Features of the Waldorf school. Waldorf school - what it is, pros and cons, reviews. Waldorf pedagogy. The most commonly used methods were

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Waldorf pedagogy

Introduction

In the global educational space, there is currently a change in ideas about the essence and goals of education. This raises the need to search for other approaches to organizing the educational process, identifying ways to ensure the possibility of self-development and self-realization of the individual. Democratization of national systems leads to a change in the educational paradigm, within which a person becomes an increasingly active subject of changes in education.

Modern society increasingly feels the need to educate an active, creative, internally free person, aware of his self-worth and uniqueness and able to live in freedom, but at the same time focused on universal human values, on the relationship with the world and the achievements of civilization. In this regard, along with the use of the achievements of domestic pedagogy, foreign experience, containing constructive ideas of humanistically oriented pedagogy, turns out to be relevant for modern Russian education.

The Waldorf school promotes the development of a creative personality, the formation of personal qualities, such as determination, individualism, which fully allows us to consider the Waldorf school program to be in compliance with the basic principles of state policy in the field of education, which, in turn, is a relevant direction for the further development of the education system of the Russian Federation generally.

The purpose of this work is to consider the Waldorf school system as a special education system.

The object of the study is Waldorf pedagogy as a pedagogical education system.

Subject of research: the essence and features of Waldorf pedagogy.

To achieve this goal, the following tasks were set:

· trace the history of the emergence of Waldorf schools;

· get acquainted with the system of education and upbringing of the Waldorf school;

· get acquainted with the concepts of Steiner pedagogy;

· consider the experience of creating Waldorf schools in Russia;

· consider the main directions, forms, methods and means of organizing training and education in Waldorf schools in modern Russia.

1. Theoretical foundations for the study of R. Steiner’s pedagogy in domestic and foreign literature

.1 Historical background for the creation of Waldorf pedagogy in domestic and foreign literature

Steiner Waldof pedagogy school

The post-war crisis in Germany led to the search for new forms of social life in society. Rudolf Steiner then drew attention to the fact that the division of the school system into a folk, real school - a school with a polytechnic and natural science orientation - and a gymnasium - a humanitarian-oriented school - strengthens the barriers of misunderstanding between different social strata of society. It was the presence of these barriers in the minds of people of various groups of the population that, in his opinion, was one of the significant reasons for the social catastrophes that erupted in Europe.

Steiner was not the only one to express such views. A number of authors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries declared their contemporary school guilty of the general cultural and social decline of society. “The Professor is the national disease of Germany” (Julius Langbehn). Nietzsche sharply criticized the oversaturation of history teaching, which resulted in “the overcrowding of schoolchildren’s heads with countless dead concepts from the past.” From such a school come “weak individuals,” “wandering encyclopedias,” and “educated philistines.” Although they are stuffed with “education,” they are absolutely alien to the real feeling and experience of life. Along with one-sided intellectualism, early specialization was also sharply criticized, which, although it develops skills in a person in any particular area, but does this at the expense of the general development of the person. “What is the task of the modern school system,” wrote one of the teacher-reformers, “especially the senior level? Make a machine out of a man..."

So, wide sections of society realized the need for socio-cultural renewal. The role of the school in the general socio-cultural crisis was realized. The old school system should be replaced by an education system oriented accordingly to: the holistic, the universal, the “genuinely human,” the living and the vital. The role of art in education was emphasized. The faceless, gray “man of the crowd” had to be replaced by a bright, free personality. Stuffed with knowledge, but passive and impractical, the “professor” had to be replaced by an active creative type of personality, with a strong will and a developed life of feelings. These were the ideals that gave rise to numerous attempts to change the state of affairs in the German education system at the beginning of the century and are known in the history of pedagogy as the pedagogical reform movement.

The Waldorf school and the pedagogical impulse associated with it arose in the first quarter of this century in Germany (1919). The first Waldorf school was opened for the children of workers of the Waldorf-Astoria company, which assumed most of the costs of its maintenance. However, children from other strata of society immediately joined it. Thus, from the very beginning, any selection on social or material grounds was eliminated in the Waldorf school. Despite the fact that the Waldorf school continues to strive to follow this principle, sociological studies show that the percentage of children from the working class and “lower strata” of the population is quite low (data for Germany). “Waldorf parents” are mainly people with higher education: lawyers, doctors, engineers, social and cultural workers. They are driven mainly by an interest in the healthy, comprehensive, harmonious development of their own children. It was precisely these “interested” parent groups that initiated numerous new Waldorf schools.

1.2 Training and education in Waldorf schools

Waldorf schools are an education system based on respect for childhood. Its goal is to develop the natural abilities of each child and strengthen the self-confidence that he will need in adulthood. Already at the stage of preschool education and primary school, a solid foundation of knowledge and experience is laid on which education in secondary school will be based. At this stage, the Waldorf school tries to develop in the child such qualities as emotional maturity, initiative and creativity, common sense and a heightened sense of responsibility.

The Waldorf school offers the child a way of understanding the world, society and themselves, which would exclude alienation from the subject and would develop in the student a sense of involvement in what is happening around him. Waldorf school programs are structured in such a way as to take into account the individual needs of each student. The experience of the Waldorf movement, accumulated over 75 years of its existence, has shown that its principles can be adapted to the cultures of a wide variety of peoples. The reason is that the programs of these schools are aimed more at developing the natural abilities of a person than at simply transferring knowledge. The breadth of approach and interdisciplinarity are the distinctive features of these programs.

Teaching in Waldorf schools is based on the principles of continuity and personal influence of the teacher. All classes in the preschool period are taught by the same teacher, and from 6 to 14 years old the same class teacher works with him. At the age of 14-18, the student receives help and support from his class teacher. Thus, during each separate period of his childhood and adolescence, the child is under the supervision of the same person, who knows the characteristics and needs of his ward. A teacher has the right to independently decide what and how to teach a child at a given moment in order to make maximum use of the latter’s creative potential. At the same time, the teacher also gets the opportunity to show dedication and make the best use of his professional experience.

The pedagogy of Waldorf schools is based on understanding the growing child and taking into account the conditions and laws of human development. Education and training should always be based on the science of man. In connection with this principle, the question arises: how far do the methods of this science extend? The methods of ordinary anthropology today - by this we mean all scientific disciplines involved in the study of man - directly examine only the physical body, and the spiritual and mental principles - only to the extent that they manifest themselves through the physical body. But at the same time, the peculiarities of upbringing and development, hidden in the spiritual and mental, slip out of sight. R. Steiner created methods for directly studying mental and spiritual reality, including the human soul and spirit. They form the basis of Waldorf pedagogy and the teaching activities of teachers in Waldorf schools.

A deep understanding of development in childhood and adolescence shows that it is not simply a process of continuously progressive expansion of knowledge and skills. This process is clearly dissected due to the fact that metamorphoses occur in the child, as a result of which he acquires a new attitude towards the world; the former dominants of learning and development fade into the background, giving way to new ones. This occurs most clearly in the seventh year of life and between the ages of 12 and 14 years. Therefore, Waldorf pedagogy distinguishes three phases of development with very specific tasks, content and methods of education. Unlike the repeatedly criticized theory of phase development, Waldorf pedagogy never believed that human development occurs according to a predetermined, genetically determined program. Although these changes are closely related to the age of the child, at each stage it is necessary to stimulate and direct the development process through upbringing and teaching.

