Weeks Five & Six - 16th -18th & 23rd - 25th February 2021
Dear parents, As, I write this, we are coming to the end of our four-week Literacy/Letters Main Lesson. By the end of this week we would have completed eight letters; T, H, K, V, M, P, W, C. This is very impressive! Normally with a full term and with a five-day week, a Waldorf Class One group would complete between six and eight letters. The children have really worked very hard, and they have been fully immersed in their work. I think that they are very proud of what they have accomplished. Please praise them for their good work. So now the children in our story, “The Quest of Courage”, have found “the treasure that is royal blue” and can now head back home. Who knows what will happen next....? After our one-week break next week, we will start with Numberwork. That will bring a whole new feel and character to our work. I am sure that you will experience a difference in your children too. Before we get into mathematical operations, we will be working on the quality of numbers; what is ‘Oneness’ – being 1, being alone, being myself? and ‘Twoness’, like the sun & moon, day & night, or mom & dad or my friend & I? Where do we experience three/Threeness, etc... so together we will explore this. Like the Letters Main Lesson has given them the experience and feel and quality of the K and the T, M, etc....and also its sound, etc.... so too they will go through the numbers. We also bring an introduction to numerals, beginning with Roman numerals (as they are intuitively obvious (I, II, III, IIII, V, etc.) and comparing them with our modern Arabic numerals. In Numeracy over the rest of the year, we will explore the world of numbers through the introduction of the four processes: + - x ÷, which will be brought through the adventures of four helpers and problems solved through mental math, games, and in writing these processes out. More on all of this later. Alongside all of this the children are working with knowing the days of the week, the seasons, counting, what comes before and after, direction in space, left and right, Form Drawing, crafts, etc... But, within all of this I am constantly working on ‘how to be’. Discipline, structure and form are important for us to have a healthy, constructive and supportive learning environment. I was asked in an introductory session what my stance or approach was to discipline and I did not really give it an answer. So, here just a brief response. The word ‘discipline’ often conjures up negative responses. Through our experiences of traditional school, we often associate discipline with punishment, fear, conformity. There discipline works for a while, but eventually the suppression turns to depression. But the word “discipline” originates from the Latin word disciplina which means “instruction” and derives from the root discere which means “to learn.” The word discipulus which means “disciple or pupil” also stems from this word. So in a very fundamental sense, discipline can be considered systematic instruction given to a disciple/student. In the Greek, there are two words used for what we term in English “discipline” and “disciple”. The word MATHETES is Greek for disciple. It means “a learner.” The word SOPHRONISMOS is used for discipline, meaning saving the mind or self-control. So, when looking at the root words and their meanings, it becomes clear that the word discipline has something to do with learning self-control. So, I think of my approach as creative discipline. The word “creative”, means that something is original; it has to do with feeling, it brings and works out of warmth, is artistic, inspired, loves beauty.... So, creative discipline is discipline with warmth. It calls for inspiration and the ability to respond in the moment in a constructive way. The key is OBSERVATION. As a teacher I need to observe the child and the class environment so that the child/children in the class can ‘learn self-control’ and to regulate their own behaviour. I need to observe, teach, train, test and transform disciplined behaviour. By teaching, as the Teacher, I need to model good behaviour and show what is expected from the class. By training, I need to provide opportunities, routines and rhythms for the children to practise their new skills. By testing, I permit the children to try out behaviour to see which areas need to be corrected. By transforming, I need to correct the behaviour through creative, warm, wise interaction. The problem of discipline cannot be answered once and for all; it has to be met every day anew, and each teacher, out of her own nature and attainments, will deal with this differently. So, as every day is new and issues arise unexpectedly and situations change all the time, I need to rely on the wisdom of the curriculum, use the opportunity of reflection, get to know the children and I need to be gentle on them and myself. As teacher and parents, we all have valuable gifts to bring, and we all have some shortcoming that needs to be made good. Every virtue has its shadow. If we can appreciate each other’s qualities and work