Our Philosophy & Goals

Founded in 1980, the Seattle Waldorf School offers Waldorf EducationSM to students in preschool through grade twelve. SWS cultivates academic knowledge, artistic capacities, and practical skills aimed at fostering the highest degree of personal and social development.

Philosophy

The Seattle Waldorf School is founded on the pedagogical work of Rudolf Steiner and the ongoing research of the Waldorf Movement in which it is an active participant. Working from the ideals of Waldorf education, SWS highly values beauty, integrity, the uniqueness of each individual and their contribution to the responsible development of society.

We recognize the necessity of educating and developing our community of students to its fullest potential – spiritually, ethically, intellectually, socially, and physically – in a caring and nurturing environment. While we honor parents as the primary educators, we value and contribute to a close and meaningful partnership between home and school.

In the tradition of global awareness characteristic of Waldorf education, we prepare each student for a world-wide perspective, guiding them to recognize and accept responsible and creative participation in their family, school community, society, and in the world.

Goals

In accordance with its mission statement, the primary goal of the Seattle Waldorf School is to guide the students towards a life of purpose and meaning so that they can meet life with courage, and respond with initiative and creativity to the needs of the world and their fellow human beings. The Seattle Waldorf School is committed to:

Intellectual Goals

We are committed to delivering a Waldorf curriculum based on the understanding of child development as articulated by Rudolf Steiner, to guiding the students towards mastery of fundamental academic and artistic subjects, and to furthering a lifelong pursuit of knowledge and the development of capacities for healthy personal and collective growth.

Social Goals

We view our students’ experience in our school community as a living preparation for their roles and participation in the larger world community.

Artistic Goals

We value each student’s artistic development as a fundamental element of a healthy physical, emotional, and spiritual life. Our artistic education, including performance arts, movement arts, fine arts, and practical arts, is designed to enhance the students’ physical and emotional well-being, intellectual capacities and performance, and healthy moral and spiritual development.

Community Goals

SWS values its role as the first preschool through grade twelve Waldorf school in the state of Washington. We recognize and embrace our responsibility as a leader in Waldorf education. We are committed to securing the future of a fully-developed Waldorf education in the northwest region and to our active participation in the evolution of Waldorf education in the world.

OUR SCHOOL

Mission

We educate our students to be free human beings who impart purpose and meaning to their lives, who meet life with courage, and respond with initiative and creativity to the needs of the world and their fellow human beings.