Waldorf pedagogy from 7 to 14 years (1-8 years of study)

In the development of a child, the seventh year of life means a profound change in his physical and mental form. Outwardly, this manifests itself in the first change in the child’s physique and the change of teeth (the second change in physique occurs during puberty). From many signs of physical development it can be seen that the forces which acted in the formation of the body in early childhood no longer act in it from that moment on. Now they become accessible to the child mentally as two closely interrelated abilities: as the ability for imaginative fantasy, for arbitrary memories in images, and as the ability for creative figurative creation and experience. Thus, the child becomes able to get acquainted with the world and understand the world in images. Compared to the previous connection of consciousness with sensory perception, this means the beginning of the formation of an independent inner life. To comprehend, study and understand - these abilities are realized in a mental-internal process separated from the external world. An image means more than an internal representation of what is felt. In fantasy images, a child can grasp not only individual things, but also events and relationships, not only phenomena, but also internal patterns, meaning and essence. The significance of the image also lies in the fact that the image, with its clarity, in contrast to the abstract nature of concepts, actively evokes empathy through feeling. It enlivens and expands the life of feelings.

The child cannot yet independently comprehend connections and patterns. Therefore, he wants to recognize and learn to understand them with the help of a teacher. A teacher who is able to teach imaginatively, i.e. not intellectually, but by stimulating the child’s imagination and feelings, and becomes an authority for him. Imaginative teaching is one of the most universal means of education. Images from fairy tales and legends, mythology, sagas and biographies have a strong impact on the development of the soul, character and conscience. The images are not coercive as lectures or authoritarianly taught values. They awaken in the child a deepening of mental life and his own moral will.

Imaginative teaching helps children learn to write and read in ways that go beyond just mastering some cultural technique. Art classes develop a sense of form; Speech culture shapes the sense of language and sound. On this basis, the letter becomes for the child an image of the corresponding sound, and the acquisition of writing and reading is the result of a broader educational process. In a similar way, children are led to understand numbers and number operations.

By the end of the 9th - beginning of the 10th year of life, a conscious understanding of the external world is added to fantasy. The child comes to discover the duality of himself and the world around him. Now teaching should open the world to the child in various manifestations (from history to nature) in all the richness and meaning of its phenomena and events. Analytical consideration can only instill in a growing person alienation from the world, and the subject of teaching can only become external knowledge. In Waldorf schools, the teacher, in the process of teaching natural sciences, describes plants and animals in such a way that students, with their imagination and feeling, can penetrate into their forms, behavior and attitude towards the world around them, the laws of education and life, and comprehend the spiritual essence of plants and animals. Previous cultures and personalities active in history generally cannot be understood without involving the power of fantasy.

Imaginative teaching develops thinking in children that penetrates through the surface into the depths of things and phenomena. It leads students to empathy and, therefore, to an expansion of the world of feelings. As you know, what is learned through an image and what touches our feelings is absorbed best. Therefore, figurative teaching is of particular importance for the development of memory. From the teacher it requires lively spiritual elaboration and creative imaginative presentation of material in all those areas that are not mentioned here. Art and labor lessons are also of particular importance in education during the first eight years of study.

The processes of soul formation require that the same teacher follow the student for many years, accompanying his development. Therefore, during the first eight years of schooling, the core subjects for each grade are taught by the same classroom teacher. Over these eight years, he has taught at least one double lesson in his class every day for two hours. Therefore, he gets to know each student closely and their characteristics. In this way, teaching and education can merge.

Teaching after 14 years (9-12 years of study)

During puberty and the second change in physique, a young person undergoes the same significant changes as when changing teeth. Through the strong impulse of growth during adolescence, in his limbs and in his will, the adolescent enters into a deeper connection with gravity; when the voice breaks, an individual timbre appears; in the so-called secondary sexual characteristics, the body receives a strong spiritual imprint. These processes, together with puberty, are the expression of a single phenomenon: the young man becomes aware of his own personal being. During the transition from childhood to adolescence, a person begins to come into contact with the world around him more freely and independently with the personal forces of his soul, i.e. feeling and will. His desire for internal and external independence is especially clearly expressed in his new attitude - to develop views, orientation and goals based on his own assessments.

A personal appeal to the world around him allows a young man to become a man of his time. Ideals and life goals come to life within him. On their basis and on the basis of feelings that have acquired a personal connotation, the young man seeks - at first uncertainly and ineptly - a personal connection with the world and a conscious attitude towards himself. This gives rise to new requirements for teaching, concerning both content and method. Instead of imaginative teaching, methods are now used to develop in the young person the ability to judge, oriented towards the diversity of the world. Now in various subjects (native language, history, natural sciences, etc.) he learns to carefully study the material, accurately observe phenomena and experiments. One of the teacher's tasks during this period is to present facts in a understandable way and in such a way that the student can develop the ability to clearly judge them. Thus, the teaching of basic subjects becomes more scientific in nature. But we cannot talk about imposing hypotheses and models on a young person, i.e. thoughts and arguments of other people. Teaching needs a predominantly phenomenological orientation. Models are discussed second. When they are based on the student’s own assessment, they lose the hidden dogmatism that has a paralyzing effect on people of this age, which passes off blind faith as scientific knowledge.

The development of the ability to judge is associated with the development of a personal view of the world. In order to come to an assessment of a work of art (plastic, painting or architecture) when teaching art history, a young person must first get used to it, and only then he will be able to assess its quality and compare it with other works. This leads to the development of aesthetic experience. In order to comprehend the principles of living development in biology and make judgments, a young person must develop the ability to co-creatively delve into the essence of a living being at different stages of development. The same applies to mathematics, physics, etc. Thus, the ability to judge is closely related to the human personality and its development. It is important that the spirit operating in adolescents and young people does not acquire an inferior form of non-binding and identical intellectuality everywhere.

Waldorf schools take into account the young person's inner orientation to the life of his time. Technology, processes of economic life, living and working conditions, social problems are studied in the same way as astronomy or mathematics. According to the principle formed by Rudolf Steiner, all teaching should teach life.

The Waldorf school responds to the young man’s desire for honest work by teaching a variety of crafts. Art has a particularly deep connection with the personal forces of the soul of a young man, with his active development and his spiritual and creative depths. Without continuous exercise in such fields of art as plastic arts, painting, drawing, music, languages, a person’s education at this age will be insufficient.

The interdisciplinary approach used in Waldorf schools from the first to the final grades allows students to instill a holistic view of the world. This not only helps them master individual areas of knowledge at school, but also independently establish complex connections between phenomena. An interdisciplinary approach is used in the study of all subjects, taking into account the age characteristics of children. From the first two hours of class to three to four weeks may be devoted to covering topics such as North American geography, mechanics, the ancient Romans, trees, finance, nutrition, or architecture. And this turns out to be an effective teaching method that helps develop students' memory and maintains their interest in learning. A balance is carefully maintained between gaining practical skills in working in the garden, workshop or enterprise and practicing a wide variety of arts: music, rhythm, theater, painting and sculpture.

