an informed decision.

Waldorf schools claim to be nonsectarian, but they aren't. They are a missionary arm of Anthroposophy and they are not honest about that. This dishonesty prevents parents the right to make a fully informed decision. Most families enroll their children with out a clue of what they are buying.^[10]

[modifier] Prières

Waldorf students pray at the opening of every school day.^[2]

A teacher: Would it be a good thing to let the children speak a kind of morning prayer? Dr. Steiner: That is something that can be done. I had also had it in mind. I will say something about it tomorrow. We will also talk about a prayer. But there is just one thing I should like to ask you. You know, with these things the outer form is of the utmost importance. Never call the verse a ?prayer? but a ?school opening verse?. Do see to it that people do not hear the expression ?prayer? used by a teacher. This will go a long way towards overcoming the prejudice that this is an anthroposophical school. The biggest mistakes we make are with words. People will not get out of the habit of using words that are detrimental to us. (Steiner, 1986, p. 45)

Next, Miss Bronte strikes a match against the grey rock on the nature table. In unison the class says, ?Candle, candle, burning bright, thank you for your loving light.? The students stand and cross their arms in front of their chests and recite a verse by Rodolf Steiner that I am told is the one verse said, with some variation, in every Waldorf classroom between first and fourth grades (Uhrmacher, 1991, pp. 108-109)^[2]

In Anthroposophy, the "Christ Spirit" is a "sun being". It requires no great stretch to construe this prayer as being directed to Steiner's version of Christ.^[2]

Steiner Schools, unlike any other Norwegian or Swedish school, start each day with a religious prayer!^[4]

The morning began with a prayer, although no one called it that.^[5]

[modifier] Mission

In school brochures, Waldorf schools state that their purpose is to educate "the whole child", "head, heart, and hands", or "mind, heart, and will". They often quote Steiner: "Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings, who are themselves able to impart purpose and direction to their lives." These aspirations aren't unique to Waldorf; did you ever see a school brochure that said they educate only part of the child? Publications for insiders reveal other intentions: the advancement of Steiner's "threefold social order" and missionary activity for Anthroposophy. During World War I, Steiner promoted his plan to reorganize society. He sent tracts to world leaders, but none bought his vague plan to divide society into three independent spheres, spiritual, economic, and rights. Disappointed, he told his followers that humanity?s opportunity to take up the threefold social order had passed, and the best that he could do would be to found a school to prepare souls who would meet up again when they were reincarnated in the sixth post-Atlantean epoch.^[2]

I began to understand that Rudolf Steiner and his Anthroposophical followers are on a mission. This mission involves karma and reincarnation and is the foundation of Waldorf Education. The occult nature of Anthroposophy is clearly entwined in teacher training and the Waldorf curriculum. Anthroposophy and Waldorf are inexorably linked - they are one in the same.^[7]

The objective of education for children is quite different for Waldorf teachers than it is for the average parent, teacher and school board. Steiner created Waldorf schools so he could begin the process to advance the evolutionary stage of souls who would be reborn in future lifetimes (reincarnation). Yet this will be denied because of Waldorf schools deceptive mission and the need to atract outsiders' children. As Steiner said in 1920, while trying to obtain state approval for his school:

   "We must worm our way through...[I]n order to do what we want to do, at least, it is necessary to talk with the people, not because we want to, but because we have to, and inwardly make fools of them."
   [Rudolf Steiner, Conferences with Teachers of the Waldorf School in Stuttgart, vol.1, 1919 to 1920 Forest Row, East Sussex, England: Steiner schools Fellowship Publications, 1986 pp. 125] ^[10]

[modifier] Nazisme

Germany outlawed Anthroposophy in the second year of the Nazi period. In the author?s opinion, this wasn?t because Anthroposophic philosophy was incompatible with National Socialism; rather it was because Anthroposophists promoted a rival political system, Steiner?s ?threefold social order.? According to education scholar Achim Leschinsky, The Waldorf schools were harassed by local authorities. The schools fired all their Jewish teachers, formed an association, and presented themselves to the government as supporting National Socialism while they continued to do things their own way. They were controversial within the Nazi party, but they survived for six years because of support from leading Nazis, most notably from Deputy Fuehrer Rudolf Hess. Nazi education official Alfred Baeumler argued that the Waldorf schools should be studied as a good example of a system of indoctrination. After Hess flew to Scotland, Hitler cracked down on occultists and the remaining schools were closed. (Leschinsky, 1983, p. 26).^[2]

