A case study on parental involvement and volunteering in schools through the example of two Waldorf schools

Magdolna Somos

Abstract

Alternative pedagogy began to spread in Europe in the 20th century. The Waldorf School was one of the first schools established in Germany in 1919, linked to Rudolf Steiner and the philosophy behind him – anthroposophy. In today's digital revolution such a pedagogy that is refocusing on the child and nature is very dividing. Families who end up applying to a Waldorf school, consciously undertake the Waldorf's way of life, which also has 'requirements' outside the school because not only the child but the whole family is recruited. The aim of the present case study is not only to introduce the characteristics of Waldorf schools in a descriptive way, but to focus on the role of parents, as the school counts and depends on parental support for its existence and operation. However, this support is not only, and not primarily, material.. The case study considers parental school involvement as a form of volunteering. Whereas there is a growing number of studies on alternative pedagogy, there is still little empirical research about the Waldorf movement and parental involvement in Waldorf institutions. This gap gives the importance and novelty of this study. As some elements of the Waldorf pedagogy have already been adopted by public and private schools even in Hungary, we assume that the successful elements of parental involvement and the promotion of volunteering could also be emulated. This initial exploratory case study examines the form an quantity of the involvement of Waldorf parents at their child's institution, and on the other hand, how the school and the class teacher can reach out for the parents for their active participation in the school's life. The methodology of the study was based on secondary data collection. In the two schools studied the parents have received tertiary education, mainly in humanities, and they value the safety of their children and the close partnership between family and school. They have a strong sense of 'dedication' and 'care'. There is a balance of shared responsibilities between parents and the institution, but these place great demands on parents' time and energy. A positive result of this is the development of a high level of trust in the school on the part of parents towards the school.

Keywords: alternative education, Waldorf pedagogy, parental involvement, parental school volunteering, secondary data collection