Roseway Waldorf School Movement and Sport
The Waldorf movement, sports, and games programme is fundamentally different from sports education at conventional schools. The movement we incorporate into Waldorf education is suited to each child’s developmental stage, as well as being linked to what children are learning as part of the rest of their education.
As such, sport for its own sake has no educational value. Holistic education needs to be built on a foundation of both physical and emotional development. Physical activity, movement, and balance are core to physiological health and growth. Emotional, social, and cognitive skills underpin balanced psychological and academic maturity.
Inasmuch as sport can contribute to a conscious concept of healthy and well-rounded human development, it has genuine value. That is why the physical activity selected for inclusion in the Waldorf curriculum is carefully chosen to support balanced, holistic human development, rather than focusing on competition and personal gain.
Students participate in games or sports from Class 1 to matric. In the primary school, they have a 40-minute lesson each week. Learners in the high school have an hour’s lesson over two terms. Roseway also holds an annual Sports Day in both the Primary and High School.
Young children start with circle games and fun activities that promote participation, as well as a feeling of safety that fosters strong bonds.
After-school games for children are based on Waldorf pedagogical indications for Class 1 and 2. This means that the Waldorf philosophy of physical education is based on Rudolf Steiner’s well-researched guidelines for the learning needs of children at different ages. These games are always very well supported and enjoyed.
As the children get older, the emphasis shifts to the individual, with tag games that involve chasing and catching. When team sports are introduced, they develop sensory integration, as well as positional sense.
Older children start learning about the principles of specific games, the mechanics of team sports, and the concept of good sportsmanship. Team sports are used to help deepen social ties and commitment to the group, while challenging each student to achieve higher levels of individual skill. This emphasis is on true sportsmanship. Older students are also taught the importance of finding a balance between academic work and their sporting endeavours.
There are no tryouts in Waldorf sports: any student wanting to participate is given an opportunity to practice, play, and excel. All students get to play at matches. No-one is a bench warmer.
Every learner at Roseway Waldorf is encouraged to participate in the after-school programme.
In the primary school cricket, hockey, netball, softball, cross country and soccer are standard features in the extra-curricular programme. In the high school volleyball, netball, soccer, cricket, ultimate Frisbee, softball and archery are the standard features. Extra options arise – and over the years have included rock climbing and basketball. Students have participated in many activities outside of our programme and represented us in matches, contests and competitions varying from skateboarding to horse jumping, adventure racing to karate.
We have offered a wide variety of after school activities over the years – inter alia, Sewing Club, Cultural Cooking, Chess, Choir, Zumba fitness, Performance Eurythmy and Nature Club. We are delighted to have cultural activities form part of our after school programme. We constantly review which extra-curricular activities we could offer in any given year.
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