Waldorf school media policies have been an issue on the front burner since Waldorf schools and media have been around. Now, with the rapidly increasing use of media by children and families in school, at work and at home, the topic takes on even greater importance.

Filmaker Paul Zehrer has produced an excellent video for the Marin Waldorf School on media and how it touches children’s and families’ lives. It’s up-to-date, fast-paced, informative and a must-see for teachers, parents and families.

“I think a lot of families get very focused, in particular on the media policy.” – Dave Mandelbrot, Digital Media Executive

“You’re getting into really dangerous water when you start talking about people’s screens, like TVs, computer games, phones.” -Kim John Payne, Simplicity Parenting

“I don’t want my kid being babysat by the television set, and we got a lot of friends who it turned out were totally fine with that.” -Andy Berkenfield, Ad Executive

“I heard a rumor that the kids can not have watched TV or movies, or they can’t even get into a Waldorf school.” -Dorian Van Cleve, Prospective Parent

“The stereotypes and the negative things I hear are from people who usually have no idea and they just feel like we are being sheltered too much.” -Bonnie Campbell, MWS Alumna

“It’s impossible not to have your kid exposed to it by a certain age.” -George Tanaka, MD

“Seven and a half hours a day is the national average of direct screen exposure. Two of indirect screen time takes it up to nine and a half.” -Kim John Payne

“These children are much like sponges, and totally soak up every single sound and sight.” -Rob Harrington, Class Teacher

“They are inundated with adult imagery.” -Karen Rivers, Waldorf Educator

“If you’re paying attention to what’s on television, most of it is sarcastic, cynical or hurtful.” -Kristine Deason, MWS Class Teacher

“You can see the affect of media, internet, email, and texting just in our own lives. It’s portrayed as liberating as we connect to the world, but I think it does the opposite.” -George Tanaka, MD

A Silicon Valley School That Doesn’t Compute By Matt Richtel, New York Times, October 22^nd 2011

Parents Urged Again to Limit TV for Youngest By Benedict Carey, New York Times, October 18^th 2011

Why Pre-school shouldn’t be like School By Alison Gopnik, Slate.com, March 16 2011

Want to get your kids into college? Let them play By Erika Christakis and Nicholas Christakis, CNN, December 29 2010

The Risk of Parenting While Plugged In By Julie Scelfo, New York Times, June 2010

The Revolt of the Bruppies By Jason Fagone, Philadelphia Magazine, June 2010

The Death of Handwriting By Philadelphia Magazine, July 2011

From Finland an Intriguing School Reform Model – New York Times, December 2011

What Americans keep ignoring about Finlands school success – The Atlantic, December 2011

Film and Podcast -

The Waldorf Way: Silicon Valley School eschews technology By Rehema Ellis, NBC News, November 30^th 2011

Changing Education Paradigms By Sir Ken Robinson, TED, October 2010

The Waldorf School of Philadelphia featured on The Teacher Says with Aditi Roy on NBC10

Modern Childhood and the Brain, Psychologist Gabrielle Principe talks to Radio Times host, Marty Moss-Coane, December 2011

Why Waldorf By Paul Zehrer, The Marin County Waldorf School

Kathy Hirsh Pasek, Cognitive Developmental Research and Education

This new film by Paul Zehrer is a window into the wonderful educational and community life at the Marin Waldorf School in California.

The new short film, “Why Waldorf?” was inspired by a group of parents who saw a real need to effectively communicate ‘why’ Waldorf education has become so relevant and important to the 21st Century. A highly informative and emotionally engaging portrait, “Why Waldorf” includes interviews from teachers, students, alumni, parents, doctors, authors and scholars, combined with beautiful and compelling visuals of students in action, stunning artwork, and alumni who express their poised and optimistic take on the future.