I have a granddaughter who attends a Steiner School in Australia. She is currently in kindergarten and was in the preschool class last year. As an educator (on the other end of the spectrum- my focus is on adult education) I fall a little more in love with the school every day. My other grandchildren have been through a Montessori preschool and I love that too, but due to financial and geographical issues have had no choice but to follow on with mainstream public education. While globally all alumni of Steiner/Waldorf schools unite in their hate of Eurythmy, so do their publicly educated counterparts complain about compulsory dance or gym classes in their own schools. Movement is part of all education programs, the fact than dance is one of the most beautiful arts, school interpretations of dance classes have to cater to all comers regardless of skill. As the teachers have limited dance ability themselves this can lead to some pretty horrific practices. I still remember folk dancing, or having to do very bad ballroom dancing with changing partners such as in the Pride of Erin or some other crap. The fact that you can only find 2 things that you hate about your 13 years of education is a pretty great testament to the value of a Steiner education. Ask most mainstream educated kids to limit the things they hated about school to only 2!!!
I looked into one of these in Newcastle Australia. When digging I found lots of reports and claims of abuse. Teachers sleeping with students who they then marry and they become teachers. This turned me right off. I am disgusted. And disappointed.
@@tatyanabridger4948 lol it’s not happening in every school at all. My concern isn’t the integrity of every school. Just the one my child goes to. If I had a son I might send him but not my daughters.
@@bronminett4042 that’s closed minded… public schools and even daycares have terrible things happen in them daily. We can’t focus on the negative here. Of course the parent needs to do extensive research when trusting ANY place or person with their child.
The language thing isn't specific to Waldorf/Steiner education, that was just your school. Eurythmy was dumb but I'd still rather go back to Steiner than go through mainstream UK education. Might be different if you live in Finland as their state education is great.
Hi Gareth! Yea, it has brought to my attention, that each Waldorf unit can decide individually which languages to teach. I know that Finnish education system has a good reputation internationally. Back in the 80's it was absolute shit though. That's why my parents put me to Waldorf. I'm happy I went to Waldorf. I feel a bit bad for making such a ranty video. I'm working on a follow up.
Eurythmy was so stupid, everybody at my school hated it, we had one eurythmy teacher who believed her cat could talk and she just kept going on about her talking cat, an other eurythmy teacher believed my dyslexia was an evil spirit and had to be prayed out🤦♀️
Everything you said about Eurythmy is so true! My class made a Eurythmy teacher leave because we banded together and terrorized him so much! I also feel like all Eurythmy teachers that we had were such strange human beings. We hated Eurythmy so much and I don't understand the point of it really. I feel like you get everything it is trying to teach you from other aspects of the education. Especially through Spacial Dynamics and just music. And how the teach you the alphabet in the beginning. I feel like Eurythmy is kind of unnecessary. I also want to say that I love Waldorf Education a lot. I believe it is so much better than public USA school's and I am so glad I went to a Waldorf school through 8th grade.
I studied eurythmy (after studying dance) so I'm now supposedly "equipped" to teach it. During my internships I realised I didn't find that prospect particularly appealing, because it seemed very hard to find ways of reaching and moving the children of all different ages. But I have seen brilliant teachers, mostly German but also Dutch, who believe in eurythmy as a worthwhile subject and somehow have found ways of relating to the children /students so that there is a relationship of mutual respect, eventhough the students may not understand exactly what the use of it is. I think that brings me to learning foreign languages from a young age. You think it would be best to learn two foreign languages that would be most useful. And you mention that the reason why at waldorf schools children learn foreign languages so young is because it practices or engages certain neural pathways. I think what also might be part of the reason is that through learning a foreign language, you get to see the world through the eyes or sounds of a different culture, so in a way eventually it helps broaden your perspective on the world. So for that reason the foreign language doesn't need to be of direct use. I understand the desire for it to be useful as well though... But indeed, as you say, I think eurythmy and how it's perceived really depends on the person teaching or implementing it. Now less so than in the past, I think eurythmy teachers lacked pedagogical skills. But I also observed that in some schools there was an institutionalised hatred for eurythmy, which means that it becomes very difficult for any child to express enthusiasm for the subject because they would be ridiculed. So sometimes there might be a spiral of negativity in place. I read some other comments, also from a person who got to choose eurythmy as an extra or minor subject. None of the students knew it from waldorf education, yet they chose it because something about it fascinated or interested them. So eurythmy in itself might not be as weird as waldorf children think. To me, eurythmy makes sense. But how do you communicate to a 12 year old why they are obliged to do eurythmy? Or a 14 or 15 year old? There are ways of going about it... Most of the time teachers get the students to answer this question themselves, very waldorfian approach...
Thank you so much for this video. My 3 year old is enrolled in a Steiner school but her personality and the fact she won't start school until she is a 6 years old is making me reconsider. You are so articulate and that is what draws me into Steiner but what you mentioned at the end of your video is exactly what I have had fears about lately. Again, thank you and I would love to hear more about your experience!
Oh a curious thing I thought of .. is I’ve lived in Hawaii most of my life and Hula and all Polynesian dances tell stories without words. They didn’t write down things they would dance it. Maybe that’s the concept of Eurythmy… however it’s very different because Polynesians have amazing meaning and energy within these dances so I’m guessing that’s what this Eurythmy lacks.
Hello, thank you for your video! I'm going to leave the things that i didnt like because of the title of the video. My daughter was a year In W before 1st grade. that year seemed to offer too little..even though my daughter likes to paint and sing and dance, she got bored and felt out of reach with all of her other friends and family kids back at home. So..maybe I went into Waldorf for the soft touch of teachers and art but felt so out of this world that I decided not to wait 5th grade(when i knew i would move her anyway) and transffered her after just one year. It was beautiful but felt just so isolated that i decided a kind teacher in traditional would be enough. 1. I dont know but the pace was too slow, i mean i understand they dont push pupils and dont criticise but the math and mother language were studied way too little 2. I felt they rejected the real world. Even though it 's nice to learn through stories it totally rejected the entire world, and i felt like i would keep my girl in a imaginary bubble.
You made the right decision. Waldorf schools are a front for athroposophy, the esoteric religion developed by Rudolf Steiner. His odd belief system drives the curriculum of the schools, and little has changed over the years.
Just my opinion, but I think that learning languages never is useless, it is so important to get the culture and it can actually really enrich your own life I feel.
Children learn a second language easier when they are young....there is a window of time with kids and that is from 0- 5 to aquire language with ease.....when it is flowing like water into their heads.... I remember a 5 yr old Chinese boy who switched schools and he had no English. He was struggling and frustrated, but after 4 months of being around English speaking kids, his brain caught on, and he was literally speaking English in complte sentences. His brain unscrambled the new language and it was amazing... As they get older ..teenagers...it becomes more of a form of torture....I took French 2 yrs in h.s...plus one yr in college..don't remember much now, nor did I ever use it in life...and I'm 59.
I love education, I love developmental psychology and psychiatry. I wasn’t educated at Waldorf but my cousins were and after years of confusion I finally decided to learn more about Waldorf and Anthroposophy - some of it is straight up brilliant if you let go of some teachers who’re way to strict for the method of Waldorf itself. Why Eurythmy is so difficult? Why wearing weird shaped baggy silky dresses while chanting lines that make little to no sense? why the fun and the connection of this activity is not considered by some of the institutions? Why is it so serious and often strict? (it breaks the flow of it and that’s a bummer) I mean the point is to stay focused while holding a flowy rhythm, but the fun matters as well, boredom isn’t good for learning- so what’s the point of this?
I watched your video last night. It was New Year's Eve. Now, a new day and I must say I am still thinking about your video. Why? Because I am a eurythmy teacher and always looking for how to bring eurythmy to children especially in big classes. Having loved eurythmy myself and having spent many years studying and practicing and teaching, I know there is great value in it. I also know that a chaotic, confused class of children in a large space with nothing to ground them other than the teacher's voice or the music, can make for a very uncomfortable experience that is far removed from healthy beautiful eurythmy. Eurythmy teachers do have a reputation for being weird, and you may be right in your theory that eurythmy teachers become weird by soaking up so much ridicule and negativity. It is a daunting task. I hope you will remember when you speak about eurythmists, that they are just people who have chosen an art form that is unknown. That is eccentric. There is room in the world for all, though, and compassion for others is as golden as silence or valuable as love. All that being said, I am really glad that you did have one positive experience of eurythmy. It may have been the only true eurythmy that you got to do.
Hi Raven! Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Eurythmy is a controversial artform. I'm sorry if I have offended you in any way. I can only speak from my own experience. I hope you find a way to bring eurythmy to big classes. I think that the group sizes were the biggest challenge.
Well, in Waldorf schools don´t necessarily those two languages are mandatory, maybe it was specific to your country. In South America for example, one of those languagues is English.
A very interesting video to watch as someone who also went through 13 years of Waldorf (coincidentally 2003-2016 and also in Finland, perhaps even in the same school, Lehtikuusentiellä Helsingissä?). I understand what you mean about the languages, especially German as I spent 10 years studying it and cannot form a comprehensive sentence if my life depended on it now. Swedish is useful if you live in an area in Finland that's bilingual, and it's also not exclusive to Waldorf, I never had problems learning English so I don't mind that we didn't start that earlier (than 6th grade). Perhaps looking back I would have liked Spanish more as a useful language, or something like Russian, Chinese or Sanskrit to have access to a completely different language. I get what you say about eurythmy, it's a bit of a joke tbf and attracts some characters for teachers, they were always the weirdest ones. But on the other hand it's kinda nice to have a class that never gives you homework and you really don't have to put any effort into at all haha, especially in hs. If I could add anything to your list of cons for any parents who've stumbled on this video and are considering Waldorf, I do have to say that personally I had really bad luck with some of the teachers I had over the years, especially in the lower grades. Some were lovely don't get me wrong, but there were a good few who just had a very grandiose sense of entitlement over the students and were not very competent, and the problem is that as Waldorf is a very close knit community, you are very much stuck with the teachers you get and the community will protect them if you try to highlight issues in their teaching. I usually say to parents, by all means do put your child to a Waldorf school, but it is very intense to go through the whole 13 years in one school with the same teachers (and classroom, that creates its own issues completely). Just to add for parents who might be worried that a child cannot get a high level education in Waldorf schools, after graduating high school I went straight into a university degree in the UK, had a very easy time adjusting to the studying if I'm honest, and am currently completing a postgraduate course in psychology at University College London, so I definitely don't think Waldorf school will hold your kid back academically. Plus it's been a cool experience meeting people from all over who've gone to Waldorf schools in other countries, there's something we all can immediately relate to about the atmosphere of the schools :)
Thank you for your very well thought out comment. We need more of these. Funny thing: you started your waldorf journey, when I finished mine - 2003. I studied at Paraistentie though. 😉 I highly recommend waldorf to parents. The thing is, that negativity and outrage gets the most clicks. That’s why this video is much more popular than my other - more positive waldorf video.
You are a funny guy 😂!! I took teacher training and included regular eurythmy class. That IS how the teacher was. She was half slumped over with a dress and smile on her face. Like her body was stuck in an r position or something. Staring blankly at us all. In looking back I can appreciate the synchronicity eurythmy was for me visually. Kind of intimate,, coordinating efforts.. ballet for those that can't do ballet.. It helped me associate the way sound can transform the space with the vibration of the sound of the letter. But I don't think I agree that the assigned movement matches or should be that. Ya no, for 13 years, you can learn about dancing or movement in way more interesting ways.. they actually dance to the alphabet.. geek Steiner lol.. We even had a visiting linguistic specialistwho spoke about the characters of the different languages and sort of hinted to specific tones and resonance the languages had which are unique. This was so interesting.
