In a nutshell when learning in a Steiner school will include:
- Holistic Education Focus: Steiner schools prioritize the development of the whole child—intellectual, emotional, and physical—rather than focusing solely on academic achievement.
- Developmental Approach: Teaching is aligned with the child’s developmental stages, emphasizing age-appropriate learning experiences that nurture creativity, imagination, and moral growth.
- Artistic and Creative Integration: The curriculum is deeply integrated with the arts, music, and movement, which are seen as essential to developing a balanced individual.
- Rhythmic Structure: There is a strong emphasis on rhythm in daily, weekly, and seasonal activities, helping to create a sense of security and connection with nature.
- Spiritual Perspective: Education in Steiner schools is infused with a spiritual view of the human being, though it is non-denominational and does not promote a specific religion.
- Rich Oral Literacy: Storytelling, recitation, and spoken word are central to the curriculum, fostering strong language skills, listening abilities, and imagination. Oral literacy is emphasized as a foundation for later reading and writing, creating a deep and meaningful connection with language.
- Child-Centered Learning: The learning environment is designed to respect the individuality of each child, allowing for self-directed discovery and exploration.
- Integration with Nature: Outdoor learning and connection with the natural world are central, reflecting the belief in the importance of environmental stewardship and grounding children in the rhythms of nature.
Although the curriculum provides a framework from which teachers can work, it is the relationship between the teacher and child that is paramount for meaningful learning. Fundamental to this is the understanding that teachers need to recognise the capacities that they have and those that they need to develop in order to work in a healthy way with the children.
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