If you’re a parent, you probably want the best education for your child, and there’s no doubt about that. But the word “best” can have many different meanings.
The view of education in the early years is divided into two main currents: one that believes that we should “fill” children with knowledge and try to shape them in the same way, so that they become intelligent little people and consequently successful adults. The other believes that childhood should be preserved – allowing children to enjoy being children and understanding that this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
If you believe in the first current, you can go on with your life and read another article, I honestly don’t want to waste your time. But if you believe in the second current, or at least agree that it makes sense, perhaps what I have to say will be of interest to you.
Just like you, I was looking for the best educational option for my son from the time he was in nursery/kindergarten. It was important to me that the educators didn’t “break” his spirit, allowing him to remain the unique little boy that he is. Fortunately, after a great deal of research, I found a kindergarten that allowed children to enjoy this beautiful time of playing, inventing, imagining and – most importantly of all – learning through experience. Every corner there was a learning experience and music with old pots and other improvised objects stimulated the child’s imagination.
But now it was time for first grade, and like all parents, I felt fearful about the reality that was approaching and the fact that he and the other children are expected to behave in a certain way, with the long hours sitting in a classroom, having to learn through memorization and the stress of the assessment tests that are so unnecessary at this age.
Even against my instincts, I handed this little soul over to the public school system (or as I like to call the learning factory) and what I feared became reality before my eyes.
My little boy, who loved going to kindergarten, started to lose his confidence. He was trying to show the teacher how unique he is, but this was understood by the teacher as a need to “straighten him out” so that he would fit into the same “mold” as the other children. Well, it took me three months to realize that this wasn’t the environment I wanted my son to grow up in. That was 90 days too long!
At this point, I tried to find out more about Waldorf education and its worldwide movement (schools in more than 60 countries) to build a new way of educating. If I had to summarize in one sentence what this education is and what its goals are, I would say that this pedagogy seeks to help children become free human beings and to help children reveal their true identity and their unique spiritual nature.
This education believes that children respond better to learning through experience rather than memorization, and this vision has been proven to contribute to the education of young people who are more involved in life, with greater self-esteem and security and a greater capacity for learning, along with other qualities such as respect for nature and healthy nutrition.
WOW! This is exactly what I was looking for!
With more than 750 schools within the European Union alone and recognition from UNESCO as the pedagogical model capable of responding to the educational challenges of our time, especially in areas of great cultural differences, they’re probably doing something right – right?
I looked for a Waldorf school in the Lisbon area and ended up finding Escola Jardim do Monte, near Arruda dos Vinhos (it has a bus that picks up children in Lisbon and Loures). I can tell you wonderful things about this school, such as the simple, country atmosphere (it’s a farm), the dedicated and friendly staff, the fruit trees scattered around the school, small classes, healthy meals, and lots of songs… oh, the songs!
My son finished 1st grade and is about to enter 2nd grade. His self-esteem improved very quickly and looking back I feel I saved him from being just another person shaped by the traditional education system.
What kind of school do you want for your child?
In one way or another, I wish you a good school year!
