by Robert C. Whitaker, MD, MPH Delivered at the Parent Association Meeting of the Waldorf School of Philadelphia, April 24, 2019 Kara Swisher, an op-ed columnist for the New York Times who writes about technology, noted in a recent column that: “[Social media], the greatest experiment in human interaction in the history of the world […]
In Waldorf education, the lead main lesson teacher stays with students over the duration/course of multiple years, ideally from grade one all the way through grade eight. Class teachers stay with the same students to become a steady authority in a child’s life. Waldorf schools maintain this practice because solid relationships between teachers, students and parents are beneficial to social and intellectual learning. Not only does this allow the teacher to appreciate a deep understanding of each student’s gifts, but it also allows the establishment of deeper connection.
Søren Kierkegaard said, “Boredom is the root of all evil.” Indeed, idleness has been looked down upon for centuries. Recent studies on the matter have brought much new information to light, but for many of us, the long-standing notion that a bored person needs an “activity” can lead to a reactionary approach if our child […]