(and I've never heard of Waldorf)
Waldorf education, or Waldorf schools, are an outgrowth of Anthroposophy, a [here vocabulary fails] movement/philosophy/religion/cult/lifestyle more or less invented by Rudolph Steiner. They were new age before the new age started. Angels and fairies and crystals and rainbows, homeopathy and herbs and candles and planting by the moon, they've been there and wore the t-shirt out 50 years ago.
Anthroposophy is a mystical, sort of christian, elaboration of theosophy, and involves itself in many areas of living. Waldorf schools are one of the more visible areas, because their stress on creativity and a number of new-agey ideas has made them popular with parents who do not look very deeply into what education is actually for.
Buried in the literature of Waldorf education are some pretty good ideas, and one must give Steiner some credit, despite his anti-intellectual bent and many other highly questionable ideas. He was hired in the early 20th century to set up a school for the children of workers at a German cigarette factory, and the resulting school was apparently successful and rather revolutionary in its day. Unfortunately, when Steiner died not long after, it seems that all his ideas, which were in a process of development and change, were engraved on stone, and as a result, a large part of the curriculum and approach now used in Waldorf schools in the U.S. appears to be what would have been appropriate for a working class German child in 1920. The idea of creativity does not seem to have carried over to the interpretation of Steiner's educational philosophy.
One of the other offshoots of Anthroposophy is biodynamic farming/gardening, which is basically good old fashioned organic gardening with a frosting of almost insanely nonsensical spiritual flummery which is fortunately not harmful to plants. But because much of the biodynamic approach is not only good organic practice, but a conscientious approach to the work, anthroposophists tend to grow really good veggies.
I could go on and on. I actually have a certain affection for anthroposophists, who tend to be pretty benign outside the classroom. (I should add that my first wife was from an "anthro" background). Anthroposophy itself escapes being a cult, I think, because although membership in its inner circles is hard to attain, they do not proselytize, do not steal your money, and are not vindictive to those who leave the fold. Despite highly questionable beliefs and an unfortunate attachment to many woo-woo ideas including homeopathy, they also stand for peace, social responsibility, art, conservation, and other very good ideas.
One of the more beneficial specialties of anthroposophy is the care of the mentally handicapped, and if you do a little googling for "camphill movement" you will find some information on that end. As a conscientious objector back in the 60's I did my alternative service
at Camphill Village. My (now late, as well as ex-) father-in-law founded
Triform, which is aimed at training persons of a higher functional level than the other Camphill communities.
The above is not in any way intended to be an endorsement of Anthroposophy, which is generally nonsense, or of Waldorf education, which, at least as far as I've seen it and its results, is a crock.
