Essential characteristics of a Steiner Waldorf school are, among others:

Belonging to a World-wide Movement   

The Waldorf movement forms an international network, within which individual Steiner Waldorf schools are autonomous, while being connected locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

The work of an individual school is strengthened by an awareness of the whole of the movement, and is nurtured by regular exchanges and interactions within the region and the home country, as well as in international conferences.

This awareness can grow and find expression in partnerships between schools in different countries, as well as in providing assistance for developing schools, or schools in need. Taking part in professional development courses, for teachers, parents and school representatives, will greatly strengthen this work.

Mutual interest and the overall effort to bring local educational practice in alignment with the Essential characteristics will strengthen the institution as well as the Waldorf movement as a whole, whereas isolation, provincialism, or even a lack of willingness to work together will weaken the movement as a whole. One way to foster this attitude of mutual interest is to perceive and understand ourselves as an integral part of society as a whole and proclaiming it as such.

School Identity

Every school is unique. Its identity manifests in all the recognized characteristics, virtues, and potential, which are in its disposal. The school determines these aspects, influenced by its history, location, and geography, as well as the circle of parents and teachers who put their stamp on the school organism.

Above and beyond that, a school bases its identity on its pursuit of the realization of the art of education as initiated by Rudolf Steiner, known as the Waldorf approach. The practical realization of the art of education, as sketched out and described by Rudolf Steiner, will find different forms of expression in each individual school. This has consequences for the way teachers conceive of teaching and learning, the way they handle content and the selection of teaching material, how they give form to the ways they relate to students, how they incorporate the educational principles, and lastly, to what extent their teaching methods are age-appropriate in the light of anthroposophical insights into child development. The way children learn is a significant health factor at each stage. All schools share the ultimate aim: healthy learning.

It is, therefore, essential for each school to find creative and responsible solutions in all the areas outlined. Taken together, they form a large part of a school’s identity, culminating in what can be perceived as a sense of inner fulfillment, of meaning, in that the people involved feel in line with the ideals put forward. The extent to which the majority of the teachers have accomplished an attitude of openness in their striving for insight and self-education – with the help of anthroposophy – contributes in a major way to the school’s identity and builds the spiritual substance out of which future challenges can be mastered by the school community.

The individual character of each school is determined by the quality of professional joy and the striving for anthroposophical insight as a basis for the pedagogy, as well as the cooperation of teachers, staff and parents – these things manifest in what generally is perceived as the school’s spirit.

The curriculum and pedagogical creativity

There is no standardized curriculum for Waldorf schools which will work in every situation. But there are detailed indications given by Rudolf Steiner concerning suitable content for each age level, including methodological indications. Both content and method are aimed to optimally meet and support the development of body, soul, and spirit. Taken as a whole, these curriculum indications are a basic constituent of Waldorf education. They are the backbone of the pedagogy and, in their totality, represent the curriculum. Many of these suggestions are valid for all subjects and are characterized by the fact that they enable meaningful, effective learning progress through repetition, variation and reflection. Over the decades, many colleagues have tried to summarize Rudolf Steiner's suggestions and develop them further in line with the times and the respective cultural context.⁴

It is essential for a Waldorf school that teachers strive to sharpen their perception of each individual child and to understand the developmental characteristics of children and young people at different ages on the basis of anthroposophical anthropology. Based on this, they will work on the content of the lessons in such a way that the local context, the time, and the situation are appropriately taken into account.

Teachers in a Waldorf school will therefore endeavour to:

- study anthroposophical anthropology and child development;

- work on understanding and applying Rudolf Steiner's suggestions for their subject;

- be aware of the cultural, social, geographical, ecological, historical and religious contexts of their school  and the families involved;

- be aware of developments in the current academic discourse in the field of pedagogy;

- take note of state requirements with regard to teaching content and learning objectives and take them into account or integrate them where appropriate or necessary.

On the basis of this study, teachers in a school on can individually and collegially develop a curriculum that realizes the intentions of Waldorf education in a specific way. The aim is to create a fruitful rapprochement between the possible and the ideal in order to work creatively and promote the development of the child through the curriculum. It will be necessary to revise this curriculum regularly and adapt it to developments in education and the wider society.

The relationship teacher – child – world

Child development and learning in school are realized in a trust-based relationship between the child, or young person, and the teacher, and in perceiving the surrounding environment and the whole world. Waldorf teachers bear a special responsibility for the vital shaping of this relationship.

The types of relationship children need for healthy development depend, to a large degree, on their age.

• In preschool, teachers cultivate a loving, protective attitude. Practical and artistic activities are of primary importance, building on the children's ability to imitate. Children learn and relate to the world through free play.
• In the first 6 to 8 years of primary and middle school, teachers strive to build authentic relationships with the children, building on their innate need to follow a trusted authority, which enables them to relate to the world through a varied range of learning activities. The emphasis at this age is on getting to know the world by means of rich learning experiences through stories, pictures and characterizations.
• In adolescence, this relationship changes, because now the focus is on encountering and engaging with the world from the perspective of the subject areas and fields of study themselves. Adolescents will need space and encouragement to form their own judgments, as well as to be able to develop empathy and stimulate independent action. The decisive factor here is whether, in addition to their professional aptitude, middle and high school teachers have the ability to meet young people in such a way that the students discover their own aspirations and develop the courage to start shaping their biographies accordingly.
• Education and teaching are successful if further questions and interest in other people and the world are awakened in the children and young people. It is incumbent on schools to find ways to balance outside demands, (such as exams), with the demands of healthy mental and physical development.

Relationships with the pupils and students are deepened by child study. It is a further tool for getting in touch with the developing individuality of a child, allowing her or him to emerge through observation and description, holding back customary judgements or ready-made solutions.⁵

The relationship between teachers and parents is a crucial part of daily educational practice. The cooperation between parents and teachers is cultivated in the sense of an educational partnership. Mutual interest, appreciation, regular encounters and cooperation create an atmosphere in which pupils and students can develop well. Adults also benefit in this atmosphere and have opportunities to develop their own educational potential. Parents and teachers in Waldorf schools therefore attach particular importance to cultivating relationships and finding creative solutions to overcome misunderstandings and mistrust.

Teachers as artists

Artistic teaching is one of the most important educational tools and may be understood in four ways.

1. The lesson itself is artistic in the sense of originality, imagery, creativity and also, in the sense of healthy breathing; that is to say, teachers need to perceive when it is time to change activity, creating a lively alternation of tasks allowing tension and release. This artistic quality in the design of lessons is an essential element of Waldorf education.

2. Teachers will use a range of traditional arts in appropriate forms in their lessons (painting, drawing, recitation, music, etc.).

3. Teachers themselves cultivate a relationship to an art form, including social art.

4. The teachers endeavour to create an appropriate artistic environment.