The evolving child: Theories of human development in Waldorf education

Due to its strong emphasis on spiritual development in conjunction with physical and cognitive development, Rudolf Steiner\u27s educational philosophy and its role in Waldorf schools have been relegated to relative obscurity within the educational establishment. Steiner\u27s theories have been perceived as too radical and unusual for incorporation into traditional educational practices. However, upon closer examination, the organizational structure of Steiner\u27s developmental theory bears significant similarities to better-known models of human development. For example, the division of children\u27s cognitive growth into a hierarchical series of stages is also found in Piaget\u27s celebrated model of human development. Furthermore, parallel revelations concerning children\u27s cognitive abilities can be noted in both models. In terms of moral development, Steiner\u27s views concerning moral education are echoed in Kohlberg\u27s conclusions; both Steiner and Kohlberg advocate a pervasive, universal perspective in methods of moral instruction. However, although similarities between Steiner and the two cognitive theorists exist, Steiner extends his theory beyond the inherently cognitive structures of Piaget and Kohl berg to embrace spirituality and a holistic conception of the child. Waldorf education\u27s anonymity is the result of this infusion of spirituality into pedagogy. Yet, amidst both the ongoing social debates concerning conventional educational practices and parents\u27 continuing quest for quality schools and alternative forms of education, Waldorf education, firmly founded upon Steiner\u27s theory of human development, warrants academic acknowledgment and practical exploration