MYTHS ABOUT
THE WALDORF SCHOOL
1. All gadgets are prohibited in a Waldorf school. The child will not be able to master them and join the modern digital world.
Gadgets were invented for adults who have already formed their psyche and thinking, who have a clear understanding of why I use a certain gadget and what consequences it has. The mindset is finally formed in high school, where children in the Waldorf space master digital technologies in detail and to a sufficient extent. When an adult thing falls into children's hands, it can have unpredictable consequences. We have collected some data from modern research on this topic.
Scientists from the US National Institutes of Health have found that frequent use of gadgets leads to changes in brain structure. These changes are irreversible, and the cerebral cortex becomes thinner forever.
In Canada, an experiment monitored 2500 children aged 2-5 years old who spent more than 17 hours a week in front of a screen for a long time. The study showed a significant slowdown in the development of mental abilities compared to their peers.
Korean studies among teenagers have shown that gadget addiction leads to increased anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, overweight, and excessive stress.
And according to a study among children and adolescents conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, prolonged use of gadgets has such a negative impact on a child's health and well-being:
· розвиток міопії та синдрому сухого ока; міопія (короткозорість) – зображення об’єктів на відстані здаються розмитими, внаслідок м’язового спазму; синдром сухого ока виникає коли дитина занадто захоплюється тим, що відбувається на екрані і забуває моргати, щоб очі зволожувалися природним чином;
· deformities of the spine due to prolonged immobile and distorted posture;
· Delayed speech development - children under two years of age do not have the cognitive abilities to perceive speech from educational videos or cartoons, these videos, on the contrary, "steal" time in children's communication with their parents, resulting in delayed speech development;
· a decrease in physical activity, which in turn leads to the development of obesity and other problems;
· sleep disorders;
· Decline in school performance;
· development of aggression - children under 13 should not play video games that contain fights, monsters and other manifestations of aggression;
· psychological problems - it has been proven that children who spend more than two hours a day on the screen are more likely to develop depression, autism, attention deficit disorder, and hyperactive children;
· impaired adaptation in the social environment, as children do not develop role-playing and communication skills;
· psychological dependence.
That is why in the Waldorf space, the use of gadgets is monitored and introduced at a nature-appropriate age. Children master them easily, have a conscious approach to their use, and can control gadgets rather than be influenced by them.
2. This is a school for children who want to work with their hands.
There is a lot of needlework, crafts, and creativity. But technical subjects are very weak.
In fact, in a Waldorf school, the curriculum does include a lot of time for crafts and creativity, and this is no accident. In this way, both the left and right hemispheres develop equally. Crafts and creative activities develop fine motor skills, which, in turn, directly affect the development of mental abilities; develop the will and endurance in the child; allow the child to go through all the processes through the hands and body - that's when the process can be fully integrated in the head. But this does not affect technical subjects in any way: they are taught in full, always clearly, with live practice and give the child an understanding of how to apply the knowledge gained in life.
3. They don't teach writing and math here, they don't give children pens, they just draw with crayons.
In fact, a lot of attention is paid to writing and math in a Waldorf school. These subjects are taught in a large volume, starting from the first grade. But this is done in accordance with the age and psychological characteristics of the child's development. While the child's hand is still developing and it is physiologically difficult for it to hold a thin pen, let alone write small calligraphic letters and numbers, children write first with large chalks that fit easily into the hand, then with pencils, which are much thinner than chalk but not yet as thin Later, when the hand is physiologically formed and the children have had enough practice (this means not only writing practice, but also various exercises for the development of fine motor skills that are incorporated into the rhythm of the school day), children move on to an ink pen. In the third grade, students practice calligraphy, and this process is usually easy and joyful, without breaking down and with moderate effort, which often happens when children aged six or seven learn to write in the first grade.
4. There is no grading system, and this reduces student motivation to zero.
There are really no grades, but, paradoxically, this raises the motivation of students to a very high level. Students are not obsessed with constantly comparing themselves to others, are not afraid of their parents' quarrels, and do not chase high scores to flatter their egos. Students gain knowledge because they really have an inner desire to search, explore, and learn. Of course, it is a tremendous work for a Waldorf teacher to awaken the inner call to knowledge, to make them interested in the subject, not to intimidate them with a "D," to find an approach to each child. But the results are worth it: according to statistics, the desire to study among high school students of Waldorf schools remains, and in the future it allows them to make a more conscious choice about their future profession.
5. The Waldorf system is fundamentally different from the general state system. A child will not master the required subjects, will not pass the external independent evaluation, and will not be able to enter a university.
The Waldorf system is indeed different from the general system in its approach to knowledge and children, teaching methods, and the form of the educational process. But all the subjects approved by the state program are mastered by the child in full, often receiving very high scores at the external testing. Based on the experience of Waldorf graduates, they enter the universities of their choice and, according to the testimonies of graduates and their average grades at the university, have a wealth of knowledge that often exceeds that of other applicants.
6. It creates "greenhouse" conditions: the atmosphere is so cozy and supportive that the child leaves unprepared for the real world.
Тут дійсно завжди панує атмосфера любові і тепла, відчувається, що в кожен куточок простору вкладене серце, але така атмосфера твориться спільно, і діти є активними учасниками цього процесу. Вальдорфська школа – це злагоджений організм, де кожен учасник виконує свою важливу роль. Основне завдання вчителя – поступово навчити дитину бути самостійною, вміти справлятися з різними життєвими обставинами. Так, кожен учень, який приходить у простір, має знати та дотримуватися правил і ритмів, що діють в просторі. Разом з тим, діти активно залучені до комфортного облаштування приміщень, вони вчаться прибирати за собою в класі, їдальні (накривають на стіл і прибирають після трапези), коридорах, приводять до ладу шкільне подвір’я, доглядають за декоративними рослинами в класах та на клумбі, навчаються основам догляду за свійськими тваринами. Звісно, усю цю діяльність вони виконують разом з учителем, який є для них прикладом. Така діяльність формує в дітях любов до затишку і охайності. Також, навчальна програма вальдорфських шкіл, дає змогу дітям пережити усі важливі ремесла від землеробства до програмування. З такими навичками випускнику точно не буде важко віднайти себе.
У вальдорфській школі приділяється однакова увага, як вивченню технічних, так і гуманітарних предметів. Математика, а згодом і фізика, хімія, біологія викладається у необхідному обсязі, затвердженому Міністерством Освіти. Більш того, завдяки тому, що ці предмети мають прикладний характер, на уроках учні все досліджують на живих дослідах, вирішують завдання з життя, мають багато практики, відвідують підприємства, фабрики (в старших класах), де бачать, як всі закони й теоретичні знання втілюються в життя, вони не просто теоретично вивчають ці предмети, а знають їхнє практичне застосування.
Waldorf schools do not profess any religion and are open to students of all faiths. The Waldorf school curriculum includes the lives of saints (second grade), the founding of the world (third grade), Scandinavian and Greek mythology (fourth and fifth grades), etc. without a religious bias, but with the aim of general education, forming a child's personality with values and a desire to change this world for the better.
HAVE WORKED ON THE MATERIAL:
KSENIA MYKHAILOVA, TEACHER, ART THERAPIST
PEDAGOGICAL BOARD OF THE WALDORF SCHOOL "WORLDVIEW"
Address: 08160, Kyiv, Kyiv region,
Fastiv district, Hatne village,
12, Abrikosova str. 45
Phone: +38 067 676 3836
Email: kievsonyah@gmail.com
License: Order of the KODA No. 198, dated March 23, 2023, on the issuance of licenses for educational activities in the field of complete general secondary education at the levels of primary education and basic secondary education.