Steiner schools are independent, self-governing educational organizations. In Great Britain they cooperate with each other within the framework of the Association of Steiner Schools and are members of other international associations. All responsibility for the educational process lies with teachers who form the teaching team. There is no director in such a school, and the management is carried out by the school council, which includes parents, teachers and the administrator who manages the school facilities. The sole purpose of such an association is to work together for the benefit of students. Such an organization is not only a model of a community working together for the welfare of students, but an effective way of mobilizing the abilities and talents of all persons interested in the prosperity of the school.

Thus, the educational system as a whole in the Waldorf school can be summed up in one of the sayings of Rudolf Steiner: “Ask not what a person needs to know and be able to do in order to best meet the needs of existing society. Put the question differently: what makes a person alive, and who can grow out of him or her. This is the only way to bring out the new qualities of each new generation and direct them to serve society. Then society will become what this generation can make it, overcoming existing conditions. The new generation should not become what the previous one would like to see.”

1.3 Concepts of Steiner pedagogy

Each teacher has his own idea of a person, which unconsciously influences the formation of the teacher’s pedagogical views. It is known that each pedagogical theory or individual pedagogical methods are in one way or another based on certain ideas about a person.

Steiner pedagogy is also based on the doctrine of man. A teacher, using only individual elements in his work, will not be able to come closer to understanding its essence. If the teacher understands the doctrine of man and applies it in practice, he will independently be able to develop his own practical didactics and methodology, sometimes in forms that differ from those developed by others.

What ideas about man are Steiner’s pedagogy based on? In the modern world, many different psychological and philosophical directions of human thought interact, each more complex than the other in its theoretical constructs. But if you try to find their inner core, their starting point, then all philosophical models can be divided into two main groups in accordance with how they define human individuality.

The first group includes theories (and they are the most widespread in the modern world) that do not reserve for a person the right to have a free spiritual individuality: a person appears as a product of inexorable natural laws, like a plant or animal, only more complex in its structure , since it is the result of a longer evolutionary process.

The human being in the context of these ideological concepts is determined, on the one hand, by heredity, on the other, by the environment, i.e. a person is a combination of genes, in other words, a genotype that is given to him at birth. This basic program is influenced to a greater or lesser extent by the surrounding world (environmental conditioning). In the light of these theories, a person’s thoughts, feelings, and desires are only the result of two main lines of influence: heredity and environment. One person is different from another due to a combination of factors influencing him. All human actions are determined by certain external factors, and are not derived from the essential human nature, in which the voice of his “I” sounds.

Steiner pedagogy is based on a different understanding of the human being. There is no doubt that a person inherits many qualities, and we also recognize that the environment, environment or external factors have a huge impact on human development. But, composing the picture of man that lies at the basis of Steiner’s pedagogy, we take into account another important aspect of the human being, which we define by the concept of “human individuality.” Human individuality is not a consequence or manifestation of a genotype or environmental conditioning, but is the self-valuable spiritual essence of a person. This spiritual human principle or, in other words, the human “I” cannot be perceived through the organs of sensory perception, i.e. identified by color, measured using any instruments, or determined by taste. But each of us confidently feels its manifestation in ourselves or our neighbors.

If we consider the spiritual “I” to be the essential center of the human being, then, accordingly, the process of human thinking cannot be considered as a purely materialistic phenomenon. In the last century, the idea was expressed that matter, matter, is capable of thinking. For decades, the process of thinking has been compared to the work of the salivary gland: the brain or substance produces thoughts in the same way that the salivary gland secretes saliva.

In Steiner's pedagogy, human thinking is considered not as an ability of matter, but as an ability of the person himself. This ability stems from that essential spiritual “I” of a person, which thinks and creates not in the material material world, but in the world of spiritual existence. This spiritual individuality of man, his spiritual “I,” is the center of human freedom and creativity. It is the inner spiritual essence that stands above the natural and environmental factors affecting a person. After all, a person, considered only as a product of heredity and environment, can have neither the power of creativity nor inner freedom. His actions are determined by nature, and she is the creator. It is impossible to find the source of human freedom by considering man only as a natural and social being. The source of human freedom and creativity can only be the “I” of a person, his free and creative spirituality.

The summary of this chapter can be summarized as follows: Waldorf education is an alternative pedagogical system based on the anthroposophical concept of man and sensory-supersensible knowledge, imaginative thinking, and empathy. The founder of Waldorf pedagogy is Rudolf Steiner, the creator of anthroposophy. The system is also called "Steiner" or "Waldorf-Steiner" in his honor. The first Waldorf school was established in 1919. Waldorf education is now practiced in more than 950 recognized independent Waldorf schools and 1,400 independent Waldorf kindergartens located in approximately sixty countries around the world, constituting one of the world's largest independent educational systems.

Education should influence not only the intellect, but the whole person as a whole. Intelligence is only one of the mental components of a complete personality, and any imbalance leads to one-sided development of the child and to various diseases.

Teaching in Waldorf schools is based on the principles of continuity and personal influence of the teacher.

2. Studying the experience of creating Waldorf schools in modern times

.1 From the experience of creating Waldorf schools in Russia

The first Waldorf initiatives arose in our country at the dawn of perestroika. Then - numerous seminars, lectures by foreign associate professors, the founding of the Teacher Training Seminar, the first graduate teachers with diplomas (1991). Ironically, the very first Waldorf school, “Family Lad,” which opened in Moscow in 1990, arose on the initiative of Orthodox teachers. Its founder Irina Nikitina then became acquainted with Waldorf pedagogy and immediately accepted it. Irina Nikitina is not the only Orthodox Waldorf teacher. This is interesting to note because criticism of the Waldorf school can often be heard from some representatives of the Orthodox Church.

At the very end of the 90s and the beginning of the new century, Waldorf schools in Russia approached the stage of their first graduations. The first was the Moscow Free Waldorf School: the 11th grade graduated in 2000; many children successfully entered prestigious Moscow universities. The further formation of public opinion about Waldorf pedagogy will largely depend on how further graduations go.

However, today things are such that approximately 10 years have passed since the beginning of the “Waldorf wave” in Russia, and the said movement has slowed down its spread.

In our country there are one and a half to two dozen small Waldorf schools, plus several Waldorf medical and auxiliary institutions. Most of them eke out, to put it mildly, a very modest existence.

There are often serious problems: with premises, with local authorities, with money. Moreover, problems with children and their parents are increasingly being identified - schools, which 5 years ago did not have enough places to enroll everyone, are now opening the first classes for 10 or even 5 students. Obviously, more than half of the schools were clearly identified in the public consciousness as correctional educational institutions. Many schools are constantly plagued by internal conflicts between teachers, and often there is no end in sight.

Russian education managers and teacher-scientists are consistently showing an increasingly restrained attitude towards Waldorf pedagogy. Positive articles about her have clearly disappeared from the press; It's been years since there's been any noticeable television airing. One more detail: stores have stopped accepting these products for sale; the motive is “not for sale.”

City and regional educational leaders in many regions have formed, in relation to the Waldorf schools existing in their territories, approximately the following position: “We won’t close them, but we don’t intend to help either. Let them survive on their own if they can.”

