What Makes for an Outstanding School System?
Finland has developed one of the most successful school systems in the world. What makes the Finnish model so different from most North American schools, and so similar to Waldorf Schools? In both Waldorf education and Finland’s model, students experience a holistic curriculum that includes movement, play, art, world languages and music alongside math, science, reading and writing. Both education models prioritize outdoor learning and play, and minimize high stress, high stakes testing and test prep. The result is an educational model that benefits students’ mental, social-emotional and physical health, where students are joyful, focused, engaged, and academically […]
25th Anniversary Mosaic Project
Merenda proposed that we assemble four separate mosaic pieces, each composed of tiles created by our student body. She envisioned tall, vertical panels, each incorporating the underground realm, the earthly realm and the heavenly realm, and showing how they are all interconnected. This parallels Waldorf education, which emphasizes the connections between academic subjects, practical skills, and nature. Waldorf education also deeply believes in the importance of environmental stewardship and being in harmony with the earth, which dovetailed perfectly with Merenda’s vision. Her inspiration for the project was that all of our students work together to create the fabric of our […]
How Teacher Looping Eases Learning Disruption
New studies show that a teacher educating the same group of students in multiple subjects over multiple years (looping) has lasting benefits. Students who stay with the same teacher see both academic improvement as well as reductions in absences and behavioral issues. Teaching a child for multiple years allows teachers to better understand each student’s learning style, to work with families to help support students, and to challenge them to do their best work. That’s why in Waldorf education, teachers stay with their class for multiple years, building a safe and supportive learning environment and strong relationships. This […]
Pushing Academics into Preschool is Harmful
A brand new comprehensive study of preschool finds significant drawbacks to pushing academics too early. Researchers found that any initial academic gains were quickly erased, and children who attended academic focused Pre-K were actually behind their peers in elementary and middle school. Another troubling finding was that students who experienced early academic pressure showed dramatic increases in behavioral issues later on. In Waldorf education, we focus on what is developmentally appropriate for each age group, understanding that children especially need play, movement and art, which are all critical to social-emotional health and academic success. Asking children to take […]
Movement is Fundamental to How Children Learn
Scientific understanding of how the brain influences the body, and the body influences the brain, is shedding light on the role movement plays in learning and memory. Incorporating movement has a significant impact on what students remember as compared to taking in concepts just auditorily or visually. In Waldorf education we use movement as a teaching tool throughout our curriculum. Incorporating movement helps children with everything from learning their multiplication tables to understanding complex physics concepts. At Richmond Waldorf School, movement is integrated into the academic subjects as we know that children learn best when they are […]
The Greatest Scientists are Artists Too
Louis Pastuer was a painter. Albert Einstein and Francis Arnold were both accomplished musicians. New research shows that award winning scientists, and especially Nobel Prize winners, are far more likely to have artistic hobbies than the general public. Many of them, including Einstein, cite the role of the arts in their breakthroughs. Creativity and perseverance are at the heart of both scientific discovery and artistic expression. That is why music, drama, visual and practical arts are key components in Waldorf education and are integrated throughout our curriculum here at Richmond Waldorf School. At Richmond Waldorf, students begin music […]
Working with Your Hands Does Wonders for Your Brain
New research highlights the fascinating things that happen with your brain when you work with your hands. It gives your active mind a rest by engaging it in a totally different way, which helps your mind relax and recharge. The shift away from “active” thinking often allows you to digest information and process and solve problems in the background while your attention is engaged in your task. That’s why we at Richmond Waldorf School make sure students work with their hands every day through incorporating the arts, movement and practical work throughout our curriculum. Our students engage in woodworking […]
BBC: Is ‘AQ’ more important than intelligence?
With increasingly rapid changes in technology and the nature of work, employers are interested not just in intelligence and social skills, but in an employee’s adaptability quotient–their ability to adapt to new challenges with flexibility, curiosity, problem-solving, courage, and resilience. That’s why in Waldorf Education we deepen rigorous academics through integrating art, outdoor education, music, theater, practical work, movement and hands on-learning. The depth and breadth of our curriculum challenges our students and develops crucial capacities that help them adapt and thrive throughout their lives.