TABLE OF CONTENTS
Here is a list of the pages on this site. At the end of the list, you will find some general explanatory notes, including "A Question of Quotes".
The essays on this site were written over a period of years. There is some overlap, some repetition, and some minor disagreement among them. I wrote most of these essays, but other critics of Waldorf schooling are also represented — including Dan Dugan, Pete Karaiskos, Ian Robinson, Margaret Sachs, Debra Snell, Peter Staudenmaier, and Diana Winters. Read as much as you like; skim or skip over whatever you find redundant or dull. I think you'll find that, overall, the essays present a clear explanation of Waldorf schooling and the thinking that lies behind it.
GUIDE
To move around this Web site, click on the links provided. You will find links in the sidebar near the top of each page, in lists such as the one below (each title is a link), and in references scattered throughout the site's pages.
Many of the pages on the site are tucked inside other pages. To reach the "tucked" pages, click on the appropriate triangular dingbats in the sidebar. For example, "Steiner's Quackery" is tucked inside "Steiner's Blunders". In turn,"What We Are" is tucked inside "Steiner's Quackery". Until you click on the dingbats, you will simply see:
∆ Steiner's Blunders
Clicking on the words "Steiner's Blunders" will take you to that page. But clicking on the triangular dingbat will reveal the titles of pages tucked inside Steiner's Blunders. For instance, clicking on the dingbat will produce this: ∆ Steiner's Blunders ∆ Steiner's Quackery If you then click on the dingbat next to the words "Steiner's Quackery", you will see
∆ Steiner's Blunders ∆ Steiner's Quackery ∆ What We Are
Another way to move around the site is to use the "Search this site" function at the upper right corner of every page. This produces Google searches of the site. One-word searches seem to work best. To search for a longer term, put quotations marks around the term: e.g., "blight of critical". Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. Ask Google. (It's too deep for me.)
The Table of Contents lists all pages, including those that are tucked inside others. Each title is a link — just click on it.
Most pages include extra material — illustrations, quotations, appendixes — that extend the discussion far beyond the central page topics. You can delve into those topics, and explore the connections between various portions of the Waldorf worldview, by visiting other pages here. The following Table will help guide you.
A few of the pages listed are not, in fact, on this site — the links will take you to other sites. To return, use your back-page function. Please note that I cannot entirely vouch for anything I have not written myself.
Home page, with statement of objectives
HERE'S THE ANSWER A short, direct answer to the question, "What are Waldorf schools all about?"
Waldorf's goals
How they teach it
Steiner, trying to make Waldorf education seem sensible
The use of "clairvoyance" by Waldorf teachers
INCARNATION Developing our invisible bodies
HUMAN EXPERIENCE The key to Waldorf
An overview of Waldorf schooling; a far longer version of "I Went to Waldorf", including:
WALDORF NOW Bringing the inquiry up to date: What goes on inside Waldorf schools today?
Waldorf schools in the 21st Century
What they're saying
More
A brief look at the purposes of Waldorf schooling
A brief summary of Rudolf Steiner’s doctrines and teachings
A guide for students and parents
Steiner's theory of everything
Some of the things you aren’t supposed to know
Debating and evaluating Waldorf education
To survive or not, to teach or not
NEWS
News about Waldorf schools [discontinued]
Detailed pointers on evaluating a Waldorf school
Reverence, wonder, and the aftereffects of straining for them
One family's story. [external link]
Steiner’s views on classroom discipline
Some positive elements, but also some worrisome reports
HELP! A parent's cry
HELP TOO Another
HELP 3 Court case
HELP 4 A father asks for guidance
HELP 5 Looking at a Parent Handbook
An inquiry into the “success” of Waldorf schooling
The “temperaments” as conceived and acted upon in Waldorf schools
Can a Waldorf school cleanse itself?
