Birthday verses and report verses hearken back to indications given by Rudolf Steiner at a faculty meeting in 1921, where he said, “At the bottom of each report, write a verse for each child that expresses the child’s individuality, that can act as a leitmotif for the future.” See Faculty Meetings with Rudolf Steiner Heinz …
From the age of 11, a change is starting to happen within the child. Childhood is being left behind, making place for a state Steiner calls Erdenreife, readiness for the earth. The children no longer ‘ride’ happily on the authority of adults. Their feelings and will impulses start to break through, without as yet being …
Waldorf students not only create curriculum workbooks, but also maps. What is the purpose of drawing maps in geography lessons? What are the pitfalls and possible solutions? Drawing maps creates a much more intimate connection than looking at printed ones. This creative approach deepens the knowledge of geography on a level that is not purely …
There can be no progress in arithmetic without a sound grasp of the basic multiplication facts. Waldorf methods enliven their teaching, help learners at every level of ability, and can make regular practice quite enjoyable. REGULAR PRACTICE Much repetition is necessary to learn essential multiplication facts successfully. This is done in brief, focused practice sessions …
And here is the eagerly awaited second part of David Donaldson’s tutorial on how to write poems for children. Having focused on their form in Part 1, he now shows us aspects of their content, using as examples the beautiful Birthday Verses he wrote for his pupils over the years. WRITING POEMS FOR CHILDREN – by …
Waldorf Report Verses and Birthday Verses are a pedagogical tool that is to be handled mindfully. These inspirational poems for children are to reflect the art of poetry and express reverence for the miracle of life’s journey on earth in ways that are as diverse as the children themselves. Excellent verses have been written over …
Whenever we see paintings displayed in Waldorf classrooms, at first sight we are struck by their uniformity. The often-heard title quote is a likely response, and its undertone of reproach makes class teachers bristle defensively. But is it an expression of ignorance, or justified criticism? Well, as usual that depends on a range of factors …
There is nothing about Waldorf Education that does not raise questions, not even the simple matter of Class 1’s first set of personal wax crayons: Should they get stick and block crayons at the same time? Just the primary colours, or the full range from the start? What were they using in Kindergarten? Are there …
The Waldorf Main Lesson Book’s blank pages naturally raise the question: Why should children write without guidelines? What is the point of this challenge that is, at first sight, such a hindrance? As usual in Waldorf Education, there are several aspects to consider and understand. Otherwise, this too becomes a bullet point on the list …
