Steiner schools and anthroposophy

[Dagsannr]

I phoned a Waldorf College for Science and Art in my UK town to ask about the science taught there.
I was told the students (aged 16 to 19) learn science in their pottery lessons.
I questioned the name of the college and was told we can only learn science by 'doing it'. Everything else is imaginary according to the woman I spoke to.
I suppose when these people get on a plane they imagine it might fly.

Yeah, and good luck learning molecular orbital theory by making vases.

Waldof learning is what happens when art students think they can do science.

Plus, anthroposophy is a pile of horse crap.

[Michael]

No, horse crap is good for rhubarb

[Roger Stanyard]

I phoned a Waldorf College for Science and Art in my UK town to ask about the science taught there.
I was told the students (aged 16 to 19) learn science in their pottery lessons.
I questioned the name of the college and was told we can only learn science by 'doing it'. Everything else is imaginary according to the woman I spoke to.
I suppose when these people get on a plane they imagine it might fly.

Yeah, and good luck learning molecular orbital theory by making vases.

Waldof learning is what happens when art students think they can do science.

Perhaps. But science and art are the two greatest of bedfellows. They both thrive on imagination and originality and when each sees into the other's mind, it's near magic.

How many creationists are artists? Only Philip Snow springs to mind. Why are fundamentalist churches usually devoid of beauty and art?

[Michael]

All creationists are artists. Con-artists

[Roger Stanyard]

All creationists are artists. Con-artists

Yes but that requires guile, not imagination and skills.

[Dagsannr]

All creationists are artists. Con-artists

Yes but that requires guile, not imagination and skills.

I dunno, Henry Morris' book required some skill and imagination and the hoop-jumping and loophole-making that's required to get the Noah's Ark story to even be slightly plausible are the epitome of imagination.

Plus, aren't fundie churchs devoid of decoration from some hold-over of the puritanical era and the Brethren movement? I remember the services at the church I attended as a child were in (until it's gradual shift away from Brethren and more towards mainstream evangelical) a featureless beige room, rows and rows of identical chairs and 1800's hymns sung without music.

I recall a lot of people leaving when the organ was introduced into Sunday morning worship and a significant level of criticism levelled at the musicians when a live band was brought in for the evening service.

[cathy]

dunno, Henry Morris' book required some skill and imagination and the hoop-jumping and loophole-making that's required to get the Noah's Ark story to even be slightly plausible are the epitome of imaginatio

No - imagination is a skill that allows you to suspend disbelief for a while to believe in something that isn't real for fun. Even tho you know it isn't real. Like a novel or a film or tv. A novel where you can't temporarily suspend disbelief and care about the characters lacks imagination. Or poetry allows you to enjoy the language.

Creationism lacks imagination cos its dull, inane and impossible to suspend disbelief, Its not very imaginative its more being sulkily illogical and repetitive and ignoring anything said to you. So Morris wasn't imaginitive he was illogical and silly. Like all the creationists that came after him.

If Marc was imaginative he'd come up with some responses to questions asked and points raised rather than just rephrasing the same old mantras. So would his peers. Ever heard anything new from them?

[Brian Jordan]

All creationists are artists. Con-artists

Yes but that requires guile, not imagination and skills.

But Roger, they can imagine six impossible things before breakfast!

[jon_12091]

I was told the students (aged 16 to 19) learn science in their pottery lessons.

There's actually a hefty amount of science in clay and ceramics.

Apparently they also do so by building a forge....
http://waldorfcollege.org.uk/waldorf-college/
On the plus side this educational experiment isn't paid for by tax payers as far as I can see.

I questioned the name of the college and was told we can only learn science by 'doing it'.

Ok, interesting premise which actually has something going for it IMO.

Everything else is imaginary according to the woman I spoke to.

Oh, dear, this makes me wonder if the 'science' being taught includes being told that the you need to release the clay's inner pot and that kiln explosions are the result of bad karma being transferred from the potter to the clay.

If you're planning a university career that requires you to demonstrate so formal science education you may wish to choose an alternative educational provider, a sink comprehensive on special measures is probably a better bet, unless your painfully intelligent and get through on interview.

[00Laura00]

On the plus side this educational experiment isn't paid for by tax payers as far as I can see

Actually Jon the point about this post was the rise of Steiner Free School very much paid for by the tax payer =Having gone along to a very poorly attended meeting in Exeter, I am very concerned at the prospect on several sides

Science teaching -very weak and misguided
Anthroposophy - seemingly racist and certainly discriminatory twaddle
Anti - vaccine policy esp vaccines for rubella to prevent problems to unborn children later for teenage girls and the problem of measles clusters etc (not everyone can have vaccines those people will be at risk. )
Narrow curriculum esp for those who fall foul of anthroposophy why would you deter a child who wants to read or write?
Many who fail need retaught in another state school with extra help thus tax payer pays twice

A 600 person primary and secondary school is proposed in Exeter if they can find an existing building to re- use. DCC will not need to provide an extra school if they do, something I suspect the current administration may find appealing.

Steiner is very vogue with Gove el al, therefore anything to pin on them would be useful

Laura (who is not fond of any weird extremist educational establishments of any kind and really prefers a good local bog-standard school for all if the truth be known.)

[Brian Jordan]

Steiner is very vogue with Gove el al, therefore anything to pin on them would be useful

It should be the other way round, pinning Steiner on Gove. Is their no end to that man's determination to give our children's education away?

[jon_12091]

On the plus side this educational experiment isn't paid for by tax payers as far as I can see

Actually Jon the point about this post was the rise of Steiner Free School very much paid for by the tax payer =Having gone along to a very poorly attended meeting in Exeter, I am very concerned at the prospect on several sides

Steiner Free schools are /would be BCSE's problem (IMO only), though we lack any coherent idea about what is actaully taught (mind you its entirely possible not even the schools themselves know that!). Anthrosophic 'science' is pure pseudoscience and mystiscism of a rank even creationism doesn't aspire to.

Stow AFAIK is an independant.

[Helen]

The educational establishment in question
http://waldorfcollege.org.uk/
claims to be independent, but reading the info tells us 'Bridging the Gap' a 2 year full time course, is funded and accredited through the local 6th form college. I can't get anyone from either college to talk to me about funding atm.

[jon_12091]

The educational establishment in question
http://waldorfcollege.org.uk/
claims to be independent, but reading the info tells us 'Bridging the Gap' a 2 year full time course, is funded and accredited through the local 6th form college. I can't get anyone from either college to talk to me about funding atm.

Its a BTEC in learning for life skills apparently. The full content of the curriculum should be publicly available from someone. They do apparently learn about biodynamic farming - which is somewhat outside my sphere of learning.

[Peter Henderson]

On the plus side this educational experiment isn't paid for by tax payers as far as I can see

Actually Jon the point about this post was the rise of Steiner Free School very much paid for by the tax payer =Having gone along to a very poorly attended meeting in Exeter, I am very concerned at the prospect on several sides

Steiner Free schools are /would be BCSE's problem (IMO only), though we lack any coherent idea about what is actaully taught (mind you its entirely possible not even the schools themselves know that!). Anthrosophic 'science' is pure pseudoscience and mystiscism of a rank even creationism doesn't aspire to.

Stow AFAIK is an independant.

Glencraig (where my son attends) plant crops according to the phases of the moon:

http://www.the-gardeners-calendar.co.uk ... anting.asp

and claim it does get results. I know it's woo, but it seems harmless enough (given the mental capabilities of the kids there).

Then again, Belfast City council employed diviners to locate lost gas pipes when i worked for Belfast Gas Department in the mid 70s.