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Biography
Philosopher Rudolf Steiner was born on February 27, 1861 in Kraljevec, Austria Hungry (modern day Croatia). He died in 1925. According to Gidley, Steiner was "a quiet, introverted child, he spent most of his childhood and youth in a beautiful mountainous region of Austria surrounded by natural beauty but immersed in the new technologies of the telegraph and railway through his father" (Gidley, 2012, p. 2). Steiner attended high school near Vienna where he was inspired by the poetic works of Goethe. From 1879-1883, he attended undergraduate school at the Vienna Institute of Technology. In 1893, he published his most notable work The Philosophy of Freedom. He continued to edit works from Goethe from 1882-1897. In 1897, he moved to Berlin, Germany, where he began his work at the Workers' School of Education. "Steiner, a truly 'Renaissance Man,' developed a way of thinking that he applied to different aspects of what it means to be human" (Barnes, 1991). Using his theory of anthroposophy, he made connections to nearly every field (i.e. architecture, art, education, etc.). In April of 1919, Steiner frequented the Waldorf Astoria Cigarette Factory in Stuttgart, Germany. Due to Germany's crippling economy at the time, the owner of the factory asked Steiner to open up a school. in September of 1919, the first Independent Waldorf School opened.

Steiner's Stages of Development
Steiner believed that humans are a threefold being of spirit, soul, and body whose abilities unfold in three developmental stages: early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence.

Early Childhood
This stage begins at conception and lasts until ages 6-7. During this stage, most of the child's life is spent at home or Kindergarten. Gilbert states, "during the last year of kindergarten, the child is looking forward to and preparing for the entry into elementary school" (n.d., p.3). These young children are very observant and giving all of themselves to their caretakers and the environment around them. Van Buren comments that, "during this period, children learn through empathy and action" (2020, p.112). We know this to be true because caretakers are very nourishing and comforting with their children during this time and encourage hands-on activities. The main bodily changes that occur during this stage are head growth and nerve changes. It is important for parent to allow their children to explore and engage in sensory activities during this time.

Middle Childhood
The middle childhood phase begins around age 7 and lasts until ages 13-14 and is often referred to as "The Age of Feeling." Many teachers choose to instruct through pictures and rhythm which is linked to emotions. As children begin this phase, they also mentally prepare for memory tasks and image-based thinking. The signal of a child's transition to this phase is their baby teeth falling out and the lengthening of the trunk. Other bodily changes include breathing and circulation, and the ability to engage in more independent activities. During the first year of this stage, children go through a transitional review of their early childhood. Since students learn very visually and rhythmically during this stage, it is common for teachers to use tools such as music and manipulatives; tactile learning is very effective. Once they enter the final stage, they can begin thinking more abstractly.

Adolescence
The adolescent stage begins around ages 13-14 and ends around age 21; it is commonly referred to as "The Age of Exploration." This stage is associated with more abstract thinking. There are several bodily changes that happen during puberty in an effort to support independent feeling and thinking. Voice changes, eating habits increase or decrease, reproductive systems mature, and adolescents are truly finding their identities. The transitional first year in this stage (around 7th grade), is spreading the world with consciousness. In 8th grade, the teen will carry new forms of consciousness. The 7th and 8th grade child is almost like a butterfly leaving behind their youth. Gilbert states, "the seventh and eighth grade child is beginning to prepare for a new stage of life and no longer lives in the mood of young childhood" (n.d., p. 3). Emotional changes include self-assertion, judgement, criticism, and antipathy. Teachers can ask more profound questions with that require deeper thinking during this stage. Students may attach their answers to prior experiences, feelings, and connections that was previously challenging as a youth.

Waldorfian Schools
The first Waldorfian school was founded in 1919 in Stuttgart, Germany. Gidley notes, "as of 2010, there are approximately 1,000 Steiner-Waldorf schools across 60 countries" (2012, p.5). There are currently 125 Waldorf schools in the U.S. These schools are very simplistic with calm walls and a minimal amount of objects. The focus of the instruction is imagination and exploration. For example, during early childhood, "Steiner approved of unfinished toys, such as rag dolls without facial features sot hat children could "finish" the objects using their own imaginations" (Uhrmacher, 2004, p.112). Unlike U.S. public schools, Waldorf schools stray from the use of technology. One of the hottest debates in education is where to place middle school. Some models are 8+4 whereas others are 6+3+3. "The problem of how to structure the upper elementary grades is not limited to Waldorf schools. Public schools also struggle with the relationship of the middle school years to the elementary and high school" (Gilbert, n.d., p. 5).

Classroom Connections
It is important for teachers to understand Steiner's stages of development because at a base level it can help them guide their instruction. In many mid European schools, the classroom teacher will stay with their group of students for the entirety of the stage (i.e. early childhood). In the U.S., the practice of looping is similar to this but does not last as long. The reason for this practice is for teachers to establish a firm relationship with the students and families they are teaching. Steiner's Waldorf schools present teaching in a much more imaginative and exploration based method. Most American schools focus on teaching to standardized based tests and rigorous curriculum. Infusing creative elements such as music and the arts can be a great takeaway.