I'm writing this up mainly for my family who may be curious about exactly what it is we will be doing this next year. This list covers the required subjects in the state of Utah, and also a few Waldorf extras.
Language Arts
Obviously, language arts will be an essential part of our curriculum. We will have four blocks this year devoted to language arts, plus it will be brought into the other months of the year as well. Here's how language arts will go: I'll tell a story (I covered the story curriculum in this post.) Then we'll do some sort of artistic activity to bring the story alive in a creative way. Then we'll leave it until the next day. On the second day, Dallin will retell the story, either verbally or through the use of puppets, etc. Then, we'll write a summary together, and he'll copy it in his Main Lesson Book (a special book where he records his written work).
As we write the summary, we'll bring in things like punctuation. I'll gently guide the writing. We'll take spelling words from the story. We'll work with "word families", creating lists of words with similar patterns. This will take off from what he's already done this past year with spelling lists using related letter and sound combinations. Toward the end of the year, we may begin working with grammar. Things are fairly slow and steady in Waldorf education with this, which I appreciate. I've seen the results of rushing through concepts in school, with little to no retention of what has been learned.
As part of language arts, we'll also be working with things like copying and/or memorizing poetry and having fun with riddles, limericks, tongue twisters, etc.
I also plan that Dallin will have regularly-scheduled reading time every day. I'm not sure if I will go the route of enforcing it, or just strongly encouraging it. I'm sure I'll find the balance! But I have quite a list of good books I'd like to introduce, including things like The Wind in the Willows, some of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories, etc.
I am not worried about Dallin when it comes to language arts. He already reads very well and spells very well, and we'll just continue with what we've been doing so far.
Social Studies/Humanities
Children in the younger grades get an introduction to social studies through myths and legends from around the world.Here are some of the kinds of stories we'll be dealing with this year: Native American coyote trickster tales, Aesop's fables, American tall tales, stories of saints and heroes from around the world, various European folk tales, Indian Jataka tales, and African Anansi-the-Spider tales. And we'll be reading The King of Ireland's Son, which is based on ancient Celtic stories.
There will be no dry learning of dates and facts at this stage of the game. Just immersion in various world cultures through their stories. We'll supplement that with all kinds of fun activities to help set the stage for each block of stories. For instance, in March when we work with the Jataka Tales, we'll be doing things like henna tattoos (Dallin's already excited about that one!), making curry, etc.
Math
In math this year, we'll be working with the four basic processes (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division). In Waldorf, all four processes are introduced to the child in the first grade at the same time. This is done in such a way that the relationships between each process are emphasized. Dallin's had very little exposure to multiplication and division (just one week on multiplication at the end of this last school year), so this will be very new to him. We'll be memorizing the times and division tables and working with some very basic multiplication and division problems, more toward the end of the year. (Learning all the tables will take the entire year.) With addition and subtraction, we'll be practicing more with place value and vertical problems, including carrying and borrowing. We'll also be getting into a little bit of geometry with the times tables, making some really cool artistic representations of the tables that happen to be shapes.
We'll be introducing each math concept with stories, then using elements from the story in creating the problems. Math will also be part of our morning circle time--even/especially during the months we are not in a math block. The focus of circle time will be on mental math: mastering basic facts that should be on the tip of every person's tongue, learning strategies for figuring out problems, practicing the tables using rhythm and movement, working out short problems in our heads, etc.
Science & Nature Study
Science and nature are really one and the same and are completely integrated into the rest of the curriculum at this stage of the game. The focus at this age is on immersion and observation, not on learning things like the scientific method or conducting technical experiments. During the main lessons each day, science will be brought by expanding on the animals and nature elements in the stories we'll be doing. As we delve into Aesop's Fables, for example, I'll be sharing information about the real-life habits of the animal characters. We'll be doing some separate science lessons related to certain fables, too, that could be classified as "experiments". In December we'll be spending some time with the four elements: earth, water, fire, and air--doing activities to explore each one. Our block in May will be strictly gardening and science, focusing on the insects that live in our backyard. Throughout the year, we'll also be going on regular nature walks and taking field trips to nature places.
Physical EducationPhysical education will consist of allowing plenty of outdoor time, plenty of time for exercise (incuding family walks), Dallin's playing soccer and basketball, etc. Physical education is one subject I am not the least bit worried about "teaching"! Movement will also be integrated into other lessons: we'll be doing things such as practicing math facts while jump roping, etc.
