Waldorf is a holistic educational model that strives to teach the whole child... head, heart, and soul. It's appealing and exciting, but can also feel overwhelming! Kirtsee Raki explains how you too can gift your children a Waldorf-inspired education.
Waldorf education, sometimes also known as Steiner education was introduced in the 20th century by Austrian Rudolf Steiner. It's aim is to educate the whole…
In my last two posts, I shared with you my favorite elements from the Charlotte Mason approach (click here to read) and the Waldorf approach (click here to read.) Many people find that these two approaches compliment each other very well, especially when given flexibility and an open mind concerning educational philosophies. Here's how that looks for us: Generous Blending of Books and Storytelling My love affair with beautiful books blends beautifully with my passion for face-to-face storytelling when the two approaches are combined. We snuggle over books from our morning and bedtime baskets, sneak them into just about every lesson, every day, and step around piles of them in every nook and cranny of our apartment. But we also pepper our day with storytelling. Sometimes I do the telling, spinning a rich tapestry of myths and fairytales as we hike or bake together. Sometimes my daughters are the ones enchanting me with their stories, oftentimes doubling as casual narration since the plot lines from our 'lesson stories' will show up in their spur-of-the-moment tales. Charlotte Mason's Short Lessons Combined with Waldorf's Artistic Approach One of the best parts of the Charlotte Mason approach, for us anyway, is the short
Waldorf books and waldorf homeschool curriculum for those that would like to add some Waldorf education into their home. I love these waldorf books
In my last post, I described our relaxed, eclectic homeschool approach as a recipe--one that starts with a Charlotte Mason and Waldorf foundation, throws in a a generous helping of unit studies, sprinkles in some classical education, and occasionally gets ignored in favor of periodic unschooling. This recipe also changes often with seasons, interests, and with the phases in our lives. We are far from purists of any of these approaches, choosing rather to take what we love about each and combine them in a way that fits our homeschool rhythm perfectly. Last week, I shared the elements that we love of Charlotte Mason. (You can read that post by clicking here.) This week, I am diving deep into our favorite elements of the Waldorf approach. Let's get started: Natural Materials While we aren't (yet) a family that insists on toys and materials that are exclusively made from natural materials, we are trying to shift strongly in that direction. It's not just about aesthetics, though natural materials certainly are more beautiful than their cheaply-made plastic counterparts. It's not just about durability, though they certainly win in that category as well. And it's not just because most of these materials are
Find out where to get free Waldorf resources to use in your homeschool.
We’re excited to share the third and final guest post from author, educator, and all around amazing human, Elizabeth Seward! Elizabeth brings decades of experience, and is sharing her insights into Waldorf handwork.
A running theme of the sixth grade Waldorf curriculum is the phrase “cause and effect.”
Things change and adjustments are made. Moving in and of itself is an adjustment to make. A transition that some children (and adults!) handle better than others. The move, away from family, to a c…
Discovering Waldorf The Magic Of Waldorf Storybooks by: Joey van Oort We do not have a Waldorf School close by to enroll our children, however, we have chosen to live a Waldorf lifestyle at home. When my children were born my mother in law introduced us to a few of the Waldorf story books that […]
If you're creating a homeschool schedule right now, maybe even for the first time (like some of us!) these ideas are great inspiration, from flexible to super detailed.
Namaste dear Well Wishers, Happy Saturday! Happy Weekend! Previously with the Well Wishers Group we made an exploration into the Exercises for the Days of the Week by Rudolf Steiner, such as today…
Waldorf education is an alternative educational approach, founded by Rudolf Steiner, so you may also see it referred to Steiner education. Steiner , an Austrian philosopher, founded his first school in 1919 aiming to promote a deep and positive change in society. The Steiner approach then contraste
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Do you struggle with how to teach music to your early elementary student? Have you tried music books written for teachers, but been frustrated? Legends of the Staff is written to homeschool parents like you, with little to no background in music!
