PEDAGOGY From its inception, Waldorf pedagogy has been driven by the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of children, rather than as a means of perpetuating the status quo. In today's increasingly high stress world, the pressures upon children are greater than ever despite overwhelming evidence (statistical, pharmaceutical, and psychological) that children are showing signs of burn-out beginning as early as preschool. The use of standardized tests as yardsticks to measure "competence" is accelerating at an alarming rate. While there is an obvious need for accountability from teachers and students, experienced educators are voicing their opposition to "teaching to the test," admitting that it is having a negative impact on true learning and individual growth in their classrooms. Waldorf education offers a meaningful alternative. At the heart of the approach is the idea that the gifts of childhood must be valued and protected. The imagination, the key to free and higher consciousness, is cherished and given every opportunity to bloom.