Waldorf, sugar-free and Montessori: Dogmatic education is crazy
Before the big outcry starts: I'm not a hater against concepts. I think concepts are great. Yes, also Waldorf and Montessori. To be precise, my children even go to a Waldorf day care center, where they eat millet porridge and greet each season with a round of dancing. I think it's great, really, I love it. What should I have to do with rituals, mindfulness with nature and healthy nutrition? Bring it on! But what I love a little less, are some parents that I meet there. I'm sure some of them will house a Rudolf Steiner shrine with incense in their bedroom. Otherwise, I can not explain the sublime attachment to its over one hundred years old anthroposophical ideas. Because these parents know how lucky is. So anthroposophical luck. And I do not know. Because my kids are eating sugar. Help!!! You have Lego. From plastic!!! And they listen to radio plays. OH MY GOD!!!
The divine child has a nickname
My best friend took her child to a Montessori kindergarten last year. Out of conviction, not lack of options, as was the case with Waldorf. I was a bit scared to be honest. Would I soon have to take care not to disturb her "divine child" (the Montessori ideal) in his rhythm? Would I have to read in now to know how to address her offspring? When my friend told me, after some initial euphoria, that her child was consistently addressed by the educators in full name and not by his nickname, I could have smooched her. She had not left her brain with the registration forms. What luck! Because Montessori, Waldorf and Co are not the problem. The problem is that parents and educators pretend that an educational concept is the stone-carved, sectarian truth. And the only one. In every single point.
You can not do it that easy
Montessori and Waldorf are really only popular examples. After all, I mean every kind of dogmatic education. Once I was at an event with Jesper Juul, a well-known family therapist. I know many who consider him the Pope of Education and I am always impressed by his principles. Anyway, Jesper told Juul on stage about a conversation with a woman. "She said she did everything exactly as it says in my books, and I just thought, poor kid!" Yes, that's exactly what he said, good Mr Juul. At least since this experience, I think he really for a very very smart man. Because educating is difficult. It is individual. It is exhausting. And it's just not that easy to leave any decision to an expert, a concept or a popular movement. Not even Jesper Juul.
That's not how the world works, dammit
Anyone who thinks that I think they have eaten the parenting wisdom with spoons is mistaken. Honestly, I have very little idea of how education works. Just like all the other mothers and fathers. Who knows what the world looks like in 30 years and what our children have to do then? Who can tell if agave syrup will not be detected as poison in 5 years? For my part I have no idea. I can not do more than listen to my heart and mind, treat my children with respect and love, and hope for the best for the future. For the world is neither completely Montessori, nor completely Waldorf, nor completely sugar-free. And that's why I refuse to acknowledge that there is only one truth and prefer to go beyond the wide world of educational ideas. I'm picking up something here and there. Certainly I do some things completely wrong. But then, at least because I did not know any better, and not because it wanted any teaching of any man I do not even know. Over and out.