An overview and a parent's personal report. [external link]
CURRICULUM An overview of the standard Waldorf curriculum
English classes and history classes in a typical Waldorf school
The central mythology in many Waldorf schools: Norse myths
The Waldorf curriculum: the arts, and festivals
The Waldorf curriculum: math
The Waldorf curriculum: astronomy
Steiner on our solar system or "our universe"
The irrational modes of “thought” fostered at Waldorf schools
At Waldorf schools, ignorance is often taken as wisdom
The antiscientific nature of Waldorf education
A behind-the-scenes look at Waldorf education
Exploring the fundamentals of Waldorf schooling
Still further explorations
DISCUSSIONS Talks between Steiner and Waldorf teachers
"Practical" tips Steiner gave to Waldorf teachers
Anthroposophical value judgments
Selected, revealing quotations; includes "Anthroposophy in Waldorf" Perhaps the worst statements Steiner made
WISE WORDS Additional revealing quotations; includes "Last Words" and "Reading Steiner"
Two fundamental legends embraced by Steiner
Ties to Nazism? Allegations and denials
From SkepticReport. [external link]
Steiner’s strange version, tied to his racial teachings
Anthroposophical racism, recapped
Steiner vs. Darwin and the Bible
A comparison of Steiner's teachings with Christ's
Anthroposophy and hidden knowledge
Anthroposophy and Rosicrucianism
Steiner's strange ideas about the Lord The Earth Goddess; and the Theory of Everything: Anthropo-Sophia What Waldorf faculties aim for
About those "morning verses"
The religion of Anthroposophy in the classroom
Turning students into disciples
Why choose Anthroposophy when there are so many alternatives?
Occult initiation in Anthroposophy
EVERYTHING An examination of Steiner’s central text
Steiner’s extraordinary, sci-fi-like narrative of human evolution. The tale of our ancient past and our distant future, as told by Steiner. It continues in:
Steiner promoted love, sort of
Steiner’s occult conspiracy theories
No laughing matter: Steiner’s quack medicine
Human nature as conceived by Steiner and acted upon in Waldorf schools
Macrocosms, microcosms, and fallacies
The Waldorf view of the natural world Bizarre ideas about the universe: Vulcan, the Zodiac, Mars, etc.
More of the same: planets, Moon, and Sun
The quality of Steiner’s thoughts
Quack agriculture: astrology and magic Some of Steiner’s silliest statements (on topics such as gnomes)
WHAT A GUY Seeing Steiner through his followers’ eyes; includes brief chronology of Steiner's life
Steiner’s embrace of an architect of destruction
America, Germany, and Waldorf
Surprising violence in Steiner's kindly vision
A skeptical view. [external link]
Steiner and his followers, beleaguered What he prescribed, and — perhaps — why
Mystical thinking, realistic thinking Reports and advice from parents whose children attended Waldorf schools
A report by another mother who was drawn to a Waldorf school but left disillusioned
Describing the near-collapse of the Waldorf school I attended
Deprogramming myself after Waldorf
One more surprise, repeated
The emptiness of Anthroposophy
AID AND COMFORT: Sites that may offer succorWhere to go for further information: other Web sites
Laying out the truth clearly and concisely
SUPPLEMENTS: Additional quotations and commentary:
abnormal : what's normal and what isn't
adepts : putting it to use
Ahriman : one bad dude
akasha : ether and record
alchemy : for real
all : God and Godhead
all v. all : trouble ahead
altogether : all wisdom is one
astrology : for real
astrosophy : star "wisdom"
auras : Steiner on
avatars : before James Cameron
basics : where he got it
beings : goblins and up
best : Steiner's best shot
blood : and race
can't we all just get along? : demons and demonizing
Christmas : Waldorf-style
commandments : Steiner's ten
common sense : Waldorf-style
community : the Christian Community
criticism : left brain, right brain
democracy : Steiner on
differences : racist bilge
divining : dowsing and delusion
dreams : good and not so good
early earth : before Lemuria and Atlantis
ego : the spiritual ego, the "I"
epochs : great and not so great
eurythmy : its origins and powers
events : specifically, Christ Events
evil ones : Asuras, Sorat, Mammon, Satan, the Devil...
extremity : unspeakable
fairy tales : their use in Waldorf schools
Father : beginning and end
four group souls : us, sort of
freedom : a shoal on which Anthroposophy founders
Genesis : Steiner and the Bible
gnomes : and Steiner and Waldorf
Goethe : Steiner and
grail : what's being sought
guardians : of the threshold
hell : Steiner on perdition
higher worlds : at night and later
holistic education : the "whole child"
horoscopes : for real
ignorance : Steiner affirming
Islam : Steiner's view
kamaloka : etc.
karma : for real
lecture : what it's like to read Steiner
Lucifer : good and bad...
lunacy : that old devil Moon
magic : for real
magic numbers : numerology or thereabouts
magicians : black and white
Manichaeism : and Steiner and Augustine and gnosticism and...
