Welcome to A Little Garden Flower & Waldorf Essentials

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! BE A BEACON!

“The self-education of adults is essential for the Waldorf approach to educating children, because Waldorf does not consist solely of methods, techniques, or structures, but rather the development of human capacities – those of the children but also, and more importantly, those of teachers and parents.”

~ Robert McDermott

Welcome to Be A Beacon! You are in for a treat - an inner work treat.  We have been talking about the importance of inner work for years and we are answering a call to address inner work for our very important demographic - MOMS!

There are so many paths to inner work - where do you start? We will explore many paths, many cultures and many teachers.  Among those teachers we will discuss the work of Rudolf Steiner, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Abraham, Deepak Chopra and many more. We will work with concepts from the Bible, Koran, Gita and many other holy books - there are many, many common threads. I will work to relate my own experiences as well to bring you a dynamic program that will have you on the road to really feeling like the BEACON you should be for your family.  This is a very exciting new service and I hope you will all take the journey with us!

"At every moment the listener may say to himself: that, of which they speak, I too can learn, if I develop within myself certain powers which today still slumber within me. There remains only one question — how to set to work to develop such faculties."
~Rudolf Steiner, Knowledge of the Higher Worlds

   Monthly Membership includes:

• Special access to newly recorded shows available only to those participating in the program.  These shows are meant to get you started on this journey and to get you thinking about what inner work means to you. These recordings include:
• Welcome to "Be a Beacon"
• Catalysts for Change
• Personal Gurus
• The Importance of Inner Work
• How to Meditate
• Bi weekly lessons and discussions delivered via private yahoo group
• 2 monthly private live radio shows/interactive chats
• Archives available for duration of membership
• Planning and goal setting tools geared directly to Waldorf homeschooling
• In depth inner work study covering many faith groups, including in depth Steiner and other modern inner work experts.

Some of the monthly themes include: getting started right, relationships, balancing, knowing when to cut back and how, Steiner's basic 6 in depth,  festivals and inner work meanings, exploring biography, mediation through Waldorf art and so much more.

When you join, you will also receive recommended reading and tools to get you started along with an invitation to join the private group.

Register through our store - we have monthly, quarterly and six month options.  Sign up soon!  The series starts on Thursday, November 12 at 9pm EST.

Grade three paintings and planning

Ellie aka Smurfette has been loving grade three. Her writing is coming along on its own and she is really blossoming - of course right along with being a moody almost nine-year-old!  I wanted to share this painting that we worked on a couple weeks ago from the garden of Eden.  It is one that I found last year on a blog I love to visit, Teaching Handwork. I generally keep a folder on my computer for paintings, drawings or other lessons that I might want to use with our school work.  This really helps me in planning.  When I do my planning, I sit and print out batches at a time that I may want to try before bringing them to my children.  I know that I discuss planning a lot and I know there are some moms that roll their eyes, but really there is no substitute for it.  In the days since my recent accident, I have really come to appreciate the planning I did a few months back - I took the time to really make sure our lessons were laid out. 

Planning gives us such freedom!  Freedom to really take things deeper or to realize that we were the ones that needed the depth and we can move on when we see our child is ready.  Sometimes we plan big elaborate lessons just to have our child not connect with the material as we hoped - in years past, I may have looked at that as a failure on my part, but I have recently, through my own inner work, realized that I often go deep in planning a particular lesson block because I needed to!  There was a gap that I needed to understand and that my enthusiasm brought to my child just what it needed to and the rest of the knowledge is mine to treasure - my own little friendship with the material.  Really and truly, take the time to plan!  And then take the time to LIVE - enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Many blessings!

Melisa Nielsen

Nov 2 Radio Show Winter Festivals

Late Fall & Early Winter Festivals

The focus of this show was late fall and early winter festivals: Martinmas, Advent, St. Nick and also a couple minutes discussing US Thanksgiving.  We discuss planning for festivals as well as an in depth look at celebration ideas.  You can listen at blogtalkradio.com/alittlegardenflower

Show sponsor: Jodie @ homemusicmaking.blogspot.com

Notes from the Garden:
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT coming from us this Friday, Nov. 6th - check back each day for hints!

