Creative Education for Lifelong Learning

Our vision is to create a healthy community in our country, where children: Learn enthusiasm. Strive to become independent and creative thinkers. Are free to find their true destiny in life. Work with a purpose, reverence and love. And are confident that they will make a difference in the world.

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OUR HISTORYOUR VISION

FAQs About Waldorf

Why Waldorf?

Founded in the early 20th century, Waldorf Education is based on the insights, teachings and principles of education outlined by the world renowned anthroposophist, artist, and scientist, Rudolf Steiner. The principles of Waldorf Education evolve from a profound understanding of human development that addresses the needs of the growing child. These principles inspire and guide teachers, administrators, trustees and parents throughout the worldwide Waldorf movement.

The Waldorf curriculum is broad and comprehensive. Structured to respond to the three developmental phases of childhood–birth to 6 or 7 years, 7 to 14 years and 14 to 21 years–Steiner stressed to teachers that the best way to provide meaningful support for the child is to comprehend these phases fully and to bring “age appropriate” content that nourishes healthy growth. Music, dance and theater, writing, literature, legends and myths are not simply subjects to be read about and tested. They are experienced. Through these experiences, Waldorf students cultivate their intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual capacities to be individuals certain of their paths and to be of service to the world.

Teachers in Waldorf schools are dedicated to generating an inner enthusiasm for learning within every child. This eliminates the need for competitive testing, academic placement, and behavioral rewards to motivate learning, allowing motivation to arise from within. Waldorf Education is independent and inclusive. It upholds the principles of freedom in education and independent administration. Waldorf education truly offers inspired learning in hundreds of schools worldwide.

The first Waldorf school was created in 1919 in the aftermath of World War I. Anthrophosophist, scientist, artist and philosophical scholar Rudolf Steiner–a prolific lecturer of the time–had been asked if it was possible to create an educational model that could cultivate peace among humankind. He said, “Yes,” and the first Waldorf school was created for the children of the employees of the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany. Now, 100 years later, Waldorf education is a world-wide movement with over 1000 schools in 62 countries and 2000 Early Childhood programs on five continents. An education of “head, heart and hands,” Waldorf education seeks to cultivate free individuals capable of deep and critical thought who are then empowered to participate in the world, creating better social forms than can benefit humanity as a whole.

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ARE WALDORF SCHOOLS RELIGIOUS?

  Waldorf schools are non-sectarian and non-denominational. They educate all children, regardless of their cultural or religious backgrounds. The pedagogical method is comprehensive, and, as part of its task, seeks to bring about recognition and understanding of all the world cultures and religions. Waldorf schools are not part of any church. They espouse no particular religious doctrine but are based on a belief that there is a spiritual dimension to the human being and to all of life. Waldorf families come from a broad spectrum of religious traditions and interest

WHEN DO WALDORF SCHOOLS INTRODUCE READING?

 

Our goal is to foster passionate readers who continue reading for pleasure throughout their lifetimes. To that end, we introduce reading in a developmentally appropriate way, when students are more comfortable with the written word and fully ready to engage with them.

Waldorf teachers begin teaching reading in the first couple months of first grade by teaching consonants and vowel names and sounds through an artistic approach of drawing, painting, movement, and speech. This artistic, deliberate process engages the children with great interest, and by the end of first grade, children are writing and reading sentences and short texts.  Students typically begin reading printed readers with their teacher during the second half of second grade. This thorough and artistic approach to teaching literacy has been proven to build a solid base for advanced comprehension and vocabulary skills in later year

ARE WALDORF SCHOOLS ART SCHOOLS?

Waldorf schools are not art schools. The curriculum offers a classical education in all academic disciplines that fully integrates the arts into its teaching methodology. Why? Because research continues to show that the inclusion of the arts in academia increases aptitude and creative thinking in areas such as math and science, and has a positive effect on emotional development as well.

WHAT IS EURYTHMY?

Eurythmy is the art of movement that attempts to make visible the tone and feeling of music and speech. Eurythmy helps to develop concentration, self-discipline, and a sense of beauty. This training of moving artistically with a group stimulates sensitivity to the other as well as individual mastery. Eurythmy lessons follow the themes of the curriculum, exploring rhyme, meter, story, and geometric forms.

