A Thoughtful Approach to Homework

Screen%20Shot%202020-05-13%20at%209.07_edited.jpg

Too often, homework can be meaningless busywork that stresses and overwhelms students and their families , crushes creativity and has little impact on children's future success.

In Waldorf education, we take a thoughtful, age-appropriate and balanced approach, where homework is introduced later (Grade 3), and is focused on meaningful assignments that foster creativity and further their understanding. Assignments will often include an artistic or project-based component as well.

Our approach to homework is rooted in sparking students’ imagination and creativity, helping them to learn to articulate their understanding and viewpoint, and cultivating a strong love of learning. The aim is to ensure that students are leading healthy balanced lives that include time for rest, recreation, free play and family time.

For additional research on the impact of homework on students see the following:

Is Too Much Homework Bad for Kids’ Health?,  Healthline

Kids are onto something: Homework might actually be bad , Popular Science

Homework: How Much Is Too Much? , Edutopia

Inquire today!

Parent/guardian information.

WSP_Logo_2015_redone (1)-02.png

  • Parents Corner

Richmond Waldorf School

Waldorf Education: A Thoughtful Approach to Homework

Meaningful, age-appropriate, connected.

Too often, homework becomes meaningless busywork that stresses and overwhelms students and their families, crushes creativity, and has little impact on children’s future success. In Waldorf education, we take a thoughtful, age-appropriate, and balanced approach. Homework is not introduced until later and is always focused on meaningful assignments to foster creativity and developing a deeper understanding of the subject. Assignments will often include an artistic or project-based component that connects to the theme being studied.

Our approach to homework is rooted in sparking students’ imagination and creativity, helping them to learn to articulate their understanding and viewpoint, and cultivating a strong love of learning. We want our students to lead healthy, balanced lives that include time for rest, recreation, free play, and family time.

An article from the Atlantic Magazine, The Cult of Homework , details how America’s focus on homework is not grounded in research and that excessive homework is not helping to reach our educational goals.

At RWS, homework begins in 3rd or 4th grade with students working on reading and practicing their strings instrument. While this may sound late and light to some parents, especially those whose preschoolers may be coming home with packets of work, our tried and true educational philosophy demonstrates that having engaging and meaningful lessons at school is the most important thing to ensure students are progressing in their learning. Homework does have its place, and Waldorf education believes it needs to be developmentally appropriate and connect the concepts learned at school to a project or artistic experience at home.

As the students grow and become ready for more challenging assignments, we bring that experiential element into the homework assignments, too!

Middle schoolers worked together to create a pulley system to lift one another!

Applying Priciples in a Meaningful Way

At richmond waldorf school, we strive for meaning and purpose to be at the forefront of our curriculum and the work we ask of our students..

In 7th grade last year, the class studied physics. Electromagnetism was the final topic of the block, where the students revisited properties of magnets and explored how electricity and magnetism work together. Making simple motors was their final class project, showing that they could apply the principles they learned about magnetism and electricity in a meaningful way.

Instead of a block test, students created their own Rube Goldberg machines at home. It was incredible to see what they each accomplished, and they were able to demonstrate their work in class together, with popcorn! As we know, scientists must often try things over and over again before they get them right. This experience gave students the chance to explore the scientific process of discovery and innovation as they worked diligently on these projects. Not only were they able to complete the assignment, but they felt a sense of pride, accomplishment, and excitement for what they and their fellow classmates were able to do.

This is a perfect example for how we create meaningful, in-depth experiences that help students learn how to think creatively and critically to reach their goals. The concepts learned in class were connected to the projects at home in an exciting and age-appropriate way, fostering a love of learning and genuine excitement to complete the homework!

Middle schoolers share their physics assignments with the class.

Want to Learn More?

We would love for you to explore the Waldorf approach! Get to know us and see if RWS is right for your child.

At Richmond Waldorf School, we recognize that our student’s physical, social and emotional well-being are a key part of their ability to learn and thrive. We look forward to meeting you and sharing more information about Waldorf education.

Richmond Waldorf School is a non-profit, private school in Richmond, Virginia offering Waldorf education for grades Pre-K – 8th grade.

  • What is Waldorf
  • Faculty & Administration
  • Mission, Vision, & Values
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice
  • Our History
  • Accreditation
  • Parent/Toddler Program
  • Early Childhood, Ages 3-6
  • Elementary School, Grades 1-5
  • Middle School, Grades 6-8
  • After-School Care
  • Athletic Programs
  • Summergarden, Ages 3 1/2 to 6
  • Visit Our School
  • Tuition & Fees
  • Financial Aid
  • Scholarships
  • Holiday Faire
  • Festivals & Celebrations
  • Our Graduates
  • Shop & Earn
  • School Store
  • Give now! Annual Fund
  • Legacy Circle
  • Annual Report

waldorf school homework

waldorf school homework

What happens in a waldorf school?

waldorf school homework

A LOVE OF LEARNING THAT LASTS A LIFETIME

There are now more than 1,000 Steiner schools and 1,600 kindergartens worldwide. Many schools continue through to secondary level. In Ireland, there are currently at least 10 Steiner Waldorf Kindergartens, seven primary schools (three of which are supported by the Department of Education) and one secondary school. Schools are often called Steiner Waldorf because the first school was opened in 1919 in the Waldorf Astoria factory in Stuttgart, Germany.

The Waldorf educational approach, as delivered by Dublin Steiner School, addresses three key needs. Those are to ensure that children have:

  • The confidence and communication skills to hold themselves in the world
  • The creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to make a social contribution
  • The conscience, ethical judgement and understanding to live sustainably in our natural environment

Steiner Waldorf educators are dedicated to generating an inner enthusiasm for learning within every child. This eliminates the need for competitive testing, academic placement, and behaviouristic rewards to motivate learning and allows motivation to arise from within. Most of all, it helps to engender the capacity for joyful life-long learning.

In our daily practice we:

  • Emphasise nature-based play and education, strengthening the child’s connection to nature
  • Take account of the needs of the whole child – academic, physical, emotional and spiritual
  • Deliver our academic curriculum, in a creative and integrated way
  • Prioritise age-appropriate learning, adapting its teaching methods to suit the developmental stage of its pupils, as well as their experience of the world
  • Honour and protect the wonder of childhood
  • Encourage creativity and enquiry
  • Create a genuine enjoyment of learning

The purpose of education is to enable the mind, to fire the imagination, to fortify the will, and to quicken the initiative for life.

- rudolf steiner.

Festivals are an important part of the Waldorf school calendar. The academic year at Dublin Steiner School is anchored by a rhythm of celebrations which mark the passage of the seasons.

These run from the Harvest Festival in September - when families gather to share food and hear the story of Michael and the dragon - to the Midsummer Festival at the end of June. Through the year each child will also make, light and carry a lantern for the Lantern Festival; take their place in the Spiral Walk to mark the strength of community through dark winter days; and celebrate the new spring with songs and dancing on May Day.

Year on year, these festivals become cherished traditions for both students and their families. As children progress through the school, they take on bigger roles in the festivals, with each new year becoming an exciting rite of passage.

your child's journey

waldorf school homework

Nurturing and creative, our two-year Kindergarten programme gives children freedom with crafts and play, building confidence in preparation for school.

