Sometimes I will say to a yoga student , as they enter class and I'm standing by the door holding an ipad, 'I can't remember your name but I know your energy'.
Thank you for the beautiful essay! I too attended a Waldorf rising ceremony this week - for 8th graders; for the daughter of a friend who I've been like an aunt to for the past 12 years. It was so lovely to sit through - even the parents singing to their children, which the kids appreciated with a minimum of embarrassment.
As I watched, I was torn, as I have been for all of this child's time in Waldorf. I absolutely love so many aspects of it that you call out - the humanity they see in the children, the attention to art and play is so beautiful, and the real community they create. And yet, as I sat there, I couldn't help but also notice that in this Waldorf at least (I assume this is common), the majority of the kids are from very upper class families (mentions of yachts owned, summers in Alaska and Martha's Vineyard, etc) and it just struck me as so unfair for who gets to participate in Waldorf - and other private schools. Everyone deserves an education this beautiful, and yet only those who can afford it. I can't seem to bridge those contradictory thoughts in my brain and my heart. I've been so conflicted for the past 10 years as I've watched this child grow up in Waldorf.
I feel like you have probably thought about this, so wanted to ask how you reconcile these things in your heart and brain? I'd love advice since I've struggled with this, as an outsider (not a parent) and really not come to any good conclusions. Other than, I of course support this kiddo and her parents, and speak only positively in front of her!
I totally agree with you that everyone deserves an exceptional education. I will say that at my daughter’s Waldorf school, this kind of privilege is not the norm – there is one wealthy kid in the class, but most of the kids are middle class, not even upper middle class. They give a lot of financial aid (this makes it possible for us to attend) and four of the ten kids in my daughter’s class have parents who work at the school. So it’s definitely not exclusively extremely privileged kids.
That being said, I do see your point. I think this is tricky territory because I have heard numerous parents in my neighborhood and in the culture more broadly argue for sending their kids to public schools (even if their kids are miserable) for social justice or because “not all kids can afford private,” and I have to say I disagree with this line of thinking. One, because most adults don’t voluntarily choose miserable or stressful circumstances for their 8-3 lives every single day because other people can’t afford a better life. Why should kids have crappy day-to-day lives because of this? It’s an argument that would seem absurd for an adult.
Secondly, this argument might make sense IF somehow putting your kid through that made the education qualitatively much better – but it doesn’t, at least not where I live. I have seen and experienced the dysfunction and intransigence of Pittsburgh Public Schools; no matter how much parents advocate or fight, the schools do not change. If anything, they get worse: more computers, more disciplinary action, more bureaucratic terrible decisions. There are infinite examples to draw from with Pittsburgh Public. I have also heard numerous well-meaning white parents in my neighborhood argue for putting their kids in public school to “expose them to diversity,” but inevitably what I’ve seen happen here is that those kids go into the gifted program with all the other white kids and their main experience of diversity is profoundly other. Meanwhile, and this is anecdotal, every single one of our friends of color sends their kids to private school. Why? Because I’ve seen what happens when we send our daughter (Latina) to public school, and it was awful. I wrote about that a while ago.
So I totally see what you’re saying and I think the system sucks, that you only get a nice or loving education if you have enough money. Of course that’s how U.S. capitalism works overall – you only get nice things if you have the money! Reason #584 why we are not a true “first world” country.
I don’t think, though, that simply sending a kid to public school as a measure of solidarity is working. 75% of Americans said in a recent Pew research study that the #3 thing they’re dissatisfied with in the country is “the quality of public education.” And the issue here is that it’s incredibly outdated. It’s a dysfunctional 19th-century model that has now been totally invaded by edtech and is not serving most children – especially the poorest. But we cannot seem to quit it and these big immobile bureaucracies are not changing (and are also, at some levels, quite corrupt).
Incidentally this is what my third book is about! All of these outdated beliefs we have about education and how the school system is broken – and I include private schools here too, not just public schools. I think Waldorf was the closest thing we found to homeschooling and that’s why we chose it.
I would be really curious about your thoughts here, too! How do you navigate this question? How have you seen it play out in your own life? What do you see as a potential solution here? Opening this question up more broadly!
Beautiful, Sarah. Sharing with people in my life who also sent their kids to Waldorf. Question: Does her school go up to 12th grade, or does she go somewhere else for high school?
Well, I didn't expect to be weeping over here on a Tuesday morning (it's the FUTURE in New Zealand, obviously), but here I am, grateful again for your heart, your words, the way you show us back the world as it can be, which is beautiful.
This reminds me why I was drawn to Quaker education for my kids — there’s a lot of crossover with Waldorf — the focus on who a child becomes, not just what they “do”, the multi-disciplinary project work, the values of community, integrity, and sitting with silence as a regular practice.
After 15 years as a public school teacher and admin, Waldorf was a surprising choice for our kindergartner…and wow has it healed our family and been the most beautiful experience for our daughter. I love this for yours!
Sometimes I will say to a yoga student , as they enter class and I'm standing by the door holding an ipad, 'I can't remember your name but I know your energy'.
Love that.
this was so beautiful. my heart was in my throat while reading it - thank you.