The schools received criticism from some party members for not being stringently Nazi: they were however defended for being anti-intellectual and serving as a model for indoctrination. Deputy Fuhrer Rudolf Hess was Anthroposophy?s chief protector within the Nazi hierarchy and it was only after he flew to Britain that the last Waldorf school was closed in Germany in 1941 (Leschinsky, 1983, p. 255).^[6]

[modifier] Prosélistisme

Anthroposophy doesn?t proselytize directly; belief in karma and reincarnation leads Anthroposophists to believe that people who are destined for Anthroposophy will ask about it when they encounter it. Waldorf parents who show interest in Steiner are invited to join "study groups" that read and discuss Steiner. Often this leads to Waldorf teacher training. As we have seen so many times, the school becomes a parent?s first introduction to anthroposophy, and this is happening in our greater community, as more people become interested in participating in festivals and attending study groups. (Leopold, 2001).^[2]

[modifier] Secte

Clinging to rejected knowledge (weird science)
Teachers must commit to Anthroposophy for advancement to full status
Secrecy: some core doctrinal material is not published, but only delivered orally. Revelation of "difficult" doctrine like the racial theory of history, and the role of Lucifer, is guarded.
Exclusivity: only anthroposophic knowledge of man leads to right education
Closed system: almost all publications are from the group's own presses and periodicals
Jargon redefines common language so public statements can be deceptive without being "lies", e.g. "child development."
Separation: "us vs. them"; frequent put-downs of the outside world as being "materialistic", and public schools as being "damaging".
Criticism is suppressed: No critical dialogue means elaboration, but no development, of theory. All writers refer back to Steiner.^[2]

[modifier] Tempéraments

Melancholic: Attention not easily aroused but strong quality present Choleric: The greatest amount of attention and strength most easily aroused Sanguine: Attention easily aroused but little strength present Phlegmatic: The least amount of attention and strength the least easily aroused This is a revival of the medieval ?four humors? theory of personality. Waldorf teachers are instructed to classify students according to ?the temperaments.? Note that on this page Cusick simply talks about ?the temperaments,? with no qualification that the use of this theory today is exclusive to Anthroposophists. This is a rhetorical trick that is used over and over with Waldorf parents. An Anthroposophical concept such as ?the temperaments,? ?the festivals,? or ?the elements? is introduced by being referred to as a fact. The parent simply doesn't have time to think through the implications of the purported fact, and is hooked into discussing the issue from an Anthroposophical perspective.^[2]

When it is finally time to sit down, Daniel takes his seat all the way on the right-hand side in the middle of the room. Though the casual visitor would never guess it, the seating arrangement is anything but random. It is based on the teacher’s careful study of the children’s temperaments and how they fall within the four classic types (melancholic, sanguine, phlegmatic and choleric) outlined centuries ago in ancient Greece and adopted by Steiner. Daniel sits with the melancholics.^[11]

In her four years as a Waldorf teacher, Susan Goldstein has found the assignment of temperament to be one of the greatest challenges of her work. Much has been written about the four temperaments, including a detailed guide for teachers by Rene Querido, director of Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, the largest Waldorf teacher-training program in the English- speaking world and the place where Goldstein received her training. In a 1980 lecture given at the San Francisco Waldorf School and reprinted in a slim volume entitled Creativity in Education, Querido devotes many pages to a recognition of the different temperaments. A sampling:

“The phlegmatic child may be inclined toward laziness; he does a lot of sitting and loves to eat potatoes and pasta so that it is difficult for him to move and remain alert.” In arithmetic, he “enjoys the constant activity of adding numbers” and in music, he prefers “instruments that don’t have to be tuned or fussed with, such as the piano.”

The choleric is fiery and “likes to barrel through things.” He or she usually has a somewhat stocky build. In arithmetic, “division is a choleric activity,” and in music, the drum is his instrument of choice. The choleric child is always looking for a fight; he can be “a thorn in the teacher’s side,” so the teacher is advised to befriend the cholerics or the class will suffer tyrants instead of selfless leaders.