together, this will build a sound foundation for our work in raising and educating these children Our active collaboration, open communication, support of each other, respect and mutual interest will help the children to unfold their individual gifts and find their appointed tasks and destinies in the world. All the best. Teacher Beulah 23rd February 2021 Week Four – 9, 10, 11 February 2021 Dear parents, Over the last two weeks we stepped into the magical world of LETTERS, as we continue to follow the children on the Quest of Courage. We travelled from the TREASURED TREE to the HUMBLE HOUSE and the journey continued to the VERDANT VALLEY, where KIND KING KARL came to subdue the Monster in the MIGHTY, MISTY, MAGICAL MOUNTAINS .... and slowly more stories are unfolding ....like our PROUD PRINCE.... In a Waldorf classroom, the children learn to write before they learn to read. Writing is active whereas reading is passive and so it comes first to activate the will and to allow the children to experience and then build the concept. Therefore, their reading develops out of their own writing, their own experience. Letters are just foreign symbols to them and it is therefore important to engage them as fully as possible by working with one letter over two or three days, thus allowing for a deeper connection with the letter. In an alternating rhythm of bringing it to consciousness through story, art and movement, and then letting it sink into the subconscious mind during the night's sleep, then reawakening it again the next day, the child will really know the letter throughout their whole being. Every day the children ‘read’ their writing. Each letter story has an alliterative verse, e.g. “Treasured tree with trunk so tall, you tenderly care for us all!” The children ‘read’ the verse as they run their fingers over the letter they have written in their books. The blackboard drawing is a very important tool for the teacher. After the children have heard the story, they draw a picture from their imagination in their drawing books. The next day the children arrive and there is a drawing on the board, focussed on the main ‘letter character’. During the RECALL of the story the children repeat the alliterative verse and they ‘discover’ the main sound, feeling where it is in their mouths and then the teacher ‘finds’ the letter in the image on the board and superimposes the letter on top of it. The letter therefore comes out of the image. As with Form Drawing, the children will first find the letter in their bodies or in the classroom or in the plants, trees or rocks outside, then they will draw it in the air, then on each other’s backs or on their hands, finger nails, practise them with their fingers in their books and then when they feel ready, they will draw the letter in their books – first a big letter and then some smaller ones. Now they are becoming aware of space and how they work within it.... The letters are all written as CAPITAL letters – the archetypal form of the letter. Only later in the year will the children go through a process of ‘transforming’ the letters to lower case. In the state curriculum it is the other way round. We start with the CONSONANTS - which are ‘grounding’, holding and firm – they hold the word and have a very different quality to the VOWELS. So, as you can see, we don’t do the letters in the order of A,B,C.... In Term 2 the vowels are all taught together over a few days (more on that another time). The children are taking to this process easily, with interest and enthusiasm. Alongside this we are counting every day from 1-50, in 5s’, 10s, and backwards....etc. Our repertoire of verses, songs, beanbag games, movement-based activities are growing and the children are moving easily from one part of the morning to the next. They are building more stamina so that we can extend our morning time, without needing a snack break too soon. You are all winning with regards to snack time. Every day is a feast and the children love it. They spend time in class eating their snack, chatting quietly and then packing up, wiping their tables and asking to be excused. Then there is a good time for having a break. Even though they may be busy with some game or the other, they are happy to run back to class when the bell rings. I am including some articles on the Waldorf approach and process to writing and reading for you to read at your leisure. These articles will give you a simple, but full description of the process, principles and philosophy that I am following. All the best. 16th February 2021 *apologies - CAPITALS used in this letter for emphasis onlyJ Letter Three
