Washington Waldorf School

My son went to this school for 2 years for pre-school and it was a horrible experience. They have no patience or tolerance for anyone who is energetic or has a mind of their own. They were very discriminatory toward me as a mom who worked outside the home. We tried to move our son to a different class with reportedly better teachers and were not allowed to do so and then his teachers were very retaliatory toward him the rest of the school year.

I went to the Waldorf School and I did not learn the skills one needs to be useful in modern society. The school is behind in Math, reading (two very basic skills) and kids do not learn to use computers until high school, posing a big problem because typing is a skill most children learn in elementary school. Unfortunately I only have horrible memories of this school after my second grade year. After the second grade I remember not fitting in with kids in my neighborhood because I couldn't’t read and could not relate to those in my age range because of the lack of exposure to current topics a normal elementary school student should be exposed to. The Waldorf School did not expose us to the things we need to function in society today. The philosophy has not adapted to the times we live in. The philosophy is based around spirituality and creativity, however the philosophy in practice was quite restrictive. We were not allowed to draw outlines when drawing people and were not allowed to give them facial expressions (very strange). Young children should not have an artistic philosophy imposed on them at such a young age because it restricts creativity. This strange rule was said to keep us from drawing fixed expressions on the faces of people to help us imagine the possible expressions a person could have. But taking away a pencil from a young child who has the creativity to imagine the facial expressions of a person and put them down on paper in pencil? THATS CRAZY! My experience was not pleasant because I felt cut off from people my own age who did not go to Waldorf and restricted. Also, if your child gets a primary teacher that is not very good, they are stuck with that teacher until 8th grade for all major subjects. The odds for the success of a Waldorf teacher are already not in the school's favor, seeing as each class roughly has about 16 students and 1 teacher is expected to teach English, Arithmetic, Writing, Drawing, Painting, History, Social Studies etc. In several different ways to accommodate different learning styles. It was my experience that my teacher was not a good teacher because she did not teach us to read or do simple math problems. She only taught things one way and did not give us individual attention if needed. My teacher lowered my self -esteem and made me feel like I was stupid and incompetent, when really I was a young child who was not getting adequate attention. No teacher should ever make a child feel that way. Today I am a successful participant in the modern world due to years of tutoring that got me up to a normal grade level proficiency for Maryland. I really do fault Waldorf for making me feel inadequate, when really in all of the schools I have been to post Waldorf have felt quite the opposite about my potential and performance. Waldorf can be great for young children because it does foster creativity in pre-k to about second grade. After second grade it is important to find an educational program that will help foster creativity AND LEARNING! (to ensure your child in up to grade level proficiency). Also be warned that Waldorf claims to be slow on some things and then catch up later, my experience was that we never really caught up. If someone gets a great teacher at Waldorf they may have a positive experience and do very well, however if a child has a bad teacher that does not suit their learning style etc. the experience can be hellish and feel like a cult for that child. It seems to me that the Waldorf system has poor odds for the success of their students with the teachers and classroom structure.

A wonderful school. The Washington Waldorf School gave to both of our children a depth of feeling for the world that made me wish I too could have attended a Waldorf school. The academics are excellent and always tied to something more -- a sense for beauty and morality. What also stands out is the full respect the education gives to the practical arts. This complete education grounded both of our children with a kind of confidence that makes them stand out to parents of their college friends.
The community is an interesting one with a diverse and international parent body. Parents become involved in a variety of fulfilling activities that make for a close connection to other parents.

An extraordinary curriculum, creative and dedicated teachers, a healthy and holistic approach to educating children from pre-K through grade 12. Plus a warm and caring school community. Children thrive here and go on to become successful and well-balanced college students and adults. As a long-time parent of two, I recommend it highly.