We have lots of fun new handwork kits in the store starting at $8.50.  These are great gifts or fun fast projects.

Over extending ourselves

I find that most moms I know have that natural woman thing going - we are perpetual people pleasers.  We don't want to let anyone down - not our partner, not our kids, not our friends, not the lady at church... not even someone we hardly know!  We will often sacrifice our own health and well being for someone else.  Sometimes we do this with joy and sometimes we get crabby about it.  I talk to many moms who in reviewing their schedule, realize they have over committed themselves (this is the part where a really good plan comes in) the problem is that then they don't feel like they can go back and change things - too many people will be upset or friends will be mad at them.  I constantly remind moms - and myself - that reviewing is a good thing.  When we review, whether it be in meditation or out loud with a partner or friend, we gain valuable perspective.  We often expect so much more from ourselves than we would of someone else and then we find ourselves dreading some things.

A few years back, my children were all enrolled in homeschool gymnastics with a dear, dear friend.  I loved her so much that I just didn't want her to know how hard it was for our family to get to gymnastics each week.  Everyone was cranky and it just really made for a hard week.  After reviewing during prayer and meditation, I decided that we would take a month off and see how we felt.  Once I took the month off it was amazing it was to not worry about gym day. The cranky behaviors mellowed and we looked forward to our week again.  As much as I loved my friend, I knew she wouldn't want us to be uncomfortable and unhappy.  We stopped going to gymnastics that year and it was the best choice I could have made.  In looking back at the time since then, I have realized that the whole ordeal was just too much for us - the children were over stimulated and it was causing the benefits of being social and exercising to be over shadowed by the negative feelings we all had afterward.   I realized that it was okay to back out on something that I had agreed to.  I had taken on too much.

Since my accident, the team working with me on healing has gotten right to the point with Erik and my office staff about letting me take on too much during my recovery.  Most days I feel pretty good, but there are some where I am almost completely incapacitated and have to remain in bed.  They tell me that everyone heals differently from head trauma.  Spirit continues to tell me not to fight it, to go with the flow and learn the lessons and allow those I have served for so long to now help me.  This is a really hard thing for me - I am learning!  Recently, I had to back out of a speaking engagement that I agree to before my accident.  It was something I really agonized about but while reviewing it with our board I was reminded that I needed to focus on other tasks - the first one being to heal - so that I can be full force once again.  So while it was hard, I backed out.  What had been a day filled with pain became an evening filled with relief and soothing.  I had done the right thing, Spirit confirmed it and I was released from the related stress.

So often we worry that changing our mind will make others think poorly of us - we need to realize that when we make decisions to review our schedule or situation, we are teaching our children valuable lessons... lessons that maybe it has taken us time to learn!  It is okay to ask for help.  There is virtue on standing back and realizing that we may not be able to accomplish something we set out to do.  There is no shame.  We are the Beacon.

Learn to listen to the whisper of the Spirit.  Be a beacon.  Much love and support.

Melisa Nielsen

Coming to Waldorf Late

The past two radio shows focused on coming to Waldorf during the grade school years.  I want to address some of the key points that we feel are important when you are new to Waldorf homeschooling.  Most people only think of the beeswax crayons, nice pencils and paint - these are great, but what do you do with them?  It all starts with good planning and understanding the curriculum, otherwise the materials are just things - they aren't the heart and soul of Waldorf.  Below are some sets for each of the grades (you can find full descriptions in our store), purchasing these bundled sets directly from our blog will save you some money as they are discounted from the full price.  Be sure to visit our radio station to listen to both shows on the topic.

Our daughter showing some grade 1 work

Grade 1 (age 6-7):  While you want to make sure you have a good grasp of the grade one basics, be sure you also do your background work.  I recommend studying Steiner himself where possible.  I also recommend this bundle below that includes: A Journey... audio series (in download mp3 format), Coloring with Block Crayons DVD set, Form Drawing DVDs, Waldorf Homeschool Planning DVDs, e-book versions of our Grade 1 curriculum and our Grades 1-5 math book.  $125

Our daughter with her grade two Saint Patrick drawing.