I love your videos! I’m currently working at a Waldorf school in Guatemala. I totally agree with you, the difference here is that we don’t give eurythmics (can’t afford for a teacher) and we teach our students three languages, all of them incredibly useful for our students. We are hidden in the mountain next to one of the most beautiful lakes of the region, maybe of the whole continent, and the mother tong here is Kqchikel, a Mayan language. So, we teach Spanish (official language), kaqchikel (mother tong for most of our students), and English. I would have loved being educated in a Waldorf school. Just one more thing, only a Waldorf student could adapt as good as you have to your incredible way of life. ✌🏻🤪
Not all people like the Waldorf/Steiner school and it does not work for everyone. I personally am all for homeschooling my children and taking them around the world to learn from real life and learn practicality, common sense, and independence.
I wanna see someone doing eurythmy😂 Great video. I’m studying all types of early education to hopefully mash all the good parts together for my little one. Thank you
Very funny video and also very interesting! I am a German mother living in the US and raising my daughter since birth mostly with the Waldorf education. I remember in Germany we learned English and German in Waldorf schools. I had no idea Waldorf schools all around the world are teaching German. It makes sense to me to learn first English or Spanish. Luckily my daughter is growing up with all 3 languages and will never have to worry about this. I hope you will do more videos about Waldorf themes. It's so interesting to hear about the experience of someone who went there for such a long time.
Waldorf will probably not be a theme in the future. I'm travelling around France in an RV at the moment. One thing that is kinda waldorf-ey, is the fact that I started to write book about music theory just for my own use. In waldorf the kids make their own books, so this hits close.
I never attended Waldorf Schools but I share a birthday with Rudolph Steiner and for the past 12 years I have been obsessed with the idea that our souls are somehow linked. We are from the same part of the solar system after all, maybe that means something. Derren Brown too. I used to do a rudimentary form of hypnosis to my friends as a young boy. Ever since I actually started thinking about it though it has scared me. I did once learn a hypnosis script and it worked quite well, but I've realized that it's something I can't really help doing, it just happens automatically when I am in the presence of someone. Check out my animation commissioned by my aunt who is a Steiner enthusiast!
The two languages are intended to develop speech - the Romance language shapes the soft palette and the other ‘Germanic’ or ‘guttural’ language is to develop the hard palette. Eurythmy among other things, is the experience of speech through movement and music. Eurythmy works with the sound vibrations that exist unseen for speech and music. It also develops a healthy sense of spacial relationships. Knitting in 1st Grade is intended to develop symmetry concurrent with the developing hemispheres that are integrating. Handwork such as knitting, crochet and so forth helps to lay down neuropaths in the brain - which leads to and supports logical thinking, cognitive functions and the development of executive skills.
Why is the soft pallette and the hard pallette necessary to develop? And eurythmy is one of the cultiest, most useless things I've ever experienced. And all of this is based on the claims of Steiner who said he was clairvoyant and a bunch of people just believe him.
I dare say you missed it all entirely, you have been educated better than 90% of the population. You have the building blocks now to do what ever you want.. Lucky you :)
I consider myself very lucky for going to Waldorf. I made the video because I felt like I needed to vent. You're exactly right. I can now pretty much whatever I want. :)
@@MikkosAdventurei feel the same way. Even though my experiences with some of the teachers were very bad, i’m happy to have been exposed to the curriculum, because most of the things it showed me, while I might have been curious enough to have investigated it myself, made it easier to discover in the first place. It was very important in my identity as a person and i always cite it as one of the happiest times in my life
Thank you for this. I just applied to a waldorf school to instruct a dance class not knowing they already had one, so I got a reply saying they have "Eurhytmy" and so I was researching on that. When I read the wikipedia description I thought Woow, sounds very good and inspiring. But then I watched some videos and thought the same thing you said, how practice does not match the theory at all. That I didn't see any artistic expression. Especially any "unique to person" one. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts and feelings about your experiences. All the best,
I've heard that Eurythmy helps some people to open up their body. Maybe you've seen the type? The super shy kids who try to dissolve into walls during recess. I think there's at least one or two in every school. It's probably some family related trauma that makes them that way. In any case, eurythmy can help a bit in those cases. Not solving the underlying issue of course, but nevertheless.
Your video is so interesting because it gives so much info which lands with the hearer neutrally, even though you deliver this particular message from an antipathetic posture. It shows how to employ antipathy in a healthy manner, which is very evolved. In my personal exploration of eurythmy, I find it to be a way to develop spatial intelligence, a way to communicate using the entire body, a way to engage in full body prayer. Eurythmy can be described as a body language, so your antipathy to it has an interesting synergy with your antipathy to language training in German and Swedish.
Hi Mikko. Thanks for sharing. I've been a Waldorf parent for 8 years and admissions officer in our school for the past 2 years. Many questions arise and I still don't have all the answers. Thanks again for the feedback.
Delightful commentary on your Walforf experience. Walafor graduates are amazing people! Nice to meet you. I have a class 4\5 currently. We are living the dream...most chaoticaly! Peace
Hey, I speak 8 languages some of them "totally not useful" but really all are. I speak Catalan and Finnish (ok my Finnish needs some work but it's a very hard language) and learning those languages I've been able to understand the cultures better, make more friends, and well, um, meet hot guys. Or if I want someone to not bother me I can start speaking Finnish, cos the chances of them knowing Suomi is almost nil.
Hi! I'm planning on opening a waldorf inspired school and one of the languages I wanted to teach was mandarin Chinese with it being the most spoken language in the works by a huge margin. However I'm worried that, bring in the us, it might not be very useful unless one is going into business. What do you think being a polyglot who's learned "unuseful" languages?
In my opinion polyglots learn languages for fun. The usefulness is a secondary benefit. If you teach mandarin for middle schoolers, they’re going to hate it and not learn it in the end - unless they go for job opportunities later in life - and thats a big if. Studying languges in a classroom setting is a hige pain. If you want to to teach mandarin, keep it as an option, not mandatory. My two cents.
Hello Mikko, Thank you for your thoughtful and creative video. I enjoyed it and wished that we eurythmists could be more elequoent and joyful about bringing eurythmy to students, parents and faculty members. I became a eurythmist at 53 years old and only experience bringing eurythmy to adults (organizations) and with those that some people say have physical and mental disabilities. Even though I don’t have direct association with a Waldorf school, I sense from the periphery a reflection of what you say in your video is very accurate. Across the United States more and more Waldorf schools are eliminating eurythmy. It is interesting because Rudolf Steiner felt strongly about eurythmy being a core subject and would “create” the heart of the school. Just as we know the moon forces effect the ocean tides, likewise we receive forces from all of the Planets and the 12 major Zodiac Constellations. When one is born the Planets and Zodiac are in a specific alignment in the sky. And there are precise nuances for each moment in time. But there are common threads of how those forces are revealed in the human personality which we can see in the popular monthly horoscopes. This forces are living and are often called “life” forces or “growth” forces - similiar to how we observe a plant growing towards the sun’s rays. It is these very forces that eurythmy works with. Wowza! the realization that every sound of speech - the vowels & consonants (and the tones and intervals) have a connection to each of these Planetary and Zodiacal forces is amazing to me. “In the beginning was the Word” - these are the primal creative forces that eurythmy works with! When a child has access to these primal creative forces as they actually physically and “soul” grow - this provides great WILL forces. As you must know, will forces are very much lacking in today’s world. It is through the will that we can stand strong in our own “I” forces and can be truly free and independent thinkers. Second to this, for me, is the beauty and power of eurythmy in it’s capacity to teach us how the soul is “divided” into “thinking, feeling, and will” and that is our I that directs the morality of the soul in each of these three areas of the soul. Enough for now, but thanks for the platform to share my comments and hope that they offer another perspective to you and your readers. All the best, Lynn Stull Eurythmist LynnStull.com
Thank you for your comment Lynn. It's always fascinating to hear thoughts from eurythmists. Interesting to hear that some Waldorf schools are dropping eurythmy in the USA. When I think of the actual practise now, I see that there is a point to it. As children we just weren't receptive to it at all. It felt like torture and brought up the worst behavior. Steiner pedagogy, waldorf, eurythmy and everything else involved is a very complicated and convoluted - for lack of a better word - thing. I'm planning on making a second part to this video where I explain the things I actually liked about the experience.
I loved you final conclusion. As you said, it's great but not really for everyone. As many other alternative pedagogy, it's as the name states: an alternative.
I do agree with you about Eurythmy. We had several Eurythmy teachers. They never lasted. We were terrible to them. By the time I was in the 8th grade, the Eurythmy teacher had given up on teaching us and switched to just keeping use occupied. Instead we were taught how to juggle, and like 50 levels of patty cake. Now near 20 years later I can still juggle so that’s cool. Looking back I don’t hate that I learned eurythmy. But I don’t consciously use any of it. It’s probably still I’m brain to some extent. Maybe it’s given me unknown hidden strengths. Idk
I attended a waldorf school in fourth grade. I must say, I wholeheartedly regretted it. I’m now a senior in high school. I had this teacher named “Peggy Reilly.” This woman was the most disrespectful awful teacher I had ever encountered. One time, I started doodling on my worksheet, she said that it was quote on quote, “not real art.” I went straight home after school and told my father everything, he was appalled. He called the school superintendent and asked for Peggy. I must say, the details of this are very important, pray tell. Peggy then told my father, “it won’t happen again.” and yet, it did. many many times. then one morning, I used my new special toolbox with my favorite character from a tv show, bugs bunny. she ripped out of my desk. and then told me, “That’s not allowed.” (I don’t remember the details.) so apparently, i’m not allowed to mention television at home. great. not to mention this school is very straight forward. The only highlight was my music teacher, Mrs. Keklowsky. she was so kind. I miss her. Over all, this school is the worse place i’ve ever been to. when you cry they tell you to hush up. that’s my story. goodbye.
Your English ability is impressive -- especially in view that it seems to be a fourth? language for you..... One grammar usage faux-pas detected in your monologue: The Past Tense for the verb, "TEACH" is "taught" rather than "teached."
The most beautiful human (?) being I've ever met was an Eurytmi teacher for Waldorf preschool. I've never seen anything like her. Her presence filled the entire room with bright light. She was a glowing goddess.
Thanks for the video! I have a question; Is it correct that you don't learn to read or write in your native language until the age of 7. And from the age of 7 when they start teaching reading and writing you also get 2 foreign languages at the same time? Thanks!
Waldorf Alumni who I know personally went on to great careers, such as becoming successful lawyers, software engineers, professors, craftsmen, artists, managers, etc.the whole spectrum of professions, no disadvantages at all, in the so called real world.
I feel so bad for you!!!! I only did 7 years at Steiner School but I cannot with freaking eurythmy!! We did it three times a week and the only time I’ve ever used it to secretly send test answers to people who also went to Steiner across the room because they didn’t bother to actually teach us science. The only science we did the teacher let another kid touch me with an electric charge.
I don’t know if Waldorf colleges are a thing lol. I went to a private university but it was not affiliated with Waldorf. I studied dance and psychology. We had the option to take eurthmy as dance majors. No one in my class was a prior Waldorf kid, they all thought it was really really bizarre hahah
Eurythmy is obviously just a way to get children to move around in a organized deliberate fashion. The Coding of the letters of the alphabet to dance moves is completely arbitrary and could be replaced with almost anything... Simon says for example. I like the choice of linking sounds to movement because it's the linking of two distinct communicative spaces, but I think pure drama could probably do a better job.
