Imhoff Waldorf High School

Imhoff  Waldorf school will be starting a  High school in 2011.  We will move up a grade every year until we have our first matric class in 2016.

Why is a Waldorf High School Important?

Many parents feel that Waldorf education is fine for little children only, and do not see the additional benefits for High School. They are also concerned that their children may not be able to adjust to “Real Life” after a Waldorf Education.

The teenage years are sometimes the most difficult years of any ones life. It is the time when children are most idealistic, and really question their role in life. They are searching for answers to deep questions that conventional schools do not answer. Their paths are littered with pitfalls and temptations that they often do not know how to deal with. Waldorf High school education gives them the coping skills to overcome these.

In class 8, our curriculum brings them into the twenty first century with a gentle but very firm bump. We expose them to the working world from the Industrial revolution on to present day, not only in History and economics, but also in crafts, where they make practical items like clothes and furniture using modern tools. We extend this to visits to various workshops. We keep an ethical focus by teaching them about how the machinery works, and where the raw ingredients are rooted in the earth, and about the consequences of the choices we make  when  we become an industrial world. This includes the history and consequences of economics.

Not only do we keep up with government schools as regards languages and mathematics, we enhance these experiences with focused main lessons on the creative arts of poetry, drama, geometry, surveying etc.. Wherever possible, the children are actively involved. Lessons are enlivened with imaginative descriptions all the way. Specialist teachers are brought in wherever possible.

The sciences are explored, but in a deep way, where many viewpoints are considered and questioned, and also new thinking on the edges of knowledge is essential to our lessons. Science lessons are never dry, and also involve artistic and imaginative ways of presenting

 Although the high school is more focussed on intellectual development, we do not specialise in subjects until matric, so not limiting children too early. Even when they do find a focused career, they will still have a sense of their place in space (geography) and time(history) and themselves (biology) and the earth (physics and chemistry) no matter what they do. These lessons focus on the concept of truth rather than information, and our task is seen more as that of engendering enthusiasm for knowledge rather than purveyors of information.

Drama teaches them how to act in the world. They have to produce at least two major plays, and present them to the public. All children participate in these. Team work is essential. The plays take place at appropriate times in the High school to direct their energies in the right way at the right time.

Many conventional schools appear to offer a wide range of subjects, but parents often do not realise that these are choices that must be made which then limit other choices, and are often offered after school. This means that children are focused in one direction or exhausted by trying to include extra murals. Our school offers a huge range of skills within school time.

Sport is promoted in High school, but we do it in a more balanced way than most schools. Sport is often used in conventional schools to counteract the excessive academic work (sitting at desks). Waldorf schools seek to educate all three levels of the human being all the time, so sport is generally gentler, and balanced with artistic work through the week.

Matric is offered only in the final (13th year). The full Waldorf curriculum stretches over 12 years. Waldorf students have the work ethic required, and the deep conceptual ability to not only pass well, but to enjoy this final year because they have not been exhausted by endless examinations. Waldorf matric results have always been excellent, despite (or because of?) this lack of focus on examinations. A lot more time is spent on actual education in a Waldorf school. Constantia Waldorf school has had 100% pass rate for the last 12 years. The norm is 30% A aggregates and  30% B's.  Waldorf students very rarely fail at University  and tertiary level, and have a reputation of being committed and interested students. Many have made impacts in their chosen fields as being creative thinkers.

In the primary school, computer and electronic technology is not encouraged because they have the tendency to withdraw the effort and willpower required to accomplish a task. In the High school, we also believe that computers and electronic technology have the same effect. However, although we do not emphasise electronic technology, we also use it where appropriate. In Physics main lessons and electronics as a craft (class 11), we explore the technology behind computers and modern technology so that the students see computers as tools that can be used in creative ways, where their value is appreciated, and always the consequences of using them are explored.  We do, however, promote the effort required to do things by hand, as the object is not so much to “get things done” as the willpower required to achieve.

 Technology is taught all the way through the Waldorf curriculum much more so than any other school, and is embedded within the crafts. In High school these range from working with textiles in sewing and weaving, basketwork, pottery, woodwork, leatherwork, metalwork, and  bookbinding and agricultural crafts. These are not done superficially, and give them the hand skills to take on almost any other skill.

Our school will develop its own unique focus, which depends very much on our community. We welcome input at all levels. We have a working group developing the High School and you are welcome to participate.