![]() ![]() Īs the co-educational school also served children from outside the factory, it included children from a diverse social spectrum. Many of Steiner's ideas influenced the pedagogy of the original Waldorf school and still play a central role in modern Waldorf classrooms: reincarnation, karma, the existence of spiritual beings, the idea that children are themselves spiritual beings, and eurythmy. Molt was a follower of anthroposophy, an esoteric spiritual movement based on the notion that an objectively comprehensible spiritual realm exists and can be observed by humans, and of Rudolf Steiner, the movement's founder and spiritual leader. Molt's proposed school would educate the children of employees of the factory. This is the source of the name Waldorf, which is now trademarked in the United States when used in connection with the educational method. The first school based upon the ideas of Rudolf Steiner was opened in 1919 in response to a request from Emil Molt, owner and managing director of the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Company in Stuttgart, Germany. Waldorf schools have also been linked to the outbreak of infectious diseases due to the vaccine hesitancy of many Waldorf parents. ![]() Critics of Waldorf education (e.g., Roger Rawlings) point out the mystical nature of anthroposophy and the incorporation of Steiner's esoteric ideas into curriculum. Others have faced regulatory audits and closure due to concerns over substandard treatment of special needs children. Many Waldorf schools have faced controversy due to Steiner's connections to racist ideology and magical thinking. Germany, the United States, and the Netherlands have the most Waldorf schools. There are also numerous Waldorf-based public schools, charter schools, and academies, as well as a homeschooling movement. A century later, it has become the largest independent school movement in the world, with more than 1,200 independent schools and nearly 2,000 kindergartens in 75 countries, as well as more than 500 centers for special education in more than 40 countries. The first Waldorf school opened in 1919 in Stuttgart, Germany. Qualitative assessments of student work are integrated into the daily life of the classroom, with standardized testing limited to what is required to enter post-secondary education. Individual teachers have a great deal of autonomy in curriculum content, teaching methods, and governance. Its educational style is holistic, intended to develop pupils' intellectual, artistic, and practical skills, with focus on imagination and creativity. Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy. ![]()
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