Re: Educational reform

[mpriestley -at- VNET -dot- IBM -dot- COM]

Louise Penberthy writes:
>This school sounds fascinating.  One question, though, did it
>cover any scientific or cultural traditions besides the Western
>ones?

Scientific traditions were primarily Western.  I think we touched briefly
on the Arabic tradition for astronomy, and Egyptian for math (predating the
Greek for some elements).  Not much on China.  I may simply be uninformed,
but I would think most history of science post-Marco Polo is in the Western
tradition.

As for culture: we covered Indian and Egyptian mythology pretty well in grade
school.  I remember a course in world religions touching on Buddhism,
the Khoran, and the Bible.  The courses on architecture and music went all
over the place.  I don't remember much on Africa, though, except in geography
(and I think some flute music).  Most literature was in the Western tradition
(Odyssey, Aeneid, Beowulf, Parzival, Chaucer ... Conrad, T.S. Eliot, C.S Lewis)

The curriculum is probably broader now, but I don't really know.

I'm not sure how many Waldorf schools there are worldwide, but they're growing.
Last I heard, they were the most widespread private schools besides Montessori
(which has a very different philosophy).  If there's interest, I can try and
lay my hands on some contact numbers.

Thanks,

Michael Priestley
mpriestley -at- vnet -dot- ibm -dot- com
Disclaimer: speaking on my own behalf