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Technology may be used prudently without serving as a crutch. My school has computers, but my kids had to learn calculations, order or operations, etc. the old fashioned way (pencils, papers and memorization). My kids are among top math performers in the country.
To the OP... Just be careful. If you ever how doubts about the Waldorf program, I would recommend Montessori Schools as an alternative. The Montessori method may appeal to your philosophy (based on your posts) without having some of the previously stated risks. E.g. Montessori schools often strive to have a peaceful/homelike environment, carefully crafted manipulatives (e.g. the abacus), hands-on building activities, multi-age/multi-level classrooms, emphasis on music/art education, outdoor education, less assessment/competition, etc.
Technology may be used prudently without serving as a crutch. My school has computers, but my kids had to learn calculations, order or operations, etc. the old fashioned way (pencils, papers and memorization). My kids are among top math performers in the country.
To the OP... Just be careful. If you ever how doubts about the Waldorf program, I would recommend Montessori Schools as an alternative. The Montessori method may appeal to your philosophy (based on your posts) without having some of the previously stated risks. E.g. Montessori schools often strive to have a peaceful/homelike environment, carefully crafted manipulatives (e.g. the abacus), hands-on building activities, multi-age/multi-level classrooms, emphasis on music/art education, outdoor education, less assessment/competition, etc.
We have been to the Montessori programs in the SF Bay and now Denver area. Talk about "cherry picking the kids"! The director/owner of the local Montessori school here in Denver said they look for "particular personalities" to fit in with the program. We didn't stay another minute, immediate differentiation at age 3 is ridiculous.
Technology may be used prudently without serving as a crutch. My school has computers, but my kids had to learn calculations, order or operations, etc. the old fashioned way (pencils, papers and memorization). My kids are among top math performers in the country.
To the OP... Just be careful. If you ever how doubts about the Waldorf program, I would recommend Montessori Schools as an alternative. The Montessori method may appeal to your philosophy (based on your posts) without having some of the previously stated risks. E.g. Montessori schools often strive to have a peaceful/homelike environment, carefully crafted manipulatives (e.g. the abacus), hands-on building activities, multi-age/multi-level classrooms, emphasis on music/art education, outdoor education, less assessment/competition, etc.
Well how does one make sure that is how they are being used in the schools..as tools, not crutches.
I've subbed in various school districts in both HS and MS and calculators/laptops are pretty much mainstays, not tools.
This educational/spiritual philosophy (cult? have no idea) sounds so similar to what I have heard from disenfranchised parents from a pricey Christian Science school in our area. I wonder if there is any relationship between the two sects? I also heard that parents get the run around about the belief system. The parents feared indoctrination and whether (and how quickly) emergency medical intervention would occur if their child would need it (that part would really freak me out). Too many unanswered questions/potential risks. I would never put my kids in that situation.
Christian Science is a legitimate religion, it is NOT a sect. Students can indeed be treated medically, and are. I know a student personally that attended a CS boarding school and was fully supported by the school in his decision to get medical treatment off campus. There is no connection between Waldorf Schools and the Christian Science religion.
Because it's very easy for technology to become a crutch rather than a tool.
It's too easy in many cases.
Calculators..why bother learning arithmetic.
Graphing calculators..why bother learning to graph
Calculators are a tool... just like a screwdriver or a hammer. I could do a calculation (twice the root already found ), or use the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics....
It is important to understand the fundamentals, but we also need to build upon technology/information already in common practice. We don't need to re-invent the wheel every time.
I no longer need to build an electronic multiplier by crossing polysilicon with N-diffusion, thousands of them. I just type in 'A = B*C'
Documents saved...very easy to copy and change a few words, put your name on it and turn it in as YOUR work.
That is called plaigarism... a big no-no. (Though it IS the ultimate compliment).
If you don't know and understand the underlying content/process/algorithm of the tool then you won't go on to create the next great tool.
I don't know the exact architecture of the ALU inside the processors of the machines I use, but it doesn't matter. If I am trying to solve a complex problem (such as how molecules interact, or subparticle behavior) I really don't care, as long as it is accurate.
Math example: Order of operations
Kids can plug in an expression complete with brackets and parenthesis and the calculator will give them the correct answer because the calculator knows the order of operations.
But if kids had to do it manually they are lost because they had maybe one lesson on it and then the calculators came out. They could not tell you which operation comes first.
That is why you use calculators with reverse polish notation (RPN). No such thing as parenthesis. Teaches you the exact order of operations, and the concept of operator and operand stacks. I haven't used a calculator that had parenthesis or an 'equal' sign since I was seven (and that is long ago).
Technology has become a crutch to many kids in school. It's an easy way out but may not be the best way in the long term.
Having people re-invent the wheel for everything they do makes technological advances virtually impossible.
I know how to use both an abacus and a slide rule (keep track of the decimal point ).
In my career in engineering and management, had about the same value as having the ability to determine the gender of a chicken when designing an OC-768 optical transport system.
I think the philosophy of the Waldorf schools is pretty neat but I don't understand how students can get the technology immersion that schools like my kids offer without using computers and media technology. I know that my own kids learned a lot from just using our own computers, cameras, etc, but they had much more sophisticated equipment at school.
I believe we are talking about K - 12 education here, not engineering in college.
I think the philosophy of the Waldorf schools is pretty neat but I don't understand how students can get the technology immersion that schools like my kids offer without using computers and media technology. On one hand I know that my own kids learned a lot from just using our own computers, cameras, etc, but they had much more sophisticated equipment at school.
Well how does one make sure that is how they are being used in the schools..as tools, not crutches.
I've subbed in various school districts in both HS and MS and calculators/laptops are pretty much mainstays, not tools.
I am in constant communication with my child and teachers about their courses, use of tools, etc. I review their progress and give my own assessments. I have specifically asked my children when/how they use computers/calculators. If I felt it was inappropriate use, I'd meet with the teacher to discuss it and try to rectify it. If there were no resolution, I'd escalate it to the principal. If still no resolution, I would remove my child from the class.
Two years ago, I did all of these things when one of my children had an ineffective (lazy) writing teacher (I have a CD thread about this) who was fired that year. I tried to resolve the issue through the school process, but eventually pulled him out of the one class and cyber schooled him in writing through Chicago's Northwestern University. I do realize this option may not be available to many parents.
For math, I specifically prepped my child for entrance into the gifted math program mainly because I had researched the program and knew 1.) They did not use Everyday Math (they used a superior program IMO) and 2.) They did not allow calculators. IMO The gifted math curriculum should have been available to many more kids in our school - not just to the top kids with parents savvy enough to navigate the system.
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), or use the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics....
I know how to use both an abacus and a slide rule (keep track of the decimal point 
