As part of working through my homeschooling quandaries, I'm going to do a few posts on Waldorf education and what I do and don't like about it. It's such a big and deep topic that I've decided to focus on one period at a time, so today I'll talk about a Waldorf early childhood.
When it comes to early childhood the Waldorf way, there is virtually nothing I disagree with! In fact, the early childhood stuff was what impressed and intrigued me about Waldorf education in the first place.
I love Waldorf philosophies because they protect young childhood! Children today are being pressured to grow faster and faster, and Waldorf education does its best to reverse that. The home is seen as the center of the child's universe. Formal schooling is discouraged, and if preschool/daycare must happen, it is more of a playschool in a warm, nurturing home-like environment. I love this! I too believe that young children need most to be at home with their mothers. They need to be learning about the world in a familiar, supportive environment.
The young child learns best by imitation. This affects several aspects of home life. Adults are encouraged to go on about their work, both household work and creative work, including the child as much as possible. A teacher in a Waldorf kindergarten would typically be working on some type of handwork or other project during class while the children played. She would be modelling her own work for the children, gently showing that this is what adults do. A parent at home would do the same. Don't save sewing and other things for after the child is in bed, let them see you doing those things.
The parent is also encouraged to let the child join in housework as he will. Most parents know that at toddler and preschool ages, little ones love to help around the house. I'm trying to slow down, include Sariah in these chores, and focus on the process of the work more than the product. Often in both classrooms and homes, toys will include "work" toys such as a little wash tub and scrubbing board where the children will actually be allowed to get little cloths wet and hang them out to dry. Children are encouraged to play at family tasks such as cooking and baby care.
In the Waldorf tradition, there is a huge emphasis on imaginary play as well. Toys should be open-ended, meaning that the child can use the toy in several different ways. Blocks, dress-ups, silks, etc. are encouraged. Parents are encouraged to choose high-quality toys made from, where possible, natural materials. Media such as TV and computers are either completely eliminated or severely restricted.
Waldorf education encourages imagination, creativity and artistic endeavors. The imaginary world is encouraged through story-telling and crafts. Stories often involve fairies, gnomes, and the like. I wasn't sure how this would go over with my kids, but as I've purchased a couple of books about such things, Sariah has really responded to it. She asks for the books consistently and loves to look at the little forest creatures. An oral story-telling tradition is considered even more important than books for little ones in a Waldorf environment. I'm trying to get myself in a story-telling mode; that does not come naturally for me! I don't think we'll be abandoning books, though... but I am being more conscious of the kinds of books I get, making sure that they are beautiful and uplifting. Songs, fingerplays, and movement activities are also a big part of the day for young children in a Waldorf environment.
As I said, arts and crafts are a big part of Waldorf education, which I love. My biggest beef with traditional public school education is the lack of emphasis on art, music, and crafts. I think these things are the "soul" of human life! Really, this is where we create--this is where we look for beauty and meaning. Adults are encouraged to pursue such activities and then involve children as appropriate. We have started painting together, Sariah and I. I had often let Sariah paint, but now I'm trying to sit down with her and do it myself. I invested in a good set of liquid watercolors and watercolor paper, and I think we are going to have fun. Young children can also work with wool for felting projects and with beeswax, and of course with crayons (though no coloring from coloring books). Children as young as four years' old can learn to finger knit.
In addition to art, Waldorf education has a heavy emphasis on nature. Nature is practical for the young child, it deals with real things that they see every day when they go outside. Many activities in Waldorf education focus on the seasons, on observing and living what is going on outdoors, and children are taught a sense of reverence for the earth. Parents are encouraged to get themselves and their children outside every single day. We'll see how I do with this in the winter!
I've noticed my own awareness of nature growing lately. I was weeding the yard the other day and noticed, for the first time, the brown, "dead" stems on my daylilies. Upon closer observation, I realized that those stems held seed pods. I'd read about seed pods a few weeks ago and thought to myself, "Hmm, wouldn't that be cool if I had some seed pods to show the kids, since we're talking about autumn?: Lo and behold, here they were, right in my own yard! I plucked a bunch of them and took them to show the kids. Dallin was the first one to realize that a few of the pods held some black seeds. We were all enthralled! We talked about how since it was fall, the seeds would fall from the pods onto the earth, be buried for the winter, and then come back next spring as new flowers. I promise you I would not have even noticed these a few weeks ago. I've had seed pods in my yard for several years and had no clue!