Grade 2 (age 7-8):  In many ways, grade two is an extension of grade one.  Some children are reading well and some are still coming along.  When you come to Waldorf at this stage, you will need many of the foundations that we recommend for grade one, the exception being that you will want our grade two curriculum instead. This bundle includes everything above substituting with grade two. $120

Math wheel

Grade 3 (age 8-9):  Consider not working on the regular Waldorf festivals this year but rather celebrate Jewish festivals and ease into your year.  Remember to keep any history to an age-appropriate level.  You can skip the fairy tales and the fables at this point unless you want to use them as extra stories.   This bundle includes: A Journey...downloads, e-book copies of our Grade 3 curriculum and Math book, Block Crayon DVDs, Planning DVDs, and Form Drawing DVDs. $122

Grade four lesson from Norse myth, past, present & future.

Grade 4 (age 9-10):  If you begin with Waldorf this year, you will want to be certain you fully understand the man/animal main lesson as this will give you a foundation of what is to come in the upper elementary grades.  You may also consider some drawing classes or our block crayon DVD.  For this year's bundle we recommend: e-books of our Grade 4 curriculum and our Math book, A Journey downloads, Planning DVDs, and Form Drawing DVDs.  $90

Grade 5 Geometry drawing

Grade 5 (age 10-11):  You should consider doing the 4th grade man/animal lesson block before the botany block.  Be sure not to skip form drawing and geometry.  The fifth grade bundle includes: Grade 5 curriculum and Math both e-books, A Journey downloads, Planning DVDs, Form Drawing DVDs, and Geometry e-book & DVDs. $120

Example of grade 6 map drawing

Grade 6 (age 11-12):  This year will start off great if you have a good understanding of the history covered in grade five through ancient cultures.  Take the time to understand the time periods and the geography.  Spend time covering zoology and botany.  The bundle for this grade includes: Grade 6 curriculum e-book, A Journey downloads, Planning DVDs, Form Drawing DVDs, and Geometry DVDs. $97

**Although I didn't bundle our Block Crayon DVD for the upper elementary grades, it can be a great tool for you as a resource on learning how to make beautiful chalk board drawings - the processes are very similar.  Also, while I did not mention it in each grade, handwork is an important part of Waldorf education.  We have many handwork supplies in our shop.

From grade seven through high school, Waldorf can be a bit trickier to integrate.  My best suggestion is to go through the base history curriculum to be sure your child has a good understanding of the work and how we got to where we are as a society.  Be sure to cover the sciences in depth. 

Remember that Waldorf is about allowing the child to develop through age-appropriate material and activities.  Stand back and watch them blossom - do not be in a hurry.  Be sure to take the time to plan and understand the material for yourself.  You can do it!  Welcome to Waldorf!

Blessings.

Melisa Nielsen

OCTOBER RADIO SHOWS: Coming to Waldorf Late

Now that the school year has started, are you panicked?  Are you new to Waldorf and thought you had everything in order only to realize that there are so many things yet to learn?  Perhaps you are considering taking your child out of school to homeschool with the Waldorf method and you don't know how you will catch up. 

Take a breath and rest easy - this show is for you.  Now is not the time to worry but to become resolute.  This show will help you know what to focus on.  The scope of part one is grades one through three.  

Past radio shows that might interest you if you are coming to Waldorf homeschooling late are our shows on planning, inner work and the grades.  You might also be interested in our Planning DVDs or A Journey Audio Series.

Late in the show, we discussed chapter six of "Rhythms of Learning" by Roberto Trostli.  This chapter covers the upper elementary years, grades five through eight.  On October 19th, we will discuss chapter 7...the high school years.

Part two will air live on Monday, October 19th at 8:00 am EST and will cover grades four and up.

Show sponsor: Home Music Making

The show can be downloaded HERE

Hold back? Move ahead?

I recently had a chat with a mom new to Waldorf.  She has older children and was worried about the placement of her daughter in grade six.  She was worried about the fact that she wasn't up to speed with her math or writing, and questioned if her daughter should go back to grade five or even four to get the entire curriculum.