If there are exceptions to this general picture (Moscow Free School on Serpukhovka, Samara School, some others), then these are precisely the essence of “exceptions that confirm the rule.”

Sometimes people familiar with the described texture do not deny it, but say that it was the result of unfortunate accidents (“we couldn’t find capable teachers,” “we just can’t find a strong principal,” “we have poor parents at our school.” etc.). If, however, the entire picture outlined above was determined by chance, then it is difficult to understand what can even be called a pattern.

Currently, Waldorf schools, kindergartens and pedagogical initiatives exist in many cities of our country. There are at least four known schools in Moscow, one of which is a large, well-equipped school with a stable financial position - school No. 1060 in Stremyanny Lane, next to the Serpukhovskaya metro station. In 1991, the Moscow Department allocated an old building in need of renovation for the implementation of an experimental joint project, which was renovated with funds from voluntary donations received from Germany. Other schools are small, usually without their own premises. Parents are forced to pay a lot of money to maintain the school, which, of course, significantly impedes the growth and normal development of schools. Schools operate under constant acute financial deficit. In addition, there are several (about five) kindergartens. In addition to Moscow, Waldorf schools and kindergartens exist in St. Petersburg (4), Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Voronezh, Ryazan, Kazan (2), Samara, Zhukovsky, Zelenograd, Tyumen, Irkutsk, Smolensk, Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk. Schools are at very different stages of development. Not long ago, a number of Waldorf schools united into the Association of Waldorf Schools of Russia, the purpose of which is to promote teacher training, develop and coordinate curricula, and represent the movement to the public. So we can say that Waldorf pedagogy in our country is, albeit modest, but still a noticeable innovative movement.

2.2 Main directions, forms, methods and means of organizing education in Waldorf schools in Russia

The main directions, forms, methods and means of organizing education in Waldorf schools in Russia can be considered using the example of the St. Petersburg Waldorf school.

The basis of the Waldorf education system is:

· Age orientation of the curriculum and teaching methods.

· The classroom teacher (“for a child, the teacher is much more important than the subject”) teaches basic subjects not only in primary school, but also in secondary school (up to 7th grade).

· Integration of items. Bringing together information from different areas of knowledge thanks to the theme of the year - its own for each class (curriculum).

· The tradition of oral storytelling, theatrical performances as part of the educational process.

· Artistic and aesthetic element in education: needlework, crafts, painting, music, modeling, eurythmy, gardening, etc., grades 1-11.

· Abolition of the system of marks in points (up to grade 7), using instead detailed criteria for assessing the child’s educational activities.

· Setting for the free development of the child in accordance with individual characteristics.

· “Hygiene of teaching” - orientation to the rhythm of the day, week, year, teaching in “epochs” - concentration of educational material for the purpose of its organic teaching and perception.

· Teaching a foreign language from the second grade using a special method (immersion in the language element).

· Weekly teacher conferences (colleges) - as a result: constant monitoring of children and the educational process.

· Teachers and parents work together, parents can actively participate in the life of the school.

· Particular attention is paid to the artistic organization of the space surrounding children (the so-called Waldorf interior).

· “A school in the interests of the child” is a school where a child or young person can develop according to their individual capabilities. More

Pestalozzi said: “Never compare a child with another child. But always only with yourself!” . The task of such a school is:

· Teach to act, show will and take responsibility for your actions.

· Showing attention to the weak, tolerance for a different worldview, lifestyle, and religion means raising an internally free person.

Let us dwell on some provisions in more detail.

Waldorf pedagogy is based on the idea of R. Steiner, the essence of which is that all the forces - souls, thoughts, feelings, will - of the child form a single whole.

An important distinguishing feature of Steiner's pedagogical views is his philosophical anthropological approach to teaching a child. In the art of education and teaching, it is necessary, first of all, to have a deep knowledge of human nature.

Already at the beginning of the twentieth century, R. Steiner opposed early intellectualism and early specialization in education (a painful point in modern Russian education). A Waldorf school teacher strives not so much to convey a certain amount of knowledge as to touch the student’s feelings, arouse interest, and make the child become interested in the subject and fall in love with it.

The training is based on a phenomenological approach, the main principle of which is: “Not information, but the pursuit of truth.” First, we learn to observe a phenomenon (an action with an object, an experiment, a simple observation), then we make a description, sketches of the phenomenon, and, finally, We find a pattern and, comprehending it, formulate a law.

An important principle of learning is “not in breadth, but in depth”, when they concentrate on key examples and concepts. This is an economical principle of teaching, when it is not the number of phenomena considered that is important, but their specificity for each area. Children’s cognitive abilities are activated when knowledge is not given in a ready-made form, as in a traditional school, but is acquired independently - dialogue, work in groups, discussion of problems, workshops, and individual work take the place of frontal questioning. Learning, therefore, is problematic in nature; independent scientific thinking develops.

Each school day in each class begins with a “main lesson” (1 hour, 40 minutes). For a long time (from 2 to 4 weeks, but in high school there is even 1 week), the content of the main lesson is one school subject (history, physics, biology, etc.). The material is built logically, concentratedly, in depth - a kind of immersion method.

Subjects that require constant exercise - languages, mathematics, as well as aesthetic subjects, physical education, eurythmy - are arranged according to a weekly schedule.

Waldorf pedagogy has an ecological orientation, in the broad sense of the word. A holistic understanding of the life of nature and its laws is formed not only through knowledge, but also through the experience of experiencing natural phenomena. Combining a scientific and artistic approach to the phenomena of reality, the teacher tries to complement the physical picture of the world of natural phenomena with its poetic or artistic depiction. That. elements of art play a significant role in the educational process itself. The teacher's story is a completed text of a figurative nature, design of a notebook of the era on the subject, performance of musical works related to the taught topic, poetic embodiment of phenomena of the physical world (astronomy, physics and poetry, mathematics and harmony of poetic rhythms, etc.), recitation (choral reading various texts), etc. At the beginning of the twentieth century, R. Steiner felt the danger to human spiritual health emanating from the increasing industrialization of life. Even then, children living in big cities had no idea of human labor in its original meaning. Now - even more so. How do they plant, grow, collect and bake bread or flowers? How do they build a house or weave baskets? The everyday life surrounding a modern child is so automated and far from nature that children have no idea about the basic skills of human activity. The Waldorf school is trying to restore these connections: one of the main principles is connection with life, establishing relationships between scientific knowledge and life experience. That is why so much attention is paid to practices: horticultural, forestry, agricultural, social.

Education at school is creative, exploratory in nature, both on the part of the students and (above all!) on the part of the teacher. Until grades 7-8, the class teacher (i.e. the main teacher of this class, its class teacher, organizer, teacher, etc.) teaches most subjects whenever possible.

It is this person who embodies the harmonious combination of different disciplines, collects flows of information, integrates painting, writing, music, eurythmy, etc. in the vivid image of his lesson. A class teacher knows the children of his class thoroughly, so he can take into account the peculiarities of perception of a particular child, observing him throughout the day in different subjects and in different activities. This is very difficult for one person, but it gives an effect that is not achieved within the framework of subject teaching in a regular school, when the child, teacher and subject are alienated from each other.