Our pre-academic Bridge programme provides the strong foundations required for academic learning with creative problem-solving alongside tuition in languages and music.

waldorf school homework

An expansive curriculum that sets literacy, numeracy and the sciences along languages and music sparks lifelong curiosity and empowers students with skills for many years of education.

waldorf school homework

ABOUT HOMEWORK

In Steiner Waldorf schools, the point of homework is not to have school work at home; when homework is called for, its purpose is to extend a meaningful experience from what was learned during the school day.

Daily homework at Steiner Waldorf schools does not start until the students are developmentally ready for it. Giving students regular homework when they are 7, 8, or 9 years old (as parents of children these ages can attest) is really just giving homework to the parents!

At Dublin Steiner School, daily homework begins in earnest in Grade 6, but the build-up is gradual:

Class 1: No daily homework

Class 2:  Read to parents, or, have parents read to you (Sometimes teachers will hold off on this until later in the year, or wait until Class 3)

Class 3:  Read, practice spelling words (second half of the school year)

Class 4:  Math, violin, and spelling practice, and reading

Class 5: Math, violin, and spelling practice, and reading, as well as finishing up Main Lesson Book (MLB) work

Class 6:  Working on MLBs, researching material for papers and essays, studying for tests, math practice/worksheets

Although not given daily homework, students in the younger classes are introduced to the concept of it with occasional assignments such as drawing a picture, finding something in nature, or being read to by a parent. During the Class 3 block on natural fibres, for example, a homework assignment might be to find clothing articles made of 100% wool or linen at home and bring one to show the class. Or, when learning the quality of the letters in Class 1, the teacher will ask the students to “think of something that begins with the letter ‘B’ for homework tonight.

DUBLIN STEINER SCHOOL

Saoirse Waldorf School CLG, t/a Dublin Steiner School, is a registered charity (CHY 20077181) and is run on a nonprofit basis for the benefit of our community.

useful links

Keep in touch.

waldorf school homework

  • School Calendar
  • Parent Portal
  • Schedule a Tour

waldorf school homework

Wisdom of Waldorf - The Value of Play

In the last few decades there’s been a greater emphasis on academics starting in preschool. This has resulted in more and more testing and teaching geared toward those tests. The intentions of this approach were good ones. However, in Western Australia teachers recognized that this way of teaching was leading to increased anxiety and behavior problems in their students. The teacher’s union has made a bold move to eliminate testing before the ag e of 8 and to create a play-based curriculum. They’re basing this change on research that demonstrates that play-based learning was better for children in terms of wellbeing, academic outcomes, problem-solving and social skills.

Rather than following the latest trends in education, Waldorf schools have stayed true to the pedagogical principles that are its foundation. One of those is the value of play. Another is to introduce homework and testing gradually and with intention and purpose. Sandra Easter, PhD

Read this week’s Wisdom of Waldorf article here !

– Sandra Easter, PhD

Wisdom of Waldorf is shared weekly via our Facebook page, connect here to follow with more wisdom!

waldorf school homework

Privacy Preference Center

Privacy preferences.

4th Grade Subjects

  • 4th Grade Math
  • 4th Grade Language Arts
  • 4th Grade Geography and History
  • 4th Grade Science
  • 4th Grade Planning
  • 4th Grade More Resources
  • Gallery - 4th Grade

Thoughts on the Fourth Grade

We have two words of advice to help you make your year memorable: Field trips! The year’s focus on local/state geography and history and zoology (human being and animal) offers a plethora of opportunities to bring the curriculum to life. We must have gone on at least seven field trips (some local, others overnighters) during the year...and in our 8th grade strolls down “memory lane,” the students remembered each one in glorious detail.

How are a sea otter and a violin similar? Just ask a Waldorf fourth grader! When some of our fourth graders were "petting" the sample sea otter fur at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the docent asked if they knew why they were to only use the back of their hand when stroking the fur. One student spoke up and said, "Because our palms and fingers have oil on them. We know that because we play the violin and you're not supposed to touch the bow strings with your fingers." The docent was very impressed and wanted to know where they went to school. When she heard the answer, her comment was, “Ah, Waldorf, I should have known!”

In first through third grades the sole academic focus is on the development of the fundamental math and literacy skills that underlie all future learning. Fourth grade is the time where students begin to study subjects such as science, history, and geography. These lessons provide the students with the opportunity to learn about and engage in the world around them.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Formative Studios

We use cookies to improve your experience. By your continued use of this site you accept such use. See our Privacy Policy for more information. In addition you agree to abide by our Terms of Service. I understand

After over 14,000 hours of research and writing (spanning over five years), Jennifer and Janet are so grateful that their book, The Roadmap to Literacy , is finding its way into the hands of hundreds of teachers here in the U.S. and numerous foreign countries. They are even more excited to hear back from those teachers about their experience with the book. Below are some excerpts they wished to share:

“I have taken two classes through eighth grade and I have to say this book has rocked my world. My second graders are progressing so well. They love kid writing and cheer when we have reading groups!" - Lori Ann Kran, PhD, Cincinnati Waldorf School

I have spent almost every night crawled up in bed with your book... To me, it reads like a bestseller. Your book is a game changer. I am so deeply grateful for your admonition that we have a responsibility to teach skills. Again, thank you so much for this valuable contribution to our work as educators.” - Felicity Far, Educational Support Coordinator Lake Champlain Waldorf School

What a fantastic tome of needed common sense, excellent research and application, and above all, inspiration! Thank you for the years of focus to pull it all together for us. My daughter, a new teacher, received her copy and if she is not sleeping with it under her pillow, it is at least, close by. What a resource! - Anna Rainville, author of Singing Games, mentor and trainer of Waldorf Teacher s

You have put together a truly amazing resource. I’ve never seen any Waldorf related book this comprehensive and practical. It is truly a gift that you’ve created. This book isn’t just a roadmap, but a comprehensive resource that guides teachers in such a way that they are freed up to teach with greater inspiration and creativity because they aren’t bogged down with gathering basic information. - Anais Alexander, Teacher Corvalis Waldorf School

I just started your book today and I cannot put it down! Two colleagues and I have been pondering this exact topic... when lo and behold, I stumble upon your website and your book. This is exactly what our language curriculum has needed for a long time. - Natasha Zimmerman, class teacher Whidbey Island Waldorf School

Every Waldorf teacher needs this book. I appreciate all the thorough background info you provide on the stages of literacy development as a recapitulation of English development throughout history and how it connects with Steiner's indications. Really, really good stuff! As a literacy specialist, I also appreciate the "Sacred Nothings" section… I like how you articulate why some of these practices are not serving children. Thank you for the blood, sweat, and tears that went into this. It was no small feat! Thousands and thousands of teachers and children are going to benefit from this book. - Rebecca Hipps, Waldorf literacy specialist and Founder of Story Seedlings

A break-through….an essential resource for every Waldorf teacher who wants to ensure that good reading takes place in his or her class! - Bonnie River, M.Ed., Co-founder Gradalis Teacher Training Program

An incredible compilation of Waldorf and public-school methods that can be used both by private Waldorf teachers and public-school teachers. - Bethany Chaffin, M.Ed., Administrator, San Diego County Teacher of the Year, 2014

This book will be a bible for early grades teachers! Educators will have everything they need to teach early literacy in one easy-to-use reference. - Heather Handy, M.Ed., Class Teacher and School Mentor

The Roadmap to Literacy is an invaluable guide for all Waldorf teachers. It clearly outlines a comprehensive approach to the unique challenges of teaching reading in English. - Carla Beebe Comey, M.Ed., Waldorf Teacher Education Program, Antioch University New England

The following are some of the comments from a group of 1st and 2nd grade homeschooling parents on Facebook:

I have owned nearly every Waldorf Homeschool curriculum on the market, and most of the Waldorf teacher resources as well… none of them provide the depth and breadth of language arts instruction for grades 1–3 as The Roadmap to Literacy. The specificity, I think, is something that has been sorely needed—you clearly lay out both the skill progression as well as the “how-to”. Finally, a complete LA resource! - Amanda, homeschool parent

I can say Roadmap has been such an amazing help for me. I feel like I know what I'm doing teaching reading and writing to my 1st grader...

