Montessori or Waldorf?
Many parents who do not send their children to a state school or want to send to a corresponding day care center or kindergarten, when looking for suitable alternatives, you come across the now widespread Montessori and Waldorf facilities. At first glance, however, it is not that easy to say how the two pedagogical concepts actually differ. A brief overview of the basic characteristics of these can help.
Basics of anthroposophical Waldorf education
Waldorf education is essentially based on the anthroposophical study of the human being, which was developed by Rudolf Steiner towards the beginning of the last century. Even today, the views of the influential philosopher and esotericist shape not only the curriculum and the teaching itself, but also the premises.
- In Waldorf facilities, great importance is attached to a rhythmic and regular sequence of all processes. It is also characteristic that learning takes place holistically, i.e. with head, heart and hand. The consequence is that the craft and artistic subjects are taken just as important as the others.
- In Waldorf schools, for example, completely different subjects are not taught on a single day, but so-called epoch teaching takes place. Epoch teaching means: A subject is taught over several weeks in the first two hours taught in order to be able to deepen the content and to use sleep as a "learning aid" work.
- Furthermore, according to Steiner, every person is made up of various members of the human being, each of which is increasingly expressed for seven years. These so-called seven-year periods are connected with the development of the human members - e.g. B. the life forces (etheric body) are developed in the first seven-year period, the soul forces (astral body) etc. in the second seven-year period. If Waldorf education wants to act age-appropriately, it must take these relationships and the seventh of the year into account.
- In Waldorf schools, eurythmy, as it were, developed by Steiner, is also on the agenda. Eurythmy is an art of movement that trains both external and internal mobility (i.e. the involvement of the spirit and soul). It is on the curriculum because it can harmonize the individual components and promote artistic expression. B. is important during puberty. There is sound and music eurythmy, i.e. poems and pieces of music can be presented with the help of this art of movement.
- It is also characteristic that there is a permanent class teacher from the first to the eighth grade so that the relationship between students and teachers can deepen and strengthen. While this promotes mutual understanding in many cases, problems can arise when students do not get along well with their class teachers.
- Specifically, in the design of the rooms and the daily routine, self-made play and play areas are used. Teaching materials made from natural substances are used, which are intended to support sensual access to the natural environment. This development of the senses is particularly important from the point of view of Waldorf education, which is why the above-mentioned design methods are used to stimulate the senses.
Waldorf pedagogy is an alternative pedagogical trend, which however ...
The cosmic education according to Maria Montessori
While Waldorf education tends to encourage sensual and artistic access to things based the educational methods in Montessori institutions rely more heavily on scientific and psychological Realizations. Nonetheless, the so-called cosmic upbringing is an overarching educational theory concept with religious references.
- The educational concept was also founded at the beginning of the 20th Century by the Italian Maria Montessori, who also coined the motto of the institutions "Help me to do it myself". The theoretical foundation is the idea that every human being has to fulfill a "cosmic" task that has to be discovered in childhood.
- The teachers primarily have a supportive function. Accordingly, the focus here is on the idea that children are not passively crammed full of knowledge, but rather acquire this independently through an experimental approach to the teaching materials should.
- As with anthroposophy, according to Montessori's psychology, child development takes place in various age-appropriate phases. Nevertheless, it applies here that children are always differently receptive to different external stimuli and ideas at individual times.
- The teacher's job is to encourage a child's development as a "builder of his own" and to use suitable didactic methods to convey the content. In this respect, so-called free work and the concept of open teaching are of particular importance.
Since there are sometimes considerable differences from school to school and from teacher to teacher in which Dimensions the anthroposophical study of the human being shaped by Steiner or the developmental psychology of Maria If Montessori is actually implemented, you shouldn't rely on the pedagogical concept alone leaving. Try to get to know the teachers beforehand and get a sense of the mood at a school to find out where your children are best taken care of.
