Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make. As parents we need to educate ourselves about the vast options available, and determine which education model meets the needs of our family. We recommend asking the following questions:

• Is the curriculum developmentally appropriate for my child?
• Is the education supported by the latest brain research?
• Will my child be prepared to meet future needs and challenges – is he/she able to think critically for himself/herself?
• Does the curriculum develop the social and emotional intelligence of my child – is she/he prepared to be a citizen of the world?
• How does the education measure the success of their students? (i.e., number of college acceptances, community service, social activities, parent community involvement.)

If you would like to learn more about the latest thinking and research regarding education, check out these resources.

• "Revenge of the Right Brain"

  Daniel Pink, author of "A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age", published this article in Wired Magazine, February 2005. "Logical and precise, left-brain thinking gave us the Information Age. Now comes the Conceptual Age - ruled by artistry, empathy, and emotion. As left-brain jobs are going to PCs and overseas, it is time to turn to the right." While this article does not directly address Waldorf education, it shows how critical right-brain learning is for students entering the workforce in the "Conceptual Age."

• "Schooling the Imagination"

  This article by Todd Oppenheimer was first published in the Atlantic Monthly in 1999.

• How Creativity, Education and the Arts Shape a Modern Economy

  Click the above link to read the interview with Sir Ken Robinson, senior advisor for education policy at the Getty Foundation in Los Angeles.

• American Academy of Pediatrics Recommends Unstructured Play

  Click on this link to access a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics entitled New AAP Report Stresses Play for Healthy Development.

• Wall Street Journal Article on Recess

  Click here to access an article in the Wall Street Journal reporting on the American Academy of Pediatrics study on the importance of play in a child's healthy growth and development.

• NPR Article on Old-Fashioned Play

  Click here to access an NPR article highlighting the value of old-fashioned play.