Waldorf Academy Programs and Curriculum - FAQs
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Yes: in addition to admitting students annually, we accept students on a rolling basis if we have space. If your child is not happy or thriving at their current school, or if you have just moved from out of town, please reach out to us for a conversation or tour.
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Waldorf Academy has been providing exceptional education to thousands of students from Childcare to Grade 8 for almost 40 years, nurturing each child’s natural abilities to foster creative learning, social growth, and independent thinking.
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Waldorf education is the fastest-growing independent school initiative in the world, with over 2,000 Waldorf schools in over 70 countries. There are several Waldorf schools in Ontario (Richmond Hill, Kingston, Burlington, London, etc.), and many more across the country. While each Waldorf school is unique, they all follow the same educational principles. Waldorf schools on this continent are overseen by the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA).
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Waldorf education is founded on a unique approach to child development, and offers an innovative blend of theory and experience, academics and arts, science and music, class time and outdoors. Waldorf has a supplementary curriculum, and its own methodology. Examples include:
Academics with meaning. Our curriculum is academic, yet is balanced with hands-on journaling and visual documentation. The more you use your own creativity in the learning process, the more you make it your own.
Teaching from the inside out. Students learn best when they are developmentally ready for the material they are learning. The timing of our curriculum is based on the natural development of a child to an adolescent, as understood by Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education. Early childhood is enriched and unrushed; the lower school curriculum responds to children’s emotional as well as academic needs; middle school students engage in critical thinking, debates and major projects.
The journey of discovery. Imagine pretending you are Galileo and following his journey to discover that the earth revolves around the sun, rather than being told that this is the case and then hearing why. Be on the journey of discovery rather than hear about it. Emotionally and imaginatively engaged children learn quickly and retain deeply.
Special events. Want to experience the Olympics? Our Grade 5 class meets with other Waldorf schools in New York State for a special mock Olympiad! Want to understand the importance of agriculture and farming? Our Grade 3 class goes to an organic farm to find out first-hand how it all works. Want to be a medieval knight? Our Grade 6 class attends a Medieval Games event, and does a knighting ceremony. From Kindergarten on, we visit Apple orchards, museums, art galleries, and provincial parks.
Devoted teachers. Our teachers are passionate advocates for your child’s development, both internally and externally. The amount of care and attention they devote to each child in their care is second to none. For Waldorf teachers, education is a personal calling, not just a profession.
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Not only do we cover most of the material in the Ontario curriculum, we enrich it with unique material from the Waldorf curriculum. Our students are well-prepared for high school academically, and have a rich and deep cache of experiences culturally, socially, and emotionally.
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Children who transfer to a Waldorf classroom from a more conventional setting feel at home within days. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and it is easy to adapt to our unique methodology in terms of journaling and creative engagement.
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Waldorf Academy graduates have their pick of high schools: private prep schools, International Baccalaureate programs, Advanced Placement streams, specialty public schools, further Waldorf education, etc. Our students go on to Bishop Strachan, De La Salle, Greenwood College, Toronto Waldorf School, Branksome Hall, Montcrest, Royal St. George’s College, St. Michael’s, Central Toronto Academy, Ursula Franklin, Rosedale Heights, North Toronto, Abelard and more.
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Waldorf students are accepted to a broad spectrum of notable colleges and universities. Waldorf graduates choose a wide diversity of professions and occupations including medicine, law, science, engineering, computer technology, the arts, social science, government, and teaching at all levels. According to a recent study of Waldorf graduates:
94% attended college or university
47% chose humanities or arts as a major
42% chose sciences or math as a major
89% are highly satisfied in choice of occupation
91% are active in lifelong education
92% placed a high value on critical thinking
90% highly values tolerance of other viewpoints
Waldorf students are well-rounded, self-assured, and socially-conscious.
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Studies show that time outdoors and in nature is positively correlated with academic outcomes. Time in nature can also improve student attention, stress, self-discipline, interest and enjoyment in learning, let alone physical activity and fitness. At Waldorf Academy, we spend 25% to 33% of our time outside for both recreational and educational purposes. We have four natural outdoor areas at our campus, and spend time in Glen Edyth Park, Roycroft Ravine, Pump Park, and Spadina Gardens.
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Waldorf Academy Middle School students may participate in the Small School Athletic Foundation (SSAF) with teams competing in basketball, volleyball, and badminton. Grade 5 students participate in the coveted Greek Olympiad with Waldorf students from around the Great Lakes, and younger grades participate in sports, games, and movement classes. The Waldorf approach to sports is discussed here:
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People assimilate language most easily when young. This language ‘window’ is recognized in Waldorf schools, and virtually all Waldorf schools teach a second language beginning in first grade. At Waldorf Academy, we have three French periods a week from Grade 1 through Grade 8.
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Music education plays a significant role in Waldorf schools from grade one through high school. All students learn to play flute or recorder in first grade, and are encouraged to take up an orchestral instrument beginning in grade three. In many schools, wind instruments are offered as an alternative to strings in the middle grades. Vocal music is also introduced in Grade l, with the complexity of choral material increasing by age level.
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Computers, digital technology and screens are not used in the classroom in the Kindergarten or Lower School, although mechanical technology and the practical arts are incorporated at all levels. In Middle School, students may utilize computers and digital equipment for research to aid in schoolwork and for in-class or school-wide presentations.
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Yes, we do. Our approach to assistive technology is to use it judiciously if necessary, and to always continue exercising the ability in question (e.g., to continue practicing handwriting even if there is a fine-motor challenge that may require scribing, typing, etc.).
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Waldorf teachers appreciate that technology has a role in education and in daily life, but at the appropriate developmental stage. Studies show that excessive screen time and media multitasking can negatively affect executive functioning, sensorimotor development, mental health, and academic outcomes. The Ontario Board of Education recently followed the trend in other provinces and countries banning cell phone use in schools (except during lunch hour). We have always believed that all school time should be free of digital distraction, and that screens in daily life should be carefully balanced with time outdoors, in-person connection, movement, and creativity.
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Waldorf schools are non-sectarian and non-denominational. They educate all children, regardless of their cultural or religious backgrounds. The pedagogical method is comprehensive, and seeks to foster understanding and acceptance of all cultures and religions. Waldorf families and faculty come from a broad spectrum of ethnicities and backgrounds.
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From Grade 5 onwards, all students receive numeric marks on their assignments and subject classes, in addition to qualitative commentary. Middle School students receive two full assessments per year, and students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 receive an annual assessment. There are three Parent-Teacher meetings a year, and teachers are available upon request to discuss any aspect of your child’s progress, socio-emotional as well as academic.
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Studies show that the longer students spend with the same teachers, the better. This is called teacher-looping. Having the same class teacher for at least two years has more impact on academic outcomes than the amount of homework a student does. Waldorf schools have employed class-teacher looping for decades. If your child is in the Childcare, they will have the same teacher for the duration of their time there, and the same applies for our Kindergartens. From Grade 1 to 8, students typically have the same class teacher for at least two consecutive years, if not many more.