Let’s talk all things first grade! In Waldorf education, there is so much emphasis placed on the transition from kindergarten to first grade, and in many ways, it’s for good reason! The child is ready to transition into the grades, and with that comes a need to approach things a little differently:
This morning was one of our school’s most beautiful traditions and I’m so pleased to have played a part in it. In this ceremony our three kindergarten teachers come out the doors of the early childhood wing, holding the hands of the rising first graders. They hold hands, spiraling in and then out, singing together. […]
The power of rhythm One of the questions I’m most often asked when it comes to rhythm is “What is the difference between rhythm and routine?” But whereas the words routine and schedule …
Discovering Waldorf The Magic Of Waldorf Storybooks by: Joey van Oort We do not have a Waldorf School close by to enroll our children, however, we have chosen to live a Waldorf lifestyle at home. When my children were born my mother in law introduced us to a few of the Waldorf story books that […]
In my last two posts, I shared with you my favorite elements from the Charlotte Mason approach (click here to read) and the Waldorf approach (click here to read.) Many people find that these two approaches compliment each other very well, especially when given flexibility and an open mind concerning educational philosophies. Here's how that looks for us: Generous Blending of Books and Storytelling My love affair with beautiful books blends beautifully with my passion for face-to-face storytelling when the two approaches are combined. We snuggle over books from our morning and bedtime baskets, sneak them into just about every lesson, every day, and step around piles of them in every nook and cranny of our apartment. But we also pepper our day with storytelling. Sometimes I do the telling, spinning a rich tapestry of myths and fairytales as we hike or bake together. Sometimes my daughters are the ones enchanting me with their stories, oftentimes doubling as casual narration since the plot lines from our 'lesson stories' will show up in their spur-of-the-moment tales. Charlotte Mason's Short Lessons Combined with Waldorf's Artistic Approach One of the best parts of the Charlotte Mason approach, for us anyway, is the short
Creating a Waldorf Home Whether their children are grades students at a Waldorf school, homeschoolers studying with a parent-teacher or preschoolers organically learning and growing at home, many families appreciate a warm, organic environment and they want to create a Waldorf home. The home is the perfect place for Waldorf principles to be made manifest. […]
*This listing is for one digital file. No physical item will ship.* Create a beautiful and meaningful home rhythm. This Waldorf-inspired Daily Rhythm Chart is an ideal way to mindfully flow through your day with little ones. The images are helpful for younger family members who cannot yet read the tasks. I've recently updated the files to include lesson cards for older children. Why Daily Rhythm? Human beings are rhythmic by nature. Our physical bodies work in rhythms (breath, heartbeat, digestion, etc.) without us ever having to think about it. Adding conscious rhythm to our daily doings can honor and mirror our body’s own innate rhythm and provide comfort, meaning, and structure, especially for a young child. My 6-year-old and I worked in collaboration to create this chart. We talked about the things we like to do most days, and she requested specific illustrations and color schemes for each task on our list. I hope you’ll be as delighted with our result as we are! Includes: Rise/ Quiet play Rest Goodnight Bath Homecare Family Time Storytime Circle Outdoor Play Play (two different designs) Daily Activity Blessing & Breakfast Blessing & Lunch Blessing & Dinner Morning Snack Afternoon Snack & Tea New Additions: Main Lesson Lesson A Lesson B Afternoon Lesson XML (Extra Main Lesson) Storybook Tea Time Simply print (card stock or watercolor paper work best), hole-punch as marked, and lace together with yarn, twine, etc. for a hanging chart. (Note: I used yarn and a tapestry needle to thread my cards together. Alternatively, a little tape or melted beeswax at the end of your yarn should help it to thread through.) You can easily rearrange tasks at any time into an order that works for you or omit activities as desired. Another idea is to add adhesive magnets to the back of cards and hang on refrigerator or other magnetic surface. Cards can be laminated for extra durability, though I personally haven’t found that to be necessary for the hanging chart. -No returns on digital or custom items, please. Contact me if an issue arises.
Learn the reason behind losing patience with toddlers, how to break the cycle of being impatient with kids. When you keep losing your temper with toddlers.
Waldorf books and waldorf homeschool curriculum for those that would like to add some Waldorf education into their home. I love these waldorf books
Guest Post by Erica Haning A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to experience one of those exhilarating moments all homeschooling mamas hope to enjoy. I came across something new to add to our homeschool lessons that I instantly realized was going to inspire my children, streamline instruction a
This guide to Seasonal Festivals (aka Waldorf Festivals) covers everything from Michaelmas to Candlemas to the Advent Spiral to May Day to St. John's Tide and everything in between.