Mars : astronomers and Buddhists beware!
materialism u. : worse than you may think
Michael : and the dragon
millennium : the will be that wasn't
Mithraism : the proto-Christ
moms : statements by and for Waldorf moms
morality : Anthropsophical ethics
more on education : quotations about education, religion, health...
Moses : according to Steiner
most significant : Steiner's key insight
n-word : the worst word, used in a Steiner school
"Negro" : Steiner on
news archive : old
nuts : brains and demons
occult lodges : the good and the bad
occultism : Waldorf-style
Old Testament : the Waldorf interpretation
our parts : human nature
pagan : not Christian
philosophy : magically, seven and twelve
planetary humans : on Saturn, etc.
planetary spirits : beneath our feet
plays : by R. Steiner
polytheism : Waldorf's universe
pops : aggrieved dads
power words : mantras, prayers, meditations
PR : efforts to "re-brand" Waldorf schools
prototype : our representative
pseudoscience : at Waldorf schools
Q&A : informed opinions, and others
races : Steiner on
reality and fantasy : what we know and what we don't
reincarnation : a basic law
RS on Jews : Anthro anti-Semitism
science : no good
seances : and mediums
Sermon : on the Mount
signs : and symbols
sin : Steiner on
Souls of Terror : the book
sphere 8 : a surprise
spirit : within, behind, and ahead
star power : astrology Waldorf-style
Sun at Midnight : a review
Sun God : the Christ you didn't know
supermen : help from above
superstition : for real
temperaments : tips for Waldorf teachers
tenth hierarchy : us, later
thinking : try not to use your brain
this very day : Waldorf and Steiner schools pledging allegiance
threefolding : down to earth
trinity : God, gods...
universal : human
Veda : via Theosophy
visits : not welcome
Vulcan : as it were
Waldorf astrology : wrong then, wronger now
war : this one and that one
white/black : Steiner on
will : and self-hypnosis
Yoga : sort of
zodiac : high above
ILLUSTRATIONS: Some of the illustrations used on this site are summarized on these pages:
abstracts: representational non-representational art
alma mater: the Waldorf School of Adelphi College (later University)
confirmation?: the subject is sources
drawings: characteristic Waldorf colored-pencil work
manifestations: a quick overview of Anthroposophy and Waldorf schooling
other paintings: not wet-on-wet, but still in a characteristic Waldorf style
Rudolf Steiner: three portraits
stages: our evolution
thumbnails: page decorations
For a partial listing of Anthroposophical illustrations used on this site, see Anthro Pictures.
Occasionally an illustration fails to download. If you see a small blue box with a question mark in it, in a place where an illustration is clearly meant to go, you might try refreshing the page.
An attempt to simulate a characteristic style of Anthroposophical art,
a style often seen in Waldorf schools. Artwork in the schools is often far superior to this, but aesthetics are largely beside the point. Anthroposophical art is meant to evoke and embody spiritual powers and beings — it is not art for art's sake, but art for occultism's sake. [R.R., 2009.]
NOTES
◊ While I take Rudolf Steiner seriously, I often laugh at his doctrines. Much of what he taught is preposterous. But be forewarned: Some of his doctrines are quite hateful and thus not at all laughable. And the harm Steiner's educational doctrines can inflict on innocent young children is serious indeed.
◊ My primary focus is on Waldorf schools. Many people find these schools attractive, at least initially. Waldorfs are often small, cozy, and beautiful. They can seem like safe refuges in a fearful world. However, any schools that abide by Steiner’s teachings are necessarily devoted to the occult, specifically Anthroposophy — although they often disguise this devotion. Understanding what goes on in such schools requires peering beneath the surface. I have attempted to peer.
◊ Especially important passages crop up in more than one essay. I don't expect anyone to read every essay here, so to make sure that various pivotal items reach as many readers as possible, I have stated some arguments, and cited some quotations, in two, three, or even four places on the site. If you come upon something you’ve read before, please just skip ahead.
◊ In my work, I intentionally hop back and forth between past and present tense. Using only the past tense would understate the continuing threat Steiner poses to Waldorf students. Steiner is dead, but his influence lives on: The danger is very much alive.
