Waldorf Academy Toronto Hosts Parent Gratitude Event

On April 12th, the Waldorf Academy Toronto will be holding a Parent Gratitude Event to recognize the commendable efforts that the parents at the Waldorf Academy make towards the community. There will be nominations for different parents, and awards given out based on a community vote of who should receive the award.

The award categories depend on certain criteria, such as who had the most field trip participation, but can even include parents who do talks on various elements included in the school curriculum. These awards are mostly tongue-in-cheek, with the tag line "No funds will be raised, no work will be done. This event is just for fun."

There are also many overseas students who come to do internships with the Waldorf Academy, and parents that go above and beyond to support these students will similarly be recognized with an award. It is a completely parent-run event.

While the Parent Gratitude Event is not open to the public, the Waldorf Academy, “wants the public to know how much we recognize and appreciate the efforts of our community.” They want to acknowledge that they are, “more of a community than just an individual school,” where parent involvement is highly valuable and encouraged.

The Toronto Waldorf School has been around since the early 1990s, which gives the institution a legacy of almost 100 years of a non-conventional approach to education. Waldorf asserts that its goal is, “to engage young minds in the wonder of learning.” Their core values include an, “abiding respect for each child that comes into our community and our belief that it is our job, in partnership with parents, to help them become fully and confidently themselves.”

In another effort to further engage with their community, the Waldorf School writes blogs on a variety of topics, regarding circumstances both inside and outside the classroom, for students, parents, and community members alike. One recent blog post titled, ‘How To Introduce A Tradition of Giving During the Holidays,’ lists and details six different tips to encourage young children to practice giving during the holidays, rather than expecting to receive gifts, which may lead to entitled behavioral traits. Some examples of the tips listed include, “be generous with people you don't know,” and “lead by example.” Here, it can be exemplified that generosity and gratitude is an important part of the Waldorf curriculum.

On their website, the Waldorf Academy lists the aspects of their curriculum that sets them apart from the average public school, including the use of art, movement, crafts, woodworking, and gardening. They also engage teachers in something called 'cohort teaching,’ which enables a teacher to stay with the same group of students while they transition through grades. The school also implements 'lesson blocks,’ which they say, “provides a concentrated experience allowing time for students to internalize what they're learning."

At Waldorf, students create their own books, rather than learning material from standardized textbooks. In these books, the academy affirms that students can, “document their experiences and what it means to them." Lastly, in regards to science, students are encouraged to ask a question, then conduct experiments to find the answers, rather than accept a theory and try to prove why it is correct. All in all, the school says that they apply, “pedagogical methods that are uniquely effective in bringing out each student’s full capacity."

Many parents whose children attend the Waldorf School have been pleased with the way the school teaches their students to behave, not only in the classroom, but in the outside realms of life as well. One satisfied parent explains how, “One of the things about Waldorf that is apparent is that every morning the children have to go to the teacher, they have to be willing to enter the classroom, they have to shake hands, and they have to make eye contact from a very early age. This is such a little thing, but such an important thing."

Another satisfied Waldorf parent relates how, “I remember noticing the older students, and I was really impressed by the confidence, the maturity, the presence of these older children. It struck me then: If this is the arrival point after the schooling at Waldorf, I'm in."

Those who wish to find out more regarding the function of the Waldorf Academy educational system and whether or not it's ideal for their children may visit the school's Open House Event on April 13th, from 10am to noon. They may visit the Waldorf Academy’s website, or reach out to the school through their various social media platforms.