A Journey Through Waldorf Homeschooling...

Is it Waldorf?

Now that title might make you think that this will be a terribly dogmatic post about being a Waldorf purist - nope.  This post is more about what Waldorf means to you.  It is easy to get caught up in the material side of Waldorf (pretty toys, etc.) and then question "is this Waldorf?" but today I want you to ponder the REAL parts of Waldorf.  I know I've talked about this before in other posts, but it comes to a head during this time of planning for the new school year.  As we are gathering resources, we must ask ourselves, "is this Waldorf?" Why?  Well take a minute to think about why you are on this path, following this method - remember that this method is different from any other because of Steiner's developmental indications.  While many are attracted to Waldorf because of the nature side of things - the pretty toys - the fairies... but it is so much more.  Waldorf can easily be summed up as "developmentally appropriate learning".  So as you are going about resources to use in your school year, make sure you are picking ones that developmentally speak to your child - realizing that at home some things can be different but in general you keep the child developmentally on the scale that Steiner laid forth.  If you wonder what that scale says, you can always look at our chart . If you come across a resource that is claiming to be Waldorf, study it out, it may be a great resource but not be really Waldorf oriented and not appropriate for your child's age, you can always book mark it and tuck it away for later.  Don't be in a hurry.  Also be sure to read the fine print - remember that Waldorf is a way of life and a way of thinking when it comes to developmental readiness - so if you are looking at a resource that also claims to be eclectic, Montessori, Charlotte Mason or any other method (all wonderful but not always developmentally appropriate as per Steiner) - then make sure you take time to ponder - again, think it through... is this right for your child?

In closing, one thing I really want to impart to you as you are planning your school year is that this method is for YOU as much as it is for the child.  As much as you want Waldorf for what it will do for them, it has to work magic on you first, it has to get you in touch with your inner self and awaken (or strengthen) your connection with the Divine - it can only do that through careful study.  Please listen to this week's radio show on planning (when you click on this, it will begin to load so give it a minute, otherwise right-click and save it to your computer.)

Join us again next Monday for another show on planning, part 2. 

Many blessings!

Our Ebook Sampler

Hi all!  I was trying to think of what to spotlight today in our market.  I have spent time meditating on the needs of our customers (both present and future) – one thing that keeps coming to mind is cost.  I get several emails a week from families we work with appreciating that we have a lower cost ebook option for our curriculum.  Many people don’t realize that our ebooks are just like our hard copy books only they are electronic so while saving on printing costs they are also very eco friendly.

 

The wheels of change are starting to move but I am still hearing tales of lay offs, foreclosures and hour reductions.  We want to make sure that you never have to make a choice between curriculum and eating!  And I also don’t ever want families to have to make choices between buying new supplies or not because they have to spend a lot on curriculum.  We aim to make our product very complete with day by day schedules through the grades and plenty of support for both the new Waldorf parent and the seasoned one as well.

 

We have some great options for families that are teaching several grades – our best option is our Ebook Sampler.  The Sampleris chock full of great tools for your journey including: ebook copies of all our books – “Before the Journey” through “A Journey… Grade 6,”  “A Journey through Waldorf Math,”  also a link to our day planner (great to get started on your planning!) – the bonus with the sampler is that you also get a link to our audio series, you can load them to your MP3 player or burn them to a disc, either way you can maximize your study time as a busy mom.  This sampler is well priced at $175 – now that is cheaper than many companies charge for just one year!  Remember you always have free access to support through our egroup, main lesson blog, our You Tube channel and our radio show as well.

Time vs. Technology

I often get asked why we aren't all over the web.  Emails begging us to be on Facebook or MySpace or Twitter - "it's good networking" some say, "it will build your business" others say, or my favorite is "well, XYZ company is there so I thought you should be too".  The pure and simple reason I am not in every place on the web is that I cherish time with my family and my business is a full-time venture as it is.  I read blogs from time to time, I post here and on our Yahoo group list, but my schedule is so busy that I would be compromising who I am and what I want to accomplish to be in all those other places. 

