Why Waldorf?

Here are some reasons you might consider the Nelson Waldorf School for your child's education:

The Nelson Waldorf School provides a detailed, richly artistic curriculum that responds to and enhances the child's developmental phases, from early childhood through middle school. On a daily basis children are making and doing, creating beauty, and working with their hands: painting, drawing, woodworking, and knitting. Music is integrated throughout the day through song and the playing of musical instruments.
The goal of Waldorf education is the balanced growth of the intellectual, emotional, and moral capabilities of each child, and a focus on intellectual activities takes place later than in conventional schooling. Many child development researchers agree that children should develop basic physical, social and creative abilities before they encounter intellectual learning, and Waldorf education allows development of all these areas to occur in their natural time.
Nevertheless, the Waldorf curriculum provides a strong academic foundation. For example, according to a 2007 research report on Waldorf graduates in North America, 94% attended college or university, 42% chose sciences or math as a major, and 47% chose humanities or arts as a major (a link to the report is available here).
Waldorf educated children often become compassionate, community-minded, socially-oriented adults. For example, in the just cited study on Waldorf graduates in North America, 89% stated that they are highly satisfied in their choice of occupation, 91% are active in lifelong education, 92% place a high value on critical thinking, and 90% highly value tolerance of other viewpoints.
More than the simple acquisition of information, a Waldorf education is a journey of discovery. Our curriculum is designed to introduce subjects at the appropriate developmental moment, and our teachers create opportunities for students to experience deeply what they are learning. Our students encounter subject matter experientially, through story, movement, drawing, painting, writing, speaking, inventing, acting, sculpting, etc.
From the Waldorf point of view, education is not merely the transfer of information but is also the awakening of capacities—the ability to think clearly and critically, to empathetically experience and understand phenomena in the world, and to distinguish what is beautiful, good, and true.
The Nelson Waldorf School embraces our cultural diversity and honours the human experience through traditions. All grades participate in annual festivals that encourage us to reflect and celebrate the connection of our lives to a deeper purpose.
Waldorf Education aims to develop well-rounded children who are knowledgeable about the world and human history and culture, who have many varied practical and artistic abilities, who feel a deep reverence for the natural world, and who can act with initiative and in freedom in the face of life's challenges.
Waldorf schools offer a refreshing, slower-paced alternative to the frantic, busy, noisy, and rushed pace that is often the norm today.
To reflect our mission to provide Waldorf education to families without religious, racial, social or economic prejudice, the Nelson Waldorf School offers a tuition reduction program (full details are available here).
Full tuition scholarships are available for new families for grades 1-8 for the 2009/10 school year (contact the school for more details).
And finally, Nelson is a great place to live and to raise a family!