A Waldorf school is, first of all, a humane school, a “school in the interests of the child,” when it is not the child for the school, but the school for the child. That is, here the child has the right to remain a child. This distinguishes the Waldorf school from the traditional state school, which in many ways resembles an institution whose purpose is to provide information and control - assessing the result of the assimilation of this information; competition of achievements, competitive spirit, and selection flourish here.

Criticism of Waldorf schools

In many of his works, Steiner contrasts his spiritual science, which, however, does not use any scientific methods of research and is based entirely on his “clairvoyance,” to generally accepted natural science, considering it precisely untenable, for example: “Whoever today picks up a book that has anyone with any connection to psychology will discover that such writings no longer have any real content... It seems that psychologists are simply playing with concepts.” Or: “All the abstract chatter that we encounter today in psychological books and in the psychological explanations emanating from today’s science ... is nothing more than a document of the ignorance of our philosophers, who know nothing about the real relationship of the mental with the physical.”

In his writings, Steiner repeatedly emphasizes that only his ideas about man and the universe are the only true ones: “...Science inevitably falls into error if it does not follow the guidance of occult science, which will always show it the right path to what can be discovered with the help of physical research"; “All education in the future should be built on real psychology, drawn from anthroposophical world knowledge”; “External science has nothing to say about this; The answer can only be given by anthroposophically oriented science.”

Waldorf pedagogy, like any idea, has not only supporters, but also critics. Here is what the Russian philosopher N. Berdyaev wrote about Steiner: “Rarely has anyone impressed me as such a graceless person as Steiner. Not a single ray falling from above. He wanted to get everything from below, with a passionate effort to break through to the spiritual world... Some anthroposophists gave me the impression of people possessed, in a manic state. When they said “Doctor (Steiner) said,” the expression in their eyes changed, their face became different, and it was impossible to continue the conversation. Believing anthroposophists are much more dogmatic, much more authoritarian than the most orthodox Orthodox and Catholics...”

Semyon Frank: “In the field of teachings about the soul, the elimination of scientific knowledge occurs in two forms: in the form of a naive falsification of science through its unconscious, chaotic mixing with religion and mysticism, and in the form of a conscious denial of science. We have the first in the now so popular occult and theosophical teachings about the soul, which themselves call themselves a secret science (“Geheimwissenschaft” by Steiner!)... Beyond all this, it remains undeniable that the way research of this type is mostly conducted, they represent an intolerable mixture objective observations with subjective fiction and, most importantly, are based on the grossest confusion of science with mysticism, equally distorting both and leading to some kind of unnatural supranaturalistic realism.”

Another Russian philosopher and teacher, a brilliant expert on European philosophy, Vasily Zenkovsky, notes that: “Steiner is entirely at the mercy of the chaotic subconscious, his conscious thought is archaic and infantile, for scientific-philosophical and mystical esotericism he forever remains uninitiated. Steiner dreams and dreams; but there are “prophetic dreams” and there is delirium. An example of such nonsense is Steiner’s Christology.”

Nikolai Lossky: “This whole teaching is filled with information about the nature of the Sun and various planets, about the various spirits inhabiting them, about the influence on the soul of a deceased person, information that is clearly fantastic, goes beyond the limits of human experience and reveals its inconsistency, since some of them contradict general reliably known principles of the structure of the world. For example, Steiner claims that burning gases are found only on the periphery of the Sun, and there is nothing material inside it, not even space. It’s hard to understand how a person thinks, capable of talking about a ball, whose periphery is spatial, and whose interior is not so much empty, but not spatial at all!” .

Ivan Ilyin’s attitude to anthroposophy is expressed in his letters: “The destructive, friendly opposition of all of us to the Steiner system, [which] through violence against the souls of its adherents, inflicts violence on the good name and honor of all free-thinking people - is our common unconditional duty and an act of self-preservation!... [ It is necessary to organize] a united opposition against the false ideological source, i.e. against the organized anti-culture of Steinerism, because otherwise new facts of trampling on personalities and ideas will follow without number and measure... “Anthroposophy” put forward by Steiner is a teaching hostile to both real philosophy and true art.”

“In one of his letters to Blok, A. Bely writes that in 1904 Bulgakov told him: “Theosophy is nothing. Now real darkness awaits us - Steiner! .

That. Steiner’s spirituality and “higher worlds” are alien to the Russian mentality, which has been brought up on Christian ideals for a thousand years. In addition, we have many of our own wonderful teachers, such as Pirogov, Odoevsky, Ushinsky, Tikheyeva, Vodovozova Makarenko, Sukhomlinsky, Amonashvili, etc., whose ideas and methods of education would not hurt to remember and implement more often.

Of course, for those who adhere to Steiner's worldview, Waldorf pedagogy has a right to exist.

Arguing that anthroposophical views are not instilled in students, Karlgren (repeating Steiner) talks a lot about the inherent imitation of children by the adults around them: “Is it really so unnatural that the influence of some teachers on children ... extends right up to the field of worldview. ... Of course, Waldorf teachers ... are unable to resist the fact that their students thoughtlessly adopt from them ... their entire system of thoughts, because any education is, to a certain extent, influence.” This is despite the fact that all teachers must be convinced anthroposophists (author's note). “The main thing is that teachers, while inevitably influencing students, ... still contribute to development that coincides with their own personal preferences” (Carlgren).

“When they talk about Waldorf pedagogy, we are talking about a way of life. A specific feature of Waldorf schools is that all members of the corporation see the same spiritual goal. It has become a rule that teachers cannot fulfill their duties without a thorough study of R. Steiner’s human studies and without the internal efforts that the anthroposophical path of development requires” (Karlgren).

So, both children and teachers must acquire not just knowledge about religion or anthroposophy, but also experience the corresponding religious experience: “We must let children acquire religious experience.” “Once a week, a religious performance is organized for children, which was introduced by Rudolf Steiner.”

The teacher should be helped by the study of Steiner's occult doctrine, in particular, in that he must learn to recognize in children the experiences of their past incarnations. In the “Waldorf schools themselves, liberal Christian religious instruction is adopted” (ibid.). “From first to fourth grade, teaching is based on stories that awaken to honor the Lord God, the Divine in nature.”

So, among the forces that have a formative effect on the physical organs is the joy that the child is given by his environment: the kind faces of educators and, above all, sincere, unfeigned love. Love, which warms the physical environment with its warmth, in the true sense of the word - like a hen eggs - hatches the forms of physical organs.

And this difference is not only that one teacher is more skillful or uses certain pedagogical techniques; the main thing that influences the learning process: what thoughts he carries within himself, with what thoughts he enters the classroom. A teacher who is busy thinking about human development influences students in a completely different way than a teacher who never thinks about it.

We live in an era when all appeals to selfishness must be eliminated, unless humanity wants to continue to follow the same path of cultural decline along which it is moving today.

we must keep in mind that we are working on the feeling, vision and will of the next generation. We must engage this generation for certain tasks of the human future. In life, it is not ready-made knowledge that has value, but the work that leads to ready-made knowledge; and in the art of pedagogy this work has a very special value.

Fostering in children a sense of beauty and, accordingly, the perception of good deeds as beautiful and bad deeds as disgusting.

There are some positive aspects: nurturing a sense of beauty, an individual approach, love for children. But this was repeatedly expressed by many teachers even before Steiner, so he did not discover America here.