Your opinion about Eurithmy was funny. And I think is something that must talk and make reflection. I am not Eutitmist But I have practiced, as a teacher in formation. And E. as SOCIAL movement is very important, but you have to be adult and to know things that children have to discover when they are adults.
This is awesome! I have three children went through 1st to twelfth for we don't have class 13. I guess part of your candid, humorous, intelligent and down-to-earth manner was cultivated via this education. Eurythmy, ha ha, hilarious! Ours are not as bad but your expression of the blank face of eurythmy teachers made me laugh for it is so. We have riot during middle school but in high school, they begin to understand artistic value if not pedagogical one. Keep up the great work!
I studied many years at the Toronto Waldorf School, and I say I did not have a good time there, except for two teachers. I felt that they have a cult type of mentality, and that if I don't think like them I was ostracized by them, not directly but indirectly. They constantly reinforce me that I was not very good, and because of that I always lacked confidence, only when I got older and did my second college in Brazil I noticed it was not me but it was them. The people there they hate technology and they hate people who are successful like my father, but they wanted his money regardless, it's almost they love socialism. If I would put my kids in private school it would not be in the TWS or any Waldorf education, I would put them in a school that would not shield them from the reality of the world, but show them how to success in the world, and that having wealth is not evil.
I am a graduate of Perth Waldorf school in Western Australia. I absolutely hated it. My whole schooling experience there was terrible. I didn’t go there by choice my parents wanted me to go. The school was completely behind in any technology we were encouraged to use books instead of computers, there was no structure and a lot of extra curricular activities were run by the parents and the culture that surrounds that school is racist and drug fuelled. Most of the parents were hippies and the school principle once told me he used acid.. I was a kid I didn’t even know what acid was. There was no uniform and I didn’t get much of an education because the teachers weren’t professional. Eurythmy is fucking stupid. I also attended West Coast Steiner school and in year 2 I discovered a lady that had hung herself in our kindy.. still think about it today. I’ve got nothing against the Steiner Curriculum but it’s an outdated system and the lack of technology and the old way the teachers teach is destructive and backwards. Don’t send your kids to a Steiner school!
I don't know if you'll see this comment as the video has been out for so long but I'll pose my question anyway. I've been looking at Rudolph Steiner (Waldorf) school. While my wife and I really liked many aspects of it, we couldn't help sensing something strange there. Was there anything of an occult aspect at the school you went to? Did there seem to be some kind of hidden agenda? There are people who speak of Steiner as some sort of luciferian or that they are teaching the children some form of magical practice. I know the schools are all individualized but I thought I'd ask your opinion. Thanks!
Haha i was in a Waldorf school myself and i completly agree with your second point. Luckely i where lived, i was teached english and french (french because it's one of my country's official language)
Hey! I studied at a Waldorf school in Irkutsk, Russia. And I really like investigating about waldorf schools in other countries. I visited some website of Finnish WS, too and using Google Translate, I figured out that you study English, Swedish, German and Russian. Maybe I've got something wrong or they didn't teach them at the time you studied. I'm surprised you didn't have English. And for a Russian city very much remote from Europe, we had a lot of Germans coming to our school, moreover every 10th grade goes to Germany every year. Again, I'm surprised you didn't have anything like this. Since my school was and is really small, we don't have a big hall/gym where we could do Eurythmy or PE so we never had these 2 subjects as regular, only when teachers from Germany or other cities of Russia came. Yes, lots of students hated it. I personally didn't like it because I'm bad at orientation in space and I'm always confused when it comes to making shapes. Though when we had a graduate reunion, we did some Euruthmy for the 5th grade and I did quite well, so 9 years at Waldorf schoo, weren't in vain:) (I studied in classes 4-12). Now I can tell that one of the biggest things the Waldorf School gave me is the sense that the world around isn't a Waldorf School. I.e. you don't expect a University to be Waldorf, you know it's gonna be hard, you know teachers there won't entertain you with the circle activities and it's NORMAL. That's what I believe not all of my non-waldorf university classmates are aware of. Being very small, my school didn't have some perks WS in Europe, America and other countries do, I admit it. And I don't think I meet all the expectations as a Waldorf graduate but still, I'm thankful to my WS.
I'm so glad I watched your video! I've been researching curriculum and teaching philosophies for homeschooling my children and thought "why does this guy want to be so juvenile about Waldorf?" I'm so glad I watched and really appreciate your well articulated descriptions of the principles. And I'm dying laughing after your initial introduction of eurythmy! lol It's something I've never even heard of! I'm looking forward to seeing if you've made that "What I loved about Waldorf" video!
Meanwhile the waldorf school in Austria I visited taught me English and Italian and the german one I visited later taught me English and French XD but oh yes the eurythmie teachers were weird. I am happy that I left after grade 5 because over here in those two waldorf schools that I have visited the students were weird too and I couldn't make friends with them at all ^^'
It's a special flavor of weird. I still totally identify with it though. I wouldn't have it any other way. I just wanted to make a video to vent out some of my frustrations.
If you say that some students feel they don't learn any real skills related to the 'real' world, then what about those students who wish to follow university after Steiner? I mean to say that if someone wants to learn some specific subject they always can, and certainly will when their person has been matured in the Steiner school. Do you agree? I hope this makes sense.
I can see your speech and thoughts are so clear in explaining... This confusing you feel after eyrythmy is acceptable..it depends in pupils around you and the kind of eyrythmy teacher you been teached.. I think If the atmosphere isn't appreciate in the room you cannot reach harmony and peace... Have you ever try the exercises alone? Personally I do daily curative eurythmy, some basic exercises. When you are alone, things are different, after I finish I feel a divine, consciousness feelings. This is your Ich.
We had special eurythmy classes with four or five pupils a few times. That was actually very enjoyable. I can see there is a point in the practise. It just didn’t come through with a bigger group.
@@MikkosAdventureNice... Eyrytmy hides a very powerful meaning...Steiner gave it to people and they reached it intellectually..but the most important is the feeling... Any teacher can teach eurythmy by saying about it..but.. In eyrytmy we need feeling through imagination..it is not just exercises..through imagination it is you that makes it alive... by making living images... For example..the A.. If you imagine there is an empire of angels in the sky passes and looking at you, and you see them too you say : "A!!" You get surprised and admire them... As much you reach the feeling the more it effects you...
That's strange. Usually, at Waldorf, we don't start with more than one language. Waldorf is famous for not pushing small kids intellectually and giving them as much free space as possible.
I think the two languages is a think of your school or country and I get it. As far as I know, in the schools of my country they teach English and some German.
you are so funny :). loved the eurhythmy part. dance moves and all. the fundamental problem with Waldorf (and Montessori) is that the pedagogy is not open to change and improvement (refinement). Eurythmy is a perfect example.... you touch on it. We all instinctively or intuitively know that there is something good in it (perhaps very small); yet, there is no way to sit, discuss it and adjust the practice... for example, one can say that instead of eurythmy Waldorf schools should do martial arts as part of the curriculum, or interpretive dance ( :)), or performance arts.... or all of the above. eurythmy is from the realm of the occult, it's weird, not based on any good science (social or otherwise). Another question you have touched on is "usefulness" of the broad knowledge and understanding in the world of narrow specialisation. Waldorf, as i understand, tries to educate the senses, give you the big picture, etc. You come out and find yourself in the brutal world that doesn't care. You come out too finely tuned but not well adjusted ;) "Well adjusted", on its face, is a desirable state to be in, but on the other hand, it's about "average", "status quo", "sheeple", etc. One would hope that there are people around that have the capacity to experience cognitive dissonance, see it for what it is, and find it within themselves to deal with it in a constructive way. ...and, of course, such capacity .... is partially about some useful skills (perhaps Mandarin vs German)
Thank you for your very thoughtful comment. You touch many interesting points. I came out the school just fine. Very lost about my life path, but I think that's just in me. That has nothing to do with Waldorf :D As a whole there were more positives than negatives on the whole experience. I'm planning to do a followup to this video.
I was talking to someone about Montessori / Waldorf today (her son went to both)... The lady said her son HAAATED eurythmy.... and we discovered we have both watched your video ... had a good laugh. We are looking forward to the follow-up ;)
Hahaha! I guess all Waldorf parents do a lot of research about the subject online :D The follow up has been on my to-do list for way too long. The thing is that this channel is about something else. This is about me selling all my stuff, getting an RV and going to surf adventures. I just sold my apartment and bought the RV this week. I've tried to sell my apartment for six months and now it's finally sold. What I'm trying to say, that it might still take a while before I get to do the follow up. There's so much other more enjoyable content for me to make. I will make the Waldorf follow up eventually, but now it's all about my new way of life.
Congratulations 🎊🎉 Mikko❣️ omg I’ve for sooo long wished for that life..... I’ve made a jump three times but it was the wrong time... getting geared up to do it single mom style either homeschooling &/or Waldorf educating my growing son. Totally appreciate your vivid spirit and fabulous life-styled experiences. Have sooo much fun, enjoy your beautiful life. It is a favor to the entire world. So much love & light going out to the appreciation of essence here! Great thread 💗💖💗
My daughter is in a Waldorf school in the US. She is learning both German and Spanish. Eurhythmy she has at times loathed and at other times been fully engaged and excited for class. I think it kind of depends on the instruction and it may ebb and flow some depending on the child. I love that they get the kids up and move instead of keeping them chained to a desk. My parent perspective.
Went to Waldorf 1st-7th grades. Eurythmy=Dumb. It would have been better to teach us American Sign Language and general exercise and/or actual music theory during the time spent on eurythmy. Also, if you want to get really mad about Steiner, listen to the podcast Behind the Bastards on him. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Steiner schools.
My school taught me (UK) German and French. I feel you when it comes to as a kid at a stiener school,I often asked questions about why we were doing stuff,or what was the meaning behind what we were doing,and we were constantly fobbed off,and told stupid stuff rather than the real reasons. Also in regards to eurythmy teachers all ours were nuts,and usually very very angry.
لقد تعرفت على مدارس والدورف قبل وقت قصير فقط ولا أملك خبرة فيها لكن بعد اطلاعي البسيط جداً اعتقد ان مدارس والدورف تحاول تعريض طلابها للعديد من التجارب والخبرات حول الكثير من الأشياء ، فهم يجربون الفنون والموسيقى والتمثيل والرقص (فن الحركة ) والأعمال اليدوية ، قراءة القصص التاريخية والأدب والتعرف على الطبيعة ....وغيرها اعتقد أن السبب في ذلك هو حتى يكتشف كل طالب ميوله واهتماماته فلا يستطيع الإنسان اكتشاف ما يحب الإ بعد أن يجرب والدليل على ذلك ان هناك من الطلبة من أحب فن الحركة فتخصص في مجال الرقص مثلاً وطالب آخر قد أصبح موسيقي محترف وآخر اصبح ممثل مسرحي وغيره اصبح كاتب فاعتقد من الطبيعي ان الطلاب جميعهم لن يحبوا جميع هذه الفنون او الأعمال لأنه بالفعل يميل لشيء محدد وهو ما سيكتشفه من خلال التجربة برأي افضل ما يقدمه والدورف هو اعطاء الأطفال والطلاب فرصة لأن يجربوا كل شيء وبعدها يحددون هوايتهم ومواهبهم التي سيحترفون بها. شكراً لك فيديو جيد 🙏
Haha! Both of my children went through the Steiner 'system'. Neither of them appreciated the finer points of eurythmy either!! They both seem pretty well-adjusted though.... Lots of weirdness in the school community, but on the whole a great education!! (btw I am learning 10 languages; Finnish is on my list; I attribute my quest to communicate in other languages to Brexit!!)
