Understanding Waldorf Education: Teaching from the Inside Out

I've been a Waldorf parent for 4 years and have been pleased with the education and life experience my kids are getting at school. But I haven't been able to describe to people who ask about the Waldorf school what makes it so different, so special. I've found most of Rudolf Steiner's (Waldorf education's original mastermind) work to be impenetrable; probably due to weak translations, but still. I've read a lot of dense stuff in my day, but Steiner's is unsloggable. This book by Jack Petrash, however, I loved. It's written so 21st century mortals can understand it and relate to it. Right from the first chapter, I understood it and felt it understood me. In the second chapter I thought, "Oh, now he's really captured it. He should have put this chapter first." I thought that again about the third, fourth, and fifth chapters and then decided he probably had the order okay in the first place.

I had read plenty about Waldorf child development and the Waldorf kindergarten, but this gives new insight into whole Waldorf education, from kindergarten to high school. I like that there are examples of Waldorf education in each chapter to illustrate what the author is explaining. Excellent! Inspired me to want to start a Waldorf charter school!

"It is my hope," writes author & Waldorf teacher Jack Petrash in this 2000 book, "that this book will convey some of the fundamental principles of Waldorf education in language that is accessible..."Overall, with one exception, the book does exactly this. It is short: about 150 pages with very wide margins and very large print, presenting some core principles in eight chapters. These chapters are titled and deal with broadening horizons; head, heart & hands; the Waldorf preschool; Waldorf grade school;Waldorf high school; the essential parent; a teacher's journey; and towards a truly humanitarian education.Each chapter tells its story through a vignette of a "typical" school, vignettes of what one might see in a Waldorf school, with frequent large illustrations, and brief clearly headlined paragraphs discussing the principles being enacted. For example, p. 64, under "The Grade School Curriculum" begins, "The Waldorf curriculum offers an organic structure that mirrors the developmental changes that take place over the grade school years" going on briefly to highlight that 12 year olds are interested in money and business math while seventh graders' preoccupation with their bodies is addressed through the subject of health and hygiene.Reading "Understanding Waldorf Instruction" can give a pretty clear understanding of the philosophy, beliefs, principles of this approach and some illustrative teaching/learning experiences. (Plus a fair amount of testimonials by some parents, teachers, and students.) This is what Petrash set out to do, and readers should not expect a how-to guide to being a Waldorf instructor.ANY ALERTS? As a researcher on early childhood and elementary/secondary education, I'm familiar with Waldorf as well as with other approaches and I can give Petrash a full four stars for doing well what he intends. However.Petrash elides how deeply infused Waldorf is with Steiner's profound belief that reincarnation, karma, and other supernatural, paranormal & spiritual phenomena are as real as the ground beneath our feet.He intended, in his educational system, to open the children to this understanding of the spiritual world as fully as the non-spiritual. The Wikipedia article on Steiner---a remarkable, passionate man---would be a helpful reference here.

Great overview of Waldorf education, from preschool through high school. A compact summary to help shine light on why Waldorf classrooms / teachers may just be the right choice for your family. Mom and Dad will also learn plenty about themselves within these pages.

As a parent considering a waldorf education this was the perfect read. Informative and well organized. It helped us make our decision!

Found the book informative and I learnt more than I already knew about the Waldorf Education System. It gave me a good overview of what the Waldorf Eduction is about and how it fits into a children's learning life cycle. I live in NZ and found it more fitting to an American school system but looking past that you were still able to grasp a really good understanding of why this schooling system works so well for today's children. It does even cover the question; 'What if my child and teacher don't get on?'. We as parents all ask that exact question when entering the Waldorf Education System as the primary/entry level school years of our children have the same teacher called looping, for 5-6 years. Quick read and enjoyable, I do recommend.

Though it’s now more than 2 decades on since the publication of this book, the message is still relevant and inspiring. I couldn’t read this fast enough! Definitely recommend for anyone interested in the Waldorf model of education.

This was a book in my sons schools book club. (he attends a Waldorf - inspired school) I have not read the whole thing but it is interesting. If you are just being introduced to waldorf, read this and don't listen to all the negative hype. My experience has been all positive. Waldorf is for most kids, just not most parents.

Muy claro, sencillo e interesante. Muy recomendable si quieres darte una idea general de la pedagogía Waldorf y ejemplos de cómo vivirla.

I read this book before enrolling my daughter in Waldorf Preschool. It is an easy to follow summary of Waldorf philosophy with great examples of teaching techniques. Reading this book made me want to go back to school to train to be a Waldorf Teacher.

This is a good, no-nonsense introduction to Waldorf Education.It doesn't preach or philosophise, unlike the Christopher Clouder book, and is easy to read. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in education, mainstream or 'alternative.'

I read this book and then bought it for my brother as a gift. It explains the heart of this educational philosophy in accessible language. highly recommended.

Brilliant book for parents to understand the education.