The four phlegmatics in Goldstein’s class sit in the back of the classroom because, she says, “If you put two phlegmatics next to each other they get so bored that they come out of themselves. It’s hard for a phlegmatic child to sit next to a choleric, because the phlegmatic needs a lot of quiet.”^[11]

[modifier] Parents

Volunteerism was required of all parents. My many hours, however, never seemed to satisfy the faculty because I naturally worked from my non-Anthroposophic perspective, oblivious of Steiner?s esoteric doctrine, while Anthroposophists followed the dictates of their world view, because: The person in whom anthroposophical wisdom appears must be completely unimportant compared to this wisdom; the person as such does not matter at all. It is only essential that this person has developed so far that his or her personal likes, dislikes, and opinions do not taint the anthroposophical wisdom (Steiner, 1990, p. 17).^[6]

[modifier] Eurythmie

Eurythmy is a system of rhythmic, dance-like movements that are taught to all Waldorf children and performed at school concerts. According to another Anthroposophy brochure, eurythmy is based on “the movement language of the soul,” and is seen by many Waldorf parents as a form of artistic expression that they are pleased to see their children acquire. Others, however, say eurythmy is much more than artistic expression. “Eurythmy is taken from the magical lodge tradition of gestures and signs,” warns Sharon Lombard in a letter on the Internet to prospective Waldorf parents. “It has a secret language which Steiner lifted from the Cabbala (via the Rosicrucians), and the children in Waldorf are made to communicate to the spirit world.”^[8]

[modifier] Divers

Anthroposophy lecturer Robert Martin, who trains Steiner teachers, said being aware of the spiritual side of life enriched the education experience. He said people had many different names for the spiritual world -- arch angels, angels, intelligent beings and presence -- and they existed long before humans. "I want to co-work with the angels," Mr Martin said. "These individuals are very advanced ... Our job is to co-work with the spiritual beings."^[1]

a ?nature table? (really an altar) that is redecorated for each season.^[2]

Waldorf "survivors," as they very seriously call themselves, accuse Waldorf schools of encouraging a cultlike loyalty to Steiner's philosophy, which was founded on racist and anti-Semitic beliefs and which incorporates a host of unconventional educational methods -- like delaying reading and writing until children are 7.^[3]

Former Waldorf parents criticize their schools for not fully explaining these practices -- or how deeply they connect to Steiner's spiritual worldview. "Anthroposophy is the foundation of everything that happens in a Waldorf school, but it's veiled," says Dan Dugan, secretary of the Waldorf watchdog group People for Legal and Nonsectarian Schools (PLANS). "It isn't taught directly to the children, but to the knowing eye it is everywhere."^[3]

What he found by studying the primary texts is that Waldorf's theory about, say, delaying reading until age 7 or academics until age 14 is based wholly on Steiner's spiritual principles, not science.^[3]

The Steiner movement, in common with the Scientologists, offers a so-called scientific approach to the religious. Like the Adventists they care for healthy food, and have pictures of the Virgin Mary in the classroom as the Catholics do. For the anti-consumerist among us, the Steiner-movement is one of several religious communities with a focus on environmental issues. It is, however, most disturbing when A-Magasinet stands on the soapbox for a religious sect without revealing their spiritual worldview.^[4]

The Steiner-movement bases its experiment on Rudolf Steiner’s occult visions found in the passing phase from sleep to awakening. They choose to hold obscure their religious foundation and secure 85% state funding for an alternative science of education, even though their pedagogical methods and their whole worldview is faith-based.^[4]

R. Steiner made the soul a subject of research. His research, however, was by no means scientific, in the sense we know it. Steiner had, as far as we know, no children. He never undertook any educational scientific research and he never actually taught children. Steiner teachers call this Spiritual Science. R. Steiner maintained that there were people living at the same time as the dinosaurs, and that these people were incorporeal. These revelations underpin the teaching of Steiner teachers, implying that they have a conviction that the development of the child is a microcosm of the historical development of humankind. They believe the pupils have been reincarnated from previous lives. This entails the need for children to learn about historical events at the right time so that their subconscious recognizes them from their previous lives.^[4]

The Steiner Schools claim they bring up children to be free. According to R. Steiner, and Steiner teachers themselves, anthroposophy is the only way to obtain true freedom.^[4]