Between ages 7 and 14 did you learn to imagine a rose in your mind as well as smell it from that sense of imagination? I was interested to see you did not have any restrictions as far as tv and music were concerned. Are you able to recollect in great detail today for painting or drawing?
I don't remember us doing the imagination exercise you're describing. As far as restrictions go, I only remember the shitty drawing equipment we had. It got better year by year, but on the first year we only had these really shitty blocky crayons. I'm not sure what you mean by your last question. Recollect what? Do you mean that can I recollect stuff I saw ages ago and draw or paint it? Drawing never was my strong point. I was more into drama and theater.
I know Steiner was big on imagination and not allowing a picture to be provided for you, like television does, subduing part of the process of recalling an image. With that ability to imagine the image of the rose , from bud to blossoming, you can then open your eyes and smell it as if it were under your nose. I know a lot has been altered with Steiner's work in the Waldorf schools today. Thank you Mikko. Looks like I'm homeschooling my son.
I'm sure homeschooling has it's perks. :D The thing is that individual Waldorf schools have a lot of autonomy. That's why there are so many rumors out there. Schools can choose which dogmas to enforce and when to be more modern.
So glad i didn't have this all. I started in 7th grade. My school only went till 12 (so a bit of the 13 curriculum there. Lile the final project and all) I just had french, German, dutch and english right away. While most other schools have they start with german or french anf then the next year you have the other one too. This is standard. English and dutch are mandatory too. When i heard classmates talk about eurythmy i was like "daaammmn no. Too weird." Meanwhile i sit and happily accept that we are seeds that grew into threes and that this one chick is water, that i need to go on all different types of roads. That we are all angels, then flying with one wing now needing to go and let loose fly in our own direction (former student spell anyone?)
In Waldorf or in public education? If you're talking about waldorf, that sounds weird. That being said, every individual school is quite free to implement whatever policies.
Ironically the opposite. We were supposed to draw something without using borders. I didn't get the concept and drew an airplane. The teacher was not amused.
Hi there, Just a few questions if you wouldn't mind. My name is Ashley and i am from a small country in Africa called Zimbabwe. We have a very small Waldorf school here and i am doing my research to see how happy i am to send my daughter to Waldorf as we are very unfamiliar with advanced/new schooling ideas and tend to be very traditional. It is hard to make this decision against what we traditionally know, which is O'levels and A'levels in a strict school system. Did you socialize with other high school students from more standardized schools? If so how would you compare your intellectual conversation and written work? and do you find in day-to-day situations you were more socially advanced and/or capable? I understand this may be your point of view but how does your view of your school and education compare to the majority?
Hi Ashley. Happy to answer your questions. I did socialize with other high school students from standardized schools. I didn't feel neither smart nor stupid compared to other kids. I did feel a bit different though. Standardized school system breeds standardized people. Horrible thing to say, but that's how I felt. As far as social situations go, I was always at ease. I actually consider myself to be good in new social group situations. I'm very happy that my parents put me at Waldorf. I have no idea how the normal school system is at Zimbabwe. Back in the eighties the normal schools were horrible in Finland, so it was an easy choice for my parents to put me in Waldorf. I'm actually working on a video about the things I liked about Waldorf. Hope to get i out soon.
Definitely go for it. You won't regret it in the long-run. There are times when all our conditioning about education is really challenged, but this system builds the foundation for a healthy balanced life, equipping the child to engage with the world and apply themselves fully as they mature. Truly it is empowering, but be prepared for resistance from family and friends!!
I think what is not entirely understood is the spiritual view to which all of the Steiner schools revolve around and this is the complex study (occult) study called anthroposophy. When this is studied, the Waldorf philosophy becomes better understood. It may be that the teachers do not fully comprehend this. I know with myself, it was a quite complex study.
You're right! Anthroposophy gives context to everything that happens there. I've tried to study it on my own as an adult and I do believe Rudolf Steiner was ahead of his time and had some ground breaking ideas. The thing is that many of the great ideas don't actually apply to everyday life.
Thanks for the comment Sara! I've been thinking that I should make a video where I explain the things I liked about it. For some reason it hasn't happened. There were more stuff that I liked than stuff I disliked. The thing is we had bad luck with the teachers, and the true Waldorf pedagogy rarely applied.
I appreciate your insight. :) We're homeschooling our 7yo with Waldorf Curriculum. As a creative person, I feel really drawn to this approach, I think that I would have thrived in such a school. My daughter is naturally artistic and musical, I think it could be a great fit for her long-term, unfortunately, the nearest school is over an hour away and moving isn't an option. What's funny is that I've decided to do Spanish instead of German as a second language because we live in Texas, US & there are a ton of Spanish speakers here, it seems way more practical. Also funny, I haven't done Eurythmy because just watching the Eurythmy videos gives me the awkward, squirmy feeling you describe, hahaha. I can only imagine that I would have responded similarly as a student. However, hearing your insight about the letters and intervals (which we're working on w/ Suzuki violin, which I suspect isn't developmentally congruent w/ Waldorf, but she started before we decided on Waldorf and she's way into it) makes me think that perhaps I should reconsider Eurythmy, at least during these early years.
I have recently graduated from Master's program in Waldorf pedagogy (in Stuttgart), wanna become a Waldorf teacher :) I also have my questions to Eurythmy (because I saw during my Internships how children react to it, especially boys), but I was happy to experience it during my Master's. I really enjoyed the social element of it.
Thank you! I am a mother (on husband's account, my name is not Pedro lol) of a 3 year old son and 1 year old daughter and considering putting my children in a Waldorf school...although it is 40 minutes away, I am willing to make thissacrifice. Anyways, your feedback and embodiment of Waldorf education is highly appreciated 🙏
You have to really have a go at "hating" waldorf schools, it is clear that you really have more critique to share. As a former Waldorf student i know how hard they instill a horrible feeling about "hating" everything Waldorf, it is like some kind of superstition - that if you do that the sky will fall over your head and the world WILL END! But its just very necessary and liberating and mind opening and makes you evolve, its the only thing that can make a waldorf student really evolve, Because Waldorf have been like a fucking third parent through our whole life , we have to have a period of revolt against it - like we have against our mother and father - to break free.
I have difficulties understanding what you're trying to say. I don't understand if you're for, or against Waldorf. Maybe if you separated your sentences with periods. Now it's just a blurt of stream of consciousness.
Every Waldorf kid hates eurthmy. I was kinda expecting to see that. But still love to know there’s people like me. Also question was your eurthmy teacher kinda mean?
I SUPPONSE IT HAS TO BE "MODERNIZES". I AM SURE THAT IN WALDORF SCHOOLS WE CAN ACHIEVE THE SAME VALUES WITH THE SAME MOVEMENTS BUT MAYBE A DIFERENT MUSIC?
I learned french, english and a little bit of german and greek in a waldorf school. I went to waldorf school from halfway primary school onwards. Me and my sister picked the school out of a few schools we visited (I think my sister was being expelled from our previous school). Eurythmy was weird for sure, but I didn't hate it. Because my sister and me joined the school later we went to an extra eurythmy class each week. There were about 7 kids in the class and it was a lot calmer, but I prefered the regular classes, because with so few people there was no one to hide behind and I felt insecure because I had no idea what I was doing. After me and my sister finished waldorf education my mom became a waldorf teacher (she was a mainstream chemistry and biology teacher before), so she must have seen something good in it.
I don't remember anyone hating eurythmy in my class, nor the teacher having empty eyes. Also I learned English from the first grade. But, of course, I don't live in Finland.
@@MikkosAdventure Look, I was there only until the 8th grade, so I didn't need much of an explanation. We were doing many rhythms and throwing rods, which I enjoyed. Vowels and other movements were not that fun, but I can see now the point in expressing one's feelings. But I heard of other eurythmy teachers who are still doing everything in the upper grades like in the smaller ones so of course they're not appreciated. In my case, the teacher was putting us to hard work, even if it was eurythmy you had to be really present in order to do everything right.
A valid point about useful languages, but perhaps the learning of languages serves more of a function that simply being "useful." Ah, you do address this concept to some extent.
😂 hilarious, in Belgium are 3 languages, in flanders they main language is dutch and the other 2 teaching languages are French and English, and the other one that can i not even can write well 😂 but in this school is not used that much ... and hand working is just amazing my boy just knitted his first beanie ! Glad to heard that not everyone satanist the waldorf education and says is cult. I enjoyed your video!
I have a granddaughter who attends a Steiner School in Australia. She is currently in kindergarten and was in the preschool class last year. As an educator (on the other end of the spectrum- my focus is on adult education) I fall a little more in love with the school every day. My other grandchildren have been through a Montessori preschool and I love that too, but due to financial and geographical issues have had no choice but to follow on with mainstream public education. While globally all alumni of Steiner/Waldorf schools unite in their hate of Eurythmy, so do their publicly educated counterparts complain about compulsory dance or gym classes in their own schools. Movement is part of all education programs, the fact than dance is one of the most beautiful arts, school interpretations of dance classes have to cater to all comers regardless of skill. As the teachers have limited dance ability themselves this can lead to some pretty horrific practices. I still remember folk dancing, or having to do very bad ballroom dancing with changing partners such as in the Pride of Erin or some other crap. The fact that you can only find 2 things that you hate about your 13 years of education is a pretty great testament to the value of a Steiner education. Ask most mainstream educated kids to limit the things they hated about school to only 2!!!
Thank you for the awesome comment! Looking back I really enjoyed Waldorf and gained a lot from it.
I looked into one of these in Newcastle Australia.
When digging I found lots of reports and claims of abuse. Teachers sleeping with students who they then marry and they become teachers. This turned me right off. I am disgusted. And disappointed.
@@bronminett4042 it can happen in w every school..
@@tatyanabridger4948 lol it’s not happening in every school at all. My concern isn’t the integrity of every school. Just the one my child goes to. If I had a son I might send him but not my daughters.
@@bronminett4042 that’s closed minded… public schools and even daycares have terrible things happen in them daily. We can’t focus on the negative here. Of course the parent needs to do extensive research when trusting ANY place or person with their child.
The language thing isn't specific to Waldorf/Steiner education, that was just your school. Eurythmy was dumb but I'd still rather go back to Steiner than go through mainstream UK education. Might be different if you live in Finland as their state education is great.
Hi Gareth!
Yea, it has brought to my attention, that each Waldorf unit can decide individually which languages to teach.
I know that Finnish education system has a good reputation internationally. Back in the 80's it was absolute shit though. That's why my parents put me to Waldorf.
I'm happy I went to Waldorf. I feel a bit bad for making such a ranty video. I'm working on a follow up.
I love eurythmy it's like tai chi
Eurythmy was so stupid, everybody at my school hated it, we had one eurythmy teacher who believed her cat could talk and she just kept going on about her talking cat, an other eurythmy teacher believed my dyslexia was an evil spirit and had to be prayed out🤦♀️
👀
Everything you said about Eurythmy is so true! My class made a Eurythmy teacher leave because we banded together and terrorized him so much! I also feel like all Eurythmy teachers that we had were such strange human beings. We hated Eurythmy so much and I don't understand the point of it really. I feel like you get everything it is trying to teach you from other aspects of the education. Especially through Spacial Dynamics and just music. And how the teach you the alphabet in the beginning. I feel like Eurythmy is kind of unnecessary. I also want to say that I love Waldorf Education a lot. I believe it is so much better than public USA school's and I am so glad I went to a Waldorf school through 8th grade.
