I attended Waldorf K-8 and can say the observations and reservations others have voiced are real. I can say the best things for me looking back were
-being evaluated based on your own ability. IOW if the teacher doesn't think you tried your best and produced sub par work based on their observation you received a lower evaluation.
-a love and respect for nature
-an appreciation of others differences (the ability level in my class varied greatly)
-the emphasis on the arts
But the list of negatives is HUGE and most have been mentioned above. One that has not been mentioned was a lack of exposure to standardized testing and the culture of public schools. It was very jarring for me to learn how to navigate and succeed in a school where you were just another kid to educate and not viewed as a person.
While I liked my time in Waldorf, the educational philosophy is not right for our family. While my DD would love some parts of the education It would be disasterous in the long run for her.
