CREATIVITY AND WALDORF EDUCATION: A STUDY

This paper discusses the comparative philosophical tenets and practices of Germany's Waldorf and state schools with regard to the creativity thinking ability of students. Waldorf uchools, developed some 70 years ago, are based on the philosophy of creative idealism known as anthroposophy. A study of 1165 third through sixth grade children from Germany, Scotland, and England compared Waldorf and public schools. Students took the Torrence Test of Creative Thinking Ability, which includes verbal and figural components. The test is intended to measure: (1) fluency, the number of ideas produced; (2) flexibility, the different categories of ideas produced; (3) originality, the unusualness of an idea; and (4) elaboration, the development of an idea. Results showed that cross-culturally, Waldorf students obtained significantly higher creativity scores than their public school counterparts. In the figural part of the test, Waldorf student pictures showed greater technique, quality, and maturity. The findings may be attributable to the maturational readiness and nurturing aspects of the Waldorf schools, and the program's discouragement of student exposure to television and radio. Waldorf education also tends to foster a positive school climate and reducE faculty and student stress. Contains 30 references. (SG) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document