This is a good question and one that I get often.  I assured her that Waldorf education is so different than anything else whether in the homeschool or public school arena.  With Waldorf, you can keep a child at grade level developmentally and work independently on their other skills.  The method of presenting subjects and the sequence of presenting them is directly in line with the development of the each child's being.  A child of 12 years could be studying Rome (grade six) and understanding the concepts and stories while working to strengthen their writing and math skills of previous years.  It is as much a journey for them as it is for us.  We must remember that educating a child in this method is an art, and that as a parent-teacher we are refining and as we refine ourselves the children will come along.  Sometimes we notice that there might be an imbalance in skills so along comes the next main lesson block and a perfect opportunity to strengthen them.  Teaching in lesson blocks allows us to spend concentrated time to grow each area and then let it sleep for a while to work on something else.

There have been many times when I began to get frustrated with the level that one of my children was working at only to meditate and decide that it should go to sleep for a while.  Every time we have encouraged this "sleeping" it has paid off.  They always come back with renewed strength to dig back in. 

After about grade four, it is appropriate to do daily math practice (outside of a math main lesson) via 5-10 math problems per day - not new material, just problems that keep their skills active.

There is no substitution for prayer, meditation and planning when it comes to homeschooling with Waldorf or any method.  Take the time, you will be glad you did.

Many blessings.

Melisa & Erik Nielsen
www.alittlegardenflower.com

Inner Work 101: Developing the Will

The last post  may have left you really wondering what you can do about your frustration over developing your own will.  There really is a lot - the biggest thing to understand is the ONLY thing that stands between you and inner peace is YOU.  That stings, I know, but once you learn that part then the rest of the journey isn't so daunting.  Knowing that you can change your attitude and give birth to your will, whether it be a rebirth or a first birth, is an empowering feeling. 

When we first started writing our 'A Journey Through Waldorf' curriculum series, we layered in information on inner work each year, but the grade one book probably has the best information on working from a beginner's perspective.  Steiner himself is a great place to start with inner work.  He had a wonderful set of exercises that can serve as a starting point or even a tune up for any inner work routine.  We will explore these through a series focusing on these exercises, and encourage you to take part and to share your experiences in the comments section of each post.

The first basic exercise:
Differentiate in meditation between the essentials and inessentials.

This sounds almost too basic to be useful, but it is the core of the Waldorf teacher or parent's development.  We are constantly assessing what our children need and in order to do that effectively we need to ask ourselves, "Is this essential?", with everything we do.  I would start with your day - meditate on what is on the agenda; it helps to have your schedule written down so if you haven't done so yet, I encourage you to do it now.  Lay out your week, not the way you want it to go, but the way it is in reality.  This is important so you can see your weak areas and where things break down for you.  Once you have it down on paper, take the time to meditate on it.  What's that?  You can't meditate?  Sure you can!  See our section below for a little help.

Now that you can see the reality of your life on paper, take it to meditation...is everything on there essential?  If not, what can go or be given a lower priority or even be delegated to someone else?  This is an example of doing the exercise with your schedule, it is a good place to start but it is not the only way you can put it to use.  One thing I find incredibly helpful is to do this exercise when I start feeling like I might go into panic mode - you know when you feel that pit in your gut and it begins to crawl up your throat until it has to escape in the form of you becoming She-Hulk before you can put it back?  Well, try to recognize the pit when it begins.  Excuse yourself from the situation.  I like going into the bathroom (my kids probably think I potty a lot!)  Once in there, I lock the door, close my eyes and say a silent prayer, "Please only show me what is essential right now."  I get my answer and then I go and do JUST THAT - nothing else!  Only the task I have been directed to do.  Then it is off the pile and I can move on with renewed strength and no pit in my belly.

Do this exercise daily until it becomes a habit, then it will be like an old friend.  That is how I find it these days - something comforting, I use it even when I am not in a panic spot to stay on top of it all.  I strongly believe that if we ask, it is given... that doesn't just mean money or power or material things, it begins and ends with spiritual gifts.  We need to work to develop them within our selves so that we can pass them on to our children.

Beginner's Meditation:

Sit comfortably.  Find something to set your gaze upon (I like to look at something pleasant like a flower or the nature table).  Relax your mind and body, trying to think only of the object.  If your mind wonders then bring it back to the object.  See if you can do this for one minute, then stretch.  Guided meditation works also and there are many guided meditation CDs on the market; try your local library before buying one. 