I know that many people use those sites they are a great way to keep in touch with family and friends (in real life and on line) however, they can also keep you from doing what you love.  This time of year many mamas take a vacation from the computer and to that I say "Hoorah"!  Take the time.  It will all still be here when you get back.  As wonderful as our modern technology is, we have to remember the reasons why in Waldorf we limit it for our children - Steiner wasn't just talking about the children, he was talking about the need for all of us to tame it.  Gadgets and being connected can be addicting.  That doesn't mean that my favorite gadget isn't my PDA Smart Phone that I can use anywhere to get to my email, but it does mean that I have to know when to turn it off.  With the Internet, we expect that everyone will be available all the time.  The Internet is the true "city that never sleeps"...it keeps us company on nights we can't sleep, it is our friend when we need that verse or chalk board drawing inspiration, it connects us to friends around the world that are going through what we are.  Sadly, it can also disconnect us from those we love most, those right in our homes, those we chose to be home with - but only if we let it. 

Now if you are like us and run a web-reliant business from home then you have even more reasons to monitor your use.  It is easy to say you are just checking in on business and end up in fifteen places that have nothing to do with your business! 

So what do I suggest?  What works for me is to map out the time that I know I need to be on line and then stick to it.  I have two days a week that I am very limited on answering business email - my family knows what days they are and they hold me to it.  This is also where getting up before your children is a huge help.  When I get up in the morning, I check on the day's lessons and do any prep work related to those, get in a bit of prayer time for me, and then I plow through my email and business-related tasks.  When the kids come up at 8am to start our day, I walk away - not for the day but at least for the morning.  I know I can't be a good role model for my family or other parents if my fanny is glued to this chair answering email all day or working on business or looking at blogs.  Also, if the computer is a problem for you (you know who you are, lol) then don't go cold turkey if that stresses you out but begin to map out your time.  Be fair to your family and make the computer time be time that is YOUR time...make the priority to get up before them and don't stay up after them!  Staying up after them isn't fair because the next morning you are tired and cranky and they need you!  So go to bed on time then get up and use your time to be on line.  Set reasonable limits for yourself.  Perhaps you can get up early, prep your lessons and play on the computer, then get your family up, eat and start your day.  Later while they are eating lunch, you can check in if you need to, then back to your afternoon activities, then start your dinner and check in for a moment.  After dinner be with your family, then go to bed!  Start it all over again the next morning.

Bottom line mamas is go out and have fun with your family.  The computer will always be here but they won't! 

Many blessings.

Can Waldorf work with...

I often get questions on our egroup or in my email about whether or not Waldorf can work with unschooling, Charlotte Mason homeschooling or Thomas Jefferson methods at home.  I hope this response is received in the light it was intended.  Blessings.

I have consulted with many families over the last five or so years - unschoolers, TJ Ed'ers, Charlotte Mason families and of course Waldorf ones.  I have some background in CM and TJ.  Erik also wrote his last research paper for school on a comparative of Steiner, CM and TJ educational methods.  I strongly believe that while CM and TJ have great thoughts about education, no one comes close to Steiner.  People get the idea that following Steiner means you have to follow the Waldorf schools... that's Steiner Waldorf... Steiner's indications stand regardless of the method.  I have been trying to think of a good analogy and it escapes me so without one, I will just give my thoughts (hahaha, even though you didn't really ask for them.)

Do I think you can work these other methods in conjunction with Steiner?  It depends.  On what?  how much more work you want to do!  There are beautiful things in the other methods... Steiner has it all together in one method.  I worry that moms will beat their heads against the wall wondering constantly.. . is this Steiner enough?  is this TJ enough? what phase are we in?  Is their notebook right? oh CM says unit studies and short lessons - how does that fit with longer main lessons? what if I miss something? ...... catch my drift?  I know lots of CM moms... I think they are wonderful and they are providing a wonderful classical education to their children.  I know some TJ moms who are also providing a wonderful home education to their children.  They do not understand though my impulses behind what I do with my young children because TJ and CM are very far apart from Steiner especially in the younger years.

