Waldorf School of Pittsburgh

My family has been involved with the school for nearly eight years, and we couldn't be more pleased with what it has done for our children, and indeed, our family. We are part of a loving, caring community, one that knows and respects each of our children. The curriculum is rich; the teachers, knowledgable, firm, and kind. It is everything school was meant to be - a place where parents and teacher work together to educate and raise the child, where the community is a living organism that moves in a cohesive manner, and where the child can do the work he or she is meant to do - discover the world gently, innocently, and entirely.
--Submitted by a parent

Little Friends is just awful! Had to take our child out because of their incompetence. They do not handle criticism well and get very defensive when any questions are asked. I would NOT recommend Little Friends to anyone, which is a shame, considering the rest of the school seems to be wonderful. It really stems from poor management by the lead teachers. The yellow house is consistently messy, smelly, and dirty (especially the bathroom and cubby room) and the grounds in which the children play outside are overgrown and unkempt (lots of poison ivy). Very poorly organized and managed- if they could get a good lead teacher in there (who has Waldorf training) things would improve immensely. Parent involvement is not encouraged and very little feedback is given to parents regarding their children.
--Submitted by a parent

My son has been at Waldorf since he was two years old. He is now entering 5th grade, and we couldn't be happier. My son loves school! This is particularly extraordinary, as my son has a reading disability that has meant that school is not always easy for him. Thanks to Waldorf's incredible flexibility, individualized attention and commitment to meeting the students where they are, with all their individual gifts and struggles, my son not only has made tremendous academic strides, but he has done so with his self-esteem as a bright and capable student intact.
--Submitted by a parent

My wife, son, and I love Waldorf School of Pittsburgh. The catch phrase, "educating head, heart, and hands" would be corny if it weren't true. The children learn how to think for themselves, rather than being fed state-dictated test contents; they learn respect for themselves, their classmates, and teachers; and their creative lives get to flourish. Also, how cool is it that every child at Waldorf learns to knit in first grade?! We feel so fortunate to have our son here and for us to be part of this community.
--Submitted by a parent

This is not an optimal school for parents or children. The atmosphere is rigid and unsupportive of difference.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a physician and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. I value education very highly so I did a great deal of research regarding school options in Pittsburgh. A lot of the other private schools in Pittsburgh emphasize academic performance to the exclusion of emotional, moral, and personal development. What I love about Waldorf is that my children are learning how to learn. It's like the difference between problem-based learning in medical school versus lectures! Moreover, I am totally amazed at how grounded the kids at this school are; not just polite, but self-posessed. It may be selection bias or it may be the education; in any event, I am thrilled to have these kids be "peer influences" on mine. This is a really remarkable, child-centered school that is an antidote to the current fast-paced (and short attention-span) dominated world we live in.
--Submitted by a parent

A school that encourages its students to develop academically, socially and creatively from the inside out. At Waldorf, students aren't just fed information that they retain until the test is taken. They are taught how to learn and how to think independently. In addition, a deep respect for each child enable results in each child respecting themselves, their classmates and their teachers. To be a student and a parent within the Waldorf School is an extraordinarily rich and rewarding experience. It is someething creates not just good students, but interested and interesting people.
--Submitted by a parent