Such an anthroposophical view: “Human individuality (“I”) originates from the supersensible worlds and... brings with it certain inclinations that in no way arise from heredity or are taken from the environment...’ directly contradicts modern knowledge of psychology. The recognition of the idea of reincarnation contradicts science and is essentially religious: “... in some situations you get a direct and strong impression that you are in front of manifestations of such a human essence that comes from a previous earthly life.” But for me the word “science” sounds quite definite. It is customary in science to demonstrate all the methods by which you arrived at your results. These methods must be recognized and used by other scientists (and regardless of their personal religious positions). Any result in science must be reproducible by other researchers, and thereby verifiable.

So, the first Waldorf initiatives arose in our country at the dawn of perestroika. Then - numerous seminars, lectures by foreign associate professors, the founding of the Teacher Training Seminar, the first graduate teachers with diplomas.

Waldorf schools work on the principle of “not advancing” the child’s development, but providing all opportunities for his development at his own pace. When equipping schools, preference is given to natural materials and unfinished toys and aids (primarily for the development of children’s imagination). Much attention is paid to the spiritual development of all participants in the educational process. Educational material is presented in blocks (epochs), but the day at all stages of education (from nurseries to seminaries) is divided into three parts: spiritual(where active thinking predominates), soulful(teaching music and dance), creative-practical(here children learn primarily creative tasks: sculpting, drawing, carving wood, sewing, and so on). The rhythm of the day can be subordinated to the subject that is currently being studied (for example, if they are studying mathematical material, children are asked to “see” it while dancing or while sewing). In addition, educational material is given taking into account the correspondence between the development of the child and the development of the historical society. (For example, in the 6th grade, when children develop an idea of justice and statehood, they go through the history of the Roman Empire, and in the 7th grade, during the onset of puberty, they go through the Middle Ages, with its pronounced masculinity (knights) and femininity (ladies). At the same time, children stage plays, participate in tournaments, dance and even go to cities with medieval fortresses.

Conclusion

In our rapidly changing and unstable world, people increasingly need to show initiative, flexibility and responsibility. Graduates of Waldorf schools have proven themselves to be resourceful, creative people who are able to adequately cope with the difficulties that abound in today's reality. In many ways, they can consider themselves citizens of the world.

More often children whose parents are aware of the deep responsibility for the education of their children end up in Waldorf schools in Europe. This is the main reason for a certain tendency towards elitism of these schools in European countries such as Sweden, Germany, the USA, Austria, which contradicts their original intention. In Russia, this problem can become especially acute, given the ideological orientation of parents who have the means to pay for tuition at a non-state school. The Waldorf school does not set itself a narrowly special goal, for example, preparation for a university, but strives to provide a holistic, broad education necessary for any person in the modern world, regardless of what profession he chooses for himself. Therefore, among former Waldorf students, as sociological studies show, there are representatives of all professions: from actors and musicians, to engineers and farmers, doctors and priests. From a pedagogical and social point of view, it is extremely important for the mutual understanding of people in society that young people who will subsequently work in various areas of life study together in one pedagogical community - a class, a school.

It is clear that such a model of a comprehensive school, not artificially but holistically combining the humanities and natural sciences (folk school, gymnasium and real school), the development of individuality and socialization taking into account the formation of the person as a whole, needs serious pedagogical justification. In this “whole,” education in the modern understanding of the word is only one component and, perhaps, not the most important one. For example, the somatic, mental and personal (spiritual) health of children and youth as an integral task of the school - not just declared, but expressed in specific forms of organizing teaching and educational content - moral development, as well as an orientation towards social values should be a priority and not something insignificant compared to meeting state education standards, which are focused mainly on passing exams, that is, on purely intellectual assimilation. Expanding the concept of education is the most valuable contribution that Waldorf pedagogy can make to the development of the national school system.

Bibliography

1.Amonashvili Sh. Reflections on humane pedagogy. M., 2006. - 243 p.

.Arapov M. What is a Waldorf school. Moscow. Magazine "Courier" 2007, No. 5.

3.Berdyaev N.A. Theosophy and anthroposophy in Russia. // Types of religious thought in Russia. Paris, 1989. [ELECTRONIC RESOURCE]:

#"justify">. Vinogradov D.M. translation from German by Rudolf Steiner. Esoteric anthropology

.Vinogradov D.M. translation from a German educational course of lectures for teachers of the Free Waldorf School, given in 1919 in Stuttgart, M., Persifal, - 2005.

6.Gavryushin N.K. In disputes about anthroposophy. Ivan Ilyin vs Andrey Bely. // Questions of philosophy. 1995, no. 7.

.Zagvozdkin V.K. Rudolf Steiner is the founder of Waldorf education. Biographical sketch. Moscow. Magazine "Man" 2008, No. 1.

8.Zagvozdkin V. About Waldorf pedagogy and its critics // Man. 2006, no. 1.

9.Monthly electronic journal “Pedagogical Science of the South of Russia” [ELECTRONIC RESOURCE]: #"justify">. Kalgren F. Education for freedom. Pedagogy of Rudolf Steiner. Publishing house of the Moscow Center of Waldorf Pedagogy. Moscow - 1993. - 270 p.

11.Lossky N.O. The doctrine of reincarnation Intuitivism, M., 1992. - 302 p.

12.Mikhailov N. Essay on the life and work of Johann-Friedrich Pestallozi

.Pedagogical science of the south of Russia Monthly electronic pedagogical journal. - #"justify">. Website of the Moscow Waldorf School [ELECTRONIC RESOURCE]: #"justify">. Website of the St. Petersburg Waldorf School [ELECTRONIC RESOURCE]: #"justify">16. Collection of articles about Waldorf pedagogy [ELECTRONIC RESOURCE]: #"justify">. Doubtful, K.E. Western European pedagogical systems: theoretical understanding and practice of application in the second half of the twentieth century [Text]: monograph / K.E. Doubtful, M.: “Scientific Book”, 2008. - 240 p.

18.Trapeznikov T.G. translation of the edition: Rudolf Steiner. Essay on occult science. Publishing house "Spiritual Knowledge" Moscow, 1916. Publishing house "NOY" 1992. - 257 p.

.Rudolf Steiner. Anthroposophical Guidelines. The path of knowledge of anthroposophy. Mystery of Michael. "Anthroposophy" Moscow - 2006

.Rudolf Steiner. Raising a child from the point of view of spiritual science. M. - “Parsifal” 2005. - 240s

.Steiner R. General doctrine of man as the basis of pedagogy. M - “Parsifal” 2005. - 320 p.

.Steiner R. Knowledge and dedication. (Two lectures 1922). - M., Center for Waldorf Pedagogy, 1992 - 47 p.

23.Steiner R. Origin and purpose of man. Basic concepts of spiritual science. Internal human development. Berlin, 1904. - 280 p.

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Childhood is the most important time in a person’s life. It has been scientifically proven that children who did not have the opportunity for adequate social adaptation in the first years of life later experience serious difficulties in the process of communication and perception of the world around them.