I studied eurythmy (after studying dance) so I'm now supposedly "equipped" to teach it. During my internships I realised I didn't find that prospect particularly appealing, because it seemed very hard to find ways of reaching and moving the children of all different ages. But I have seen brilliant teachers, mostly German but also Dutch, who believe in eurythmy as a worthwhile subject and somehow have found ways of relating to the children /students so that there is a relationship of mutual respect, eventhough the students may not understand exactly what the use of it is. I think that brings me to learning foreign languages from a young age. You think it would be best to learn two foreign languages that would be most useful. And you mention that the reason why at waldorf schools children learn foreign languages so young is because it practices or engages certain neural pathways. I think what also might be part of the reason is that through learning a foreign language, you get to see the world through the eyes or sounds of a different culture, so in a way eventually it helps broaden your perspective on the world. So for that reason the foreign language doesn't need to be of direct use. I understand the desire for it to be useful as well though...
But indeed, as you say, I think eurythmy and how it's perceived really depends on the person teaching or implementing it. Now less so than in the past, I think eurythmy teachers lacked pedagogical skills. But I also observed that in some schools there was an institutionalised hatred for eurythmy, which means that it becomes very difficult for any child to express enthusiasm for the subject because they would be ridiculed. So sometimes there might be a spiral of negativity in place. I read some other comments, also from a person who got to choose eurythmy as an extra or minor subject. None of the students knew it from waldorf education, yet they chose it because something about it fascinated or interested them. So eurythmy in itself might not be as weird as waldorf children think. To me, eurythmy makes sense. But how do you communicate to a 12 year old why they are obliged to do eurythmy? Or a 14 or 15 year old? There are ways of going about it... Most of the time teachers get the students to answer this question themselves, very waldorfian approach...
Thank you so much for this video. My 3 year old is enrolled in a Steiner school but her personality and the fact she won't start school until she is a 6 years old is making me reconsider. You are so articulate and that is what draws me into Steiner but what you mentioned at the end of your video is exactly what I have had fears about lately. Again, thank you and I would love to hear more about your experience!
Be sure to watch the follow up. Link is in the description.
You really made me laugh! Eurythmy can get pretty weird! I'm still trying to wrap my head around it myself.
Oh a curious thing I thought of .. is I’ve lived in Hawaii most of my life and Hula and all Polynesian dances tell stories without words. They didn’t write down things they would dance it. Maybe that’s the concept of Eurythmy… however it’s very different because Polynesians have amazing meaning and energy within these dances so I’m guessing that’s what this Eurythmy lacks.
Hello, thank you for your video! I'm going to leave the things that i didnt like because of the title of the video. My daughter was a year In W before 1st grade. that year seemed to offer too little..even though my daughter likes to paint and sing and dance, she got bored and felt out of reach with all of her other friends and family kids back at home. So..maybe I went into Waldorf for the soft touch of teachers and art but felt so out of this world that I decided not to wait 5th grade(when i knew i would move her anyway) and transffered her after just one year. It was beautiful but felt just so isolated that i decided a kind teacher in traditional would be enough.
1. I dont know but the pace was too slow, i mean i understand they dont push pupils and dont criticise but the math and mother language were studied way too little
2. I felt they rejected the real world. Even though it 's nice to learn through stories it totally rejected the entire world, and i felt like i would keep my girl in a imaginary bubble.
You made the right decision. Waldorf schools are a front for athroposophy, the esoteric religion developed by Rudolf Steiner. His odd belief system drives the curriculum of the schools, and little has changed over the years.
Just my opinion, but I think that learning languages never is useless, it is so important to get the culture and it can actually really enrich your own life I feel.
Children learn a second language easier when they are young....there is a window of time with kids and that is from 0- 5 to aquire language with ease.....when it is flowing like water into their heads....
I remember a 5 yr old Chinese boy who switched schools and he had no English. He was struggling and frustrated, but after 4 months of being around English speaking kids, his brain caught on, and he was literally speaking English in complte sentences. His brain unscrambled the new language and it was amazing...
As they get older ..teenagers...it becomes more of a form of torture....I took French 2 yrs in h.s...plus one yr in college..don't remember much now, nor did I ever use it in life...and I'm 59.
Loved this video! And you make a good argument for learning language via computer games since your English vocabulary is amazing!
I love education, I love developmental psychology and psychiatry. I wasn’t educated at Waldorf but my cousins were and after years of confusion I finally decided to learn more about Waldorf and Anthroposophy - some of it is straight up brilliant if you let go of some teachers who’re way to strict for the method of Waldorf itself.
Why Eurythmy is so difficult? Why wearing weird shaped baggy silky dresses while chanting lines that make little to no sense? why the fun and the connection of this activity is not considered by some of the institutions? Why is it so serious and often strict? (it breaks the flow of it and that’s a bummer) I mean the point is to stay focused while holding a flowy rhythm, but the fun matters as well, boredom isn’t good for learning- so what’s the point of this?
I watched your video last night. It was New Year's Eve. Now, a new day and I must say I am still thinking about your video. Why? Because I am a eurythmy teacher and always looking for how to bring eurythmy to children especially in big classes. Having loved eurythmy myself and having spent many years studying and practicing and teaching, I know there is great value in it. I also know that a chaotic, confused class of children in a large space with nothing to ground them other than the teacher's voice or the music, can make for a very uncomfortable experience that is far removed from healthy beautiful eurythmy. Eurythmy teachers do have a reputation for being weird, and you may be right in your theory that eurythmy teachers become weird by soaking up so much ridicule and negativity. It is a daunting task. I hope you will remember when you speak about eurythmists, that they are just people who have chosen an art form that is unknown. That is eccentric. There is room in the world for all, though, and compassion for others is as golden as silence or valuable as love.
All that being said, I am really glad that you did have one positive experience of eurythmy. It may have been the only true eurythmy that you got to do.
Hi Raven! Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Eurythmy is a controversial artform. I'm sorry if I have offended you in any way. I can only speak from my own experience.
I hope you find a way to bring eurythmy to big classes. I think that the group sizes were the biggest challenge.
I learned that eurytmi, is sound and tune, given in in a movement. Whatever that means.
Well, in Waldorf schools don´t necessarily those two languages are mandatory, maybe it was specific to your country. In South America for example, one of those languagues is English.
A very interesting video to watch as someone who also went through 13 years of Waldorf (coincidentally 2003-2016 and also in Finland, perhaps even in the same school, Lehtikuusentiellä Helsingissä?). I understand what you mean about the languages, especially German as I spent 10 years studying it and cannot form a comprehensive sentence if my life depended on it now. Swedish is useful if you live in an area in Finland that's bilingual, and it's also not exclusive to Waldorf, I never had problems learning English so I don't mind that we didn't start that earlier (than 6th grade). Perhaps looking back I would have liked Spanish more as a useful language, or something like Russian, Chinese or Sanskrit to have access to a completely different language.
I get what you say about eurythmy, it's a bit of a joke tbf and attracts some characters for teachers, they were always the weirdest ones. But on the other hand it's kinda nice to have a class that never gives you homework and you really don't have to put any effort into at all haha, especially in hs.
If I could add anything to your list of cons for any parents who've stumbled on this video and are considering Waldorf, I do have to say that personally I had really bad luck with some of the teachers I had over the years, especially in the lower grades. Some were lovely don't get me wrong, but there were a good few who just had a very grandiose sense of entitlement over the students and were not very competent, and the problem is that as Waldorf is a very close knit community, you are very much stuck with the teachers you get and the community will protect them if you try to highlight issues in their teaching. I usually say to parents, by all means do put your child to a Waldorf school, but it is very intense to go through the whole 13 years in one school with the same teachers (and classroom, that creates its own issues completely).
Just to add for parents who might be worried that a child cannot get a high level education in Waldorf schools, after graduating high school I went straight into a university degree in the UK, had a very easy time adjusting to the studying if I'm honest, and am currently completing a postgraduate course in psychology at University College London, so I definitely don't think Waldorf school will hold your kid back academically. Plus it's been a cool experience meeting people from all over who've gone to Waldorf schools in other countries, there's something we all can immediately relate to about the atmosphere of the schools :)
Thank you for your very well thought out comment. We need more of these. Funny thing: you started your waldorf journey, when I finished mine - 2003. I studied at Paraistentie though. 😉 I highly recommend waldorf to parents. The thing is, that negativity and outrage gets the most clicks. That’s why this video is much more popular than my other - more positive waldorf video.
You are a funny guy 😂!!
I took teacher training and included regular eurythmy class. That IS how the teacher was. She was half slumped over with a dress and smile on her face. Like her body was stuck in an r position or something. Staring blankly at us all. In looking back I can appreciate the synchronicity eurythmy was for me visually. Kind of intimate,, coordinating efforts.. ballet for those that can't do ballet.. It helped me associate the way sound can transform the space with the vibration of the sound of the letter. But I don't think I agree that the assigned movement matches or should be that. Ya no, for 13 years, you can learn about dancing or movement in way more interesting ways.. they actually dance to the alphabet.. geek Steiner lol.. We even had a visiting linguistic specialistwho spoke about the characters of the different languages and sort of hinted to specific tones and resonance the languages had which are unique. This was so interesting.
I love your videos! I’m currently working at a Waldorf school in Guatemala. I totally agree with you, the difference here is that we don’t give eurythmics (can’t afford for a teacher) and we teach our students three languages, all of them incredibly useful for our students. We are hidden in the mountain next to one of the most beautiful lakes of the region, maybe of the whole continent, and the mother tong here is Kqchikel, a Mayan language. So, we teach Spanish (official language), kaqchikel (mother tong for most of our students), and English. I would have loved being educated in a Waldorf school.
Just one more thing, only a Waldorf student could adapt as good as you have to your incredible way of life. ✌🏻🤪
Thanks for the amazing comment. The adaptation is a challenge, I must tell you.😅
Wow I have a few questions I’d like to ask pls. I’m Central American
My local Waldorf teaches Japanese and Spanish.
Not all people like the Waldorf/Steiner school and it does not work for everyone. I personally am all for homeschooling my children and taking them around the world to learn from real life and learn practicality, common sense, and independence.
I wanna see someone doing eurythmy😂 Great video. I’m studying all types of early education to hopefully mash all the good parts together for my little one. Thank you
Very funny video and also very interesting! I am a German mother living in the US and raising my daughter since birth mostly with the Waldorf education. I remember in Germany we learned English and German in Waldorf schools. I had no idea Waldorf schools all around the world are teaching German. It makes sense to me to learn first English or Spanish. Luckily my daughter is growing up with all 3 languages and will never have to worry about this.
I hope you will do more videos about Waldorf themes. It's so interesting to hear about the experience of someone who went there for such a long time.
Waldorf will probably not be a theme in the future. I'm travelling around France in an RV at the moment. One thing that is kinda waldorf-ey, is the fact that I started to write book about music theory just for my own use. In waldorf the kids make their own books, so this hits close.
I never attended Waldorf Schools but I share a birthday with Rudolph Steiner and for the past 12 years I have been obsessed with the idea that our souls are somehow linked. We are from the same part of the solar system after all, maybe that means something. Derren Brown too. I used to do a rudimentary form of hypnosis to my friends as a young boy. Ever since I actually started thinking about it though it has scared me. I did once learn a hypnosis script and it worked quite well, but I've realized that it's something I can't really help doing, it just happens automatically when I am in the presence of someone. Check out my animation commissioned by my aunt who is a Steiner enthusiast!
This is a very useful report. Thanks very much for sharing your insights.