[The Roadmap to Literacy] has been invaluable in helping me help my 6th grader with her spelling and writing. We’ve been doing phonics lessons together with her 3rd grade sister and both girls have improved tremendously!

The Roadmap to Literacy is invaluable!!!!

I am going to highly, highly recommend it [The Roadmap to Literacy] to everyone, but especially those starting with first. I have just finished the section on introducing letters and I could have avoided MANY of the issues my older son has with letters, sounding out words, writing, etc, if I would have known these suggestions… I can't say enough about this resource.

It makes so much sense on how to teach reading!

The Roadmap to Literacy has really filled in the blanks for me on what I should be teaching and in what order.

Teaching Literacy for Grade 1

June 14-17, 2021.

9:00 am-3:00 pm PDT (U.S. West Coast time)

Presented by: Janet Langley, co-author of The Roadmap to Literacy* Patti Connolly, Waldorf mentor teacher of 30 years

Guest presenter: Anna Rainville, Waldorf mentor teacher of 40 years

Course Fee: $360 USD (add $25 late fee after May 15, 2021)

This course will include content from The Roadmap to Literacy: A Guide to Teaching Language Arts in Waldorf Schools Grades 1 through 3* by Janet Langley and Jennifer Militzer-Kopperl, as well as information based on the presenters’ additional research and experience. Access to a copy of Roadmap will be necessary to maximize your workshop experience.

Workshop topics will be presented through lectures, demonstrations, physical activities, informative handouts, and group discussions. Topics will include the following:

Day 1: Overview of the foundations of literacy including a review of our 2-hour online video: Tough, Bough, Cough, and Dough: Meeting the Challenge of Teaching English (This is the introductory session for all workshops.)

Days 2-4: Instruction for teaching the essential aspects of Language Arts including:

  • Speech, vocabulary, and storytelling
  • Phonological and phonemic awareness
  • Alphabetic principle
  • Handwriting
  • Sight words
  • Phonics and phonics rules
  • “Writing Road to Reading”: Kid Writing
  • Language mechanics

This course will also include: How to lead fun and effective practice activities to help students solidify skills and to help you assess their progress How to use singing games and poems to help students practice concepts How to differentiate lessons and how to help struggling students Understanding the importance of assessment and how to regularly assess (the GPS of Roadmap ) How to plan your academic year and prepare comprehensive lesson plans that introduce new academic concepts in an imaginative and developmentally appropriate way How to navigate and utilize The Roadmap to Literacy*

Additional Benefits available to you when attending one of our workshops:

  • Once you have registered, you will be invited to join our participants-only shared Dropbox folder, which has hundreds of free, valuable resources for teaching literacy.
  • After the conclusion of a day’s session, the recordings will be posted online, for a short period of time, so that you can view portions you had to miss or review portions you want to watch again.
  • If requested, we will furnish you with a course completion certificate for your professional development credits. The course entails a total of 20 hours of instruction, including the introductory video mentioned above.

Read our cancellation Policy here

Teaching Literacy for Grade 2

June 21-24, 2021.

  • Phonemic awareness
  • Cursive handwriting
  • Sight words, using symbol imagery and other techniques
  • “Writing Road to Reading”: Kid Writing to Composition
  • Grammar and language mechanics

Teaching Literacy for Grade 3

June 28-july 1, 2021.

  • Composition, including how to teach paragraph writing, letter writing, story summaries, etc.
  • Spelling, including how to select and conduct a spelling program and how to use dictation for assessment
  • Reading, including how to organize reading groups, establish a class library, and how to read non-fiction

Teaching Literacy for Grades 1-3

4 saturdays in july 2021 july 10, 17, 24, 31.

Presented by: Janet Langley, co-author of The Roadmap to Literacy* Anna Rainville, Waldorf mentor teacher of 40 years

Course Fee: $360 USD (add $25 late fee after June 10, 2021)

  • Teach the basic language arts concepts and skills that students need to learn, including the essential phonics rules that serve as the foundation for learning to read, write, and spell
  • Provide guidance on how to teach English grammar
  • Prepare comprehensive lesson plans that introduce new academic concepts in an imaginative, lively, and developmentally appropriate way
  • Lead fun and effective practice activities to help students solidify skills and assess progress
  • How to navigate and utilize The Roadmap to Literacy*
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Kimberton Waldorf School

Education That Matters

December 20, 2016 by Kimberton Waldorf School

Parents across the educational spectrum have been raising concerns about the amount of homework their children are expected to do every night. Even pre-school children are expected to do homework in some schools. Developmental psychologists and educators have sounded the alarm bell about the amount of unnecessary pressure being put on children in schools. At KWS we believe that homework should be a support and not a burden. We don’t believe that there is any value in assigning homework to young children. We introduce homework gradually in the grade school in an age appropriate manner. By middle school and high school students learn to manage homework from a variety of subject teachers. On average, we don’t expect our high school students to do more than two hours of homework a night.

waldorf school homework

410 West Seven Stars Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460 Mailing Address: PO Box 350, Kimberton, PA 19442 Email us directly here

ph:610.933.3635  f:610.300.5488

  • Current Students
  • Faculty & Staff
  • What Makes Us Unique
  • Summer Camp
  • KWS History
  • Mission & Values
  • Organic Lunch Program
  • In the Classroom
  • Bringing Waldorf Home
  • Working Towards a Better World
  • Admissions Process
  • Tuition & Tuition Assistance
  • International Students
  • Parent Child
  • Rosebud Garden
  • Kindergarten
  • Lower School
  • High School
  • All School Learning Goals
  • Annual Fund
  • PA Educational Improvement Tax Credit
  • Beneficiary Planning
  • Community Growth
  • Other Ways of Giving
  • Calendars & Contact
  • Student Login
  • BigSIS Portal Login
  • School District Transportation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

A Waldorf Journey

A Waldorf Journey

experiences, resources and advice from a Waldorf teacher on the journey

Waldorf Grade 3 Shelters, Money and Homework

Curriculum Tips , Grade 3 / January 20, 2020 by Meredith / Leave a Comment

Well, if I thought we were busy before the holiday break, I had no idea what we were in for!

waldorf school homework

Compared to 1st and 2nd grade, the beginning of our 3rd grade year was a whirlwind. With so many Hebrew festivals to celebrate, the peak of the harvest/farming season and so many cooking projects, each week was a flurry of activity. I was looking forward to the relatively focused, calming months of mid-winter.