The Steiner School’s idea of differentiated teaching rests upon the teacher’s analysis of the child’s process of incarnation. This can lead to most interesting experiences for the child and the parents. If, for instance, the child does not place their foot down firmly, it means the child probably was superficial in his/ her previous life.^[4]

Steiner teachers refer to children with ADHD or Aspergers syndrome as children with difficulties incarnating. That is, somehow a beautiful image, but oh so open to analysis... The child with ADHD is a part of the millennium mythology and struggles with forces of death (Luciferic forces). Not so beautiful, perhaps? It is ever so possible Ritalin is not the ultimate answer for all these children, but as a parent you should know that eurythmy (magical movements stimulating body and soul) seek to help your child to incarnate, and that learning difficulties or Special Educational Needs are seen as difficulties inherited from a previous life.

In art classes, we were taught to produce misty watercolor paintings with no straight lines or clear definitions. There was something otherworldly about the images we created, bearing no resemblance to ordinary physical reality, yet completely unlike the stick-figure cartoons kids often produce. The teachers didn’t say so, but our paintings were in effect talismanic representations of the spirit realm.^[5]

Steiner?s alchemy attempts to heal all the members comprising the human being, which includes his concept of man as having an astral, etheric, ?I? and physical body. An important component of his healing art is Curative Eurythmy. It is a magic based system of angelic communication incorporating Cabalism, astrology, zodiac, numerology, sigils, gestures, the alphabet, copper wands, color, and more, that supposedly connect the participant to Steiner?s spiritual world invoking various spiritual beings? healing powers.^[6]

Most books about Steiner, Anthroposophy, and Waldorf, are published from within the enclosed world of Anthroposophy. Contributing difficulties for the researcher are the secretive, hierarchical, occult tradition, from which Steiner emerged, and editorial deletions and revisionism in the publications of his recorded lectures by disciples.^[6]

It is extremely helpful to be familiar with Steiner?s conclusions about these soul and spirit bodies of man in order to understand his pedagogy. For example, the emphasis on delaying first grade and reading until the etheric body enters (signaled by growth of secondary teeth), and delaying intellectual thinking until after the age of fourteen when the astral body supposedly incarnates.^[6]

He also predicted that in the future man will fly. Those who don?t comply with Steiner?s way, who do not develop their ?I?, will be destined to life in his eccentric hell, when during Jupiter, they will become ?subordinate nature spirits.? (Steiner, 1995b, p. 70)^[6]

Overhearing some Waldorfers discussing the seating arrangement of a class, where dark haired children were to sit by the windows to absorb light, I paused, wondering ?what is going on?^[6]

Long after we left Waldorf, as I sifted through sermon after sermon, I came across the following hint as to why young ?reincarnating? pupils might be prevented from using lines, and instead, exposed to color: You see, when the soul arrives on earth in order to enter its body, it has come down from spirit-soul worlds in which there are no spacial forms. Thus the soul knows spacial forms only after its bodily experience, only while the after-effects of space still linger on. But though the world from which the soul descends has no spacial forms or lines, it does have color intensities, color qualities" (Steiner, 1964, p 23). In kindergarten, my daughter painted sheets of wet watercolor paper that had the corners rounded off. At first, only single colors of yellow or blue were used. I thought this was odd and wondered why the children didn?t paint images. I asked the teacher why they were only allowed one color and what the purpose for these ?paintings? was. She said it was Steiner?s ?color theory? and that the children were developing their ?imagination.? After leaving the school, I learned from Anthroposophist Audrey McAllen that: The colours which the child uses for the expression of the harmonious connection with his body before the change of teeth are blue and yellow; out of these colours the soul weaves its connection with the hereditary body and transforms it (McAllen, 1985, p. 44). In other words, painting a sheet of wet watercolor paper with yellow or with blue helps the reincarnating soul connect with the physical body. Later I noticed that children were painting ?discs? of color surrounded by a counter color. For example, a blue disc surrounded by red or visa versa. Years later I was to learn that Steiner also offered his adult pupils meditative exercises that resembled my daughter?s disc paintings. Disciples were to perform the following exercise seven times in the mornings: Concept of a blue circular disc with red surrounding. Then transformation into a red disk with blue surround. Reconversion into the original state. Do this seven consecutive times. Conceive through inner observation how the thinking thereby becomes mobile and free in itself and ultimately is raised to a condition free from the body (Steiner, 1988b, p. 17).^[6]