Does that mean that you can't do CM and TJ with Steiner in mind? depends. Again just my thoughts... CM uses a lot of classical resources, so does Waldorf - Waldorf uses classical resources placed at age appropriate development to properly nourish the soul development in the child.  Unit studies often look like main lesson blocks.  Sorta.  Unit studies are a concentrated time spent on a subject, but during this time, the CM or TJ parent is usually still rotating in the other subjects, this often leads to frustration from more lesson planning or the use of workbooks to fill in for subjects like math and grammar, etc. not always but often.  In Waldorf the main lesson is a concentrated area of study placed at age appropriate development to properly nourish the soul development of the child.  No other main topics are introduced or even practiced heavily until about 4/5th grades when math is practiced (but nothing new introduced outside a main lesson.)  I have seen many TJ moms struggle with their younger children with the binder and all the worksheets to fulfill all the areas. In Waldorf a beautiful main lesson book is put together showcasing a child's work and encouraging them to do their best in the book they are essentially writing.  I do love the nature study that comes with CM as I believe this is really is a great way to observe but again keeping in line with the types of drawings that children should start with to really grow not only their skills but their love for observation.  Nature study can go hand in hand with botany in grade five and of course the animal studies in grade four and definitely more studies as they go forward in years.  And nature study is a great way to encourage observation for the younger child.

Please do not think I am down on CM or TJ or any other method.  What I have seen is the struggle moms have when they try to serve two masters.  As always my suggestion is to know the material (before you decide to take on CM or TJ - do you really know Steiner?) once you know the material then you can pray and meditate about how you will implement it or what other resources you need.  There are many similarities and when you meet the other moms at the park that are using CM or TJ with their children you can say "Yes, there are many similarities - Steiner's focus is the unfolding of the child when it is appropriate. "   Also, you may find a nugget from CM or TJ that hits right where you live and you KNOW it is right to pull into your Waldorf inspired teaching... but know why you are doing it - to know you have to take the proper time to research and meditate.  Know why you are doing it before you bring it to your children, know how you will implement it, make a plan - don't assume it will be easier until you have thought it through with great care.

I wanted to touch on unschooling here too because I get that question a lot "can I unschool with Waldorf?" First I ask what that means to them.  Does that mean you want to use natural materials and toys? play with fairies? be friends with gnomes?  If this is the case then I would say that really isn't Waldorf, that is natural living and loving our planet and that is wonderful but only addresses the material side and Steiner warned us again and again about the dangers of materialism.  I DO believe unschooling with Steiner can work... this is how... Mom has to know Steiner inside and out first.  Without this the task will be impossible.  Anything can be taught properly with Steiner's indications in mind because you approach topics differently at each developmental stage.  So once you know Steiner inside and out you can answer for a 7yo how a spaceman flies. .. but it is a far different answer than you would give a 12yo.  A 7yo would get a story, imaginative and lively about the spaceman, his family, why he loves space and his space adventures while a 12yo might learn about the physics of space travel (and they might enjoy the story too but they will act too cool to listen!) 

I know I have just given a very Waldorf answer and I realize that not everyone will agree with my assessment - that's ok.  You have to do what is right for you and your family - my only hope is that you think it all through, take the time necessary to make the choices.  I wish you peaceful, happy days - not ones filled with wondering "does that other method work better?"  Get confirmation on what is right and then walk forward in strength.

Celebrate handwork!

We decided that June would be handwork month at A Little Garden Flower so we are doing some FUN stuff!  First, hop over to the The Gnomes Home and download last week's radio show and see the free pattern for a knitted gnome.  We also decided that June would kick off our new handwork products!  We are so proud to carry Peace Fleece products in our store.

Who is Peace Fleece?
Peace Fleece is a wonderful company dedicated to helping the world be a better place.  Their wool and supplies come from  Russian, Romanian, American, Israeli and Palestinian villages, cities and farms.

I love the motto from their website “A yarn company committed to helping historic enemies cooperate and prosper through trade.”  When I came across Peace Fleece (in a Waldorf shop in California) and I began to learn about them, I realized that this simple motto was just what we are trying to impart to our children with this method of education.  We are bringing up our children to be of this world but not worldly.  We are drawing forth from them what they already know – to help one another is to make the world a better place.  I can’t think of a better way (unless you are making your own!) to bring handwork into your home, your school and your community. 

