Screen-Free Education In an increasingly technological world...
We are often asked why we don’t use computers for instruction and why we recommend a screen-free life for our students at home, especially in the early childhood and elementary years.
Our screen-free educational approach can provide ways for children to experience a more organic way of being in the world. The Early Childhood programs allow children to play unencumbered by screens, digital music, and unreasonable academic expectations that are not based on child development. The use of screens for entertainment and learning in the young child robs them of the vital tasks and activities they need to be engaged in for proper physical, mental, and emotional development.
We know that a child's imagination is blossoming during the early developmental years, setting the stage for learning. Imagination has developmental purpose that serves us in adulthood. Nurturing the imagination has lifelong benefit. Parents at CCWS commit themselves to consciously limiting their children's screen time in order to allow their child to be fully present in the moment, to play and learn creatively, and to establish an environment that supports the healthy growth of the child.
There are many reasons for eliminating or limiting screen time for your student. Our faculty and staff understand the many pressures and stressors of modern parenting, including the pervasive presence of screens in all aspects of contemporary society. With this in mind, we offer a screen and media policy that we feel best cares for and nurtures your student's development and wellbeing, with an understanding that reality can, at times, fall short of ideals.
Media & Screen Time: What’s the Waldorf Approach ?
Here is a short video from the Marin Waldorf School.
Further Reading
For a wealth of information about Waldorf education, Rudolf Steiner, and anthroposophy, be sure to visit the website for the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA). For information specific to early childhood education, visit the website for Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). You can also read books for free online at the Online Waldorf Library.
Why does the school recommend a screen-free approach for young children?
The school recommends a screen-free life in the early childhood and elementary years because screens can interfere with the vital physical, mental, and emotional tasks children need for healthy development.
What does "screen-free education" look like at the school?
Screen-free education means that instruction does not use computers and that Early Childhood programs are designed so children can play and learn without screens, digital music, or developmentally inappropriate academic pressures.
How does limiting screens support a child's imagination?
Limiting screens protects and nurtures the child's blossoming imagination, allowing them to be fully present, play and learn creatively, and build inner capacities that serve learning and life in adulthood.
What commitment is asked of parents regarding screen use?
Parents are asked to consciously limit their children’s screen time at home so that school and home together create an environment that supports the healthy growth and wellbeing of the child.
Does the school recognize the challenges of limiting screens?
Yes, the faculty and staff acknowledge the pressures and stressors of modern parenting and the pervasive presence of screens, and they offer a media and screen policy that holds a caring ideal while understanding that reality can sometimes fall short.