I have since learned from Chassidic Rabbi Yonassan Gershom that the Waldorf paintings represent ?the creative energy of higher spiritual worlds.? My mind raced back to my first impression of the children?s artwork at the Waldorf school in Minneapolis. Nobody was drawing houses, horses, cars and trucks?the usual things children make in primary school art class. Instead, the walls were covered with artwork that was literally fuzzy around the edges, without clearly defined forms and boundaries. To me, all the children?s paintings looked alike. I saw no individuality in them at all ? So what was going on here? I later spoke at the Goetheanum, the Anthroposophist headquarters in Dornach Switzerland, where I saw the artwork on the walls was also done in the same abstract swirls of pastel colors. This, I was told, is because the paintings represent the creative energy of higher spiritual worlds. Clearly the Anthroposophists have been conditioned from childhood to ?see? these swirling colors as representing something spiritual. (Gershom, 1997, May, http://www.pinenet.com/~rooster/multi.html brain page 6). Steiner taught that color is the living organ of spiritual beings and that color can heal?a concept I was not familiar with until reading about Anthroposophy and consulting other occult sources. Steiner said that beings come to earth on the wings of color. With my acquired knowledge, I now can grasp why an Anthroposophic doctor advised us to give our child red, yellow, and orange crayons with which to color. Waldorf proponent Mary C. Richards wrote, ?Art is taught, not to make children into artists, but to expose them to the healing influence of color? (Richards, 1980, p. 26).^[6]

Some ex-Waldorf parents have reported that their children have been wrapped in colored silk and made to paint paper with color for healing purposes. Steiner taught that ?our etheric body may be assisted by spiritual beings by using corresponding colour? (Fletcher, 1987, p. 95), and he said:^[6]

If you deconstruct the lessons, the curriculum and the pedagogy, you cannot ignore the fact that Waldorf is a mystery school, a magical lodge for juniors.^[6]

The Eurythmy reports were a total of six pages and document use of other ritual magic practices like tracing a five-pointed pentagram, use of ?copper rods? ie., magic wands that supposedly channel forces, and vibration of vowels which are thought to connect patients to spiritual beings that work inside of them.^[6]

Steiner?s cosmic dance would connect the pupil to the spiritual world because it was a channel through which the spirit would reveal itself to human consciousness, ?a path of experience to the zodiacal signs? (Powell & Worberg, 2002, p. 32).^[6]

At any Waldorf school anywhere in the world Rudolf Steiner is held in high esteem in a pedagogy where authority is very important, no words are more important than those of the founder of this movement. In a Waldorf school when someone mentions, "Steiner says . . . " it means stop, listen and learn. The term is frequently used to illustrate a lesson for parents.^[7]

Waldorf schools claim to be North America’s fastest-growing chain of alternative independent schools. Parents praise them for encouraging pupils’ artistic expression and keeping pressure and competition to a minimum. But critics are troubled by the schools’ underlying philosophy. It rejects modern medicine and psychiatry and promotes belief in astrology and the existence of gnomes in the woods.^[8]

I served on the school board at my children's private Waldorf school. I have spent many hours inside faculty meetings. Nothing in a Waldorf school exists without Anthroposophy.^[10]

7--In your opinion, are Waldorf children receiving a good education?

No. I am very concerned that there is too much emphasis on European culture and American culture slips through the cracks. My son produced beautiful art work and stories which I believed came from him. I was alarmed to find out that it was all copied off the board. Even the writing! He had no idea _what_ he was writing in his main lesson book, he just copied the shapes of the letters! I thought he likely had a learning problem. Imagine my surprise when I learned that almost have of his classmates were in the same boat?

There are no core academic classes in Waldorf teacher training and few parents realize that.^[10]

In first and second grade, the children knit because, as Rudolf Steiner said, “Thinking is cosmic knitting…. A person who is unskillful in his fingers will also be unskillful in his intellect, having less mobile ideas or thoughts.” In third grade, they crochet, and in fourth they learn to cross-stitch.^[11]

