One of the most talked about alternatives to public schooling today is method known as Waldorf education. But what is it? Simply put, it is an approch that considers the "whole" child, not just intellectual capacities. It also considers the child's whole life - how a teacher's actions will affect the child later in life, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Here is a reader-friendly Waldorf "taster." It contains three lectures on Waldorf education by Rudolf Steiner and a thought-provoking, accessible introduction by a Waldorf teacher and longtime student of Steiner's educational methods. The lectures present what Steiner sees as the "fundamentals" of Waldorf pedagogy in a matter-of-fact, objective, non-dogmatic way. The introduction is broad and informative, explaining that, before all else, a Waldorf school must be a good school.

This is a must-read for anyone involved with, connected to, or interested in Waldorf education. If you are at the point of deciding where and how your child will be educated, you cannot afford to ignore this.