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12stars
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| Posted: May 05 2008 at 11:47am | IP Logged
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I would like to know if anybody has worked with both styles or just one and why you chose one over the other?
I am really interested in Montessori for my dd next year but feel overwhelmed with what to choose and how to use it I have read some things already but how does it apply to real life when there are othe smaller children in the house that need attention.
As far as waldorf goes can anybody tell what you liked about it?
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JuliaT
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| Posted: May 05 2008 at 10:51pm | IP Logged
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I don't follow Waldorf exclusively. I mix it up with Classical and a tiny bit of CM. I came upon Waldorf when life was topsy turvy for my family. Waldorf was a soothing balm to our frazzled family. It instilled peace in our home when we knew nothing but chaos.
I love the emphasis on nature, crafts, watercolour painting, handwork, the use of rhythm, creative expression, oh, the list goes on.
I don't know if this helps any. It is hard to put into words just how much Waldorf helped me and my children deal with hard times. It is said that Waldorf is a healing education. That is exactly what it means for me.
Blessings,
Julia
mom of 3 (8,7,5)
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acystay
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| Posted: May 06 2008 at 11:12am | IP Logged
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I have really enjoyed many of the Waldorf things we do too. I do a combo of Montessori, Waldorf, and whaterver :)
What I really like is the art and imagination. I really don't like the fairies, but I've now realized that it is just play in my kids eyes. I develop a good foundation of Faith. We have enjoyed beeswax materials and dyeing silks. We have enjoyed felting and knitting. Yes, you can teach a child to knit! My daughter has been doing knitting for a year now and my 4 year just learned. Granted I still help a lot. I will tell you that you do have to help for some time. I love the focus on nature and being outside. I think my children really have looked at the world a bit differently b/c of this.
I do find it is time intensive. You do need a lot of prep for some of these things. The other thing I do not follow is that delay on academics. I just cannot fathom telling my child sorry not gonna teach you this b/c you aren't old enough. True teaching of academics doesn't begin until about age 7 or when the milk teeth begin to come out. I look at my 6 year old and see that she would not be reading b/c of this theory. She has lost no teeth! I have a friend who does all Waldorf and basically if her children come and say hey mom I want to learn my letters she redirects them to something else. I just don't understand that!? I want to have my children go for what they want. My son, 4, is doing addition only b/c he has just picked it up and enjoys it. We are also working on the 1,000 chain in Montessori style which he loves; however in Waldorf, this would not happen at all. I don't subscribing to a total Waldorf philosophy at home with so many levels can be possible. You will always have a child wanting to learn more and how do you turn that child away?
As for how we did the art stuff. I just had them all do it! It was relaxing and fun and rewarding b/c they can see results quickly.
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Sarah M
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| Posted: May 06 2008 at 9:24pm | IP Logged
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This article by a respected Montessorian might be helpful here. I veer closer to Waldorf than Montessori, but this article did do the compare/contrast thing for me.
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: May 06 2008 at 10:28pm | IP Logged
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Nice article, Sarah. Thanks. I find it rings true from my experiences as well.
I like Montessori because it is scientifically based, it was developed by a Catholic so no need to filter out ideologies that might be contrary to our faith, it is child-led, but mostly because it works!
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Theresa
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saminier
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| Posted: May 21 2008 at 12:38pm | IP Logged
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I have read a little about Montessori but had never heard of Waldorf before reading this forum and was wondering how it differes from other approaches, the artible link was helpful, thanks Sarah!
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: May 21 2008 at 2:44pm | IP Logged
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Here's another article comparing the two.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Sarah M
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| Posted: May 21 2008 at 2:57pm | IP Logged
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Thanks, Elizabeth. I hadn't seen that one before.
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montessori_lori
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Here's one more article:
Of Waldorf, Doman, and Charlotte Mason
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missionfamily
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| Posted: May 21 2008 at 4:43pm | IP Logged
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I know this discussion was initially about Waldorf and Montessori methods, but I wanted to add some thoughts on Charlotte Mason since some of the articles linked discuss her philosophy.
Waldorf, Montessori, and Charlotte Mason were all philosophies originally designed with classrooms in mind. Charlotte Mason's methodologies have been applied in schools just as the others have. WE have some friends who run one such school in Texas. MIss Mason talked about home education from the outset because she believed that parents and schools should share collective responsibility fora child's education, not because she advocated home education only.
