IN THE NEWS

The pedagogical and developmental principles underlying Waldorf education are frequently in the news. To learn more about the Waldorf School of Lexington's developmentally based, arts-integrated curriculum, please visit us or contact Sarah Martin, Admissions & Community Life Manager.

Waldorf Education & Teaching the Whole Child

FEATURED ARTICLE: Stanford University Studies Waldorf Education

Alice Birney, a Waldorf-inspired public K-8 school in Sacramento, has one of the longest waiting lists of any school in the district. The Waldorf approach at Alice Birney, along with student outcomes, was evaluated in depth by the Stanford University Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. You can download the full report here. One notable finding: At all grade levels, students at Alice Birney outperformed other district students on California’s state test in English Language Arts.

Waldorf Schools and Exemplary Teacher Engagement, Huffington Post

The Power of Play

Let the Kids Learn Through Play, New York Times

The Joyful, Illiterate Kindergarteners of Finland, The Atlantic

Cell phones & Screen Time

A Dark Consensus About Screens and Kids Begins to Emerge in Silicon Valley, New York Times — The people who are closest to a thing are often the most wary of it. Technologists know how phones really work, and many have decided they don’t want their own children anywhere near them.

The Digital Gap Between Rich and Poor Kids Is Not What We Expected, New York Times — America’s public schools are still promoting devices with screens — even offering digital-only preschools. The rich are banning screens from class altogether.

Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?, The Atlantic — Teens who spend more time than average on screen activities are more likely to be unhappy, and those who spend more time than average on non-screen activities are more likely to be happy. There’s not a single exception. If you were going to give advice for a happy adolescence based on this [national] survey, it would be straightforward: Put down the phone, turn off the laptop, and do something—anything—that does not involve a screen.

Steve Jobs Was a Low-Tech Parent, New York Times

Apple Investors Urge Action on iPhone Addiction Among Kids, NBC News

A Silicon Valley School That Doesn't Compute, New York Times

Screen Addiction Is Taking a Toll on Children, New York Times

Teach Your Children Well: Unhook Them From Technology, Wall St. Journal

The Importance of Movement & Physical Activity

Why Kids Shouldn't Sit Still in Class, New York Times

Pressure, stress & Anxiety in education

FEATURED ARTICLE: Anxious Students Strain College Mental Health Centers, New York Times

Nearly one in six college students has been diagnosed with or treated for anxiety within the last 12 months. The causes range widely, experts say, from mounting academic pressure at earlier ages to overprotective parents to compulsive engagement with social media.

The New Preschool Is Crushing Kids, The Atlantic

Is the Drive for Success Making Our Children Sick?, New York Times

Why forcing kids to do things 'sooner and faster' doesn't get them further in school, Washington Post

Report: Requiring kindergartners to read — as Common Core does — may harm some, Washington Post

Is the Common Core Killing Kindergarten?, Boston Globe