So we took the pods in and will put them on our nature table. The nature table is another Waldorf thing, and my children have really responded to it. We cleared off the top of the piano and put on a play silk in a fall color, and then we've been displaying our findings from nature: rocks we collected in central Utah last week, the dried tops of our corn stalks, acorns, pinecones, etc. Eventually I will get around to making some little felt creatures to go on it (needle-felting is the next craft I want to learn!). We'll put pumpkins, gourds, and Indian corn there in the next few weeks, as well as dried leaves. Each season, we'll make a new seasonal display to reflect what's outside. I barely mentioned the words "nature table" except to set up the display and tell the kids what it was, and they both have been loving finding things to put on it, as well as rearranging the things that are there. They talk about the nature table quite a bit.
Waldorf schools are also big on holding festivals at various times of the year. The changes in the seasons are recognized, as are other important days. As a homeschooling family, we would be free to adopt and adapt whatever holidays we wanted to observe, but the point is that children thrive on such celebrations and they way they connect them to their culture. This appeals to me as I LOVE holidays! Celebrations tend to go a bit deeper than the typical commercialized holidays that we know here. For example, when Valentine's Day hits, we'll probably be looking more in to the true origins of the celebrations and figuring out how to bring that out while at the same time having fun. There is more emphasis on having things be homemade than on spending tons of money at the store. Waldorf schools have certain unique festivals that they observe, and we may or may not use any of those. We'll see. It also makes me want to look more deeply at some of our typical LDS "festivals", like Pioneer Day. We don't think of General Conference as a festival or holiday, but it really is, it is part of the yearly rhythm for LDS people. What can we do to make it more meaningful?
Speaking of rhythm, that is another important concept in Waldorf philosophy. It think it really stems from the natural rhythms of our world, which we see in the seasons around us. Families are encouraged to focus on those rhythms and also the daily and weekly rhythms that we experience. Children need order and structure, and we need to try to provide that for them in our households. There is a rhythm to the year, and celebrating seasons and holidays brings this out. We have a rhythm to our week: Monday is Family Home Evening, Wednesday is early-out day at school and also Mutual night for Daddy. Sunday is the Sabbath. As part of our home routine, I've also made some adaptations to our days to reflect a weekly rhythm: Monday is our big cleaning day and also Family Home Evening prep. Tuesday is painting day, Wednesday is cooking/baking day, Thursday is shopping day, and Friday is craft or special outing day. (When Dallin gets home today, we are going in the mountains to find acorns and make rubbings of tree bark.)
I'm also trying to create rhythm within the day: in the mornings we do chores and get dressed, then we take the dog for a walk. We have lunch and rest time (a must!) and then do our activity (painting, baking, etc.). Once Dallin gets home, we obviously fall into the activities of homework, dinner, family time, bedtime, etc. This is NOT a strict schedule. There are not set times for these activities. It's more of a flow. I don't know a whole lot about rhythm, but I know it's both more flexible than a "schedule" and also deeper, as we are paying attention to not only when we do things, but what we do and how the activities flow into each other.
So I see Waldorf as being about creating an environment of beauty, peace, and order for young children. Gentleness would be a wonderful word to describe it! I recently purchased some online things that included a DVD of a Waldorf-inspired family doing various craft activities. I was amazed at how my children responded to that video! It was an instructional video and a very amateurish one at that, but my children loved watching that family and commented often on them and the mood they felt emanating from them.
In Waldorf education, childhood is divided into three distinct stages: birth to age 7, ages 7 to 14, and ages 14 to 21. Each stage has a different focus. The first stage focuses on the physical, "hands". The second focuses on the emotional, the "heart". The third stage focuses on the "head" or thinking processes. Of couse all of these processes occur at every stage of a child's life, but one is usually more dominant than the others and receives the most attention. So the emphasis for the young child is on her physical body and senses, and the activities reflect that. Academic activity is considered inappropriate for the child younger than 7. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It's no secret that I am against academic instruction for very young children, but I'm not sure if 7 is too old. Honestly, I don't think most children would be harmed by waiting that long and for many it would probably be a good thing... but it definitely doesn't fit well in our culture. I can't see myself denying academic instruction to a child who truly wanted it earlier. But I also love that childhood is protected! This general idea fits what I've believed for a very long time!
