“My creativity and imagination are still strong–Waldorf education taught me how to keep my childlike imagination, and how to apply it in the adult world.”

In our alumni survey, we asked alumni what they value about their time at Emerson Waldorf School. This is what they told us:

Waldorf gave me an active imagination, creative problem solving skills, and a genuine desire and curiosity to learn. I would not trade my time at Waldorf for anything!

Waldorf helped me to be totally open to new people and opportunities. Looking back, I was also a hard worker and it was easy for me to talk to professors and teachers because of my close relationship with my grade teacher.

Through my time at Waldorf I gained a set of values that has helped guide me, such as honesty in relationships, respect for others, a do-it-yourself sense of confidence, and academic commitment.

Emerson was amazing. [I have] so much gratitude for the holistic approach to education. Emerson has definitely help build my inner self, through reflection and study. This strength I have carried with me into all scenarios, and is incredibly valuable.

It was a challenge going from such a small high school to even a relatively small college, but it was easy to make friends, and I found I was able to do well academically. The diversity of activities that I pursued in high school carried over, leading me to be involved in many extra curricular groups in college. I felt like a very well rounded individual compared to my peers at the University, and a lot more creative and artistic than the average student here. I think [Waldorf Education] broadened me as a person, and certainly contributed enormously to who I am today.

I am very grateful for the pedagogy at Emerson. My thinking today would be lacking very important developments had it not been for all the amazing teachers, parents, volunteers, staff and students that comprise the community that nurtured me in so many fundamental ways.

I think the observational skills I gained at Waldorf have helped me become a good scientist. I still try to play music and knit and I feel very fortunate I learned these skills at a very young age. I can’t always put my finger on why but I feel like my time at EWS has played a huge role in who I have become since I left. Some of the most important things I gained at EWS were friends; almost everyone from my class is in touch to this day. Encouraging kids to play in the woods and get dirty is a great way to inspire a future ecologist!

Waldorf gave me the ability to look below the superficial surface of things, and really delve… beyond the facade.

…..using critical thinking skills and going beyond the obvious, having respect for my teachers, working in with others in teams and maintaining lasting friendships.

….independent thought and personal investigation. These are priceless gems in our information-saturated culture.

So many things–a true sense of myself as an individual. How to really think for myself and be aware of the world. Creativity and wonder and how to function in a community if people. I learned many things that can be hard to find in the rest of the world, such as teachers and people in general that truly care about the world, others and themselves. It’s just an amazing place.

…the way that I see the world as opportunity and see people for who they are.

Nurturing environment, small classes, emphasis on the arts. The ability to think independently and ask questions all the time. Keen observational skills and appreciation for the natural world.

Love for learning

The community, appreciation for nature, the need for art, and love for learning.

I learned to notice and appreciate things more profoundly.

The most important things were probably the people and close relationships I built, along with the nature oriented education. The spiritual, Waldorf education was something that I think has very much made me a different person for the better. I think the unique type of environment and learning that is offered at Emerson was splendid. Of course my friends and teachers from my time at Emerson were really a great resource and part of my time there. I think the size of the school helped contribute to that family feeling in the classroom.

Life long friends, the kind which I couldn’t get anywhere else. A wide variety of skills outside of the average person. Art and music which are my main passions today.

Trusting myself. Close relationships with teachers and mentors. Full support of the school. Freedom to be myself, and freedom of expression. Mainly I am so grateful I didn’t have to deal with the bureaucracy of public school and with homework that is just meant to waste time. I am grateful for all main lesson blocks, and the depth in which we pursued topics.

The ability to manage my time, to be creative and resourceful, to learn effectively. I learned how to take charge in issues that were important to me. I also gained a great appreciation for art and nature, which I value tremendously.

Not just learning out of a text book, but actually learning how to love learning.

I’ve gained my whole world view from EWS. It influences me every day, in new ways that I am still discovering.

I was not burnt out on school after EWS, that was the most important value i got from EWS. It allowed me to pursue education for its own validity and not as a cynical aspect of a boring educational system.

Respect

I am a scientist and I feel the observational skills that are cultivated through Waldorf education have helped me become a good scientist. Encouraging kids to play in the woods and get dirty is a great way to inspire a future ecologist!

I liked how Waldorf focused so much on child development in a whole-person kind of way, and I remember reflecting on that as a student there, and feeling validated by it. They had a big poster in the office with a spiral with lots of images representing a child’s development through to young adulthood that I would stare at a lot and trace my history on it.

All the trips we took as a class, especially our 8th grade trip. They were extraordinary.

I have too many memories to count. I suppose one that evokes great joy would be my senior trip and the long, sultry days on the beach with my friends.

The teachers. They played a major role in my teenage years; I gained so much from them as teachers and persons. I felt truly recognized and encouraged. Through writing and Greek mythology and all the classes I discovered things about myself which made me grow as an individual and find the magic in life

Going camping at Kerr Lake. Spending the night on a farm. Building a tool shed. Playing capture the flag. Handwork. I could go on and on.

I cherish my education, and think it plays a major role in my success as an actor, and a compassionate human being.

I have many fond memories of playing out side and exploring.  Also learning for the most part was fun and interesting and very hands on.

Playing capture the flag, building a tepee outside, drawing in my main lesson book, playing the recorder, the chalk drawings on the blackboard, joking around with my friends. One main lesson block I had while at EWS was a big turning point for me. We were studying the Renaissance and Leonardo da Vinci. I was entranced with the block and stayed inside during the recesses to look further into the drawings and sketches of the master. I found a line drawing of a young woman in one of the books and decided to copy it as precisely as I could. It was the first time I had ever tried to make a illustration look realistic in my main lesson book. It was as if a veil was lifted from my eyes and from that moment forward I began to observe the world around me with the eyes of an artist.

The nature walks and trips to Spence’s farm stick out most in my mind, and the field trip to Virginia in the fall when we explored caves.

Being a member of the first high school class, we had the privilege of holding classes at Spence’s farm. We had many adventures there in the mud and gardens, but the best was when someone locked Mr. Levitt in the compost toilet!

I loved that when it was a beautiful day, we were able to have class outside. Or go on nature walks.

Playing basketball every single recess!!