Art
Art will be integrated into the rest of the curriculum, but there will also be scheduled time for it, especially painting. Wet-on-wet watercolor painting is an integral part of a Waldorf curriculum. For Dallin's level, it will essentially be about having a color experience, and the paintings will be guided through color stories or exercises. Form will be brought next year, though we'll be doing a bit of experimenting with it this later on this year. I'm not entirely sure how this will go. Dallin is not one to want to sit down and paint, at least when there are other things to do. But it might be different when there are no other distractions. I think the idea of doing color stories (things like "yellow and red meet in a windstorm") might appeal to him, where there is no pressure to make something, just the opportunity to have an experience and a little fun.
Drawing, coloring, and painting are also included in regular main lessons. For each story that we explore, Dallin will be expected not only to produce a written summary, but also to illustrate his summary in some way. I recently read the idea that this is in part so children can learn to be comfortable communicating in more than one mode, and that idea intrigues me. In addition, part of the artistic experience to accompany each language arts, science, or even math lesson might include things like making puppets to act out a story, or modelling figures from beeswax that relate to the story.
Seasonal crafts will also be part of our curriculum. I've reserved Fridays either for field trips or for making crafts that relate to the curriculum or to the seasons/holidays.
Handwork
Believe it or not, handwork is a vital part of the Waldorf curriculum! Fingerknitting starts in kindergarten or younger, and two-needle knitting starts in first grade. So see, Dallin is already "behind", lol! What does knitting have to do with school? Well, it helps develop fine motor skills. And, perhaps more importantly, it develops the child's will. It requires patience, self-discipline, and hard work. Also, like so many other activities, it allows the child a chance to create something useful, fun, or beautiful. Later on, children will learn to crochet, weave, sew, etc.
Form Drawing
This is a subject unique to Waldorf education. Children learn to draw patterns, ranging from simple lines and curves early on to complicated forms as they grow older. Form drawing is said to be a wonderful precursor and aid to good handwriting. It's other main purpose, like handwork, is to develop the child's will. I wasn't sure how form drawing would go down until Dallin has been looking at some of the books this past week--he is very excited about it and I've actually had to hold him back from getting started without me!
Music
We will be following a Waldorf-inspired music curriculum, Living Music From the Heart by Jodie Mesler. Dallin will be learning to play the penny-whistle or the recorder. (He's voting for recorder, I'm voting for pennywhistle, so we'll see. Oops, I just talked to him and it turns out he was actually mixing up recorder and accordion! I had no idea he wanted to learn to play the accordion!) Next year he'll get to learn guitar, which I have no doubt will really appeal to him. I'm still deciding what to do about piano! I've been teaching him off and on for a couple of years, but we haven't made much progress. Not because he isn't capable, but just because I've found it difficult to keep it going. In Waldorf circles they have children start off with simple wind instruments, and then strings, and don't recommend introducing piano until at least age nine. I don't necessarily think that's always the best way to go, but part of me wonders if it might be better for Dallin, or at least if it wouldn't hurt. Part of me feels guilty for being a professional musician and not insisting on piano for Dallin... but part of me wonders if my indecision on this issue is telling me something.
Health and Responsible Healthy Lifestyles
This is actually one of the requirements to homeschool in Utah--this is one of the core subjects set forth by the state! This can encompass a great many things. Chores, cooking and baking, bathing and tooth-brushing, getting outdoors... and much more. All part of homeschooling! All part of just plain good living!
The only state-required subject I'm still not sure how to tackle is Educational Technology. I'm not sure how to integrate this when I believe that children under about the age of 10 have no need to be on the computer at all. Luckily, the state law says that it is up to the parent how each subject is to be taught. Maybe each subject doesn't necessarily have to be taught in each grade, and we can wait a few years on this one? Maybe teaching this subject will basically constitute me saying, "The computer will be appropriate for when you are older."? Maybe it will mean we devote one day of the year to the topic? (It doesn't say how extensively it must be covered, only that it must...) Maybe there are other forms of education technology that would be more appropriate for our family?
Anyway, the countdown is on! We'll be starting with some very light math (learning Roman numerals through some fun riddles) come the beginning of August. Then we'll take a week's break and begin again just before public school starts.
Comments
The preschool program sounds like it might be a bit below his level.