I think it's important that we realize that we are all changing and adapting these philosophies to make them work for the homeschooling family and that mixing and matching ideas can in fact enhance your family's learning experiences rather than diluting them.
I lean more toward Charlotte Mason's philosophies than any other. I think her thoughts on habit and character are more important than any learning experience I can give my kids. But I have taken many wonderful lessons from delving into Waldorf methods this year and we are incorporating lesson blocks and beautiful materials and songs and movement into our learning with new inspiration. And I don't think Miss Mason would shudder at the thought.
In much the same way, Charlotte Mason did not emphasize the hands-on approach to math and language arts that Maria Montessori did, but the modern adaptations of Charlotte Mason homeschooling seem to have recognized that in addition to "living books", the wonderful math programs that are rooted in hands-on experience are the most suited to a quality math education.
Maureen Whitman discusses math here
And this Catherine Levison discussionoffers some nice thoughts on a CM style approach to math.
Just some thoughts so we don't shy away from one philosophy thinking it opposes the others directly. I think we can blend a quality education that contains some of each of these philosophies but best serves the needs of our individual families and suits us as the mother/teacher.
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Colleen
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lapazfarm
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missionfamily wrote:
Just some thoughts so we don't shy away from one philosophy thinking it opposes the others directly. I think we can blend a quality education that contains some of each of these philosophies but best serves the needs of our individual families and suits us as the mother/teacher. |
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Bravo! I think that is what fits the Real Learning philosophy best.Taking parts of every method/philosophy/set of materials out there and sifting them through the filters of our own families.
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Theresa
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JennGM
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| Posted: May 21 2008 at 6:25pm | IP Logged
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lapazfarm wrote:
missionfamily wrote:
Just some thoughts so we don't shy away from one philosophy thinking it opposes the others directly. I think we can blend a quality education that contains some of each of these philosophies but best serves the needs of our individual families and suits us as the mother/teacher. |
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Bravo! I think that is what fits the Real Learning philosophy best.Taking parts of every method/philosophy/set of materials out there and sifting them through the filters of our own families. |
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Yes!!  Colleen, I want to quote your whole post. Wow and thank you!!!!
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julia s.
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| Posted: May 28 2008 at 8:17am | IP Logged
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To follow up on a specific area --
Can I ask people who know ... does the Waldorf math and Montessori math overlap enough to blend the two together? I like the stories of the Waldorf, but the independence of Montessori.
Also, is the Waldorf math able to keep up with the norms expected in other math -- like if my child were to go into a math/scientific field later (he's in the second grade) would there be a lot of catch up around middle/high school?
Thanks.
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Mary G
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I like what Kathryn posted last week on her blog, The Bookworm
Quote:
Friday, May 23, 2008
The Penny Dropped
... and I realised I had a handle on the differences between Montessori, Charlotte Mason and Waldorf style education, as illustrated by nature study:
Montessori: Learn to identify wildflowers using three part cards and matching cards. Learn the parts of a flower with botany puzzles. Draw and label the parts of a flower.
Charlotte Mason: Learn to identify wildflowers through spending lots of time outdoors or on nature walks. Draw them freehand in a nature notebook.
Waldorf: Learn to identify wildflowers through spending time in nature. Listen to stories about fairies and gnomes living in the flowers. Paint pictures of flowers using wet-on-wet techniques.
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Now, I know that there are many other differences and similarities but that I liked the way it sums up the gist of these three really quite similar philosophies!
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MaryG
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Sarah M
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Thanks, Mary for that quote from Kathryn. That really sums it up nicely. I like that as homeschoolers, we can take what we like from all 3 of these wonderful methods and make them even better than they are on their own.
Julia- I (obviously) don't have first hand experience with Waldorf-educated children going to public schools later, but from what I've read, it seems that the major differences in what-is-taught-when occurs during the first 9 years of life or so. As I understand it, at about age 10-12, Waldorf-taught children are at the same level (with perhaps a deeper understanding, even) as their public schooled peers in areas such as math.
As for blending montessori and waldorf methods in math, perhaps you could use the stories as the "main" math lesson work (waldorf-style), and then have the children follow up each day with a montessori-style independent work that deepens their understanding of whatever concept was taught in the lesson. For example, working with the number line, geometric forms, or creating their own multiplication table, etc.
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: May 28 2008 at 3:15pm | IP Logged
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Here's Kathryn's perspective, and another thought.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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4Real Forums : Philosophy of Education
Topic: Montessori vs Waldorf