Throughout my years of teaching, I have noticed that January is often a blissfully peaceful month. It’s a great time to dive into some juicy academic content, let go of all of the extras, and really knuckle down and learn.

The rhythms we’ve built all year have really taken hold. There are few distractions — the holidays are over and spring hasn’t yet sprung. We’re all ready for some regular classroom learning.

Well, third grade is a little bit different in that regard.

Even the math blocks are active and full of projects. And it takes weeks of preparation to make those projects come together. Because of this, as soon as January began, we hit the ground running.

waldorf school homework

We’ll be working on our class play in the spring, so it seemed like a good idea to get the traditional shelter projects out of the way now, while we’ve still got some focused energy.

waldorf school homework

Now, there are a lot of opinions out there about the shelter projects. We had some good conversations about this Waldorf tradition at my summer training. Here is how some of those opinions played out.

  • How valuable is it to assign a project like this? Often the parents do most of the work anyway.
  • Shelter projects take time and energy away from the skill-building work that is so important in 3rd grade.
  • The pedagogical value is in the exploring and learning about how human beings care for and protect themselves from the harsh environment. There are better ways to do this than assigning a shelter project?
  • Instead of a shelter projects, kids should just go out in the forest and build forts. Then they can gather materials and build miniature shelters in the classroom — without adult assistance.

All of these opinions resonate and make sense to me, so it was all on my mind when I sat down and thought about how to create a shelter project that would accomplish the pedagogical goals, but limit the logistical drawbacks.

waldorf school homework

You see, at my school, the shelter project is one of our strongest traditions. Our school is a place where customs are regularly questioned. We value openness to creating new traditions and abandoning those that no longer resonate. (Just ask me sometime about our decision this year to cancel St. Nicholas and Santa Lucia!)

I love this aspect of our school. But it also means that we don’t have as many solid, tried-and-true traditions as many Waldorf Schools. But the shelter project is one that has stood the test of time. Some of my students have been imagining their shelter project for YEARS! I couldn’t possibly deprive them of the opportunity.

So, here’s the compromise I came to . . .

  • We would take advantage of opportunities to build forts in the woods whenever we could. Luckily, our weekly farm trips this fall included a “forest play” rotation. Every week kids built forts. Yay!
  • In preparation for the shelter project, we would gather materials and build impromptu shelter projects in the classroom. This was a remarkably successful experience when small groups of kids got together and gathered moss, sticks, rocks and mud from our park to build shelters. At the end I even “rained” on their shelters so they could see if their little beeswax creatures stayed dry.
  • We would remember that shelter-building, since the beginning of human existence, has been a community project. Parents, grandparents, siblings, family and community members were all necessarily involved in the building of the shelter. We would all learn from the experience. I mean, after all, the children themselves aren’t the only students.
  • The shelter project would contribute to our skill-building goals, rather than take time and energy away from them.

With these goals clearly identified, I set about creating a project. And in the end I’m so happy with what we’re doing.

waldorf school homework

I feel so good about the direction our projects are taking and with the level of intention that our class community is putting towards them. We’re all recognizing that this is not about creating an amazing project. It’s about building studentship skills. And we want these kids to know that we’ll help them learn how to manage their work, and we’ll work in community, until they can take it over on their own.

It’s a truly beautiful thing to watch unfold.

Now, I’ve never taught 3rd grade before. So I’ve never been involved with the assigning of a shelter project — I’ve only been in the parent role for this one.

But I’ve taught 4th grade, and I know the level of intention and energy I gave to building homework skills that year.

And the more I thought about it, the more I realized . . .

this shelter project is the first homework I’m giving!

I suddenly realized that setting an expectation for follow-through on homework would start NOW. And because I’m a believer in the whole “start with the end in mind” principle, I knew it was time to put together a plan.

waldorf school homework

Now, I know there is all kinds of talk in the zeitgeist about the minimal value of homework. And it’s true. I don’t expect homework to contribute to my students’ skill-building. Homework is not a tool I can reliably count on to make sure my students are making progress in their learning.

This may sound harsh, but if you’re giving homework hoping that it will help move your students’ skills along, you’re asking their parents to do your job. In some families, this works great. Some kids and some parents just LOVE learning about things together and kids are grateful to get their parents’ help. And when this happens, I encourage parents to go for it. Use their connection with their kid to be their guide and trust in the process.

But parents aren’t trained teachers. And sometimes family dynamics and circumstances make those learning experiences really challenging. I know this all too well. My THREE children were raised by a SINGLE parent Waldorf teacher . We were doing well if they all got to school in (mostly) clean clothes and with PB&J in the lunchbox. There wasn’t a lot of time for teachable moments.

So, I get it. And I am NOT about generating parent guilt. Parenting is hard enough without beating yourself up over it!

So, in my view, homework is not about learning how to do something difficult that your parents need to teach you. It is all about building a bridge between home and school. Say that again with me . . .

building a bridge between home and school.

My students are so in the moment, it takes active energy for them to remember that school even EXISTS when they’re at home. We’ve got to strengthen that skill before we can expect them to be successful with extending their learning at home.

So, our shelter project is all about building this skill. My guiding thoughts are:

  • Building a daily habit of bringing something back and forth between school and home.
  • Making homework SUPER EASY AND FUN.

Of course, my students are SUPER excited about it. And I’m happy to report that on Friday all of the third graders remembered to bring their homework folders!

I am so passionate about the topic of homework (and yes, I DO think there is some value to homework). I have so many thoughts about how to set kids up for success and how to thoughtfully build that connection between home and school.

It really deserves its own post. Note to self.

Waldorf 3rd Grade Money Main Lesson

When it comes to main lesson, this month we’re studying money. It seemed that the best way for the 3rd graders to truly understand money was to have a marketplace.

waldorf school homework

I’m not the first to have this idea. I know that last year’s 3rd graders made little things and sold them to each other for and created class currency. I know that other 3rd grades have had barter fairs. So much fun.

I really wanted to make sure that the lessons of working with money were at the forefront of our work, and we have so much else on our plates at the moment, that I decided to create an imaginary marketplace.

waldorf school homework

We created a class currency and I sorted students into groups. Each group had a shop that sold a basic necessity . We first defined what that was and came up with a list of necessities. I was really glad to have done this work first. The last thing I wanted was kids selling imaginary iPads and video games to each other. The class did a great job of building that list:

  • winter wear
  • personal care
  • furniture and home

We came up with a list of 12 shops and throughout the week they created the following:

  • a store name and sign
  • 4-6 products with prices
  • signs for all of their products
  • currency — every student needed 10 ones, 2 fives and 2 tens. (They voted and our class currency was “turtle shells.”)

We used our Friday project time to have our market. Kids had to visit every shop and spend their imaginary money for imaginary products.

waldorf school homework

They had a ridiculously good time.

At one point, my assistant and I looked at each other and she said, “Isn’t it great that they find this so fun?!”

Yes. Yes it is.

waldorf school homework

Related posts:

Reader interactions, leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

waldorf school homework

Curriculum Guides

waldorf school homework

Explore. Learn. Grow.

Join our community and get inspiration delivered right to your inbox.

What is a Waldorf School?

