The Third Year – Training Practical Skills
Alongside the study of measuring units, word groups and letter-writing, the central topic of Class 3 is the expulsion from Paradise, the loss of the spiritual homeworld.
Genesis tells that, having tasted the forbidden Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam and Eve could not remain with God. Now they had to live and work on the earth, learn to grow and harvest food with sweat and toil, build safe shelters and tame wild animals.
The Crisis
Echoing this fall from grace, the formerly unquestioned unity of self and world breaks apart around the ninth year of childhood, and this new separateness raises disturbing questions: What is my place in the world? Will I be able to look after myself? Do I belong in this family? Is anyone really my friend? I’m afraid that nobody likes me, nobody understands me …
Feeling apart and alone, thoughts of life’s challenges produce unease or anxiety. Fear of dying may keep Class 3 children awake. Their formerly radiant faces begin to look pale and drawn, their carefree attitude changes. The Rubicon has been crossed and there is no turning back.
A new level of self-awareness marks the start of pre-puberty, and no amount of loving care can prevent this necessary developmental step.
Bible Stories to the Rescue
In this situation, Bible stories help with powerful images that represent spiritual realities and show existential questions, fears and problems as part of the human condition. These stories, summarised in writing and illustrated with feeling, are introduced as an important part of a shared and ancient cultural heritage.
To realise that they are not alone in ‘feeling alone’ has a therapeutic effect on anxiously questioning children who feel the bliss of early childhood slip away.
Hebrew Culture
Traditional Hebrew songs are learnt, and the corresponding circle dances add joyful and harmonious balance. Letters of the Hebrew alphabet are drawn, large and with block crayons, to see how their variable and tapering strokes are achieved. This makes it clear that there are different ways of writing, some much older than ours.
A Jewish member of the school community is invited to teach the class the first lines of Genesis in the original Hebrew. “B’reshit bara Elohim …” Waldorf alumni are likely to remember these words for the rest of their life.
Farming and Cooking
The practical activities of farming and cooking help the children of Class 3 cope with the fact that they no longer feel at one with their surroundings. Instead, they learn how to feel at home in the world.
Having ploughed the soil and sown wheat, they harvest and thresh it, then grind the grain to flour and bake delicious bread.
In autumn, apples and pears are picked and pressed to juice. Another day, they are sliced and cooked as apple crumble; and at Halloween a pumpkin is converted to a warming soup that is enjoyed by all.
Measuring and Building
Arithmetic lessons focus on weighing and measuring, and on telling the time. Class 3 learn about different shelters and dwellings, then fell a tree with expert help.
Building dens in a woodland, sawing logs, mixing mortar and laying bricks … The children are proud of their new knowledge. “Who would have thought we can do all this!”
It makes them confident of their ability to learn and work and build a life. Paradise may be lost, but the earthly realm is opening up, presenting many inviting pathways to be explored with growing confidence and a set of practical manual skills.
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