In an unpublished survey compiled by nine Waldorf high schools throughout the United States and Canada, alumni praised their education for the lifelong love of learning it gave them. They credited Waldorf for a spirit of independence and self- reliance. “I have no fear of being different,” wrote one graduate. “Waldorf is such an optimistic sort of education,” wrote another. “It instills hope and love in the children, rather than fear and competitiveness.” But 21 percent of the 710 alumni who responded complained that they had been inadequately pre pared in science and math. “Facts were often lacking,” wrote one respondent. “The science facilities were out of date.” “I tried to major in chemistry. My ‘A’s’ in Waldorf chemistry were woefully inadequate in the real world.” “It ill-prepared me for the competition of premed in college. Scholastically I was well-prepared but not in how to manage severe pressure. I suffered greatly for it.” Several criticized the experience as over-protective, and more than one lashed out at the “rigidity in adhering excessively to ‘Steinerian’ dictates.”^[11]

Waldorf educators, however, insist that this sort of freedom is premature and actually hinders the development of genuine personal autonomy. In a Waldorf classroom, the teacher is solidly in command of students' attention moment after moment after moment; children have little opportunity to engage in independent activities or conversations; younger children, in particular, are not encouraged to question the teacher but to imitate what he or she models. Steiner insisted that he did not advocate such discipline for the sheer sake of adult authority but because he truly believed, on the basis of his intuitive perception, that the natural development of the child's spiritual being requires strong adult guidance. As John F. Gardner has explained this perspective (1995), the "organism" (the material, animal aspect of human life) needs to be "cancelled" through the strengthening of "universal reason"; the spiritual realm of Mind transcends the individual ego and the task of education is to cultivate the infusion of true spiritual knowledge into the child's receptive soul.

Obviously, this is the voice of German idealism. I do not say that it is incorrect: Steiner certainly was tapping into some profound layer of reality, and the fact is that most graduates of Waldorf schools do appear to be highly creative, self-confident, autonomous and happy people. Something in their souls has most definitely been nurtured. However, given my experience with other forms of alternative education and my understanding of the social and political challenges of our culture at this time, the lockstep classroom is the aspect of Waldorf education that I find most difficult to accept. If Steiner's intuition were universally valid, then all graduates of free schools, progressive schools, and even Montessori schools would end up as rather dysfunctional individuals, and yet this is most certainly not the case (Gardner claims that it is, but he provides no evidence). These children's souls have also been nurtured, although in less explicit and perhaps less deeply "spiritual" ways. As I said above, Steiner's insights into the inherent spirituality of the unfolding human being are as rare as they are valuable, but I still cannot believe that the Waldorf pedagogy so uniquely transcends all cultural/historical influence that it is the only possible way of nourishing genuinely spiritual experience.

Holistic educators such as Rachael Kessler, John P. Miller and Parker Palmer have written about the central importance of the relationship between teachers and students; it is not the method, not the degree of freedom or structure provided, but the qualities of openness, respect, integrity and caring that make education real and meaningful. A former Waldorf educator, Diana Cohn, expressed this view precisely in a conversation with Montessorians that I facilitated several years ago. She observed that students in alternative schools "have very loving adults working with them. The methods are very different, but the bottom line is that you have these very interested adults working with the children, and they feel that. They feel enlivened by the fact that there are these caring adults in their lives" (Cohn, et. al. 1990). [1]

[modifier] Références

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Questions about Steiner's classroom, Milanda Rout, 28 juillet 2007
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an ^ao ^ap ^aq ^ar ^as ^at ^au ^av ^aw ^ax ^ay ^az ^ba ^bb ^bc ^bd ^be Why Waldorf Programs are Unsuitable for Public Funding, Dan Dugan, 2003.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ What's Waldorf?, Meagan Francis, 26 mai 2004.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Warm and Woolly? An anthroposophical experiment, Kristín A. Sandberg and Trond K.O. Kristoffersen.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Rudolf Steiner, dictionnaire sceptique
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am Spotlight on Anthroposophy, Sharon Lombard, 2003.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Question: Who Was Rudolf Steiner? Answer: Who Is Asking?, Steve Walden, 21 décembre 2001.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Gnomes and critics at Waldorf schools, Carol Milstone, National Post (Canada), 16 novembre 2002.
↑ ^a ^b ^c Weird Science At Steiner School, Skeptical Inquirer, Vol. 16 (Fall 1991), page 23.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k An Interview With PLANS President, Debra Snell, By college student Jeff Horseman, 21 novembre 1998.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Childhood in a Cocoon, The Mercury News, 4 juin 1989.