Using Anthroposophy as a Heuristic Basis for Waldorf Education: A Response to Accusations of the Unscientific Nature of the Theory Behind the Education

Despite a broadly positive critical academic reception of the education there has been increasing, often ideological criticism of its anthroposophical foundations, summed up by Heiner Ullrich’s often repeated phrase, “interesting educational practice, unscientific theoretical foundation” (e.g. Ullrich, 2024). The practical success of Waldorf schools is counteracted by a widespread critical attitude towards Steiner's anthroposophy as the theoretical basis for the education. 

This lack of scientific status for the theoretical basis of Waldorf education is an Achilles heel for representatives of Waldorf education, who wish it would gain wider recognition and be more accessible to children, whose parents are not supporters of an anthroposophical approach.
Johannes Kiersch made the suggestion that Waldorf education, in contrast to the whole of Anthroposophy, could claim to have an anthroposophical process of generating knowledge and a pedagogy that is sufficiently secured in theory. He added that this would require “a more precise anthropological and educational-theoretical justification” (Kiersch, 1986, p.555).
I build on this stance to argue that in order to do this, it would be necessary to carry out a discourse analysis to establish that what constitutes Anthroposophy and then thus be able to identify parsimoniously which aspects of Anthroposophy are essential foundations for Waldorf education. 
On this basis Waldorf education would need to establish that its application of anthroposophical ideas was heuristic and capacity building for teachers. There would need to be a new pedagogical anthropology based on Steiner’s work but supplemented by other theory and on the basis of this a new learning theory and approach to child and youth development would be developed that met the criteria for a contemporary educational science.