Green Meadow Waldorf school student, Madeline Abrams, is recognized for her contribution to environmentalism. Waldorf Academy’s curriculum places a premium on fostering student’s connection to nature, and building environmental stewardship.

Teacher looping refers to the practice of keeping the same teacher with the same group of students for at least two years in a row. Studies now confirm that teacher looping is strongly correlated with better educational outcomes, surpassing those associated with extra time during homework. Waldorf schools have been using teacher looping for decades based on the knowledge that longevity of relationship is a hallmark of effective learning.

The Government of Ontario’s Board of Education recently followed the lead of other districts in banning cell phones from the classroom - but not during lunch and recess. Not only that, but public school teachers are required to enforce the new rule. At Waldorf Academy, no students use cell phones at any time, and never have. Most students don’t bring cellphones to school at all. Middle school students who need cell phones for after-school purposes keep their devices in their backpacks throughout the school day, and Yondr pouches are used if needed. At Waldorf Academy we believe that school is a time to be free of social media, advertising, and constant contact to allow undistracted and unrushed learning to take place. No teacher enforcement is required.

Waldorf schools have always taught cursive writing starting in Grade 2, and students in every grade journal their learning by hand in large freeform books. Waldorf Academy’s curriculum is based on proven theory that using your hands - which are an extension of your will -  in your learning process, deepens and transforms it.

A study published in American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) found that children’s prosocial skills predict key successful outcomes for adolescents and adults including education levels, employment stability, and increased mental well being.

“Instead of rote learning useless facts, children need to be taught well-being.”

– Alice O’Keefe in her opinion piece for The Guardian (March 2020)

And while we may dispute that there’s such a thing as “useless facts” (can there really be?), we do wholeheartedly agree that:

“To equip young people to face the challenges of the 21st century, they need to understand their minds and bodies.”

Why do we care so much about our children’s growing dependence on devices?