Curriculum
In the Steiner philosophy, the celebration of festivals, music, song, drama, is of equal importance in the school curriculum to the teaching of the sciences. In fact all subjects can be taught in a way that brings joy, and a love of learning to the child. This inner joy can then translate into positivity and goodwill for the future, even when the most difficult circumstances prevail.
Through story, song, art, history, and even in subjects such as maths,
- which is essentially about sharing and equity - the curriculum is taught
so that in addition to joy, it encourages the development of moral sympathy.
The unfolding subjects foster a sense of responsibility towards the world
and its inhabitants by awakening empathy in the child. Typically, Steiner
pupils develop a strong moral muscle, which can later be put to use in the
building of a just and tolerant society, where the strengths and virtues
of each individual are recognised and can be wisely used to serve the needs
of the whole community.
Among the many benefits of a Steiner Waldorf education is the unique model
of stability it provides during the child’s formative years, in what
is known as the “class teacher period”. Based on indications
given by Rudolf Steiner from his extensive research into
human needs, the class teacher in a Waldorf school remains
with his or her class of pupils for up to eight years. This
long-term commitment, and the deepening interest the teacher
takes in each pupil, provides the child with continuity and emotional security.
Research indicates that all children learn more effectively when they feel
secure; when they can rely upon the continuing, honest unaffected love of
a respected adult. Most of us will probably remember the keen sense we had
as children for recognising the people who cared about us. 
We knew who was
loyal to us, who defended our corner, and who had our lasting well-being
at heart. The comfort of knowing that people of this kind (usually including
one or both of our parents), would be in our lives every day, was re-assuring
and gave us a sense of our own worth: we knew we mattered to them.
Many of the pupils who attend the fledgling Waldorf school
at Goderich can not even rest on that assumption. Almost
all have experienced high levels of sadness and loss in their young lives,
and their childhood has been blighted by poverty and illness. Some are orphans.
Supported by donors, and run by volunteers, the Goderich Waldorf
School has set out on a long journey to restore balance to the lives of some
74 children. In addition to providing them with an education they would not
otherwise have received, the school, following the Steiner curriculum, has
created opportunities for children to experience joy, a sense of goodness
in the world, a feeling of security, and the certain knowledge that each
one of them is valued, for now, and for the time to come. It has also created
a small beacon of hope for the future of a damaged nation.