Scozzie Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Well I've heard otherwise! It's not one bit as extreme as made out on here, not in Sheffield anyway. I'm more of a mind that kids should start reading etc as soon as possible - I read at 3 and nobody really pushed me into it, I was just ready st that age. So I don't believe in holding kids back until 7 if they are showing signs. But there's not really a way of evaluating the system's effectiveness as most kids who go there are highly middle class anyway and aren't exactly going to turn out as barely literate chavs, so I wouldn't like to make any high claims for it as a theory. I have heard good things about them too. I have friends who went to them and they are basically more balanced and settled than a lot of people I went to a private Catholic school with. they now have their kids there - along with the kids of the people they went to school with. Its a great little community...... a little too flakey for me, but they love it, and I love them. My Friends eldest daughter was reading at a very young age and hasn't shown a lapse in her development in the time she has been at Steiner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffragette1 Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Anyway, in general I don't belive in holding kids back. Early reading is a tremendous advantage. I was always a couple of years ahead of everyone at primary - in fact the state held me back! I derived (and still do) such immense from reading from the age of 4. I loved it as a child. Just think of all those Enid Blytons I would have missed out on if I'd learnt at 7 that I'd have been too old for. The Faraway Tree, Millie Molly Mandy - my favourites! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathom Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I derived (and still do) such immense from reading from the age of 4. I loved it as a child. Just think of all those Enid Blytons I would have missed out on if I'd learnt at 7 that I'd have been too old for. The Faraway Tree, Millie Molly Mandy - my favourites! Oh wow, the Magic Faraway Tree! My first fave was There Was An Old Woman Who Swallowed A Fly - you can still buy it on Amazon! I used to read it to my 'boyfriend' at playschool (he was great, he ate worms and soil and was dead naughty ). I loved all the Ladybird books too, and Alice In Wonderland!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouija Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I'm not sure that delaying reading is as bad as some think. Some children find it relatively easy to learn. But apparently most countries don't start teaching reading as soon as we do, and some of the children benefit from the delay. I did see a programme a while ago about education where they were questioning whether we begin formal schooling in this country at too young an age and it did make me wonder. I didn't have problems reading (that I recall and my mum says I'm recalling correctly) but I know some do. That isn't to say I am in favour of Steiner schools. I'd never heard of them till this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horribleblob Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I had many discussions with a friend's sister who was a Steiner teacher - and was almost convinced - but in the end, for my daughter, I thought being one of the crowd was far more beneficial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubydazzler Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 All that free expression and creativity sounds fine for nursery and pre-school, but I think I'd choose Montessori over it, even so. The children there do at least learn self discipline and how to occupy themselves. Or they used to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewheeldave Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 A couple of friends are thinking about sending their kids to a Steiner school. Has anybody had any experience of that education system? Your friends should make an appointment to visit the school, look around, ask questions etc- ideally take their kids along too to see how they feel about it. I wouldn't be too put off by the 'cult' accusations above- there's a lot of positive aspects of Steiner schools and many kids thrive on being at them. To the extent that some children find it to be negative- well, that's to be expected, there's never been a system where 100% find it wholly positive, or where there's not a proportion who find it less so. The thing to remember is that exactly the same is true of mainstream education- some find it great, others suffer throughout- hence the minority of well publicised suicides of children who couldn't cope with what they experienced in mainstream education. Which, of course, is precisely the reason why some parents would wish to send their children to an alternative education, such as Steiner schools. Of course, it would be naive to assume that a given child will necessarily thrive at a Steiner school- but to dismiss the whole concept on the basis of a few cases who've critisised their time there, without acknowledging that this is true for all possible education systems, is equally blinkered. Persoanally, I know one person who was Steiner educated- he's currently got a high paying technical computer career, so it's not done him too much harm And, for myself, I went through a conventional education and, it was fairly horrible- if I had my time again, I'd be happy to go an alternative route. If I had kids myself, I would definitly be looking into alternatives to orthodox education. Main thing is for your friends to check the school out themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*bobcat* Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I wouldn't be too put off by the 'cult' accusations above- there's a lot of positive aspects of Steiner schools and many kids thrive on being at them.. Ok...............Name them. Give me a routine day for a child at Steiner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espadrille Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I derived (and still do) such immense from reading from the age of 4. I loved it as a child. Just think of all those Enid Blytons I would have missed out on if I'd learnt at 7 that I'd have been too old for. The Faraway Tree, Millie Molly Mandy - my favourites! The Folk from the Faraway Tree was the best and the Secret Seven and the famous Five... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondi Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 The Folk from the Faraway Tree was the best and the Secret Seven and the famous Five...No no no - it must be the Brer Rabbit series! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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