We did not have a good experience at the Santa Cruz Waldorf School. It looks like they know what they are doing and the festivals and campus are creative and beautiful, but their view of childhood is archaic and narrow. The majority of children fall outside of this definition and are shamed and punished for doing so. Ninety percent of the children who started with the teacher my son had, had left the school by the end 4th grade. The teachers' training does not prepare them for current issues facing children. For example, my son's teacher would pray to his angel - I would strongly suggest that instead she take some training in conflict resolution or how to meet children with different capacities for learning or take a class at the White Ally Learning Lab. The children at this school are overwhelmingly white and come from affluent families (sort of a throwback to Steiner's Aryan influence). I found the teachers to be weak, insistent leaders and they were so ill-equipped at dealing with children's behavior that the classroom became mostly about the teachers. Their discipline methods were unsophisticated, subversively cruel and bigoted. The biggest regret I hear from parents who have left this school is that they didn't pull their children out sooner.
Sierra D.
Arlington, VA
2/14/2008
Haha, rate your
school. I went here for a couple years. Some good things, some weird
things. This educational foundation lets the child set their own pace,
its a little separated from the real world. I remember no shoes in the
classroom, a little lunch basket with a cloth napkin, gnomes, drawing
with pastels and no clothing with characters. I remember there was a
girl in my class that had never watched TV. I think Waldorf is
great.....they have an amazing Halloween festival there, and I think a
May Day one too. Unfortunately, I don't think I am the Waldorf
type.....but I also learned how to knit and I remember a lot of good
times being imaginative there.
Y C.
Scotts Valley, CA
Unless you're a
genius, don't go there or you will be so behind academically when you
leave. It will take months if not years to ever catch up, if at all.
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You may ask, "where are all the 5=Star reviews?" Well, the problem with those reviews is that many tend not to be too honest. I have included 4-star reviews that appear honest. Often, gushing reviews are placed by teachers and administrators - as some comments here indicate. "This school educates the whole child!!!" - 5 stars - by Anonymous... I say baloney! Notice, many of the reviewers have been misled by Waldorf and are still buying the PR, even after having been disappointed. Feel free to comment but understand the intent of this blog. Comments are no longer moderated.