A tenth myth about Waldorf education, cultivated by "PLANS Inc."
A tenth main myth cultivated by PLANS in its anti-Waldorf campaign, concerns the relation of Waldorf education to science. It has the form of two sub-myths.

The first sub myth is that

the teaching of science subjects at Waldorf schools is "unscientific".
PLANS tries to support this with three arguments. The first concerns
  • the way the "elements" in Greek antiquity are used in the lower grades, as a conceptual frame, as a first step in the development of an understanding of nature in Waldorf education,
  • then continuing to develop an understanding of the chemical elements out of examining the basic chemical processes of nature,
  • and ending, in high school, with an understanding of matter from an atomistic perspective (the atomic theory).
According to "PLANS Inc." this way of through the grades letting the pupils experience how the understanding of matter has developed through history constitutes a promotion of "outdated, unscientific thinking".

For more on how the "elements" are taught, see here.

The second and third "argument" of this sub-myth, used by PLANS to support its view that science teaching in Waldorf schools not is "scientific", concerns the way our understanding of the heart and of the nature of light are typically approached in Waldorf education.

For a further description of the "heart" argument, and some comments on it, see here.

For more on the "light" issue, showing the complementary ways Newton and Goethe approached the phenomenon of light, see here.

The second sub myth cultivated by "PLANS Inc." is that

Waldorf education has not been validated by scientific studies.
This myth is cultivated as part of PLANS's allegation that Waldorf education does not give children a good education and preparation for life as adults.

This myth is contradicted by the praise of Waldorf education by distinguished educationalists and by the number of successful people who have gone to a Waldorf school.

It is also directly contradicted by the numerous studies that have been conducted recently and over the years, showing, for example,

This myth is also contradicted by a recent state-funded investigation in the U.K. which suggests that the U.K. should integrate Waldorf schools as part of its state-funded educational system.

Go to the overview of the top ten myths about Waldorf education, cultivated by "PLANS Inc."