A Course of Home Economics may critically enhance a child’s life quality. Home economics has been taught in public primary schools, as well as in Waldorf private primary schools. The purpose of this Degree Dissertation has been to identify the main thematic areas of home economics in the syllabus in public and in Waldorf primary school, and to compare them.
Data has been collected for further analysis by quality document analysis based upon syllabus examination, concerning home economics in different educational courses in both types of primary school.
Analysis of results has shown that thematic areas of home economics have been taught in different courses and at differing educational stages, when comparing Waldorf with public primary school. Some themes have been covered already at the first educational period and have been continued and upgraded during the last educational period. Analysis has shown that some elements of home economics have been taught differently: Waldorf school offers more practical training than does public school. On the other hand, certain thematic areas of home economics have been identified in the syllabus at Waldorf school showing smaller importance than in public school.
I have reached the following conclusions: thematic areas of home economics should be introduced at all educational stages at primary public schools and should focus on acquiring practical skills. At Waldorf private primary school the syllabus should be enhanced to include: purchasing, planning, selection and purchase of textiles, and labelling of food.
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