‘the gift of learning’

This video — a Steiner Waldorf School Fellowship promo film — is brimful of bullshit.

I’m not sure why I even bothered to watch it, because I didn’t have the time. And now that I’ve watched it, I have to say a few things, even if I still don’t have time (so be patient with me). We get all the usual (and mostly empty) buzzwords, of course: rigorous learning and natural development, unhurried, natural, nothing forced (in child development), love of life, blah blah. But also: there’s an interview with Philip Woods, who is presented — not as a believer in odd things, of course — but as the person who carried out the government study (not a word about his commitments to the movement itself or the quality of the study). He claims that waldorf is spiritual but not religious. Ok. There’s also the claim that children create block lesson books using their own words (where does this happen? surely not anywhere before around 7th grade, right?). Sally Goddard Blythe, another old friend of waldorf education, claims that children who are bored tend to be rowdy, assuming that waldorf children aren’t rowdy. There’s apparently silence in waldorf classrooms. This all kind of baffles me. I have never in my life seen worse rowdiness than during some waldorf lessons; of course, I’m not a fan of football or riots, which, as far as rowdiness is concerned, may be worse. Eurythmy being the example coming to my mind, but there were many other lessons, too, that ended in mayhem. When children enjoy what they do… well, I wonder if they really are enjoying themselves. To me, it didn’t always seem like it (but, oh, perhaps waldorf education has radically changed since, and now there’s no eurythmy or endless flute-playing?). Even though they behave themselves while the camera is rolling. It is also said that Steiner students, when they are in the upper grades, are not behind in anything (it is emphasized: nothing has been left out). Steiner graduates are, apparently, very sought after in higher education and in workplaces, though no information is given to back up that statement.

In case you, like me, hadn’t noticed it, waldorf education develops ‘a zest for life, love of school and a lifelong commitment to learning’. Sounds odd for someone who, while in waldorf, lost the ‘zest for life’ and most definitely began to despise school. (Although, obviously, you may argue that was all my own fault — the fault of my own ahrimanic soul — who wanted things that are not ‘natural’.)

Any comments?

For the UK readers, it may be a good idea to keep an eye on this youtube-channel.