Modern educational methods focus on the reproduction of knowledge, without paying any attention to emotional development. This leads to the fact that over time, children begin to experience fear of failure in their studies; the school does not recognize the peculiarities of their thinking and does not provide the opportunity to express feelings and talents. The education system of Waldorf schools provides the most comfortable environment for growing up, where he can feel his individuality and feel cared for. It uses an individual approach to each child, allowing him to develop not only his intellectual abilities, but also his emotional perception of the world.

Waldorf education system

The basis of Waldorf schools was the anthroposophical concept, according to which a person simultaneously combines spirit, body and soul: thoughts (mind, intellect), feelings and will. According to this education system, development should not be one-sided: the acquisition of knowledge or skills cannot be forcibly instilled; the child must independently, through the development of the psyche, motor skills, and imaginative perception, learn about the world around him.

Particular attention in the educational process is paid to the emotional state of children. Schools create the most comfortable environment possible, where there is no pressure and no need to follow a strict program - each child grows at his own rhythm. Teachers do not force the learning process; on the contrary, they use an exclusively individual approach.

History of the education system

The founder of this system of raising children was the legendary mystic and philosopher of the 20th century, Rudolf Steiner. In 1907, he published his work “The Education of the Child,” which reflected the concept of anthroposophy he had previously developed. The book became a breakthrough in pedagogy, and already in 1919 the first Waldorf school was opened in Stuttgart. Today there are more than 1,000 such schools around the world.

Two decades after the opening of the first school, based on its achievements, similar institutions were opened in many countries around the world: in the USA, Holland, Norway, Austria, Ukraine, etc.

In his book, Steiner said that love for a child should serve as the main driving force in his development. Moreover, it was not only about the love of parents: children are the most sincere and selfless beings, they are extremely sensitive to the facial expressions of adults and their emotional state. Moreover, in the first years of life they are very dependent on their environment. He is not yet able to distance himself, to highlight his own self, and therefore it is the people around him who create the background for the development of his physical and mental health.

Areas of work

The work of Waldorf schools is based on the fact that the key stage in the formation of a person’s personality is childhood. Teachers do not seek to artificially instill knowledge in children, they do not conduct various intellectual trainings, they allow children to develop at a natural pace what was inherent in them by nature. For this educational process to be successful, favorable conditions are created at school: there are no grades and the concept of “failure”; textbooks are practically not used.

The main areas of work of Waldorf schools include:

creating a comfortable environment;
lack of behavior assessment;
education through personal example;
multifunctional games;
organization of daily rhythm;
using the foundations of culture in working with children.

All these ways of working with children are harmoniously combined with each other, creating a feeling of a family inside the school, where children are comfortable and calm. In such conditions, their best qualities manifest themselves, their talents and imagination develop, and they begin to fully feel their individuality.

Creating a favorable atmosphere

The main principle of Waldorf schools is to create an atmosphere in which the child will feel as comfortable as possible, “at home.” In such conditions, the child begins to take the initiative, take an active part in games of his own free will, the learning process arouses genuine interest in him, which leads to success.

The main role in creating such an atmosphere is given to the teacher. He should not be a neutral, indifferent observer; on the contrary, a teacher in a Waldorf school is a bright, creative person, a role model for children. He must be able to find an approach to everyone in the group, establish trusting friendly relationships with them, and sense any changes in the children’s mood.

Teaching methods

All methods of working with children and education in Waldorf schools are based on an appeal to feelings, not to intellect. At each stage of learning, an activity develops that is truly interesting and does not cause rejection or any other negative feelings. Teachers at Waldorf schools make sure to take into account the different temperaments of children and give them the opportunity to develop at their own pace.

Memory development

This pedagogy is based on the rejection of traditional visual learning, when children must see an object and remember it. Learning takes place differently: he doesn’t just remember, in his mind memory works together with the emotional perception of a particular object, feelings become a support for memory. Emotional memory is considered one of the most long-term, so memorizing poems and multiplication tables in combination with emotional movements will be more effective.

Development of interest

The main advantage of Waldorf schools and their pedagogy is that they instill in children an interest in learning and education. The educational system uses the mobilization of interest to closely intertwine with the educational process: since children under 9 years of age prefer active games, it is difficult for them to sit still, they want to move a lot and play, it is in this form that learning will be most effective.

In the future, when children begin to know themselves, separate themselves from others, realize their place in life, zoology and geography are introduced into the curriculum - those subjects that will expand their horizons and understanding of the structure of the world.

Harmonization of mental life and social environment

Another fundamental feature of pedagogy and education is the absence of suppression of individuality. A comfortable, favorable environment is created around the baby, where others accept him for who he is.

At the same time, teachers maintain a balance of will, feelings and thinking. Such harmony of mental state allows for the full development of physical health.

Rhythmic daily routine

The Waldorf education system is impossible without a rhythmic routine. This aspect of working with children was laid down by the founder of schools and is of fundamental importance. There is a certain rhythm for each day spent at school. As a rule, the day begins with a main lesson that requires maximum concentration - mathematics, botany, etc. Then children engage in lessons that involve the use of rhythmic movements - clapping, jumping, while they can read poetry or learn the multiplication table.

Each day of the week has its own functional load - for example, on Fridays, many schools have deep cleaning with the participation of children. Children, by performing simple movements, become involved in adult life. Thanks to this system, children develop their own rhythm of life, they get used to performing certain tasks on different days of the week. Systematicity also contributes to better assimilation of the material.

Games and toys at a Waldorf school

The Waldorf system in kindergartens allows special attention to be paid to children's games. The content of games varies: they are both free and role-playing games. Children play independently for at least two hours a day, as their imagination dictates. This allows them to develop their imaginative thinking, they let their individuality out. As a rule, such games are held in the first half of the day. Favorite games are interactive games that play out a certain scenario. In such performances, children improvise based on familiar plots.

Toys are a separate aspect of education. In Waldorf schools you cannot find unnatural dolls, robots, monsters, monsters and other characters loved by children. The main condition for toys is that they must be realistic. Children enthusiastically play with logs, cones, acorns, twigs, saw cuts, chestnuts, pieces of bark and other “toys” from the forest. Natural forms and materials allow you to more actively engage your imagination, imagine and perceive the world around you as holistic and logical.

Advantages and disadvantages

Waldorf schools have many fans around the world; the advantages of such a system of educating children are undeniable:

it is focused not on the reproduction of knowledge or on rote memorization, but on the comprehensive development of the child;
it takes into account the age-related needs and abilities of the child;
it teaches the child to focus on himself and his achievements, and not on external assessment;
the material is studied in all possible ways, that is, the baby is completely immersed in the object being studied;
learning is not based on coercion, but on voluntary desire.

At the same time, Waldorf schools also have a number of opponents. This is due to the fact that the founder of the school was Rudolf Steiner, a very controversial and controversial figure. In this regard, schools are accused of occultism and sectarianism. Schools actually have their own ideology, communication is quite closed, and children literally idolize the teacher.

Another aspect of criticism is related to the difficulties of adaptation of students in the modern world. Children study first in kindergartens, then in schools according to this system, however, after graduation, they have to go to university, where a completely different education system rules. Children are accustomed to the fact that their individuality is valued most of all, and the learning process is based on interest, which quite often diverges from modern realities.

Education in any historical period is the most important institution of society, therefore any new methods and technologies in this area come under the close attention of both specialists and ordinary citizens. This approach is embodied when referring to such a phenomenon as Waldorf pedagogy.