We will be running a pre-order this week and then the store will be stocked. 

Blessings!

Bronze Bow Grade Six

"The Bronze Bow" by Elizabeth George Speare is often read during grade six for those using the Waldorf method.  A few months back, I had a wonderful mom email me some questions that she worked on as a discussion for her son while he was reading the book and with her permission, I post some of those questions here, along with some other discussion questions we found along the way.  By now you might be freaking out just a bit "wait!!! questions? as in...test?" Well sorta!  By this age you should be able to have a pretty good conversation about what your child thought about different works they have read - conversations that are a bit deeper than they are when you are working on a saints block with your second grader or even a Norse myth block with your fourth grader.  The conversations you will start having with your child at twelve, really give you insight into who they are becoming, how they view the world and what they think about different works of literature - and while you are not doing a comparative analysis of works just yet, you can really get their view of what happened to the characters in the book.  For my oldest son, this book became the first time I think he really understood what it meant to go to war for religion's sake - really beginning to watch him form opinions about people and situations.

I hope these questions are helpful to you.  Blessings!

1. Why does Daniel not know from the start that Rosh is devious?
2. Were any of Daniel's crimes justifiable? Why? or why not?
3. Discuss the character strengths of the main players in the book.
4. For what are the Jewish people waiting?
5. Why does Rabbi Hezron defend the Roman occupiers?
6. Why do the village boys beat up Nathan?
7. Why is the Good Samaritan parable important?
8. What does Jesus ask Daniel to do before he can follow him?
9. How does Simon define faith?

Schooling through the summer?

If you are like many homeschooling moms, you are looking at what you haven't finished yet for the year and starting to feel a bit frustrated... frustrated at yourself maybe for not staying disciplined enough or frustrated at the events that came up that took you off course or even just frustrated that you want to be done and don't feel like you can be... but that sun calls you to be outside... parks seem to be begging to your children... and popsicles sound much more fun than poetry!  I totally understand!  Sometimes life gets in the way...one thing I have realized is that even when I plan (and you all know how much I preach about planning!) it can be hard to take all scenarios into consideration!  We had a couple of those this year and so it has me standing at what is the end of the year for many of my homeschooling friends and pouting! lol.  After I decided pouting wouldn't get me very far, I decided to make a plan - something I am good at - a plan that would work for all of us and not having us feel like we were doing school the entire summer.  I thought about what we have left to finish - in our case, mostly math and also geology for my 6th grader and then math for the other two (2nd & 4th grades.)  I started to look at really what needed to be done and how we could fit in the pool, lake and movies around it!  Rather than our regular 4-5 day work week, I settled on 3 days - 3 mornings really... 3 mornings of getting up and hitting our lessons and then enjoying our day. 

So what can you do?  Really look at what things you can combine - if you missed a history block or portion of a block... is there a novel that your child can read and then discuss with you? Can you take your lessons with you to the park?  We do this often, I will pack us breakfast and lunch, get them up early, take some reading of my own and head to the park.  We are often there for hours and hours just having fun - oh and doing lessons too!  We will often have a relay with each of them getting more one on one time with me because their siblings are off playing.  This easily becomes wonderful bonding time - they will forget they are at the park and really start just enjoying the lesson time.  Again pack plenty of food, pick a park with a potty, take a blanket or table cloth and have fun!  While they are all playing together you can take mom time to read.

Another way I work in lessons or extra reading is in the car - of course you have to be able to read in the car without getting sick!  My in laws live 30 minutes away and the children each take their reading books with them in the car - with our library's summer reading program, they are eager to see who can read the most pages! This is a great way to get lesson work in.

Working on times tables?  Use hopscotch!  We are going to film this shortly so you can see just how fun it is.  If you missed measuring out the ark in the winter months then measure it out now - take the time to throw in fun with measurement through summer baking (or no-baking!)  Make sure you take full weeks off in between to rest too... be kind to yourself and let them run and play too.

