Waldorf: The School, Not The SaladBy Gwendolyn Holbrow 
It’s mid-afternoon, when most Frankfurt schools are dark and silent, but the Freie Waldorf Schule is buzzing with activity. From one window drift the notes of a cello, from another piano chords ring out, while through a third students can be seen and heard hammering vigorously at their woodcarving. “This is absolutely unique among German schools,” says director Wilfrid Schneider. “There are always people here, from 7:30 in the morning until 11 or 12 at night. Students, faculty and parents are here for music and drama and rehearsals of all kinds. There is always someone in the library. It drives the cleaning staff mad.” This emphasis on the arts and on practical life skills in addition to academics is a feature of all Waldorf schools (called Steiner schools in the UK). Waldorf education is based on the precepts of Anthroposophy, the spiritual movement founded by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). Its goal, according to Steiner, is “to create free and independent people with a love for humanity.” The approximately 650 Waldorf schools worldwide (not counting an additional 1200 kindergartens) include 166 in Germany, 122 in the US and26 in the UK and Ireland. Frankfurt’s Freie Waldorf Schule was founded by a group of parents and teachers in 1951. Currently, the 90 faculty members teach over 900 students, from kindergartners to older teens taking the Abitur examinations necessary for entrance into German universities. All subjects are taught in an interdisciplinary style, integrating reading, writing, and mathematics with painting, music, sculpture, crafts and eurythmics (expressing meaning through gesture) in blocks related to a common theme such as a fairy tale for younger children, or a historical period for older children. The philosophy of the school is clearly reflected in its architecture and environs. The rambling main building varies in height from one to four stories tall, with scarcely a right angle to be seen, and encloses several variously shaped courtyards. “It’s easy to get lost in a Waldorf school,” laughs language teacher Barbara Schad. The gardens are nearby, where students begin gardening lessons in the sixth grade. Instruction is in German, and in addition children study both English and French from the first grade on. Although the student body is international, it’s rare for a student to enter with no prior knowledge of German. “We have many children with one German parent, who are fluent in another language besides German,” says Schneider. “We also get English-speaking exchange students who arrive not knowing German and are able to manage with translation help from our students.” Costs are calculated per family, based on the number of children, and may be reduced or even free for low-income families. The monthly costs are due all twelve months of the year. Tuition cost per month for one child: DM240. In addition, a monthly building fee is assessed towards the payment of the school’s mortgage. This fee is voluntary, and some families pay more while others pay less. The suggested kindergarten fee is one half the rate for older children. There is a one-time school entering fee of DM240 per child. Freie Waldorf Schule Frankfurt |