Thank you for the beautiful essay! I too attended a Waldorf rising ceremony this week - for 8th graders; for the daughter of a friend who I've been like an aunt to for the past 12 years. It was so lovely to sit through - even the parents singing to their children, which the kids appreciated with a minimum of embarrassment.
As I watched, I was torn, as I have been for all of this child's time in Waldorf. I absolutely love so many aspects of it that you call out - the humanity they see in the children, the attention to art and play is so beautiful, and the real community they create. And yet, as I sat there, I couldn't help but also notice that in this Waldorf at least (I assume this is common), the majority of the kids are from very upper class families (mentions of yachts owned, summers in Alaska and Martha's Vineyard, etc) and it just struck me as so unfair for who gets to participate in Waldorf - and other private schools. Everyone deserves an education this beautiful, and yet only those who can afford it. I can't seem to bridge those contradictory thoughts in my brain and my heart. I've been so conflicted for the past 10 years as I've watched this child grow up in Waldorf.
I feel like you have probably thought about this, so wanted to ask how you reconcile these things in your heart and brain? I'd love advice since I've struggled with this, as an outsider (not a parent) and really not come to any good conclusions. Other than, I of course support this kiddo and her parents, and speak only positively in front of her!
I totally agree with you that everyone deserves an exceptional education. I will say that at my daughter’s Waldorf school, this kind of privilege is not the norm – there is one wealthy kid in the class, but most of the kids are middle class, not even upper middle class. They give a lot of financial aid (this makes it possible for us to attend) and four of the ten kids in my daughter’s class have parents who work at the school. So it’s definitely not exclusively extremely privileged kids.
That being said, I do see your point. I think this is tricky territory because I have heard numerous parents in my neighborhood and in the culture more broadly argue for sending their kids to public schools (even if their kids are miserable) for social justice or because “not all kids can afford private,” and I have to say I disagree with this line of thinking. One, because most adults don’t voluntarily choose miserable or stressful circumstances for their 8-3 lives every single day because other people can’t afford a better life. Why should kids have crappy day-to-day lives because of this? It’s an argument that would seem absurd for an adult.
Secondly, this argument might make sense IF somehow putting your kid through that made the education qualitatively much better – but it doesn’t, at least not where I live. I have seen and experienced the dysfunction and intransigence of Pittsburgh Public Schools; no matter how much parents advocate or fight, the schools do not change. If anything, they get worse: more computers, more disciplinary action, more bureaucratic terrible decisions. There are infinite examples to draw from with Pittsburgh Public. I have also heard numerous well-meaning white parents in my neighborhood argue for putting their kids in public school to “expose them to diversity,” but inevitably what I’ve seen happen here is that those kids go into the gifted program with all the other white kids and their main experience of diversity is profoundly other. Meanwhile, and this is anecdotal, every single one of our friends of color sends their kids to private school. Why? Because I’ve seen what happens when we send our daughter (Latina) to public school, and it was awful. I wrote about that a while ago.
So I totally see what you’re saying and I think the system sucks, that you only get a nice or loving education if you have enough money. Of course that’s how U.S. capitalism works overall – you only get nice things if you have the money! Reason #584 why we are not a true “first world” country.
I don’t think, though, that simply sending a kid to public school as a measure of solidarity is working. 75% of Americans said in a recent Pew research study that the #3 thing they’re dissatisfied with in the country is “the quality of public education.” And the issue here is that it’s incredibly outdated. It’s a dysfunctional 19th-century model that has now been totally invaded by edtech and is not serving most children – especially the poorest. But we cannot seem to quit it and these big immobile bureaucracies are not changing (and are also, at some levels, quite corrupt).
Incidentally this is what my third book is about! All of these outdated beliefs we have about education and how the school system is broken – and I include private schools here too, not just public schools. I think Waldorf was the closest thing we found to homeschooling and that’s why we chose it.
I would be really curious about your thoughts here, too! How do you navigate this question? How have you seen it play out in your own life? What do you see as a potential solution here? Opening this question up more broadly!
Started tearing up at the purple butterflies. Waldorf for all!
This is beautiful. “In awe at being seen” - what a gift, that every child deserves. So glad to hear your daughter is thriving ❤️
Beautiful, Sarah. Sharing with people in my life who also sent their kids to Waldorf. Question: Does her school go up to 12th grade, or does she go somewhere else for high school?
Thank you, Melanie! It’s only 8th grade, so she’ll go somewhere else for high school.
Well, I didn't expect to be weeping over here on a Tuesday morning (it's the FUTURE in New Zealand, obviously), but here I am, grateful again for your heart, your words, the way you show us back the world as it can be, which is beautiful.
Thanks so much, lovely friend. Glad there is happy weeping in the future ❤️
This reminds me why I was drawn to Quaker education for my kids — there’s a lot of crossover with Waldorf — the focus on who a child becomes, not just what they “do”, the multi-disciplinary project work, the values of community, integrity, and sitting with silence as a regular practice.
What a beautiful ritual this rising ceremony is!
Tears here.
😭😭😭😭😭🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
I truly enjoy reading stories about things working well in education, whatever the setting, so thank you for sharing this.
After 15 years as a public school teacher and admin, Waldorf was a surprising choice for our kindergartner…and wow has it healed our family and been the most beautiful experience for our daughter. I love this for yours!
This is such a powerful comment. Thank you for sharing.