“WALDORF EDUCATION UNLOCKS THE WONDER AND THE BEAUTY OF THE WORLD IN SUCH A WAY THAT A CHILD CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE WITH IT.”
– MARJORIE SPOCK
We invite you to take a peek into some of the ways that Waldorf education unlocks the beauty and wonder of the world...
The Teacher
When children arrive each morning, they are greeted individually by their Class Teacher and welcomed into their classroom. The first lesson of the day (Main Lesson) is always taught by the Class Teacher who stays with them from Class One through to Class Five. The children benefit from the expertise and passion of other subject teachers within the day, but the Class Teacher remains a constant - bringing a loving authority which envelops the children in warmth and gives them a sense of being held and secure. The Class Teacher models qualities such as respect, kindness, integrity, creativity, imagination, gratitude, curiosity, reverence for all things and a willingness to work. Through the daily recitation of the morning verse and the sharing of a seasonal poem, through stories, songs, wooden flute playing, weekly watercolour painting and through creating beautiful blackboard chalk drawings that inspire the children's own work, the teacher establishes themselves as a wellspring of creative ideas and activities, and through this engenders a sense of admiration and respect within the children. The teacher leads by example and takes great pride in the beauty they bring to their own actions and own work - from the formation of each letter on the blackboard, to the mood they bring to the room through their movement and the quality within the tone of their voice.
The Learning
Rich imagery rather than abstract information, imbues every lesson whether it be a language, science, maths or a Main Lesson. The aim of Waldorf schooling is to educate the whole child, "head, heart and hands" and balances academics subjects with artistic and practical activities. An internal motivation is developed within the children through bringing each subject alive working with storytelling, song, drama, music and by applying learning to real world experience.
Truth, Beauty and Goodness
When you enter a Waldorf Classroom you are struck by the care and beauty with which the room has been arranged. Beauty begets care, gratitude, order and calm. Teachers strive to have clear, thoughtful speech and to make sure that every gesture when telling stories, writing on the blackboard, talking with the children or even handing out materials is done with consciousness and great care.