My own summer work usually revolves around my relationship with practical arts that I may want to strengthen - like taking my knitting to the next step or making something new with felt that I can take to the children this next year.  Take the time to enjoy these tasks and have fun.  Also take the time to really meditate on who you are, how much fun you had this year, counting all your blessings.  Nothing makes a pity party go away quicker than an accounting of blessings.

Have fun Mamas!!  Enjoy this season.

Need consulting?

I know that most of us are trying to finish up the last school year and are not thinking ahead to the fall, but we have been looking ahead at our writing schedule for the year and our schedule as a family and it became clear to me that we needed to PLAN!  So with that in mind, I decided we better open up our slots for the upcoming year.  Some folks want to start planning right away and others want to wait a month or two - either way, if you would like our services (mine, Erik's or both) we need to get commitments now.  We have very few openings for our year long spots left.

Consulting?  hmmm... not sure if you want it or need it?  Want to know more about our services?   CLICK HERE to find out more, including our rates.

Many blessings!!

Fellow physics families!

For anyone working through grade 6 physics, you may find this fun. 

We had a lot of fun with this as we reviewed some things from our physics of sound block.  Thank you Grandma!!

Relationships, common ground & Steiner

One of my biggest aims in supporting homeschooling families is helping husbands and wives communicate and relate to each other.  By finding common ground, gaps can be bridged and partners can build some depth in their relationship - depth that meets the needs of both Mom and Dad.  Most of the time when a mom tells me that Dad isn't supportive of Steiner/Waldorf/homeschooling, it is just a symptom of a much larger problem.  There is a big hole in how they communicate and Steiner just makes that gap seem bigger than ever. 

My husband, Erik, is a huge film buff.  He's your average man who loves to see things blowing up (that's the 10 year-old boy that lives inside most men), but he's also got a desire to understand where the filmmaker was coming from.  What we found is how Steiner's indications are alive and well in many of the films that he enjoys.  This morning I was relating to him an excerpt from "Handwork Indications" in the introduction written by Hedwig Hauck:

"Our age is a technological one, and grows ever more so as the years go by.  Machines now perform the work that was until recently done by the human being himself: he is obliged to serve the machine, although, in many cases, he is quite ignorant of its construction and of the force by which it is driven.  He can take little or no interest in an occupation of this kind, and weakness and emptiness in his soul-life is the inevitable result."

He grabbed his boxed set of "Matrix" and pulled out the second movie, "Reloaded".  We watched a portion of the movie in the first 30 minutes of the film where the star, Reeves, is talking to one of the older residents of the underground city.  The discussion is surprisingly similar to the quote above - learning to appreciate the technology but not becoming so removed from it that we allow it to overcome us.  We have become servants to our own conveniences.  Steiner warned of this which is one reason that he believed the curriculum needed the arts - handwork - keeping us out of our head, connected with our hands, and related to our hearts.   

Erik and I went to see the new "Terminator" movie this weekend... a franchise that pride's itself on destroying machines that took over the world.  The irony that our men would enjoy films like this when we are talking to them about limiting media in our homes!  MOMS!  Use this as common ground!  One thing that I know cements Erik and I is our ability to find ways to meet each other in the middle with regards to our passions.  In the last four years he's had a crash course in Steiner.  We have really enjoyed looking at some of Steiner's indications and how they are present in today's media.  

Taking the time to find ways to relate to your partner will benefit you as a couple - he will appreciate you for making the effort and will likely return the favor.  I use movies as an example, but there must be a way to your partner's heart...mind...both!  Is it books?  Movies?  Philosophy?  Gardening?  Rather than looking at how far apart your interests are, look at ways to come together to see the positive in it all.  How would Erik view me if I was always down on what he liked?  Does that mean I have to like all the movies he likes?  NO!  He's been to some where I just thought "hmmm...no thanks" just like there are some projects I undertake where he's not so sure he wants to jump in, but because we have common ground in other very important areas we can be happy for each other.

So with that... go hunt down your hubby and teach him to knit!  Blessings.