An Education for the Future [4:45 mins]

On September 19, 2019, Waldorf education celebrates 100 years. Across the globe, Waldorf schools are engaging in creative, social and environmental actions. With these initiatives, Waldorf communities are seeding the future. 100 years is only the beginning.

Waldorf 100 – BECOMING [20:36 mins]

“Becoming” is the third film in a series of short films produced on the occasion of the centenary of Waldorf Education under the direction of the award-winning Californian documentary filmmaker Paul Zehrer, and which provide an insight into the inclusive diversity of Waldorf Education under the most diverse cultural, social, religious and economic conditions around the globe.

No age has a deeper impact on the whole of life than the first years of childhood. “During those first seven years, children develop their bodily foundation for life. They explore and experience the world with their senses and through meeting the other. These early encounters in life have a deep influence and long lasting effect on the making of their own being,” says Clara Aerts, coordinating member of IASWECE and co-producer of the film, which was shot in the USA, Israel, Japan, India, South Africa, Guatemala, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Germany. “The experiences that we make possible – or withhold – for our children at this age form the most elementary basis for their further lives and thus ultimately for the future of humanity.”

Waldorf 100 – The Film [17:50 mins]

“Go out into the world and do good work”. If you’ve ever wondered what Waldorf is all about, please invest 18 minutes of your time to learn about the challenges of childhood in a modern world across all cultures, the beauty of interconnectedness, the importance of confidence and adaptability and the benefits of a grassroots educational movement that is not governed by state, church or commercial interests.

Waldorf 100 – Part 2 [15:36 mins]

Commemorating the 100th year of Waldorf education in 2019, The Waldorf 100 films take a deep look at Waldorf Schools around the world. This second film deals with encounter, engagement, and inclusion: learning that goes beyond merely accumulating information can be understood as an individual way to seek the truth.

New York Times

A story on why Silicon Valley parents are turning to Waldorf education appeared on the front page of the New York Times and gained national recognition. Read  “A Silicon Valley School That Doesn’t Compute“.

This film picks up where that story left off.

CNN

CNN examines Waldorf education in this six-minute video discussing “The Waldorf Way: How Children Learn” with Dr. Sanjay Gupta & Dr. Kalbfleisch, cognitive neuroscientist.

FOX News

Informative three-minute news item by Fox News in Philadelphia on Waldorf Schools, featuring the “un-plugged” nature of the pedagogy and the surprising popularity of it with parents in high-tech industries (as reported by the NY Times).

NEWS ARTICLES

Learning through a First Nations lens
“We are connected to everybody and no one is disconnected….” read the recent Squamish Chief article, in which Gabriel Alden Hull is interviewed about Indigenous initiatives in the classroom.

How Fortnite Triggered an Unwinnable War Between Parents and Children
New York Times | Dec. 21, 2018
Some boys are opting to play Fortnite for such long hours that it has become the primary component of their social life. We talked to three friends in San Francisco who obsess over the online game and their parents, who are wrestling with its impact.

Drawing is the Most Effective Way to Learn
Inc.com
Put away the highlighter and skip the flash cards. The fastest way to cram new information into your brain is by drawing it, concludes the research.

The Case for Creative Play in a Digital Age
New York Times | Dec. 17, 2018
A new statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents of young children to go for high-quality traditional toys rather than elaborate digital ones.

This Professor Teaches Advanced Mathematics Through Knitting
Worldofengineering.com | Aug. 2018
Sara Jensen is a math professor who teaches math with knitting needles and wool instead of calculators and textbooks. The assistant professor of Mathematics at Carthage College has a mission to get people to understand math as a method of better understanding of the world around them. 

The Case Against Teaching Children to Code
Slate.com | Dec. 06, 2018
Programming is a mix of creativity and determination. A developer explains why he doesn’t recommend teaching children to code.

The Case for Physical Education as a Core School Subject
USA Today | Dec. 12, 2018
Physical education is key to longer, happier lives. Our kids and schools need more of it.

For Forest Kindergartners, Class Is Back to Nature, Rain or Shine

A Silicon Valley School That Doesn’t Compute

The rise of alternative education in China

What’s Lost as Handwriting Fades

Teaching the Whole Child: Waldorf Schools and Exemplary Teacher Engagement

RESEARCH

Standing Out Without Standing Alone: Profile of Waldorf School Graduates (pdf)

This study documents the post-secondary education of Waldorf students, their chosen areas of focus and professions. Download

Survey of Waldorf Graduates, Phase II (pdf)

This survey samples 550 participants and describes what Waldorf school graduates most love to study, which professions they select, what they think of their Waldorf education, and what they value as adults. Download