| A tenth main myth cultivated by PLANS in its anti-Waldorf
campaign, concerns the relation of Waldorf education to science. It has
the form of two sub-myths.
The first sub myth is that
the teaching of science subjects at
Waldorf schools is "unscientific".
PLANS tries to support this with three arguments.
The first concerns
-
the way the "elements" in Greek antiquity are used
in the lower grades, as a conceptual frame, as a first step in the development
of an understanding of nature in Waldorf education,
-
then continuing to develop an understanding of the
chemical elements out of examining the basic chemical processes of nature,
-
and ending, in high school, with an understanding
of matter from an atomistic perspective (the atomic theory).
According to "PLANS Inc." this way of through the
grades letting the pupils experience how the understanding of matter has
developed through history constitutes a promotion of "outdated, unscientific
thinking".
For more on how the "elements" are taught, see
here.
The second and third "argument" of this sub-myth,
used by PLANS to support its view that science teaching in Waldorf schools
not is "scientific", concerns the way our understanding of the heart and
of the nature of light are typically approached in Waldorf education.
For a further description of the "heart" argument,
and some comments on it, see here.
For more on the "light" issue, showing the complementary
ways Newton and Goethe approached the phenomenon of light, see here.
The second sub myth cultivated by "PLANS
Inc." is that
Waldorf education has not been validated
by scientific studies.
This myth is cultivated as part of PLANS's allegation
that Waldorf education does not give children a good education and preparation
for life as adults.
This myth is contradicted by the
praise of Waldorf education by distinguished educationalists and by the number of successful people who have gone to a Waldorf school.
It is also directly contradicted by the numerous
studies that have been conducted recently and over
the years, showing, for example,
This myth is also contradicted by a recent state-funded
investigation in the U.K. which suggests that the U.K. should integrate
Waldorf schools as part of its state-funded educational system.
Go to the overview of the
top ten myths about Waldorf education, cultivated by "PLANS Inc." |
