The Bay School is one of 900 Waldorf schools worldwide that interpret the teaching of Rudolf Steiner. In establishing the first Waldorf School in 1919, Steiner began an educational movement that follows distinct developmental phases to address the needs of the growing child. A prolific theorist, Steiner wrote extensively on many subjects, and today, students of his broad philosophy are called Anthroposophists, after a term coined by Steiner himself.
The Bay School curriculum embraces Steiner’s understanding of child development by offering an education that is not simply studied but experienced. Through this manner of education, teachers engender in their students an inner enthusiasm for learning and work, healthy self-awareness, and appreciation for all that surrounds them. Our work centers on the conviction that the human being has a threefold nature: thinking, feeling, willing; to ensure the full unfolding of the child, each of the three capacities must be acknowledged and nurtured.
Lifelong students themselves, Bay School teachers regularly continue their studies in Waldorf education individually and as a faculty for professional development. The Head of School and teacher delegates participate in semi-annual regional Association of Waldorf Schools of North America Conferences. This faculty work helps keep the Waldorf pedagogy both dynamic and understood by our families and friends.
Students respond strongly to their teachers’ dedication and clear standards. As children endeavor and share in a safe, encouraging learning environment, they are guided not to compete against each other but to recognize and champion one another’s strengths and abilities. They also discover their own capacity to produce beautiful work and find satisfaction in the process.
The Bay School campus itself is very well cared for, yet another way of demonstrating respect for all we have and mirroring the curriculum’s principles. Furthermore, our Waldorf teaching extends to parents as well: the school community is embraced through conversation, parent forums, study groups, and festivals.
For more information on Waldorf education we recommend a visit to whywaldorfworks.org.