Hands-on Learning the Waldorf Way

"Limiting technology" is a theme you'll see here at Mostly Granola. I love to veg out as much as anyone else, but I think there are more constructive things we can focus on, and I think for kids it doesn't have any place at all, when learning is so much more concrete through experiences and activities that include the senses.

A story in the Feb. 2, 2012 issue of the Monadnock (NH) Ledger-Transcript talks about how one Waldorf school offers experiential learning:

"Today, Waldorf schools continue to champion the integration of the senses. It’s not uncommon for students to draw their math lesson, or sing their French conjugations. And though the model has been around for almost a century, it’s beginning to gain attention for its tendency to eschew technological innovations for educational approaches that may seem old-fashioned....

(snipped)

"Awareness of the self is another underpinning of the Waldorf curriculum, and students’ are encouraged to focus. Most notably, Pine Hill classrooms are completely devoid of technology — no computers, no smart boards, no speakers, no cell phones. Pine Hill parents are encouraged to minimize their children’s screen time at home, too."

Check out the whole story here.