Steiner Waldorf Education Curriculum Planning Tool

Project overview

Kath from the Steiner Waldorf Fellowship approached Illuminaries with what first appeared to be the requirements for a curriculum planning tool, but as time went on, Illuminaries discovered what was a far more complex and nuanced tool, designed to enable teachers to create cross-curricular schemes of work that translated the Waldorf curriculum into effective medium term plans.

In Waldorf education teachers design the curriculum for their class, drawing on a range of pedagogical principles and established practice. The new planning tool provided a framework within which teachers could ensure the learning offered the children was appropriately sequenced, delivered at an appropriate level and meeting required standards.

The project was initiated during the covid pandemic, but with Kath’s clear ideas of what the system would be, Illuminaries were able to remotely capture all the requirements and create a proposal to match all of the Steiner Waldorf’s needs.

Solution

As the system was to be accessed by users from different schools under the Steiner Waldorf umbrella, it was a straightforward decision to make the application a web-based solution, with a SQL Server database to hold the data.

The solution was developed using a “dashboard” style layout, with certain functions of the application locked down to specific user roles. Teachers were able to create lesson plans targeted at specific classes (which could be of different ages) using pre-existing templates with a combination of their own additions. Each “block” of work in the plan has associated tasks, modes of assessment, targeted skills etc.

On completion of lesson plans, the software allows users to view overall curriculum coverage in order to identify any potential gaps in pupils learning – reports can be generated on a class or subject basis and snapshots of the current classes being taught across the school at any given date or subject can be pulled; users can also discover which particular skills are being taught in other lessons and view the associated lesson plans.

The solution was latterly altered to work in multiple languages and is currently being trialled by Steiner schools in other regions around the world.

Curriculum Planning Tool

Project overview

Solution

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