  • Choosing a Private School
  • For Parents & Educators
  • Homework Help
  • College Admissions
  • College Life
  • Graduate School
  • Business School
  • Distance Learning
  • B.A., Classics, McGill University

The term "Waldorf School" might not mean much to people outside of the educational realm, but many schools adopt the teachings, philosophy, and approach to learning. A Waldorf School will embrace a pedagogy that places a high value on imagination in the process of learning, which uses a holistic approach to student development. These schools focus not just on intellectual development, but also artistic skills. It is important to note that  Waldorf Schools are not the same as Montessori Schools , as each carries unique characteristics to their approach to learning and growth. 

Founder of the Waldorf School

The Waldorf Education model, sometimes also referred to as the Steiner Education model, is based on the philosophies of its founder, Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian writer and philosopher, who developed a philosophy known as anthroposophy. This philosophy believes that in order to understand the workings of the universe, people must first have an understanding of humanity.

Steiner was born in Kraljevec, located in what was then Croatia, on February 27, 1861. He was a prolific writer who penned over 330 works. Steiner based his educational philosophies off the notion that there are three major stages of child development and focuses on the needs of each stage individually in the teachings within the Waldorf Education model. 

When did the first Waldorf School open?

The first Waldorf School opened in 1919 in Stuttgart, Germany. It was opened in response to a request from Emil Molt, the owner of the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Company in the same location. The goal was to open a school that would benefit the children of the factory's employees. The school grew quickly though, and it didn't take long for families not connected to the factory to begin sending their children. Once Steiner, the founder, spoke at a conference at Oxford University in 1922, his philosophies became more widely known and celebrated. The first Waldorf School in the US opened in New York City in 1928, and in the 1930s, schools with similar philosophies soon existed in eight different countries.

What ages do Waldorf Schools serve?

Waldorf schools, which focus on the three stages of child development, cover infant education through matriculation from high school. The emphasis of the first stage, which focuses on the primary grades or early childhood education , is on practical and hands-on activities, and creative play. The second stage, which is elementary education, focuses on artistic expression and the social capabilities of the children. The third and final phase, which is secondary education, has students spending more time delving into critical reasoning and empathic understanding of classroom material. In general, in a Waldorf Education model, as the child matures, the process of scientific inquiry and discovery becomes a greater focus as time goes on, with the highest level of comprehension coming in upper school studies.

What is it like to be a student at a Waldorf School?

Waldorf teachers move with their students through the primary grades creating a sense of stability and security. The goal of this model of consistency allows teachers to get to know their students very well. They understand how the individuals within the class learn and how they respond to the world around them.

Music and art are central components of Waldorf education. Learning how to express thought and emotion is taught through art and music. Children are taught not only how to play various instruments but also how to write music. Another unique feature of Waldorf schools is the use of eurythmy. Eurythmy is an art of movement devised by Rudolf Steiner. He described eurythmy as the art of the soul.

How do Waldorf Schools Compare to More Traditional Primary Schools?

The main difference between Waldorf and traditional primary education is Waldorf's use of anthroposophy as the philosophical backdrop for everything which is taught, and, indeed, the manner in which it is taught. Children are encouraged to use their imaginations as part of their process of discovery and learning. In a traditional school, the child will be given objects and toys to play with. The Steiner method expects the child to create her own toys and other objects.

Another essential difference is that Waldorf teachers do not grade your child's work. The teacher will evaluate your child's progress and discuss areas of concern with you at regular parent-teacher conferences. This focuses more on a child's potential and growth, rather than on the accomplishments that happen by a particular moment in time. This differs from a more traditional model with graded assignments and assessments. 

How many Waldorf Schools exist today?

There are more than 1,000 independent Waldorf Schools in the world today, the majority of which focus on the first stage of child development. These schools can be found in approximately 60 different countries around the world. The Waldorf Education model has become most popular in European countries, having even influenced many of the public schools. Some European Waldorf Schools even receive state funding. 

  • How Does Montessori Compare With Waldorf?
  • Reasons Why You Should Consider Private School
  • Parents Guide to the Pros and Cons of Homeschooling
  • 3 Practical Ways to Become a Better Homeschooling Teacher
  • 10 Facts to Know About Private Schools
  • Impact of the Common Core Standards
  • Is Homeschooling Right for Your Child?
  • Phillips Exeter Academy
  • Understanding Socialization in Sociology
  • 7 Reasons to Enroll Your Child in an Online Elementary School
  • What Is a Boarding School?
  • Effective Learning Environment and School Choice
  • 46 Back-to-School Quotes to Help Get You Motivated and Inspired
  • The History of Montessori Schools
  • The History of Sociology Is Rooted in Ancient Times
  • Biography of Patricia Hill Collins, Esteemed Sociologist

Would you like to explore a topic?

  • LEARNING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL

Or read some of our popular articles?

Free downloadable english gcse past papers with mark scheme.

  • 19 May 2022

How Will GCSE Grade Boundaries Affect My Child’s Results?

  • Akshat Biyani
  • 13 December 2021

The Best Free Homeschooling Resources UK Parents Need to Start Using Today

  • Joseph McCrossan
  • 18 February 2022

LEARNING TRENDS

Everything You Need to Know About Waldorf Schools

 alt=

  • October 20, 2021

hand holding a book outside

What are Waldorf schools?

What ages do waldorf schools teach, what role does music and art play in waldorf schools, how do waldorf schools differ from traditional schools, how many waldorf schools are there.

two girls doing school work together

The term "Waldorf School" refers to a school that places value on imagination during learning and offers a holistic approach to student development. The schools devoted to Waldorf teaching are also known as Steiner schools or Waldorf Steiner schools. These schools focus on encouraging artistic skills as well as intellectual development. 

Waldorf schools offer an alternative educational system to mainstream schooling. Along with Montessori education , Waldorf schools represent the most popular and widely used independent educational systems. Waldorf education is the largest independent school system in the world today, and it’s growing fast. 

Waldorf education was founded in the early 20th century, and is based on the teachings and philosophy of the Austrian philosopher and scientist, Rudolf Steiner . Steiner’s philosophy when it comes to educational methods is focused on meeting the needs of growing children throughout their school years. Waldorf schools aim to encourage kids to develop their own interests and skills, with the goal of inspiring a joy for learning that will last a lifetime. 🧑‍🎓

Within Waldorf schools, teachers are committed to fostering a love of learning in each child they teach. With a focus on inner motivation for learning and development, this educational system shies away from competitive testing and doesn’t push for academic success for young children. 

Waldorf teaching focuses on three stages of child development and educate infants through to those at high school. 

First stage

During the first stage, from when a child is born up to age seven, they primarily learn through their senses and through imitation. Waldorf schools provide gentle, sensory-rich environments with play-based activities that encourage young children to investigate the world. 

Second stage

The second stage is for children aged seven through to fourteen. At this age, children learn best through emotions and creativity. In this stage, education focuses on artistic expression and social skills and is for those in elementary education. 

Third stage 

The final third stage is for students aged fourteen to twenty-one. During this stage, students are encouraged to think more critically and have more empathic understanding. High school students in Waldorf schools are given a lot of independence under the close eye of their teachers. 

Music and art play important roles in Waldorf education. Children are taught to express their thoughts and emotions through these many different creative and artistic methods. 

