Testimonials

Testimonials

What past Steiner students say…

I am in my final year at Notre Dame University in Fremantle studying a double degree in Law and Environmental Science.

I have great memories of my Steiner school years and had no trouble adapting to mainstream education. I spent my primary years at Perth Waldorf School, a Steiner school at Bibra Lake in Perth’s southern suburbs and also completed 3 years of secondary school there. I moved to a mainstream private school at age 14 because at that stage Perth Waldorf’s curriculum didn’t go any further.

Academically, the move to a mainstream school was easy. I really enjoyed my years as a Steiner school student and I think this style of education is very harmonious and positive to a student’s development. I would certainly send my kids to a Steiner school.  Even though I’m in my final year at university, I continue to have a close friendship with a number of my Steiner school mates.

– Moshe Phillips, 23 years

I spent my primary school years and part of my secondary school years as a Steiner student and I am now in my final year of studying Physiotherapy at university. I was accepted into two Perth universities – Curtin and Notre Dame – but chose Notre Dame University as my brother works there as an Exercise Physiologist. He too, was a Steiner student and went on to study Sports Science and Rehabilitation at University of WA. I found that the transition from Perth Waldorf School to Shenton College, a mainstream secondary college, was “a walk in the park.”

I think the relationship you have with your teachers at a Steiner school is really special. I think the small classroom numbers make it easier for learning and relating to teachers.  You’re not a number in a factory – you are on much the same level as the teachers and that’s one of the “stand-outs” of Steiner education.

– Andrew Jennings, 23 years

What mainstream school teachers say…

From my experience with Steiner school students, I have found them to be extremely co-operative, mature and diligent. Their level of respect and tolerance for peers and adults is a quality that I picked up on straight away and has continued right throughout the year.

While they are great friends and very sociable, they know when it is time to work – and they can work independently for the necessary time required to complete the task. They are also very organised with assignments and work outside of school. Anything creative and arty is something Steiner students seem to enjoy most and that includes story-telling and writing.

– Danielle Weiler, Year 7 teacher

What Silver Tree parents say…

I have a 9 year old child at Silver Tree. There are so many things that impress me about a Steiner education.
My daughter has developed so much self-confidence and self-esteem since coming to this wonderful school. Academically, she has thrived. Socially, she is very happy.

The respectful and sincere relationships between students and teachers must also be acknowledged. I feel really privileged to be a parent at the Silver Tree Steiner school – it’s a community of parents, teachers and friends who feel so deeply and passionately about a wholistic education for their children.

– Jude (parent)

I was at the end of my tether when I made the decision to take my six year old son out of his school and apply for a place at Parkerville’s Silver Tree Steiner school.

My little boy had been so unhappy at his previous school. He wasn’t naughty, wasn’t being bullied, had lots of friends and was considered an easy student.

“Give me one term and I promise you his joy for learning will return”, said a much loved teacher at Silver Tree. They were such positive words coming from a teacher that I jumped at the invitation. Two weeks at Silver Tree, my six year old was a different child.  The words “I don’t want to go to school” had vanished along with the tears.

Why? Because the Steiner philosophy is to let kids be kids and not push them to grow up too fast. The emphasis is on educating the whole child – heart, head and hands. Blackboards are filled with beautiful pictures and colour and classrooms are decorated to inspire the imagination. Teachers read classical stories to the children and they enjoy it so much. Once or twice a week they’re taken on wonderful bush walks or get to play in the creek and there’s even time to learn to cook in the classroom. Silver Tree children even get to build the sort of cubbies we did as kids. Yes, they learn to read and write and spell and do maths but it’s done with creativity and fun.

School life on the Silver Tree property is truly a nurturing experience. Hidden away in Perth’s hills is definitely one of education’s best kept secrets. I highly recommend it for your child.

– Yvette (parent)