◊ What's with the crazy colors? Throughout the site, I use color more or less as I remember we used it in the Waldorf school I attended. Anthroposophists find mystical meaning in colors (as in everything else) — but there is no meaning to my use of color, other than to evoke a mildly Waldorfish atmosphere. And, assuming you may want to focus on Steiner's own words, I set his words apart by coloring them bright blue.
◊ Throughout, I provide links to other sources of information. As time passes, some of these links may become outdated. I will update them all if I can, but if you try to use a link that proves to be a dud, searching the Internet by keyword may take you where you want to go.
◊ Here and there, I have included sketches I have made. Most of these are renderings of illustrations found in Anthroposophical books. Some photographs I've taken over the years are also scattered around the site. I apologize for my poor artistic efforts (all of which are identified by my initials, R.R.) — I use my own sketches and photographs only when no other, better works are available for reproduction here.
◊ Whenever possible, I have turned to others for illustrations. In some cases, when the originals were washed out, I have heightened colors or added colored washes.
Wet-on-wet watercolor painting, also typical of Waldorf school art — and meant to have esoteric effects. [R.R., 2009.]
Anthroposophical art may employ virtually any style — there are no strict limits. However, all Anthroposophical art aims to convey mystical conceptions. For a discussion of the role art plays in Waldorf education,
Please excuse any typos at this site.
I hope they are few and insignificant.
I’ll correct them all when I find them.
A QUESTION OF QUOTES
When quoting Steiner, I often omit extraneous and repetitive phrases, which I replace with ellipsis marks. I take care, however, not to alter Steiner’s meaning. The best way to check up on me is to consult the texts from which I quote. I always provide citations.
Here is an example. In my long essay "Unenlightened" I use the following quotation to show that Steiner differentiated between the soul and the spirit: “The soul must not be impelled, through the body, to lusts and passions ... The spirit, however, must not stand as a slave-driver over the soul, dominating it with laws and commandments....” [Rudolf Steiner, KNOWLEDGE OF THE HIGHER WORLDS AND ITS ATTAINMENT (Anthroposophic Press, 1944), p. 96.]
The following a more complete version of the same passage, in which I include all words I previously omitted, and for context I include the sentences that appear immediately before and after the passage:
“The body must be so ennobled and purified that its organs are impelled to nothing that is not in the service of the soul and spirit. The soul must not be impelled, through the body, to lusts and passions which are antagonistic to pure and noble thought. The spirit, however, must not stand as a slave-driver over the soul, dominating it with laws and commandments; the soul must rather learn to follow these laws and duties out of its own free inclination. The student must not feel duty to be an oppressive power to which he unwillingly submits, but rather something which he performs out of love.”
Remember that my purpose was to establish that Steiner differentiates between the soul and the spirit. Including the additional sentences and phrases does not alter that differentiation; it merely makes the quotation longer while raising extraneous issues. That Steiner speaks of love, for instance, may be to his credit, but it does not change the distinction between spirit and soul. Thus, the original form of the quotation is accurate and more to the point.
The issue of context is complex. The passage I’ve quoted comes from within a long paragraph. The only way to absolutely avoid taking such passages out of context would be to reprint entire paragraphs or perhaps entire chapters. But clearly that would be impractical and — in some cases — illegal, due to copyright laws. The test you should apply is whether a quotation would mean something fundamentally different if taken within a larger context. In this instance, neither the omission of some words nor the absence of the larger context alters the point at issue, which is that Steiner distinguished between spirit and soul.
A final note on this topic. In omitting phrases and sentences, I may seem to be ducking some issues. You can check me on this, as well. I can’t deal with every issue simultaneously, but I do not intentionally ignore any subjects that are important to an understanding of Waldorf education or Anthroposophy. Thus, I deal with Steinerian “love” in the such essays as “Underpinnings” and “Was He Christian?” Similarly, I deal with Steiner’s conception of thought (a subject introduced by the phrase “pure and noble thought”) in various essays including “Thinking Cap” and “Steiner’s ‘Science’”. For a discussion of Steiner’s doctrines about the human constitution (“the body must be so ennobled and purified that its organs...”), see “Steiner’s Quackery” and “What We’re Made Of”. For more on Steiner’s conception of freedom (which boils down to voluntary acceptance of laws and commandments) see “Nutshell” and “Steiner Static”.
— Roger Rawlings
For a detailed examination of one of Steiner's lectures
— helpful in deciding whether I twist Steiner's meaning
by quoting him out of context —
please see "Lecture".
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