Does anyone have any experience of Steiner schools?

[Fi from West Dulwich]

Hello, exploring our school options (felt it was time, with Oliver at the ripe old age of 13 months) - has anyone got any experience of the Waldorf Steiner school in Streatham, or indeed any other Steiner schools? Oliver is, I strongly suspect, going to be a jolly giant of a child, who is already boisterous and full of beans - I wonder will Steiner manage to harness his energy and enthusiasm or just let him run wild?!

Thank you in advance to any posts.

[littleEDfamily]

My mum taught for quite a few years at a Steiner School in New Zealand. She was a mainstream teacher brought in as a remedial reading specialist, so was never 100% sold on the Steiner ethos. Her view was that it is great for artistic children and brings out the best in children's behaviour (calm, caring etc), but that it's not great for kids who are very academic or inclined to thrive on competitive sports (obv much more of an issue for older kids, not littlies). But that's just one lady's opinion based on her time at a faraway school (she could never get over the fact her 'hippy' colleagues went to school without makeup - still makes me giggle to think of how 'unprofessional' she thought it was!). I suspect, as with all things child related, you'll probably know whether it's right or not for your child when the time comes - does the Streatham one have lots of outdoor space??

[dulwichmum]

Hi Fi,

You should contact Miralee Askew with that question. Miralee lived up the road from me for a long time and was a head in a local independent school. This is her website. She is the warmest and nicest woman you can meet and is well versed on all of the options, knows every school in the locality very well. You are right to be thinking about this now.

[hanstands]

If you're interested in Steiner then this school may interest you alot, its in Brixton: http://familyschool.pbworks.com/

It has only been going a few years and currently there are only ten or so children in the school but it is growing. Hxx

[first mate]

If the child is arty/ musical or the sensitive type, Steiner could be quite a good option. It's perhaps not so great for older academic kids, in my view. Steiners, in my experience anyway, tend to reject worldly things like TV and computers and teen experimentation with drugs and alcohol. Certain realities do have to be faced after all. It does, however, provide a wonderful, almost escapist environment for younger kids, who are actively encouraged to be children and use their imaginations and so on- all good in my view. The only other possible downside is the quite strong christian ethos/values that goes with the territory- depends if this is a problem for you.

[MichelleT]

My sister was heavily involved with the Steiner movement and I met a few of her son's friends who attended Steiner Schools. I found them peculiarly nervy and neurotic (I'm not saying the school was to blame, but the kids were... odd). Steiner sells itself as a charming alternative to conventional schools, all arts and crafts, but Steiner himself had some very peculiar ideas which inform the teaching. I found it very strange that my nephew, who was super bright and had pretty much taught himself to read at 5, was then NOT ALLOWED TO READ because it was too soon. Fine if he wasn't ready, but he was and had proved it. On the other hand, a German friend of mine went to a Steiner primary and loved it; didn't stop her getting heavily into drugs and alcohol in her teens though!

There are a few interesting discussions on mumsnet - might be worth having a read.

[charliecharlie]

I teach at Goldsmiths (one of the University of London colleges) and we have had some students on our BA Design who have been 'Steiner kids'... there seems to be a unifying characteristic about the students who have been Steiner taught. They all seem to be grounded, self motivated, self sufficient and considerate individuals... it could be coincidental, we may have just been lucky, but over the years I have noted that these students have done well on our course and have also been a delight to teach.... I have always put this down to the way they have been educated... they seem to have very distinct qualities.

CC

[Fi from West Dulwich]

Hello, funnily enough I have had my eye on this school for a while, even whilst I was pregnant! Sounds brilliant, but very expensive and also quite a trek for us. But definitely on my list! Thank you

[Caswallion]

x

[Fuschia]

Don't want to seem overly cynical but remember you can't verify who anybody is on the Internet, and all

Posts should be treated with caution especially when it's a new poster

[Curmudgeon]

The Steiner schools are really impressive from the outside - and it's only when you look fully into it that it becomes concerning

Please look fully into Steiner philosophy - there are huge arguments and many 'victim' sites

Look at anthroposophy and racism

http://www.waldorfcritics.org/index.html

http://www.social-ecology.org/2009/01/anthroposophy-and-ecofascism-2/

[Caswallion]

b

[Fuschia]

Sorry to hr suspicious but it does seem

Odd you join the edf to resurrect and post on two old threads about Steiner ... You must indeed have been impressed!

[Caswallion]

Thank you Fushia, I am interested to learn about why you feel so strongly about this issue. I work in inner city schools and we welcome students from all faiths, religious beliefs, private schools of all kinds, etc, etc. What are your concerns and experiences of education?

[Fuschia]

I work in an inner city school too

Rather cynical about the free school movement, not surprisingly and a bit fed up of the propaganda.

As far as Steiner goes I have spent some time on a community, actually, many years ago

I found it very calming and peaceful ... Wouldn't ever have seen it as a route to acAdemic success, mind you

But I suppose in London any private school is selective, in its way and that's the secret ...

[Caswallion]

Yes I see your point regarding the 'private education' issue.

[sillywoman]

Yes, we would have liked to send our eldest two to a Steiner, but were completely priced out. :(. I still think that it would have been the best option for my eldest boy. Ah well.

[mockney piers]

I'm inclined to write off Steiner as dangerous crackpots with unhealthy ideas and philosophy, but I guess why throw the baby out with the bathwater.

It seems to me some of their ideas about a more holistic, rounded education that doesn't focus as heavily on academic learning has a great deal of validity about it. It'd be great if some of those ideas could be incorporated into more mainstream education.

I still wouldn't touch them with a bargepole mind, but then again I wouldnt send my child to a school that barked on about virgin births and well meaning magicians with delusions of grandeur either ;-)

[Ruth_Baldock]

Mockers; you talking about Hogwarts, then? ;) See what I did there? A free school might be up your street then. Is for us. Ah, well, we can but dream...