When it comes to early childhood the Waldorf way, there is virtually nothing I disagree with! In fact, the early childhood stuff was what impressed and intrigued me about Waldorf education in the first place.
I love Waldorf philosophies because they protect young childhood! Children today are being pressured to grow faster and faster, and Waldorf education does its best to reverse that. The home is seen as the center of the child's universe. Formal schooling is discouraged, and if preschool/daycare must happen, it is more of a playschool in a warm, nurturing home-like environment. I love this! I too believe that young children need most to be at home with their mothers. They need to be learning about the world in a familiar, supportive environment.
The young child learns best by imitation. This affects several aspects of home life. Adults are encouraged to go on about their work, both household work and creative work, including the child as much as possible. A teacher in a Waldorf kindergarten would typically be working on some type of handwork or other project during class while the children played. She would be modelling her own work for the children, gently showing that this is what adults do. A parent at home would do the same. Don't save sewing and other things for after the child is in bed, let them see you doing those things.
The parent is also encouraged to let the child join in housework as he will. Most parents know that at toddler and preschool ages, little ones love to help around the house. I'm trying to slow down, include Sariah in these chores, and focus on the process of the work more than the product. Often in both classrooms and homes, toys will include "work" toys such as a little wash tub and scrubbing board where the children will actually be allowed to get little cloths wet and hang them out to dry. Children are encouraged to play at family tasks such as cooking and baby care.
In the Waldorf tradition, there is a huge emphasis on imaginary play as well. Toys should be open-ended, meaning that the child can use the toy in several different ways. Blocks, dress-ups, silks, etc. are encouraged. Parents are encouraged to choose high-quality toys made from, where possible, natural materials. Media such as TV and computers are either completely eliminated or severely restricted.
Waldorf education encourages imagination, creativity and artistic endeavors. The imaginary world is encouraged through story-telling and crafts. Stories often involve fairies, gnomes, and the like. I wasn't sure how this would go over with my kids, but as I've purchased a couple of books about such things, Sariah has really responded to it. She asks for the books consistently and loves to look at the little forest creatures. An oral story-telling tradition is considered even more important than books for little ones in a Waldorf environment. I'm trying to get myself in a story-telling mode; that does not come naturally for me! I don't think we'll be abandoning books, though... but I am being more conscious of the kinds of books I get, making sure that they are beautiful and uplifting. Songs, fingerplays, and movement activities are also a big part of the day for young children in a Waldorf environment.
As I said, arts and crafts are a big part of Waldorf education, which I love. My biggest beef with traditional public school education is the lack of emphasis on art, music, and crafts. I think these things are the "soul" of human life! Really, this is where we create--this is where we look for beauty and meaning. Adults are encouraged to pursue such activities and then involve children as appropriate. We have started painting together, Sariah and I. I had often let Sariah paint, but now I'm trying to sit down with her and do it myself. I invested in a good set of liquid watercolors and watercolor paper, and I think we are going to have fun. Young children can also work with wool for felting projects and with beeswax, and of course with crayons (though no coloring from coloring books). Children as young as four years' old can learn to finger knit.
In addition to art, Waldorf education has a heavy emphasis on nature. Nature is practical for the young child, it deals with real things that they see every day when they go outside. Many activities in Waldorf education focus on the seasons, on observing and living what is going on outdoors, and children are taught a sense of reverence for the earth. Parents are encouraged to get themselves and their children outside every single day. We'll see how I do with this in the winter!
I've noticed my own awareness of nature growing lately. I was weeding the yard the other day and noticed, for the first time, the brown, "dead" stems on my daylilies. Upon closer observation, I realized that those stems held seed pods. I'd read about seed pods a few weeks ago and thought to myself, "Hmm, wouldn't that be cool if I had some seed pods to show the kids, since we're talking about autumn?: Lo and behold, here they were, right in my own yard! I plucked a bunch of them and took them to show the kids. Dallin was the first one to realize that a few of the pods held some black seeds. We were all enthralled! We talked about how since it was fall, the seeds would fall from the pods onto the earth, be buried for the winter, and then come back next spring as new flowers. I promise you I would not have even noticed these a few weeks ago. I've had seed pods in my yard for several years and had no clue!