Its appearance after the end of the First World War was connected, first of all, with the fact that the traditional school that had developed by that time considered students exclusively as objects of the cognitive process who must learn the maximum possible amount of material. The spiritual and moral receded into the background.

Waldorf pedagogy represented a unique alternative to traditional methods and forms of education. It was based on a model of gradual self-development of a child, for whom the teacher transformed from a strict controller into a wise mentor. The first such educational institution was opened on the territory of the Waldorf Astoria tobacco factory; subsequently Waldorf schools became widespread in Europe and North America. The founder of this system placed the main emphasis on the fact that the most destructive thing for a child is the desire of parents and teachers for him to master the entire school curriculum as quickly as possible, surpassing his physical and psychological capabilities. Waldorf pedagogy offered only to accompany the child in the process of his comprehension of the world, gradually revealing his creative and

In general, the Waldorf method adheres to the following basic principles:

The main component of the educational process is upbringing. Moreover, it must be based, first of all, on moral principles.
Until the age of seven, a child should avoid unnecessary intellectual stress, otherwise he will eventually grow into a person who can only reproduce other people's thoughts and not form his own opinion. First of all, any child should feel like an individual.
Positive and negative assessments of a child’s activities should not be abused, since interference from adults in the process of his development should be minimal.
Waldorf pedagogy does not imply the use of any imitative forms in the process of teaching and upbringing. For her, the main thing is that the child himself comprehends the world around him, focusing solely on his own idea of it.
Every child is unique, each has their own unique abilities and talents. The main goal that the pedagogy of the Waldorf school sets for itself is for the child himself to find within himself and fully reveal his

Like any new phenomenon, Waldorf pedagogy, especially at first, experienced quite strong pressure from representatives. However, the further development of pedagogical thought showed that many of the ideas laid down by Rudolf Steiner turned out to be relevant and in demand. The main one is that any educational institution should prioritize the process of spiritual and moral development of the child, and not teaching him the basics of all sciences.

Today there are Waldorf schools in many developed and developing countries. They are attended by children from both fairly wealthy and poor families. Despite the fact that this methodology will soon be a hundred years old, the methods and forms of the educational process used in such schools still look innovative and attractive for both teachers and parents.

Alex Parker

Waldorf method: should a child live in a fairy tale?

Early child development is a priority for many parents today. Naturally, various early development methods are studied, which are then introduced into the upbringing of the baby. Each of them has its pros and cons, but today we will talk about the most controversial of them - the Waldorf method of early development. What are its advantages and disadvantages?

Waldorf methodology - pedagogy of equal opportunities

The founder of this technique was Rudolf Steiner at the beginning of the twentieth century, basing the concept on the postulate: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” Its main principles were:

respect for the child's personality
the importance of spirituality
development of creativity
use of natural materials
every person is unique

The idea of Waldorf pedagogy lies in revealing the personality of each child, his creative potential, and the development of his spiritual and biological beginnings in a complex. To do this, the comfortable psychological state of the child is put in first place during training. Labor and aesthetic disciplines become the basis of training. Children take part in theatrical performances, learn various crafts, and learn foreign languages. All this happens in natural conditions, the child’s childhood is extended for the maximum possible period.

Notice that nothing is said about intellectual development. Indeed, according to the Waldorf method, intellectual learning is postponed “for later.” According to this teaching, it is worth teaching the exact sciences, reading, and writing from the age of 12, or even later. Many consider this a very controversial statement. But we'll talk about the disadvantages later.

From the very beginning, the Waldorf school was focused on the child’s personality, regardless of his intelligence, nationality, or age. Based on this, the Waldorf method is often called “pedagogy of equal opportunities.”

Waldorf method: how learning occurs

Training using this method begins at an early age. That is, since kindergarten. Without a doubt, the children themselves simply adore visiting such an institution - there is no compulsion here, the child himself chooses what he will do and how he will do it. They do not correct mistakes here, but help develop creativity. For example, if a teacher has gathered children around her to read a book, any of them may refuse to listen to the reading, choosing another activity.

By the way, there is only one teacher teaching the children. And this imposes certain obligations on him - he himself must constantly improve and be well prepared in order to be able to interest and teach the child something. From an early age, children learn two foreign languages at once and learn crafts.

Even ordinary lessons in a Waldorf kindergarten are different from those to which we are all accustomed. For example, drawing lessons involve working with paints. The child decides for himself how and what he will do with them, finding his own creative solution. They will never point out to him that he is doing something “wrong.” Moreover, for drawing he is given only three basic colors - yellow, red and blue. The child learns independently to obtain other colors by mixing these paints.

There are also no usual musical activities here, they are replaced by rhythmic games: children move freely to the music, recite poetry, and sing. The group contains musical instruments that everyone can try to play on their own. Reading books is also accompanied by the teacher playing a musical instrument.

Children, as mentioned above, learn crafts. They learn pottery, wicker weaving, and farming. There are beds on the site where you can plant any crop with your own hands, including wheat, which you can then collect, grind and bake bread. Ideally, the farm should also have domestic animals - a goat, a cow or a sheep, so that children know where the milk comes from.

Such gardens offer a wide variety of holidays. These can be either the well-known “red dates of the calendar” - Easter, Christmas, New Year, or your own - the Harvest Festival, the Lantern Festival, the Spring Festival.

Waldorf technique: main disadvantages

It would seem: an eternal holiday, the child is developing harmoniously, confident in himself, what more could you want? This is where the disadvantages of such upbringing appear.

Firstly, children are absolutely unadapted to modern realities. When they get to a regular school, they cannot learn discipline, since before that everything was allowed to them; they cannot force themselves into certain limits.

Secondly, they are also not prepared intellectually for school. The children cannot read and write and do not know how to count. There is also no encyclopedic knowledge about the world around us. Of course, all this can be studied at home... It’s just that in kindergarten they will scold you the first time, and the second time they will generally recommend you either stop classes or stop visiting the kindergarten. And you can’t hide it, since the child will still demonstrate the acquired knowledge. By the way, visiting sports clubs, art or music clubs is also prohibited.

The choice of toys may also seem strange to many. Of course, toys made with your own hands from natural materials may be of interest. It's great to put on puppet shows with them. But they cannot be compared in terms of attractiveness with modern construction sets or dolls.

What is the result? If a child goes on to a Waldorf school after kindergarten, any technical development will be closed to him - he will continue to live in a fairy tale, imagining what a car is, but having absolutely no idea what makes him drive. The laws of physics, mechanics, and chemistry will somehow pass him by.

Brought up in an atmosphere of friendliness and the absence of any prohibitions, such a child simply will not be able to adapt to modern reality, where discipline is required, where there are hooligans, where not everything happens the way the child wants. This can cause a nervous breakdown.

So should we abandon this technique altogether? Probably shouldn't go to extremes. Ideally, it is worth combining some ideas of the Waldorf school with other early development methods. What’s stopping you from making hand puppets with your child and putting on a puppet show? Or plant seeds with him and see what grows from them? Look for ways to develop with your child - we are sure you will both enjoy it.

Take it for yourself and tell your friends!

Homemade baking recipes with photos - step-by-step master classes