Waldorf school offers unique approach to teaching physics and mathematics through art

The reality that American students are not keeping up with the rest of the world in math and science is not breaking news. What is breaking news is the White Mountain Waldorf School’s unique and engaging way of approaching math and science education with hands-on learning supplemented with music, theatre and visual arts to deepen understanding in the core academics.

The facts are not inspiring: American students’ rank 25th in math and 21st in science compared to students in 30 industrialized countries. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), America’s top math students rank 25th out of 30 countries when compared with top students elsewhere in the world.

One of the White Mountain Waldorf School alumnus was voted Kennett High School’s outstanding math student of the year, another alumna won the College Placement Algebra Excellence Award and two years ago our students won three places out of four in the Mount Washington Valley Science Fair as well as the Time Warner Innovation Award.

Physics teacher Hans Shepker was invited by the seventh and eighth grade of the White Mountain Waldorf School to teach a three-week block on physics. He blends the artistic with the mathematic in his classes. He is a member of the Mathematical Association of America MAA, a state-juried member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, a roster artist for the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, and also a member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics NCTM.

This blend of math and the arts allows Shepker to inspire interest, inquiry and understanding in math and physics classes. Last year the eighth grade students worked in his studio and built stained glass geometrical shapes; this year’s eighth grade class built a wave pendulum machine.

“All my stained glass work is based on numbers” says Shepker. “They come in any form from just counting the pieces of glass in an object to calculated surfaces, be it in 2D, 3D or 4D in 3D-Space. I only use flat glass, even for curves and spirals, and I can cut the vast majority of the pieces along a straight edge. Yes, it is math I am talking about!”

“This project helped me to understand physics better” was the 8th grade student’s reaction. “Building the wave pendulum machine from figuring out dimensions to the final product was an amazing process and it worked like it was supposed to; that was cool!”

Parents looking for the best education for their children are invited see the Waldorf style of education (and shop for holiday gifts) at the school’s Winter Family Craft Faire, on Nov. 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. To learn more visit www.whitemountainwaldorf.org or call 447-3168.