WHAT IS WALDORF'S APPROACH TO TEACHING SCIENCE?

All sciences begin with simple nature experiences in kindergarten and the early grades, and advance with the study of acoustics, heat, magnetism and electricity in Middle School to chemistry, biology, botany, zoology and modern physics in High School. The emphasis is on direct encounters with observable phenomena: “Describe what happened. Evaluate what you have observed. What are the conditions under which the phenomena appear? How does this relate to what you already know?” Then students are asked to think through the experiment and discover the natural law that stands behind and within the phenomena.

HOW DOES GRADING WORK?

 

  Assessment may vary slightly from school to school, but in most cases, a full assessment of each student’s progress is provided in the form of a year-end narrative assessment in all subject areas. These assessments are supported by teacher conferences and class meetings throughout the year. In high school, GPAs are included in unofficial transcripts to indicate a student’s academic standing to colleges and universities.

CHRISTMAS MARKET

The Roseway Waldorf School hosted a magical Christmas Market, a cherished annual tradition. Children and their families gathered together to celebrate the joyous holiday season. The air was filled with excitement as everyone explored the stalls filled with handmade crafts, delicious treats, and festive decorations. Laughter and merriment echoed through the school grounds as visitors enjoyed live music performances and delightful entertainment. It was a heartwarming experience that brought the community closer and created cherished memories for all who attended.

Roseway Culinary Club

with SHAMImA HOOSEN

The Roseway Culinary Club is a place where children can explore the joy of cooking alongside our talented teacher, Shamima Hoosen. From making delicious dumplings to experimenting with new flavors, our culinary club is a fun and educational experience for young chefs. Join us and discover the delight of creating tasty meals with Roseway Waldorf School.

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THE ROSEWAY COLOR FEST

The Roseway Waldorf School celebrated its annual Color Fest with great enthusiasm and joy. Students from the high school came together to participate in this vibrant event, creating a kaleidoscope of colors that filled the atmosphere with a sense of unity and creativity. Laughter and excitement echoed through the school as everyone immersed themselves in the festivities. It was a truly memorable day, fostering a spirit of camaraderie and leaving lasting memories for all who took part.

Eurythmy Performance 2023

The inclusion of the subject Eurythmy through all grades is an essential feature of Waldorf schools. Eurythmy is a highly refined movement art which nourishes the children’s sense of well-being and aids other learning areas by strengthening expressive capacities, improving balance, coordination, concentration, rhythm, and awareness of patterns. The group forms help foster healthy class dynamics while the speech and tone work heighten the children’s appreciation for the finer quality in literature and music.

It is easy to see the benefits of this subject as you witness the complex movements executed by even the littlest of our students and the beautifully expressive pieces by our older students. Here are a few photos from our Eurythmy Festival held this past week. A big thank you to our Eurythmy teachers, Miss Snenhlanhla Jali and Mrs Alice Mnguni for their tireless efforts in preparing this wonderful evening, as well as to Bev Sates, our resident pianist, for accompanying all of the musical items.

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THE IODINE CLOCK

The grade 10s did a very cool “Iodine Clock experiment”. The “clock reaction” is a reaction famous for its dramatic white-to-blue color change, and is often used in chemistry courses to explore the rate at which reactions take place. The color change occurs when iodine reacts with starch to form a dark blue iodine/starch complex.

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

ZUHAYR HOOSEN

“I started lookalike when I was fifteen years old, fashion has always played an integral part in my life and I decided to make that a reality and start my own clothing brand. I started with a design of a logo and slogan alongside a business plan to help me succeed through the upcoming years. I have T shirts made from recycled 500ml plastic bottles as a way to reduce the plastic waste from the ocean and to bring a sustainable future into the brand, we have t shirts made from plastic bottles as part of our sustainable range and also in order to play a role in the environment and fulfil the role with steely determination.

Making this a success has been a dream come true for me and I want to inspire any young entrepreneur that wants to start a business to go ahead and fulfil that because it will never let you down..”

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