At Waldorf schools, children are taught musical instruments and how to write music. Art and creative pursuits are at the forefront of the children’s education, and the kids are encouraged to explore their artistic interests in terms of drawing, painting and much more. 🎨

Movement is also a key factor in Waldorf schools. In fact, Rudolf Steiner created an art of movement called Eurythmy. Eurythmy is an expressive performance art developed by Steiner along with Marie von Sivers. This art of movement is used in Waldorf schools across the world, and eurythmy is unique to Waldorf education. The practice draws on the traditions of dance, music, and poetry. 

The biggest difference between a Waldorf school and a traditional one is the use of a more creative curriculum. Waldorf schools don’t follow the national curriculum the way mainstream schools do – they teach their own curriculum. 

At Waldorf schools, children are encouraged to use their imagination in the process of learning and discovery, whereas in a traditional school children will just be given toys and objects to play with. In Waldorf schools, children will also create their own toys in order to gain a deeper understanding of the world.

Another key difference is that Waldorf teachers do not grade the children’s work. The teacher will evaluate the progress of the child and discuss any areas of concern with the parents at parent's evenings. This allows them to focus more on the child’s growth , instead of on numbers and whether they are hitting specific grades. This is a fairly big departure from mainstream schooling which involves graded assignments and assessments. ✔️

Currently, there are more than 1000 independent Waldorf schools in the world. Most of these specialize in the first stage of child development, but there’s a variety of different schools in operation. 

Waldorf education is most popular in European countries, but has influenced many public schools around the world. Some Waldorf schools in Europe receive state funding and are heavily supported by the government. Waldorf schools are becoming increasingly popular in the UK, with many parents choosing to send their students to these independent schools. 

Steiner schools are quite popular in the UK, and these establishments often receive favourable evaluations by the Ofsted . In fact, an Ofsted report from October 2021 had plenty of praise for Brighton Waldorf School . Their assessment began, “Pupils love school, finding it calm, supportive and nurturing. You are never far from stunning artwork or the sound of music. Pupils develop strong personal qualities and value the rich range of learning, from botany to woodwork.”

Homework in Waldorf Schools

During the last ten years, homework has been the focus of many child development discussions and research projects. There’s been a lot of debate on whether homework is beneficial for school children, whether it’s a helpful tool or is best avoided.

In Waldorf schools, homework is limited. Daily homework usually doesn’t start until the children are deemed developmentally ready for it, usually around year 5. 

The Waldorf school philosophy involves a concern that homework given to young children may have an adverse affect on them. The idea is that children in their early years need to learn and explore the world through active learning, play and socialising with other kids. Adding homework to the mix during this important time could negatively impact the child’s development by lessening the time they get to explore and play freely. 

When homework is introduced for Waldorf school children, the teachers make efforts to assign homework that brings value to the students. Homework should be a natural extension of what the child learned in their lessons at school, and shouldn’t be an element of stress and worry for the kids. The homework that’s being assigned may be to pratice playing an instrument, draw an illustration, or read a book before bed. At Waldorf schools, there is a focus on homework not interfering with students’ time to rest and relax, because quality downtime is key for healthy and happy kids. 

Since research has found that students often suffer with higher stress and physical health problems when they’re assigned a lot of homework, Waldorf schools aim to avoid making their pupils feel alienated and overworked. No matter how you feel about homework , it’s important that you prepare to help your kid with any work they need to do at home after school. As a parent, it’s a great idea for you to look into how you can provide the best support for your child when they’re doing their homework. 📚

Why do Waldorf schools suggest limited media?

Waldorf schools generally operate with limited media use. Waldorf teachers appreciate that technology must have a role in education, but they don’t believe this is helpful during early years. Waldorf schools believe that children’s natural, instinctive, creative and curious way of relating to the world may be repressed when technology is introduced into learning environments at an early age. 

They believe media and technology should be introduced at the appropriate developmental stage, when a young person has reached the intellectual maturity to reason abstractly and process concretely on his or her own, ​which is at around the age of 14. 

Many people may disagree with this idea, since many young children are perfectly capable of completing sophisticated tasks on a computer, but the Waldorf perspective is that computer exposure should not be based on capability but on developmental appropriateness. 

How is technology integrated into the Waldorf curriculum?

Computers and digital technology are not part of the early grades curriculum in Steiner schools, although mechanical technology and the practical arts are incorporated at all levels. 

For young children, they are encouraged to play freely, use their hands to explore the world around them, and read or look in picture books instead of using gadgets outside of school hours. It’s no secret that most kids love using devices for movies, TV and games, but at Waldorf schools, children are taught that there should be limits to our use of technology – and they’re encouraged to try out other fun ways to spend their time.  

In high school, students at Waldorf schools will begin to use more technology. Computers and digital aids are used in the classroom as teaching tools across different disciplines, and computer-specific courses may also be taught. All high school students use computers and digital equipment at home for research, to aid in their schoolwork and for in-class or school-wide presentations. 💻

1-May-12-2023-09-09-32-6011-AM

Popular posts

Student studying for a English GCSE past paper

  • By Guy Doza

gcse exam paper

  • By Akshat Biyani

girl learning at home

  • By Joseph McCrossan
  • In LEARNING TRENDS

student taking gcse exam

What are the Hardest GCSEs? Should You Avoid or Embrace Them?

  • By Clarissa Joshua

The 12 Best GCSE Revision Apps to Supercharge Your Revision

More great reads:.

The Cost Of Homeschooling In The UK. It Might Surprise You!

The Cost Of Homeschooling In The UK. It Might Surprise You!

  • By Lucy Holmes
  • July 13, 2022

Learning From Home: Homeschooling Around the World

Learning From Home: Homeschooling Around the World

  • By Maria Vole
  • May 16, 2022

Outdoor Play: Why is it the Key to Positive Learning Experiences?

Outdoor Play: Why is it the Key to Positive Learning Experiences?

  • By Natalie Lever
  • April 27, 2022

Book a free trial session

Sign up for your free tutoring lesson..

  • Log in or Create an account

Waldorf Publications

"No Homework Day" and Homework in Waldorf Schools May 06 2015

Homework in waldorf schools.

waldorf school homework

Homework in high school is a little different. A recent study by a Stanford researcher suggests that 10 minutes for every grade level is “acceptable” but anything more can be counterproductive. They found that the more homework a student is assigned the more stress, physical health problems, and alienation they feel. The amount of pressure associated with homework in high school makes it more likely that students will fore-go social activities and hobbies instead of cultivating the critical life skills that come from social interaction and self-reflection. They often feel pressured to choose between homework and other extracurricular activities. When homework interferes with sleep and deprivation occurs, headaches, stomach problems, and exhaustion can easily become issues. It was also determined that when sleep deprivation occurs, it is less likely that the lessons taught the following day will be understood and absorbed.

To top it all off, the research shows little correlation between homework and academic success! So if you needed a reason or two to justify “No Homework Day” there you have it!

