Dear Parents,
Before we go into our next Main Lesson, which starts tomorrow, I thought that you may like to have a little look into one of the approaches Waldorf teachers use to help them better understand and work with the children in the class. Rudolf Steiner gave teachers many different indications for working with the child, one of which is using the Four Temperaments. As humans we are special beings. Each one of us is unique. There are no two people who are the same, not even identical twins who are given similar bodies when they come into the world. Each person is an individual with a particular combination of qualities, and in the course of one's life, one discovers more and more what these individual qualities are. Using the Temperaments is therefore not about pigeonholing or labelling, but rather about better understanding certain aspects of ourselves. There are four temperaments, and these are related to the four elements, EARTH, WATER, AIR and FIRE. They are known as MELANCHOLIC, PHLEGMATIC, SANGUINE and CHOLERIC respectively. We all have bits of each temperament in us, which show up at different times of our lives or in different situations, but generally there is a dominant and a secondary temperament. In Waldorf schools teachers use the basic, simple Four Temperaments, understanding that for the most part, there are no pure styles, but all people share these four styles in varying degrees of intensity. In dealing with the temperaments, it is not only a matter of knowing the children in order that the teacher can handle them better, but of harmonising their natures. In a well-integrated, balanced, complete person, the four characteristics would be harmonised but since this is not the case it becomes one of the tasks of education. When working with the temperaments in the classroom, it is critical to remember that we look at the assets of the temperaments and appeal to the different strengths of the children. We can bring them into balance gradually over time by appealing to their gifts first and helping them overcome any one-sidedness through the curriculum. Understanding your child's temperaments can also help you as a parent. For example, melancholic child loves order and to do things right. She will look for hinderances and obstacles and never seem satisfied. Show the child how human beings can suffer. Stories of trails and suffering are a godsend to the melancholic. The phlegmatic child likes comfort, to be kept warm, enjoy delicious food, but needs to be encouraged to have many different playmates as possible. Sanguine children respond well to calm parenting but enjoy social situations. Love is the magic word for the Sanguine. Choleric children like to be leaders and you may find letting them be in charge of tasks helps to give them direction. Having things which challenge them, obstacles they need to overcome will build their resilience and understanding. When working with the temperaments, it is important to think of them in relationship to all the other influences in the children’s lives, both hereditary and environmental. Working with all aspects of each child helps us see all children in their totality and keeps us from making stereotypical judgments about them. These are the tools we can use as parents and teachers to better understand children as they develop and help us find the best way to help them come into balance. Our ultimate goal is to help the children develop interest in the other, find compassion, and fulfil the mission of the human being on the earth: to develop true human love. The Sanguine – AIR – SPRING This child lives in the realm of thoughts and ideas, which, if untempered, can lead to chaos of images. These children can easily flit from idea to idea and not settle on anything. Think of the butterfly. This child is usually very social and can bring great delight into the classroom. They weave between children and can be the great social equalisers in the classroom. The Choleric – FIRE – SUMMER The choleric child may seem self-centered and have a strong presence in the classroom. This child will want to be assertive in every situation and can be aggressive or bossy with other children. But cholerics can also be strong leaders when their passions are channelled into doing good deeds for others or to help the teacher. The Melancholic – EARTH – Autumn These children may feel that the body is too heavy for them to manage and this creates a disharmony inside their being. The melancholic may seem inflexible and very sensitive to pain and sorrow in the soul-life, which may become a source of inner grief or brooding. This inner struggle may become manifest in the sad countenance, more inward gaze, and dragging gait. The Phlegmatic – water – winter In the phlegmatic child, the physical body dominates her expression in the world. There may be a complacency that develops as the child feels inwardly all is well and nothing more needs to be done. This can result in a lack of interest in vigorous activity. These children like to eat and digest their food! They can be the calm anchors of the class because of their inner balance; what they lack in physical initiative they make up for in imbuing the classroom with their quiet presence. They feel connected to nature spirits, and elemental beings, they have a vivid imagination and much is directed inwards. Wishing you all a good week. Warmly. Teacher Beulah 24th August 2021 Please note: Much of this letter has been taken from these sources: 1. Helping Children on Their Way - Educational support for the classroom Compiled by Elizabeth Auer 2. A.C. Harwood: The Recovery of Man in Childhood, Chapter XVI 3. Rudolf Steiner: The Temperaments. |
AuthorTeacher Beulah's 'Letter to the Parents' Archives
February 2023
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