Dear parents, A little peek into our classroom…. In the first two weeks we spent our time just getting used to our space, building relationships, learning what it means to be at big school (tidying our work spaces, pushing our chairs back when we get up, put up our hand to speak, lining up at the start and the end of the day), learning the opening schedule of lighting the candle, saying our verses, greeting, doing the register and practising listening skills – all these to help bring structure, rhythm, routine and FORM. These in turn build confidence, resilience and a feeling of safety. And slowly, very slowly a growing capacity to persevere and extend the attention span and interest. In Week 1 & 2 our Main Lesson was Form Drawing. Waldorf education brought two very distinct artistic activities to education: eurythmy, a new art of dance movement, and form drawing, an active form of geometry for children. Form drawing is done in preparation for writing the Letters, to build a sense of form and line, strengthen the upper body to be ready for writing and reading and to develop a deeper understanding and sense of line as captured movement. The very first forms the children do in Class One are the straight line and the curved line. These forms are drawn out of the very first story. One the first day, the children were asked to think about the Quest of Courage and to imagine what could have been a straight line in the story. So, through a recall process, they say the spear and the walking stick. They are asked what these objects were used for, why they were important, what the special qualities were. They are asked to stand as straight as a spear. We do the verse. Then they are asked what a straight line feels like… Their comments are; “It feels strong, it feels straight, it feels upright...” They have experienced the quality of the line. They then go through a process of embodying the form. How can we be straight? What does it feel like? Where in nature do we see straight lines, etc..? Then for the curved line they go through the same process, and they find the curved line in the singing bowl, the cow bell, the dreamcatcher…. Their comments; “It feels warm, it feels round, it feels safe, it feels kind… We walk the lines, we do them as big as we can in the air, then on each other’s backs, and tiny, tiny forms on our finger nails, we curl up on the floor, until we finally write in our books. We have captured the movement and the feeling onto our page and it becomes a recognisable form. And so it goes for the leaning (diagonal) line, the cross, the circle, the tree lines (concentric circles), the spirals – we walk spirals on the lawn, on the classroom carpet, etc…. And in all of this it is about the process, not the product. Each child goes through her/his own struggle and triumph, until they finally learn to love the form and the line. And this work, which may seem so simple to the outsider, is all about releasing the power of pure line. And the line and form, done in this way resonates formatively in the soul, nervous system and brain of the child doing it. It builds the neural foundation of flexible thinking that can grasp process, metamorphosis and whole systems. It is geometry in action – an excellent non-intellectual preparation of the inner physical and mental capacities of the young child for later intellectual work to create geometric forms and strengthen higher cortical function of cognition, attention and memory. So building not only their mathematical skills and understanding of forms and shape, but also speaking, reading and writing. It is hard work, needs concentration, but it is also lots of fun! All the best. Teacher Beulah 8th February 2021 Letter Two – 26, 27, 28 January 2021
Dear parents, We have been very happy to celebrate three class birthdays in two weeks - Annabella, Teacher Beulah and Samson. What a lovely way to start our year together. Class birthdays are very special moments in a Waldorf Classroom. The birthday child chooses two friends as her/his guardian angels, who will care for the her/him for the day. The children are all part of preparing the birthday table, beautifying the room and decorating the cake. The birthday cake is preferably homemade, and as simple and wholesome as possible, with no artificial colours, generally round for easy cutting and sharing and without sweets or other decorations. The birthday child wears a special cloak and birthday crown and the guardian angels dress up too in cloaks and headbands. This is a class celebration for the children only and unlike Kindergarten, parents are not part of the ceremony. It is a moment for the children to bond as a social group, to learn to create a ceremony together, to give each other wishes and to manage and arrange the space as they would like it to be. The same birthday story is told to each child, with some minor changes and additions, specific to the child: The child, as a human soul comes down through the star kingdoms and is given seven special gifts by the star spirits - the gifts of memory, wisdom and thinking, courage of the heart and speech, goodness, beauty, movement, and imagination, The children love the story and listen to it intently. It is something that resonates beautifully with them. It is a privilege to go through this beautiful process with them. Thank you for my lovely birthday surprise and gifts. I really appreciate your love and warmth. All the best. 2nd February 2021 |
AuthorTeacher Beulah's 'Letter to the Parents' Archives
February 2023
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