Resources Evaluation, Homework, and Teacher Support (Previously published as Waldorf Journal Project 5) How Meaningful is Homework? Elementary School Dumps Homework and Tells Kids to Play Outside Instead

Subscribe to Waldorf Publications - Library Lady's Corner by Email

Recent Articles

Now Available - Stories From the American Journey Posted on January 23, 2024

The Waldorf Class Play and Reccomended Reading Posted on January 11, 2024

Light in the Darkness- Winter Solstice in Waldorf Schools Posted on December 19, 2023

Welcome to the Tenth Anniversary of BUY NOTHING FRIDAY! Posted on November 23, 2023

Sprinkle a Little Magic for that Special Child’s Holiday Time! Posted on November 20, 2023

Martinmas and Waldorf Lantern Walks Posted on November 05, 2023

Samhain –– Hallowe’en begins in Ireland Posted on October 31, 2023

Bees — and Books about Them! Posted on October 05, 2023

Book Review: Handbook of Research on Waldorf Education — Jost Schieren, Ed. Posted on August 24, 2023

Book Review: Louis Braille - A Blind Boy Invents Braille Posted on July 24, 2023

  • #behavioral ophthalmology
  • #Waldorf Publications
  • Anthroposophy
  • Book Review
  • Books on Waldorf Education
  • BUY NOTHING DAY
  • Celebrations
  • Child Development
  • Collaborative Leadership
  • Damaged Book Sale
  • Douglas Gerwin
  • Early Childhood
  • Early Grades
  • Eight Year Cycle
  • End of Year Report
  • Environment
  • Fairy Tales
  • Foreign Language
  • Form Drawing
  • Grade Three
  • Grade Twelve
  • Groundhog Day
  • Guest Blog Posts
  • Handwriting
  • High School
  • Kindergarten
  • Library Lady!
  • Library Lovers' Month
  • Middle Grades
  • Multicultural
  • Pedagogical Section Council
  • Rose Ceremony
  • Rudolf Steiner
  • Saint Patrick
  • Scherenschnitte
  • St. Nicholas
  • Summer Reading
  • Waldorf Children's Books
  • Waldorf Curriculum
  • Waldorf Education
  • Waldorf Toys
  • Winter Garden
  • Young Children
  • Bahasa Indonesia
  • Slovenščina
  • Science & Tech
  • Russian Kitchen

Where could your English-speaking child go to school in Moscow?

waldorf school homework

There were no private schools in the USSR, and they have been slow to emerge since. However, public schools are popular with Russians, and some are very good. And the merits of private education aren’t perceived as obvious. Yet, almost all modern trends in schooling have now taken root in Moscow, and many are becoming a godsend to expat families. 

International schools 

The early entrants into the post-Soviet education market,  these schools have almost always ostensibly catered predominantly to expats. The most coveted, the Anglo-American school , historically limited attendance by families with a “Russian background” to 15% in attempt to keep an “expat-dominated”  environment, but has somewhat relaxed this policy in recent years. More accessible options, including the International School of Moscow, the network of British International Schools ,  Cambridge International schools and the latest market entrant -  Brookes Moscow , find their student populations to be at least 50% from Russian-speaking families, sent there to learn English, rather than because it was their native language. According to some sources, many grade levels in these schools now have no expats at all. The tuition, usually costing up to $30,000+ per year, as well as hefty entrance fees, will sound prohibitive to many expats.   

waldorf school homework

Traditional Russian private schools

These schools tuition fees range from a modest 40,000 rubles ($630) to those priced at around a million rubles (ca. $15,000) per year. In the upper range you can find the Moscow Economic School , Lomonosov School and Shkola Sotrudnichestva . More affordable options include: Novaya Shkola , Luchik , Mezhdunarodnaya schkola (Gribanovo), Nadezhda , The Academy School (just as much a tautology in Russian as it is in English) and many others. Unfortunately, it’s at these types of schools where an expat will have the least luck. Despite stated commitment to bi-lingualism, they depend, in their accreditation and reputation, on adherence to the Russian state-mandated school program and test performance. They require assessments in Russian to get in, and no capacity to teach it from scratch. They will likely reject a non-Russian speaking teenager, however many now do accept younger children.

Brenda Weston Bell is a British expat with experience working at, and with, various schools in Russia. She recently moved her 6-year-old daughter from an English-language program to a Russian private school, and believes that she is getting better value. Brenda says that the “international school” only had children from Russian families in it, and the choice of the environment was, ultimately, bad English versus good Russian. “In the Russian school [my daughter] was silent for about a month, and then she had a breakthrough and started chatting in Russian,” Brenda says. She would encourage other expat families with small children to take this opportunity to have them learn a second language, but warns that Russian private schools “do not want non-native Russian speakers” at secondary grade levels, because they are not competitive in all-important exams and could fail achievement benchmarks. 

Julia Casimir is an American with a 10-year-old son. The family came to Russia after a 4-year stay in China, where their son attended a local school and learned Chinese. In Russia, their experience was different: a Russian private school they approached refused to accept a non-Russian speaking child into 5th grade. The boy now attends an “international school”, but he is the only expat child from an English-speaking country in his class.

waldorf school homework

Waldorf and Montessori

Waldorf (Steiner) schools are represented quite well in Moscow. They range from larger, fully accredited  schools, that sometimes deviate from Waldorf canons, in order to adhere to the state program (those include, among others, “ Put’ zerna ” [“Journey of a seed”] and The Free School in suburban Zhukovsky), to smaller “educational initiatives” which are, legally, homeschool enrichment programs, and depend in their legality on the children’s registration at another school. The second group adheres to Waldorf material more devoutly. 

They are all undersubscribed, and often lack entire grade levels due to no demand. In the best cases, they have 8-12 students per class, for a total of 25 to about 100 students school-wide (too few to be taken seriously by the Russians). The tuition is potentially affordable on a Russian salary, ranging from 18,000 to 40,000 rubles (ca. $280-$625) per month. All either have enrolled English-speaking expat children, or said they are willing to - especially if the child attended a Waldorf school overseas.  Meanwhile, Moscow public school No. 627, the only school in the system that follows the Waldorf curriculum, is indefinitely full. 

Montessori schools are also proliferant and generally willing to accept foreign children - most are pre-school and primary level, where bi-linguality is achieved best. A larger, but more expensive, Montessori School of Moscow recently opened an educational center for teenagers aged 12 to 15. It is open to expats, but tuition costs 100,000 rubles (ca. $1,564) per month.

The challengers: franchises, democratic schools & cryptocurrency

Older Russian schools seek to remain unique and exclusive, but a number of newer private school  models have sprung up in the last couple of years, that are trying, with varied success, to start not just a school, but a network of schools, into which they seek to recruit franchisees almost as enthusiastically as students. They have all admitted they will accept an English-speaking child.  They are all struggling: to develop, to lease more space for future locations, to recruit staff and to find enough children willing to attend, so that their institution would resemble a school in the first place. Each of these challenger models is envisioned as both infinitely scalable and individually tailored - turning down any student would be antithetical. 

The Lancman schools and SmartSchool are noted examples of such entrepreneurship. Tuition ranges from 40,000 to 100,000 rubles (ca. $625-$1,564) per month, and Lancman seems to follow the pricing model for consumer goods, setting rates higher in what they see as more desirable locations. 

Those expats who are adept of the democratic school model, such as the Summerhill school or Sudbury Schools, will no longer be disappointed in Moscow. The Nos school (which literally means “nose school” in Russian) is attempting to implement the model with flair in suburban Istra, west of Moscow. A scaled-down branch has also just opened in Moscow City Centre. Since the premise of democratic schools is antithetical to Russian government’s requirements for being licensed as a school, these also require enrolment in a licensed “partner” school, at a further cost of 5,000-12,000 rubles (ca. $78-$178)  to a 37,000 rubles ($578) a month tuition, in order to officially progress grades or graduate. 