So we took the pods in and will put them on our nature table. The nature table is another Waldorf thing, and my children have really responded to it. We cleared off the top of the piano and put on a play silk in a fall color, and then we've been displaying our findings from nature: rocks we collected in central Utah last week, the dried tops of our corn stalks, acorns, pinecones, etc. Eventually I will get around to making some little felt creatures to go on it (needle-felting is the next craft I want to learn!). We'll put pumpkins, gourds, and Indian corn there in the next few weeks, as well as dried leaves. Each season, we'll make a new seasonal display to reflect what's outside. I barely mentioned the words "nature table" except to set up the display and tell the kids what it was, and they both have been loving finding things to put on it, as well as rearranging the things that are there. They talk about the nature table quite a bit.
Waldorf schools are also big on holding festivals at various times of the year. The changes in the seasons are recognized, as are other important days. As a homeschooling family, we would be free to adopt and adapt whatever holidays we wanted to observe, but the point is that children thrive on such celebrations and they way they connect them to their culture. This appeals to me as I LOVE holidays! Celebrations tend to go a bit deeper than the typical commercialized holidays that we know here. For example, when Valentine's Day hits, we'll probably be looking more in to the true origins of the celebrations and figuring out how to bring that out while at the same time having fun. There is more emphasis on having things be homemade than on spending tons of money at the store. Waldorf schools have certain unique festivals that they observe, and we may or may not use any of those. We'll see. It also makes me want to look more deeply at some of our typical LDS "festivals", like Pioneer Day. We don't think of General Conference as a festival or holiday, but it really is, it is part of the yearly rhythm for LDS people. What can we do to make it more meaningful?
Speaking of rhythm, that is another important concept in Waldorf philosophy. It think it really stems from the natural rhythms of our world, which we see in the seasons around us. Families are encouraged to focus on those rhythms and also the daily and weekly rhythms that we experience. Children need order and structure, and we need to try to provide that for them in our households. There is a rhythm to the year, and celebrating seasons and holidays brings this out. We have a rhythm to our week: Monday is Family Home Evening, Wednesday is early-out day at school and also Mutual night for Daddy. Sunday is the Sabbath. As part of our home routine, I've also made some adaptations to our days to reflect a weekly rhythm: Monday is our big cleaning day and also Family Home Evening prep. Tuesday is painting day, Wednesday is cooking/baking day, Thursday is shopping day, and Friday is craft or special outing day. (When Dallin gets home today, we are going in the mountains to find acorns and make rubbings of tree bark.)
I'm also trying to create rhythm within the day: in the mornings we do chores and get dressed, then we take the dog for a walk. We have lunch and rest time (a must!) and then do our activity (painting, baking, etc.). Once Dallin gets home, we obviously fall into the activities of homework, dinner, family time, bedtime, etc. This is NOT a strict schedule. There are not set times for these activities. It's more of a flow. I don't know a whole lot about rhythm, but I know it's both more flexible than a "schedule" and also deeper, as we are paying attention to not only when we do things, but what we do and how the activities flow into each other.
So I see Waldorf as being about creating an environment of beauty, peace, and order for young children. Gentleness would be a wonderful word to describe it! I recently purchased some online things that included a DVD of a Waldorf-inspired family doing various craft activities. I was amazed at how my children responded to that video! It was an instructional video and a very amateurish one at that, but my children loved watching that family and commented often on them and the mood they felt emanating from them.
In Waldorf education, childhood is divided into three distinct stages: birth to age 7, ages 7 to 14, and ages 14 to 21. Each stage has a different focus. The first stage focuses on the physical, "hands". The second focuses on the emotional, the "heart". The third stage focuses on the "head" or thinking processes. Of couse all of these processes occur at every stage of a child's life, but one is usually more dominant than the others and receives the most attention. So the emphasis for the young child is on her physical body and senses, and the activities reflect that. Academic activity is considered inappropriate for the child younger than 7. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It's no secret that I am against academic instruction for very young children, but I'm not sure if 7 is too old. Honestly, I don't think most children would be harmed by waiting that long and for many it would probably be a good thing... but it definitely doesn't fit well in our culture. I can't see myself denying academic instruction to a child who truly wanted it earlier. But I also love that childhood is protected! This general idea fits what I've believed for a very long time!
Comments