Many blessings!

Melisa & Erik Nielsen
Owners, A Little Garden Flower
www.alittlegardenflower.com

Busy Shop Gnomes

While we have been busy getting settled into the new school year, the little gnomes have been tinkering in our shop.  Take a peek at the goodies they have added:

Homeschool Planning Webinar - Join Melisa for nearly four hours of instruction as she details how to plan for and teach grades one through six of the Waldorf homeschool curriculum.  Some important topics covered are working with multiple children, how to present a lesson on the board, and how to put her curriculum into action.  Whether you are new to Waldorf or a veteran homeschooler, there are sure to be tips and tricks to help make teaching easier.  The set comes packaged in a sturdy case, and will make an excellent addition to your resource library.  Three DVD's for just $15.  Grab your copy today!

HomeMusicMaking Products - We're happy to offer a full selection of products from music teacher, Jodie Mesler.  With the traditional tin penny whistle, you can recreate the music on her CD or use it for soothing background music or take up her beginner's music curriculum.  The curriculum is geared towards the grade one parent and child, but can be used by anyone just learning to play an instrument.  Jodie's products are a cost-effective and simple solution to music instruction.

 

We'll keep you posted on the gnomes' work at A Little Garden Flower.  Until next time, blessings on your journey.

 

Melisa & Erik Nielsen

Grade 3 fun

I hope everyone is having as much fun as we are getting back in the rhythm of school and lessons.  Preparation and planning are key so if you aren't feeling quite right, perhaps go back and see where you can tweak your plan.  If you need some inspiration, I invite you to listen to one of our recent radio shows.

My daughter has been begging for a fountain pen ever since they came into our shop!  She has dreamt of the day when I would hand her the pen and she would write perfectly in beautiful cursive lettering.  To make that a reality, many things needed to happen.  First, she needed to practice her writing; she's been my best student when it comes to taking form drawing to heart, the reverent tone she brings is amazing for her age and is evident as she works that it is stirring something within.  She has always loved form drawing and misses it is not a part of our lessons.  Toward the end of last year, I noticed she was working some of the forms she had known into cursive letters - seeing the progression herself.  When we returned to our lessons this fall, she began to ask, "When do I get my pen Mommy?"  

Grade three is a perfect time for this, and if you are using our curriculum then you can easily tie the presention of this special new pen in with the lessons for the first weeks when the children write a letter to their Oma.  There is another opportunity later in the year to present it if you feel your child needs more practice.  Let this become a fun and grand event!  

I am blessed with a dear Jewish friend that agreed to be Ellie's pen pal during this lesson block.  After practicing day and night (literally... silly girl), she received her pen for yesterday's lesson.  I can't convey her excitement.  She immediately sat down to write to her pen pal on special stationary which was then sealed with sealing wax.

Lesson highlights and planning notes:

*Be sure you are clear with your child about your expectations.  We wanted my daughter to strive for wonderful handwriting and that came through regular practice.  We used the fountain pen as an incentive, and she loved working for it.  

*Have your materials on hand.  Go shopping for fun stationary and sealing wax (we will carry this soon).  Order your pen with plenty of time of time to spare.  I also bought a pad of parchment to play with.  I want my children to feel the fun of sending and receiving a beautiful letter.  The art of letter writing is dying with the rise of the Internet so be sure to make it a priority.

*Plan your lesson well.  Who is your child writing to?  If you don't have a Jewish (or Native American) friend as per our curriculum, then perhaps a letter to a grandparent or family friend.  While planning your lesson, explain how letters are different - there are business letters and personal letters.  They share some of the same elements.  Be sure to cover the basics such as date, greeting, body, closing, signature.  We also always do a first draft and final drawing - especially helpful when you are working on a nice piece of stationary for your letter. 

In closing, while we find all form drawing to be a benefit to their drawing skills as well as wonderful inner work, the ones that it really helped to practice were running forms from first and second grade.  Some are below.  If you haven't jumped into form drawing yet, it would be well worth it!  We have a great DVD set that you might enjoy. 

 

From our home to yours...

Melisa & Erik Nielsen
Owners
A Little Garden Flower & Gnomes Home
www.alittlegardenflower.com