The newest and most enigmatic entrant to the market is Slon i Giraf  [“An elephant and a giraffe”] school - or, rather, chain of schools, as it hopes to be soon - which is based on a popular network of science-themed summer camps. The school runs a democratic school model fused with the idea of monetarily rewarding children to achieve milestones (the rate and type of marketable achievements, which do not have to be academic, to be decided collectively by parents). It declares itself tuition-free, while seemingly offsetting the costs by the parent participation in the promotion of its own cryptocurrency (a scheme which you have to take an online course in and be examined on to comprehend fully - but it sure sounds like something only Russians could come up with!). The founder insisted that it takes at least 40 minutes in person to properly explain the concept, evoking a proverbial timeshare presentation - but participation is open to foreigners. So, good luck!

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

to our newsletter!

Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox

  • Schools in Russia
  • A look at Russia's best school
  • Is it possible for a resident foreigner to send their children to a Russian state school?

waldorf school homework

This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more.

IMAGES

  1. Homework

    waldorf school homework

  2. Waldorf Grade 3 Shelters, Money and Homework

    waldorf school homework

  3. Waldorf Grade 3 Shelters, Money and Homework

    waldorf school homework

  4. Waldorf Grade 3 Shelters, Money and Homework

    waldorf school homework

  5. Waldorf School homework (8)

    waldorf school homework

  6. Early Childhood School at the Waldorf School of Garden City

    waldorf school homework

COMMENTS

  1. PDF Homework in Waldorf Education

    Focusing on child development, this report will highlight the history of homework in mainstream education, the history of Waldorf education and its approach to homework, the general effectiveness of homework at different ages, and what parents can do at home to support their child's education. Table of Contents

  2. Homework (or the lack of it) in Waldorf Schools

    Homework (or the lack of it) in Waldorf Schools March 05 2023 Over the last decade or so homework has taken center stage in many child development debates and research projects. In a child's early years, there is concern that homework will restrict a child's active learning by limiting self-motivated play and socialization.

  3. A Thoughtful Approach to Homework

    Our approach to homework is rooted in sparking students' imagination and creativity, helping them to learn to articulate their understanding and viewpoint, and cultivating a strong love of learning. The aim is to ensure that students are leading healthy balanced lives that include time for rest, recreation, free play and family time

  4. Thoughtful Approach to Homework

    In Waldorf education, we take a thoughtful, age-appropriate and balanced approach, where homework is introduced later (Grade 3), and is focused on meaningful assignments that foster creativity and further their understanding. Assignments will often include an artistic or project-based component as well.

  5. The Truth About Homework

    The Waldorf Approach to Homework Hype aside, it would seem a reasonable amount of homework for older students is a good thing. One of the very first homework assignments at The Waldorf School of Philadelphia is a model house building project as part of the 3rd-grade curriculum.

  6. PDF How Meaningful Is Homework?

    "People often complain that the Waldorf school is quite stingy when it comes to homework. There are good reasons for this. An education that strives to remain true to the realities of life cannot afford to focus itself on abstractions, even those that are common in the mainstream.

  7. Waldorf Education: A Thoughtful Approach to Homework

    Too often, homework becomes meaningless busywork that stresses and overwhelms students and their families, crushes creativity, and has little impact on children's future success. In Waldorf education, we take a thoughtful, age-appropriate, and balanced approach.

  8. Waldorf Education

    Essentials In Education Blog Waldorf Ed Films Waldorf 100 - The Film (English) Waldorf Education: An Introduction Waldorf schools offer a developmentally appropriate, experiential, and academically rigorous approach to education.

  9. What happens in a Waldorf school?

    In Steiner Waldorf schools, the point of homework is not to have school work at home; when homework is called for, its purpose is to extend a meaningful experience from what was learned during the school day. Daily homework at Steiner Waldorf schools does not start until the students are developmentally ready for it. Giving students regular ...

  10. Wisdom of Waldorf

    Rather than following the latest trends in education, Waldorf schools have stayed true to the pedagogical principles that are its foundation. One of those is the value of play. Another is to introduce homework and testing gradually and with intention and purpose. Sandra Easter, PhD. Read this week's Wisdom of Waldorf article here! Wisdom of ...

  11. Waldorf Inspirations

    An incredible compilation of Waldorf and public-school methods that can be used both by private Waldorf teachers and public-school teachers.

  12. Homework

    Even pre-school children are expected to do homework in some schools. Developmental psychologists and educators have sounded the alarm bell about the amount of unnecessary pressure being put on children in schools. At KWS we believe that homework should be a support and not a burden. ... About Kimberton Waldorf School. As an independent private ...

  13. Our Homework Approach

    Grades 1-4 Teachers at the Waldorf school of Cape Cod assign no regular homework through grade two. After a full school day that includes academic work along with art, music, energetic physical activity and work with their hands in fiber arts, gardening or crafts, children need to go home and digest what they have experienced.

  14. Waldorf Grade 3 Shelters, Money and Homework

    An impromptu shelter-building day. You see, at my school, the shelter project is one of our strongest traditions. Our school is a place where customs are regularly questioned. We value openness to creating new traditions and abandoning those that no longer resonate.

  15. Waldorf School Basics: Understanding the Educational Model

    Founder of the Waldorf School . The Waldorf Education model, sometimes also referred to as the Steiner Education model, is based on the philosophies of its founder, Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian writer and philosopher, who developed a philosophy known as anthroposophy. This philosophy believes that in order to understand the workings of the universe, people must first have an understanding of ...

  16. Questions about Waldorf education? We have answers!

    We have answers! January 31 is the 2024-25 Application Deadline. Learn more about our Who started Waldorf education, and what is it all about? Learn more about our balanced approach, arts-integrated curriculum, and screen-free learning environment.

  17. AWSNA

    The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) is a non­profit membership organization of independent Waldorf schools and institutes in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The Association was founded in 1968 to support schools and institutes.

  18. Waldorf Schools

    In Waldorf schools, homework is limited. Daily homework usually doesn't start until the children are deemed developmentally ready for it, usually around year 5. The Waldorf school philosophy involves a concern that homework given to young children may have an adverse affect on them. The idea is that children in their early years need to learn ...

  19. FAQ

    By the time students are in middle school, they have homework loads similar to those in other schools which can range from 60 to 90 minutes nightly. What is eurythmy? Eurythmy combines movement, music, rhyme, story, and geometric shapes into an art form that develops one's concentration and capacity for aesthetic appreciation.

  20. "No Homework Day" and Homework in Waldorf Schools

    Homework in Waldorf Schools Over the last decade or so homework has taken center stage in many child development debates and research projects. The increased scrutiny has even sparked a national "No Homework Day" which is celebrated today, May 6.

  21. Home

    Info Session: Early Childhood & Elementary Teacher Education. AWSNA supports the growth and development of Steiner/Waldorf Education® schools and teacher training institutes throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

  22. Where could your English-speaking child go to school in Moscow?

    These schools tuition fees range from a modest 40,000 rubles ($630) to those priced at around a million rubles (ca. $15,000) per year. In the upper range you can find the Moscow Economic School ...

  23. Moscow City

    🎧 Wear headphones for the best experience.For watching on a big screen 4K.In this video, we will take a walk among the skyscrapers of the Moscow City Intern...