More than ever, our students need an education that fosters resilience, adaptability, compassion, and confidence. They need the intentional integration of high academics, arts, music, and movement to educate the whole human.
The Waldorf approach works with human nature, recognizing that abilities and interests emerge in students at fairly predictable stages, while also allowing room for individual rates of maturation. This appreciation for the metamorphosis of comprehension underlies both the organization of the curriculum itself and the changing methods of teaching throughout the twelve years.
Until age six or seven, children learn primarily through physical activity and imitation. A sense of goodness permeates the soothing, home-like environment of the Kindergarten, where warmth and toys of natural materials encourage creative, imaginative play. Young children drink in images of fairy tales and stories spoken over and over from memory by the Kindergarten teacher, with exquisite attention to language. Thus, their capacities for inner picturing is developed to become the basis for future critical thinking skills and literacy. The Kindergarten week includes arts and crafts, puppetry, Eurythmy, singing, healthy physical play, and learning social courtesies.
In the early grade school years, academics are conveyed through painting, drama, music, storytelling and other direct experiences that stir their emotions. A sense of beauty weaves throughout the day, engaging children in their learning. I
n Grades 6 through 8, the pictorial thinking of the earlier grades transforms to more abstract thinking. For example, during the study of Platonic Solids, the teacher challenges students to inwardly picture a cube and then transform it to other shapes. This transformation process is then replicated in clay.
In the High School, our students higher-level intellectual skills are stimulated: Now is the time for the forces of imagination carefully cultivated in the early years to be transformed into skills of analytic and evaluative thinking. A search for truth and meaning characterizes the adolescent years, where community service and outside mentors connect students to the larger world.
The Denver Waldorf School awakens and inspires students' critical thinking, emotional intelligence and artistic expression, preparing them to bring relevant contributions to the world.
Founded in 1974, The Denver Waldorf School is a non-profit, independent, co-educational school for toddlers through 12th Grade. We are located in central Denver near the University of Denver on Evans Avenue. Our school is a community of children, teachers, parents, community leaders, family and friends with the growing child as the heart of our educational work.
The Denver Waldorf School welcomes students of all socio-economic, religious, racial, and ethnic backgrounds from throughout the Denver metropolitan area. We strive for intellectual freedom, artistic creativity, and social responsibility. Thus, we educate our students to become free thinking adults who are able to direct their lives with purpose. Our students offer new solutions and perspectives for our evolving world with their capacities for flexible thinking, moral courage, and purposeful work.
As teachers, we are concerned with the transformation of education itself: We consistently explore, train and develop ourselves and share and foster such growth in those around us. This last year offered unique opportunities in flexibility for evolving our curriculum and emotional support offerings to meet our students' needs.
Organization name
The Denver Waldorf School Association
other names
DWS
1974
Tax id (EIN)
84-0717615
Category
Education
Organization Size
Large Organization
Address
2100 S. Pennsylvania St.Denver County, CO, US
Phone
3037770531
Other
303-777-0531 106
Other
303-777-0531 108