Thanks for your feedback! :)
The two languages are intended to develop speech - the Romance language shapes the soft palette and the other ‘Germanic’ or ‘guttural’ language is to develop the hard palette. Eurythmy among other things, is the experience of speech through movement and music. Eurythmy works with the sound vibrations that exist unseen for speech and music. It also develops a healthy sense of spacial relationships. Knitting in 1st Grade is intended to develop symmetry concurrent with the developing hemispheres that are integrating. Handwork such as knitting, crochet and so forth helps to lay down neuropaths in the brain - which leads to and supports logical thinking, cognitive functions and the development of executive skills.
Why is the soft pallette and the hard pallette necessary to develop? And eurythmy is one of the cultiest, most useless things I've ever experienced. And all of this is based on the claims of Steiner who said he was clairvoyant and a bunch of people just believe him.
Are there peer reviewed studies published about any aspects of Steinerian approach?
What are soft and hard palettes? Is that actually important or is it some sort of daft new age idea?
Thank you so much for sharing your opinion! I feel your positive mind. I've just started to learn about this system of education.
I dare say you missed it all entirely, you have been educated better than 90% of the population. You have the building blocks now to do what ever you want.. Lucky you :)
I consider myself very lucky for going to Waldorf. I made the video because I felt like I needed to vent. You're exactly right. I can now pretty much whatever I want. :)
@@MikkosAdventurei feel the same way. Even though my experiences with some of the teachers were very bad, i’m happy to have been exposed to the curriculum, because most of the things it showed me, while I might have been curious enough to have investigated it myself, made it easier to discover in the first place. It was very important in my identity as a person and i always cite it as one of the happiest times in my life
Thank you for this. I just applied to a waldorf school to instruct a dance class not knowing they already had one, so I got a reply saying they have "Eurhytmy" and so I was researching on that. When I read the wikipedia description I thought Woow, sounds very good and inspiring. But then I watched some videos and thought the same thing you said, how practice does not match the theory at all. That I didn't see any artistic expression. Especially any "unique to person" one. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts and feelings about your experiences. All the best,
I've heard that Eurythmy helps some people to open up their body. Maybe you've seen the type? The super shy kids who try to dissolve into walls during recess. I think there's at least one or two in every school. It's probably some family related trauma that makes them that way.
In any case, eurythmy can help a bit in those cases. Not solving the underlying issue of course, but nevertheless.
Your video is so interesting because it gives so much info which lands with the hearer neutrally, even though you deliver this particular message from an antipathetic posture. It shows how to employ antipathy in a healthy manner, which is very evolved. In my personal exploration of eurythmy, I find it to be a way to develop spatial intelligence, a way to communicate using the entire body, a way to engage in full body prayer. Eurythmy can be described as a body language, so your antipathy to it has an interesting synergy with your antipathy to language training in German and Swedish.
Thank you for your profound insights 😊
Hi Mikko. Thanks for sharing. I've been a Waldorf parent for 8 years and admissions officer in our school for the past 2 years. Many questions arise and I still don't have all the answers. Thanks again for the feedback.
Sometimes I feel like there are no answers. That’s why no one gives them.
Delightful commentary on your Walforf experience. Walafor graduates are amazing people! Nice to meet you. I have a class 4\5 currently. We are living the dream...most chaoticaly! Peace
The experience was a delightful pastel colored chaos indeed! Wouldn't change it for anything actually.
Your english is amazing. And Great point about the languages
Thank you 😊
Hey, I speak 8 languages some of them "totally not useful" but really all are. I speak Catalan and Finnish (ok my Finnish needs some work but it's a very hard language) and learning those languages I've been able to understand the cultures better, make more friends, and well, um, meet hot guys. Or if I want someone to not bother me I can start speaking Finnish, cos the chances of them knowing Suomi is almost nil.
Hi! I'm planning on opening a waldorf inspired school and one of the languages I wanted to teach was mandarin Chinese with it being the most spoken language in the works by a huge margin. However I'm worried that, bring in the us, it might not be very useful unless one is going into business. What do you think being a polyglot who's learned "unuseful" languages?
In my opinion polyglots learn languages for fun. The usefulness is a secondary benefit.
If you teach mandarin for middle schoolers, they’re going to hate it and not learn it in the end - unless they go for job opportunities later in life - and thats a big if.
Studying languges in a classroom setting is a hige pain. If you want to to teach mandarin, keep it as an option, not mandatory.
My two cents.
Hello Mikko,
Thank you for your thoughtful and creative video. I enjoyed it and wished that we eurythmists could be more elequoent and joyful about bringing eurythmy to students, parents and faculty members.
I became a eurythmist at 53 years old and only experience bringing eurythmy to adults (organizations) and with those that some people say have physical and mental disabilities. Even though I don’t have direct association with a Waldorf school, I sense from the periphery a reflection of what you say in your video is very accurate. Across the United States more and more Waldorf schools are eliminating eurythmy. It is interesting because Rudolf Steiner felt strongly about eurythmy being a core subject and would “create” the heart of the school.
Just as we know the moon forces effect the ocean tides, likewise we receive forces from all of the Planets and the 12 major Zodiac Constellations. When one is born the Planets and Zodiac are in a specific alignment in the sky. And there are precise nuances for each moment in time. But there are common threads of how those forces are revealed in the human personality which we can see in the popular monthly horoscopes. This forces are living and are often called “life” forces or “growth” forces - similiar to how we observe a plant growing towards the sun’s rays.
It is these very forces that eurythmy works with. Wowza! the realization that every sound of speech - the vowels & consonants (and the tones and intervals) have a connection to each of these Planetary and Zodiacal forces is amazing to me. “In the beginning was the Word” - these are the primal creative forces that eurythmy works with!
When a child has access to these primal creative forces as they actually physically and “soul” grow - this provides great WILL forces. As you must know, will forces are very much lacking in today’s world. It is through the will that we can stand strong in our own “I” forces and can be truly free and independent thinkers.
Second to this, for me, is the beauty and power of eurythmy in it’s capacity to teach us how the soul is “divided” into “thinking, feeling, and will” and that is our I that directs the morality of the soul in each of these three areas of the soul.
Enough for now, but thanks for the platform to share my comments and hope that they offer another perspective to you and your readers.
All the best,
Lynn Stull
Eurythmist
LynnStull.com
Thank you for your comment Lynn. It's always fascinating to hear thoughts from eurythmists. Interesting to hear that some Waldorf schools are dropping eurythmy in the USA. When I think of the actual practise now, I see that there is a point to it. As children we just weren't receptive to it at all. It felt like torture and brought up the worst behavior.
Steiner pedagogy, waldorf, eurythmy and everything else involved is a very complicated and convoluted - for lack of a better word - thing. I'm planning on making a second part to this video where I explain the things I actually liked about the experience.
I loved you final conclusion. As you said, it's great but not really for everyone. As many other alternative pedagogy, it's as the name states: an alternative.
I do agree with you about Eurythmy. We had several Eurythmy teachers. They never lasted. We were terrible to them. By the time I was in the 8th grade, the Eurythmy teacher had given up on teaching us and switched to just keeping use occupied. Instead we were taught how to juggle, and like 50 levels of patty cake. Now near 20 years later I can still juggle so that’s cool. Looking back I don’t hate that I learned eurythmy. But I don’t consciously use any of it. It’s probably still I’m brain to some extent. Maybe it’s given me unknown hidden strengths. Idk
I attended a waldorf school in fourth grade. I must say, I wholeheartedly regretted it. I’m now a senior in high school.
I had this teacher named “Peggy Reilly.” This woman was the most disrespectful awful teacher I had ever encountered.
One time, I started doodling on my worksheet, she said that it was quote on quote, “not real art.” I went straight home
after school and told my father everything, he was appalled. He called the school superintendent and asked for Peggy.
I must say, the details of this are very important, pray tell. Peggy then told my father, “it won’t happen again.”
and yet, it did. many many times. then one morning, I used my new special toolbox with my favorite character from a tv show, bugs bunny.
she ripped out of my desk. and then told me, “That’s not allowed.” (I don’t remember the details.) so apparently, i’m not allowed to
mention television at home. great. not to mention this school is very straight forward. The only highlight was my music teacher,
Mrs. Keklowsky. she was so kind. I miss her. Over all, this school is the worse place i’ve ever been to. when you cry they tell you to hush up.
that’s my story. goodbye.
Your English ability is impressive -- especially in view that it seems to be a fourth? language for you.....
One grammar usage faux-pas detected in your monologue:
The Past Tense for the verb, "TEACH" is "taught" rather than "teached."
The most beautiful human (?) being I've ever met was an Eurytmi teacher for Waldorf preschool. I've never seen anything like her. Her presence filled the entire room with bright light. She was a glowing goddess.
Synd att du behövde lära dig värdelösa språk. Ich spreche die beide ironischerweise x)
That's so nice to hear. My experience with Eurythmy teachers have been exactly the opposite.
Thanks for the video! I have a question; Is it correct that you don't learn to read or write in your native language until the age of 7. And from the age of 7 when they start teaching reading and writing you also get 2 foreign languages at the same time? Thanks!
Waldorf Alumni who I know personally went on to great careers, such as becoming successful lawyers, software engineers, professors, craftsmen, artists, managers, etc.the whole spectrum of professions, no disadvantages at all, in the so called real world.
I feel so bad for you!!!! I only did 7 years at Steiner School but I cannot with freaking eurythmy!! We did it three times a week and the only time I’ve ever used it to secretly send test answers to people who also went to Steiner across the room because they didn’t bother to actually teach us science. The only science we did the teacher let another kid touch me with an electric charge.
No reason to feel bad for me. The thing you're describing sounds horrible though.
I loved eurythmics. I went to school in America. I continued to take eurythmy throughout college as an elective
I’m glad you liked it! I’m surprised you had it at college. Do walrdorf colleges exist?
I don’t know if Waldorf colleges are a thing lol. I went to a private university but it was not affiliated with Waldorf. I studied dance and psychology. We had the option to take eurthmy as dance majors. No one in my class was a prior Waldorf kid, they all thought it was really really bizarre hahah
Oh you’re a dancer! That explains it. You’ve got the affinity to artistic movement in general.
Eurythmy is obviously just a way to get children to move around in a organized deliberate fashion. The Coding of the letters of the alphabet to dance moves is completely arbitrary and could be replaced with almost anything... Simon says for example. I like the choice of linking sounds to movement because it's the linking of two distinct communicative spaces, but I think pure drama could probably do a better job.
Your opinion about Eurithmy was funny. And I think is something that must talk and make reflection. I am not Eutitmist But I have practiced, as a teacher in formation. And E. as SOCIAL movement is very important, but you have to be adult and to know things that children have to discover when they are adults.
Eurytmy is such a controversial topic. I heard some Waldorf Schools in the US are dropping it.
This is awesome! I have three children went through 1st to twelfth for we don't have class 13. I guess part of your candid, humorous, intelligent and down-to-earth manner was cultivated via this education. Eurythmy, ha ha, hilarious! Ours are not as bad but your expression of the blank face of eurythmy teachers made me laugh for it is so. We have riot during middle school but in high school, they begin to understand artistic value if not pedagogical one. Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much for you comment! You're too kind!
I loved Eurthmy , it is also good for kindergarten children for pre -literacy , language issue is not only Steiner school , 🙃
I studied many years at the Toronto Waldorf School, and I say I did not have a good time there, except for two teachers. I felt that they have a cult type of mentality, and that if I don't think like them I was ostracized by them, not directly but indirectly. They constantly reinforce me that I was not very good, and because of that I always lacked confidence, only when I got older and did my second college in Brazil I noticed it was not me but it was them. The people there they hate technology and they hate people who are successful like my father, but they wanted his money regardless, it's almost they love socialism. If I would put my kids in private school it would not be in the TWS or any Waldorf education, I would put them in a school that would not shield them from the reality of the world, but show them how to success in the world, and that having wealth is not evil.