Here's the thing: there is not a used book store, regular book store, library, book pile at a rummage sale, or Scholastic sale I can walk by without stopping and stacking up more books than two people can safely carry. I have a weakness, and her name is books. It has always been, and will always be so. I'm pretty sure that's why the Charlotte Mason philosophy resonated with me so strongly. I want shelves and shelves of books. And I want the rolling ladder so I can do that 'Belle move' every morning as I swoon over my shelves and shelves of books. Nature-inspired books are the deepest part of this weakness. I cannot get enough of them: local bird guides, nature lore, picture books about butterflies and bumble bees, John Muir essays, Thoreau... I probably need to build a little library-in-the-garden tiny house just to store my nature books some day. But amongst the ever-growing collection, I do actually have favorites--books I turn to on a regular basis in our nature-based homeschool. I thought I'd share those with you today. The 'One Small Square' Series* I begin with the 'One Small Square' series, and an asterisk. *I don't really love the
No matter what your homeschool style, it is possible to bring a little of the Waldorf homeschool magic into your children's lives with these simple ideas.
Nicole, from Frontier Dreams, was kind enough to share her families daily rhythm with us a while back. Today, she is back to revisit their morning rhythm… Welcome, Nicole. : : : Good Morning Dear Earth Good morning dear earth Good morning dear sun Good morning dear flowers and fairies, every […]
Seems like lately I’ve been having lots of conversations with my colleagues about math. Could be because (if you ask me) January is a perfect time for a math block. The more inward, reflective quality of this time of year makes it a great time to sit down and crunch numbers. (That’s what we’re doing […]
Your guide to weaving the arts into homeschooling lessons with ideas for stories, music, drawing, painting & more.
In my last post, I described our relaxed, eclectic homeschool approach as a recipe--one that starts with a Charlotte Mason and Waldorf foundation, throws in a a generous helping of unit studies, sprinkles in some classical education, and occasionally gets ignored in favor of periodic unschooling. This recipe also changes often with seasons, interests, and with the phases in our lives. We are far from purists of any of these approaches, choosing rather to take what we love about each and combine them in a way that fits our homeschool rhythm perfectly. Last week, I shared the elements that we love of Charlotte Mason. (You can read that post by clicking here.) This week, I am diving deep into our favorite elements of the Waldorf approach. Let's get started: Natural Materials While we aren't (yet) a family that insists on toys and materials that are exclusively made from natural materials, we are trying to shift strongly in that direction. It's not just about aesthetics, though natural materials certainly are more beautiful than their cheaply-made plastic counterparts. It's not just about durability, though they certainly win in that category as well. And it's not just because most of these materials are
Happy fall! (Well, almost. Can you tell we’re just a little excited for the change of seasons?)
Namaste dear Well Wishers, Happy Saturday! Happy Weekend! Previously with the Well Wishers Group we made an exploration into the Exercises for the Days of the Week by Rudolf Steiner, such as today…
A summary of the beginning of our Waldorf Inspired Homeschool year for Grades One and Three.
In my last post I discussed handwork in kindergarten . Like with most subjects, there’s a big shift as you enter the grades. The seven-year-old still mostly learns through imitation, but it’s time for teaching skills and regular practice. One of the major milestones in first gr
Let's talk some more about Waldorf Style Homeschool--with someone who has done it. So what's it all about? And what is it like for a homeschooler?
Nicole, from Frontier Dreams, was kind enough to share her families daily rhythm with us a while back. Today, she is back to revisit their morning rhythm… Welcome, Nicole. : : : Good Morning Dear Earth Good morning dear earth Good morning dear sun Good morning dear flowers and fairies, every […]
In my last two posts, I shared with you my favorite elements from the Charlotte Mason approach (click here to read) and the Waldorf approach (click here to read.) Many people find that these two approaches compliment each other very well, especially when given flexibility and an open mind concerning educational philosophies. Here's how that looks for us: Generous Blending of Books and Storytelling My love affair with beautiful books blends beautifully with my passion for face-to-face storytelling when the two approaches are combined. We snuggle over books from our morning and bedtime baskets, sneak them into just about every lesson, every day, and step around piles of them in every nook and cranny of our apartment. But we also pepper our day with storytelling. Sometimes I do the telling, spinning a rich tapestry of myths and fairytales as we hike or bake together. Sometimes my daughters are the ones enchanting me with their stories, oftentimes doubling as casual narration since the plot lines from our 'lesson stories' will show up in their spur-of-the-moment tales. Charlotte Mason's Short Lessons Combined with Waldorf's Artistic Approach One of the best parts of the Charlotte Mason approach, for us anyway, is the short
