I recently became interested in alternative education, as a result I decided to take on the alternative curriculum course here at Adelaide Uni. Last week we focused on Steiner education and its philosophies. This coincided with the autumn fair at Willunga Waldorf School. On Saturday Shaun, Danika and I went to Willunga to see if we could find out a little more about the school and how it operates. We had a totally brilliant day, not only was the weather perfect but the teachers and support staff at Willunga were very welcoming and happy to answer our questions. One of the teachers, Rachel (I forget her surname), was kind enough to show us around and tell us about her time at the school.
What struck me about the school was the sense of community. Teachers get to know all of the students and the parents too. Parents were volunteering everywhere, I even saw some grandparents drop off homemade cakes for the bake sale. Each class performed something, whether it was a dance, song or poem. People from the community performed and played music too. I had such a wonderful day, the school creates a real positive learning environment. I have not decided if I will definitely work in a Steiner school, however, I will use some of the ideas and philosophies I have learned in my future lesson plans, even if I work in a mainstream school.
What struck me about the school was the sense of community. Teachers get to know all of the students and the parents too. Parents were volunteering everywhere, I even saw some grandparents drop off homemade cakes for the bake sale. Each class performed something, whether it was a dance, song or poem. People from the community performed and played music too. I had such a wonderful day, the school creates a real positive learning environment. I have not decided if I will definitely work in a Steiner school, however, I will use some of the ideas and philosophies I have learned in my future lesson plans, even if I work in a mainstream school.