Do you think Eurythmics would help the body orient itself in case of a freak fall, like Brook Shields' ,or on ice?
I only know Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), but it turns out they have 8 albums. Maybe one of their other songs would work
I am a graduate of Perth Waldorf school in Western Australia. I absolutely hated it. My whole schooling experience there was terrible. I didn’t go there by choice my parents wanted me to go. The school was completely behind in any technology we were encouraged to use books instead of computers, there was no structure and a lot of extra curricular activities were run by the parents and the culture that surrounds that school is racist and drug fuelled. Most of the parents were hippies and the school principle once told me he used acid.. I was a kid I didn’t even know what acid was. There was no uniform and I didn’t get much of an education because the teachers weren’t professional. Eurythmy is fucking stupid. I also attended West Coast Steiner school and in year 2 I discovered a lady that had hung herself in our kindy.. still think about it today. I’ve got nothing against the Steiner Curriculum but it’s an outdated system and the lack of technology and the old way the teachers teach is destructive and backwards. Don’t send your kids to a Steiner school!
Excuse the lack of grammar I couldn’t be bothered
I don't know if you'll see this comment as the video has been out for so long but I'll pose my question anyway. I've been looking at Rudolph Steiner (Waldorf) school. While my wife and I really liked many aspects of it, we couldn't help sensing something strange there. Was there anything of an occult aspect at the school you went to? Did there seem to be some kind of hidden agenda? There are people who speak of Steiner as some sort of luciferian or that they are teaching the children some form of magical practice. I know the schools are all individualized but I thought I'd ask your opinion. Thanks!
Haha i was in a Waldorf school myself and i completly agree with your second point. Luckely i where lived, i was teached english and french (french because it's one of my country's official language)
The eurythmy lover are a minority.
Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts on your Steiner education. I loved it!
Hey! I studied at a Waldorf school in Irkutsk, Russia. And I really like investigating about waldorf schools in other countries. I visited some website of Finnish WS, too and using Google Translate, I figured out that you study English, Swedish, German and Russian. Maybe I've got something wrong or they didn't teach them at the time you studied. I'm surprised you didn't have English. And for a Russian city very much remote from Europe, we had a lot of Germans coming to our school, moreover every 10th grade goes to Germany every year. Again, I'm surprised you didn't have anything like this.
Since my school was and is really small, we don't have a big hall/gym where we could do Eurythmy or PE so we never had these 2 subjects as regular, only when teachers from Germany or other cities of Russia came. Yes, lots of students hated it. I personally didn't like it because I'm bad at orientation in space and I'm always confused when it comes to making shapes. Though when we had a graduate reunion, we did some Euruthmy for the 5th grade and I did quite well, so 9 years at Waldorf schoo, weren't in vain:) (I studied in classes 4-12).
Now I can tell that one of the biggest things the Waldorf School gave me is the sense that the world around isn't a Waldorf School. I.e. you don't expect a University to be Waldorf, you know it's gonna be hard, you know teachers there won't entertain you with the circle activities and it's NORMAL. That's what I believe not all of my non-waldorf university classmates are aware of.
Being very small, my school didn't have some perks WS in Europe, America and other countries do, I admit it. And I don't think I meet all the expectations as a Waldorf graduate but still, I'm thankful to my WS.
I'm so glad I watched your video! I've been researching curriculum and teaching philosophies for homeschooling my children and thought "why does this guy want to be so juvenile about Waldorf?" I'm so glad I watched and really appreciate your well articulated descriptions of the principles. And I'm dying laughing after your initial introduction of eurythmy! lol It's something I've never even heard of! I'm looking forward to seeing if you've made that "What I loved about Waldorf" video!
Homeschooling…. Avoid it IMO, if you’ve not already taken the plunge, that is!
@@oliverdesvaux avoid homeschooling and push what? Public school? Why?
You made me LOOOOOOL so hard from 9:00 hahahahahaha my children are in Waldorf and they are not fan of euritmia to be honest I just loved your video!!
Glad you liked it
Meanwhile the waldorf school in Austria I visited taught me English and Italian and the german one I visited later taught me English and French XD but oh yes the eurythmie teachers were weird. I am happy that I left after grade 5 because over here in those two waldorf schools that I have visited the students were weird too and I couldn't make friends with them at all ^^'
It's a special flavor of weird. I still totally identify with it though. I wouldn't have it any other way. I just wanted to make a video to vent out some of my frustrations.
If you say that some students feel they don't learn any real skills related to the 'real' world, then what about those students who wish to follow university after Steiner? I mean to say that if someone wants to learn some specific subject they always can, and certainly will when their person has been matured in the Steiner school. Do you agree? I hope this makes sense.
I can see your speech and thoughts are so clear in explaining... This confusing you feel after eyrythmy is acceptable..it depends in pupils around you and the kind of eyrythmy teacher you been teached.. I think If the atmosphere isn't appreciate in the room you cannot reach harmony and peace...
Have you ever try the exercises alone?
Personally I do daily curative eurythmy, some basic exercises.
When you are alone, things are different, after I finish I feel a divine, consciousness feelings. This is your Ich.
We had special eurythmy classes with four or five pupils a few times. That was actually very enjoyable. I can see there is a point in the practise. It just didn’t come through with a bigger group.
@@MikkosAdventureNice... Eyrytmy hides a very powerful meaning...Steiner gave it to people and they reached it intellectually..but the most important is the feeling... Any teacher can teach eurythmy by saying about it..but.. In eyrytmy we need feeling through imagination..it is not just exercises..through imagination it is you that makes it alive... by making living images...
For example..the A.. If you imagine there is an empire of angels in the sky passes and looking at you, and you see them too you say : "A!!" You get surprised and admire them...
As much you reach the feeling the more it effects you...
Comiks koxd It is pseudoscience.
@@EmilyGloeggler7984 have you ever tried it?
That's strange. Usually, at Waldorf, we don't start with more than one language. Waldorf is famous for not pushing small kids intellectually and giving them as much free space as possible.
Actually in some waldorf schools they start English in the first grade in Finland.
So I've heard. Individual Waldorf Schools have a lot of autonomy in their curriculum.
In Estonia too!
Great thing to hear! Makes much more sense!
I appreciate your videos on Waldorf education!
I think the two languages is a think of your school or country and I get it. As far as I know, in the schools of my country they teach English and some German.
you are so funny :). loved the eurhythmy part. dance moves and all.
the fundamental problem with Waldorf (and Montessori) is that the pedagogy is not open to change and improvement (refinement). Eurythmy is a perfect example.... you touch on it. We all instinctively or intuitively know that there is something good in it (perhaps very small); yet, there is no way to sit, discuss it and adjust the practice... for example, one can say that instead of eurythmy Waldorf schools should do martial arts as part of the curriculum, or interpretive dance ( :)), or performance arts.... or all of the above. eurythmy is from the realm of the occult, it's weird, not based on any good science (social or otherwise).
Another question you have touched on is "usefulness" of the broad knowledge and understanding in the world of narrow specialisation. Waldorf, as i understand, tries to educate the senses, give you the big picture, etc. You come out and find yourself in the brutal world that doesn't care. You come out too finely tuned but not well adjusted ;)
"Well adjusted", on its face, is a desirable state to be in, but on the other hand, it's about "average", "status quo", "sheeple", etc. One would hope that there are people around that have the capacity to experience cognitive dissonance, see it for what it is, and find it within themselves to deal with it in a constructive way.
...and, of course, such capacity .... is partially about some useful skills (perhaps Mandarin vs German)
Thank you for your very thoughtful comment. You touch many interesting points. I came out the school just fine. Very lost about my life path, but I think that's just in me. That has nothing to do with Waldorf :D
As a whole there were more positives than negatives on the whole experience. I'm planning to do a followup to this video.
I was talking to someone about Montessori / Waldorf today (her son went to both)... The lady said her son HAAATED eurythmy.... and we discovered we have both watched your video ... had a good laugh. We are looking forward to the follow-up ;)
Hahaha! I guess all Waldorf parents do a lot of research about the subject online :D
The follow up has been on my to-do list for way too long. The thing is that this channel is about something else. This is about me selling all my stuff, getting an RV and going to surf adventures. I just sold my apartment and bought the RV this week. I've tried to sell my apartment for six months and now it's finally sold.
What I'm trying to say, that it might still take a while before I get to do the follow up. There's so much other more enjoyable content for me to make. I will make the Waldorf follow up eventually, but now it's all about my new way of life.
Congratulations 🎊🎉 Mikko❣️ omg I’ve for sooo long wished for that life.....
I’ve made a jump three times but it was the wrong time... getting geared up to do it single mom style either homeschooling &/or Waldorf educating my growing son.
Totally appreciate your vivid spirit and fabulous life-styled experiences.
Have sooo much fun, enjoy your beautiful life. It is a favor to the entire world.
So much love & light going out to the appreciation of essence here! Great thread 💗💖💗
Made the jump three times? What kind of jumps were they? What went wrong?
😂😂 you are funny! Thank you for sharing your experience.
I thoroughly enjoyed this video as I am starting grade one with my daughter. What language would you recommend? Spanish?
Depends where you wanna spend time. My German lessons have been useful lately. 😅
My daughter is in a Waldorf school in the US. She is learning both German and Spanish. Eurhythmy she has at times loathed and at other times been fully engaged and excited for class. I think it kind of depends on the instruction and it may ebb and flow some depending on the child. I love that they get the kids up and move instead of keeping them chained to a desk. My parent perspective.
Thank you for your perspective. It’s great to get off the desks, but 45 minutes a week is not enough from the excercise point of view.
Its 45 minutes more than before....
Hahaha omg this was great! Am thinking of sending my child to a Steiner school. I just watched your “5 things you loved about Steiner”
I highly recommend Steiner school. It’s just the eurythmy that’s waste of time in my opinion.
Went to Waldorf 1st-7th grades. Eurythmy=Dumb. It would have been better to teach us American Sign Language and general exercise and/or actual music theory during the time spent on eurythmy. Also, if you want to get really mad about Steiner, listen to the podcast Behind the Bastards on him. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Steiner schools.
I'll definitely check out the podcast. Thanks for the tip.
Came here whilst considering starting wardolf training! You're awesome x
My school taught me (UK) German and French.
I feel you when it comes to as a kid at a stiener school,I often asked questions about why we were doing stuff,or what was the meaning behind what we were doing,and we were constantly fobbed off,and told stupid stuff rather than the real reasons.
Also in regards to eurythmy teachers all ours were nuts,and usually very very angry.
It's really hard to explain eurythmy to kids. Almost as hard as it is to explain to adults. :D
لقد تعرفت على مدارس والدورف قبل وقت قصير فقط ولا أملك خبرة فيها
لكن بعد اطلاعي البسيط جداً اعتقد ان مدارس والدورف تحاول تعريض طلابها للعديد من التجارب والخبرات حول الكثير من الأشياء ، فهم يجربون الفنون والموسيقى والتمثيل والرقص (فن الحركة ) والأعمال اليدوية ، قراءة القصص التاريخية والأدب والتعرف على الطبيعة ....وغيرها
اعتقد أن السبب في ذلك هو حتى يكتشف كل طالب ميوله واهتماماته فلا يستطيع الإنسان اكتشاف ما يحب الإ بعد أن يجرب والدليل على ذلك ان هناك من الطلبة من أحب فن الحركة فتخصص في مجال الرقص مثلاً وطالب آخر قد أصبح موسيقي محترف وآخر اصبح ممثل مسرحي وغيره اصبح كاتب فاعتقد من الطبيعي ان الطلاب جميعهم لن يحبوا جميع هذه الفنون او الأعمال لأنه بالفعل يميل لشيء محدد وهو ما سيكتشفه من خلال التجربة
برأي افضل ما يقدمه والدورف هو اعطاء الأطفال والطلاب فرصة لأن يجربوا كل شيء وبعدها يحددون هوايتهم ومواهبهم التي سيحترفون بها.
شكراً لك فيديو جيد 🙏
Question: Can you still speak those two languages tho?
Actual question, not trying to be shady!
Haha! Both of my children went through the Steiner 'system'. Neither of them appreciated the finer points of eurythmy either!! They both seem pretty well-adjusted though.... Lots of weirdness in the school community, but on the whole a great education!! (btw I am learning 10 languages; Finnish is on my list; I attribute my quest to communicate in other languages to Brexit!!)
Good luck with your quest on the languages. That’s a long and windy road.
Between ages 7 and 14 did you learn to imagine a rose in your mind as well as smell it from that sense of imagination?
I was interested to see you did not have any restrictions as far as tv and music were concerned. Are you able to recollect in great detail today for painting or drawing?
I don't remember us doing the imagination exercise you're describing. As far as restrictions go, I only remember the shitty drawing equipment we had. It got better year by year, but on the first year we only had these really shitty blocky crayons.
I'm not sure what you mean by your last question. Recollect what? Do you mean that can I recollect stuff I saw ages ago and draw or paint it? Drawing never was my strong point. I was more into drama and theater.
I know Steiner was big on imagination and not allowing a picture to be provided for you, like television does, subduing part of the process of recalling an image. With that ability to imagine the image of the rose , from bud to blossoming, you can then open your eyes and smell it as if it were under your nose. I know a lot has been altered with Steiner's work in the Waldorf schools today. Thank you Mikko. Looks like I'm homeschooling my son.
I'm sure homeschooling has it's perks. :D
The thing is that individual Waldorf schools have a lot of autonomy. That's why there are so many rumors out there. Schools can choose which dogmas to enforce and when to be more modern.
So glad i didn't have this all.
I started in 7th grade. My school only went till 12 (so a bit of the 13 curriculum there. Lile the final project and all)
I just had french, German, dutch and english right away. While most other schools have they start with german or french anf then the next year you have the other one too. This is standard. English and dutch are mandatory too.
When i heard classmates talk about eurythmy i was like "daaammmn no. Too weird." Meanwhile i sit and happily accept that we are seeds that grew into threes and that this one chick is water, that i need to go on all different types of roads. That we are all angels, then flying with one wing now needing to go and let loose fly in our own direction (former student spell anyone?)
In America they let you only take one laungue after sixth grade
In Waldorf or in public education? If you're talking about waldorf, that sounds weird. That being said, every individual school is quite free to implement whatever policies.
I can tell this guys middle school teacher told him to color his borders more
thicc chicken nugget what does that mean? 😆
@@vipmonicake in Waldorf the teachers get annoyed if you don't color your page of writing or drawing enough
Ironically the opposite. We were supposed to draw something without using borders. I didn't get the concept and drew an airplane. The teacher was not amused.
I finished waldorf school in Hungary, and I can partly agree with you
They say that our languages are related. I'm from Finland. I don't see or hear the similarities though. 😀
@@MikkosAdventure It's interesting, neither I do :D Although, finnish is cool
Hi there, Just a few questions if you wouldn't mind. My name is Ashley and i am from a small country in Africa called Zimbabwe. We have a very small Waldorf school here and i am doing my research to see how happy i am to send my daughter to Waldorf as we are very unfamiliar with advanced/new schooling ideas and tend to be very traditional. It is hard to make this decision against what we traditionally know, which is O'levels and A'levels in a strict school system. Did you socialize with other high school students from more standardized schools? If so how would you compare your intellectual conversation and written work? and do you find in day-to-day situations you were more socially advanced and/or capable? I understand this may be your point of view but how does your view of your school and education compare to the majority?
Hi Ashley. Happy to answer your questions.
I did socialize with other high school students from standardized schools. I didn't feel neither smart nor stupid compared to other kids. I did feel a bit different though. Standardized school system breeds standardized people. Horrible thing to say, but that's how I felt.
As far as social situations go, I was always at ease. I actually consider myself to be good in new social group situations.
I'm very happy that my parents put me at Waldorf. I have no idea how the normal school system is at Zimbabwe. Back in the eighties the normal schools were horrible in Finland, so it was an easy choice for my parents to put me in Waldorf.
I'm actually working on a video about the things I liked about Waldorf. Hope to get i out soon.
Absolutely fabulous i look forward to seeing it. Thank You for your answers.
Definitely go for it. You won't regret it in the long-run. There are times when all our conditioning about education is really challenged, but this system builds the foundation for a healthy balanced life, equipping the child to engage with the world and apply themselves fully as they mature. Truly it is empowering, but be prepared for resistance from family and friends!!
I think what is not entirely understood is the spiritual view to which all of the Steiner schools revolve around and this is the complex study (occult) study called anthroposophy. When this is studied, the Waldorf philosophy becomes better understood. It may be that the teachers do not fully comprehend this. I know with myself, it was a quite complex study.
You're right! Anthroposophy gives context to everything that happens there. I've tried to study it on my own as an adult and I do believe Rudolf Steiner was ahead of his time and had some ground breaking ideas. The thing is that many of the great ideas don't actually apply to everyday life.
Sounds like the ideas behind the school / subjects taught are outdated for 21st century Steiner was born in the 1800's died around 1925.
Then again I graduated 2003. Things might have changed. (I hope)
thank you for sharing your experiences.
Thanks for the comment Sara! I've been thinking that I should make a video where I explain the things I liked about it. For some reason it hasn't happened. There were more stuff that I liked than stuff I disliked. The thing is we had bad luck with the teachers, and the true Waldorf pedagogy rarely applied.
I wish they taught us German in school instead of Russian. German speakers can find jobs all over the world
In Finland russian is probably more useful than german.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I am from Egypt
I appreciate your insight. :) We're homeschooling our 7yo with Waldorf Curriculum. As a creative person, I feel really drawn to this approach, I think that I would have thrived in such a school. My daughter is naturally artistic and musical, I think it could be a great fit for her long-term, unfortunately, the nearest school is over an hour away and moving isn't an option. What's funny is that I've decided to do Spanish instead of German as a second language because we live in Texas, US & there are a ton of Spanish speakers here, it seems way more practical. Also funny, I haven't done Eurythmy because just watching the Eurythmy videos gives me the awkward, squirmy feeling you describe, hahaha. I can only imagine that I would have responded similarly as a student. However, hearing your insight about the letters and intervals (which we're working on w/ Suzuki violin, which I suspect isn't developmentally congruent w/ Waldorf, but she started before we decided on Waldorf and she's way into it) makes me think that perhaps I should reconsider Eurythmy, at least during these early years.
I looked up and taught the Eurythmy movements that correspond with the vowels last week. :) I think that was helpful.
great video, very funny, had similar experiences.
I have recently graduated from Master's program in Waldorf pedagogy (in Stuttgart), wanna become a Waldorf teacher :) I also have my questions to Eurythmy (because I saw during my Internships how children react to it, especially boys), but I was happy to experience it during my Master's. I really enjoyed the social element of it.
I'm sure you'll have a great time as a teacher! As a whole there was much more positive than negative in the experience.
Thank you! I am a mother (on husband's account, my name is not Pedro lol) of a 3 year old son and 1 year old daughter and considering putting my children in a Waldorf school...although it is 40 minutes away, I am willing to make thissacrifice. Anyways, your feedback and embodiment of Waldorf education is highly appreciated 🙏
I'm very priviledged to be an Waldor alumnus. It's not for everybody, but I'm super happy, that my parents put me there, instead of normal school
Wow, I talk a lot when I am over tired. I like some things about Waldorf, others no. Never attended one but one is near my home. Hyvää yötä.
You have to really have a go at "hating" waldorf schools, it is clear that you really have more critique to share.
As a former Waldorf student i know how hard they instill a horrible feeling about "hating" everything Waldorf, it is like some kind of superstition - that if you do that the sky will fall over your head and the world WILL END!
But its just very necessary and liberating and mind opening and makes you evolve, its the only thing that can make a waldorf student really evolve,
Because Waldorf have been like a fucking third parent through our whole life , we have to have a period of revolt against it - like we have against our mother and father - to break free.
I have difficulties understanding what you're trying to say. I don't understand if you're for, or against Waldorf. Maybe if you separated your sentences with periods. Now it's just a blurt of stream of consciousness.
Every Waldorf kid hates eurthmy. I was kinda expecting to see that. But still love to know there’s people like me. Also question was your eurthmy teacher kinda mean?
She was kinda mean, yes.
I SUPPONSE IT HAS TO BE "MODERNIZES". I AM SURE THAT IN WALDORF SCHOOLS WE CAN ACHIEVE THE SAME VALUES WITH THE SAME MOVEMENTS BUT MAYBE A DIFERENT MUSIC?
I learned french, english and a little bit of german and greek in a waldorf school. I went to waldorf school from halfway primary school onwards. Me and my sister picked the school out of a few schools we visited (I think my sister was being expelled from our previous school). Eurythmy was weird for sure, but I didn't hate it. Because my sister and me joined the school later we went to an extra eurythmy class each week. There were about 7 kids in the class and it was a lot calmer, but I prefered the regular classes, because with so few people there was no one to hide behind and I felt insecure because I had no idea what I was doing.
After me and my sister finished waldorf education my mom became a waldorf teacher (she was a mainstream chemistry and biology teacher before), so she must have seen something good in it.
Thank you for sharing your experiences! It's great to hear these!
I don't remember anyone hating eurythmy in my class, nor the teacher having empty eyes. Also I learned English from the first grade. But, of course, I don't live in Finland.
Your class has been exception to the rule. I’m happy for you for having a great teacher.
Was it ever explained enough why you were doing eurythmy?
@@MikkosAdventure Look, I was there only until the 8th grade, so I didn't need much of an explanation. We were doing many rhythms and throwing rods, which I enjoyed. Vowels and other movements were not that fun, but I can see now the point in expressing one's feelings. But I heard of other eurythmy teachers who are still doing everything in the upper grades like in the smaller ones so of course they're not appreciated. In my case, the teacher was putting us to hard work, even if it was eurythmy you had to be really present in order to do everything right.
im a waldorf schooler myself, im from west germany and i learn english and russian…
I had to learn English when I started playing w/my Commodore 64 - I was 5 or 6 and I'm now 39 so many many moons ago :D
I remember spending countless hours with the English dictionary by my side playing Sierra and Lucas Arts adventure games. :)
Mikko's Adventure same here. Plus all those text adventures
A valid point about useful languages, but perhaps the learning of languages serves more of a function that simply being "useful." Ah, you do address this concept to some extent.
😂 hilarious, in Belgium are 3 languages, in flanders they main language is dutch and the other 2 teaching languages are French and English, and the other one that can i not even can write well 😂 but in this school is not used that much ... and hand working is just amazing my boy just knitted his first beanie ! Glad to heard that not everyone satanist the waldorf education and says is cult. I enjoyed your video!
I hear that cult thing every now and then. There was nothing culty about it.
Everything you said about Eurythmy is spot on
Thanks Sadie! :)