Disclaimer...

I’ve spent a lot of time on this blog talking about Waldorf education. I feel it is the best educational model I have seen, especially for a classroom environment. I love the fact that it is protective of childhood and that it follows life’s cycles and rhythms. Each element of the curriculum “speaks” to a child at his level. The arts and the handwork are healing and inspiring. But I don’t DO all of it at my house.

My biggest hang-up involves how to teach multiple topics—specifically science and history--to multiple children. All Waldorf homeschoolers have this challenge, but there is a reason why I’m not really willing to try others’ solutions. Ask any of my children, and they will tell you that our read-alouds (our family unit studies) are/were their favorite part of homeschool. How can I take that away to teach the age-appropriate topics? I haven’t figured it out.

So, when I talk about what we’re doing in our homeschool, you’ll notice that I’m not following a strictly Waldorf curriculum. We make music and work with our hands, but we also study famous artists and composers the Charlotte Mason way. We joyfully celebrate many holidays and festivals, but we don’t always do circle time. I always try to teach “whole to parts.” But we study science and history together as a family. I have tried to learn the principles that make Waldorf education what it is, but I don’t feel bound to other people’s views of what the details must be. I seek inspiration for the current needs of my children, and go with that. Isn’t that what homeschooling’s all about?

There are many wonderful and inspiring websites and blogs where you can learn about Waldorf education. Here, though, you’ll find more of a hodge-podge. Just thought you should know….
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7 comments:

  1. JaneenJuly 10, 2009 at 10:00 PM

    Sounds like a good way to go about doing it. Any suggestions as to what I can do with my three and a half year old and what I should be trying to teach her at this stage and how to go about doing that in a foreign country? I'm kind of stumped and my access to materials is VERY limited. Even books are going to be hard to find for her. We're in South Korea.

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  2. JenniJuly 11, 2009 at 8:07 AM

    I think the preferred term is "eclectic" homeschooling (rather than hodge-podge, silly mama!)
    And I have to say, I think it's a narrow minded person who clings to any one method for the sake of the method, rather than pulling the pieces that work (from wherever they are found) and putting them together into their own style. That's the kind of thing that homeschooling is best at--meeting the needs of individuals who are all different from each other. :)

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  3. CherylJuly 11, 2009 at 3:04 PM

    I thought about "ecletic," but "hodge-podge" sounded more accurate when I wrote this!

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  4. CherylJuly 11, 2009 at 3:11 PM

    Janeen,
    During the preschool years, the best thing you can teach your daughter is an ordered, happy home life. She will thrive on having some structure: routines for mealtimes, chore times, bedtimes. Have her help you with jobs around the house. Sing songs. Tell stories (traditional stories and stories about your childhood). If you don't have books with pictures, she will make up the pictures in her imagination.
    I believe that "school" should be very informal--even up through age 8 or 9. So don't worry about a lack of resources. YOU are the main resource at this age.

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  5. JaneenJuly 13, 2009 at 8:36 AM

    Structure is something we have some issue with because it has never happened. lol With my husband's jobs having been at basically any time of the day, and having moved to such a different timezone, it's been a good thing that we haven't had much in the way of a strict schedule. My husband does read a lot of Bible stories to her, unfortunately, neither of us had very happy childhoods so eh, that's kind of out especially as most of my happy memories would relate to a holiday we no longer celebrate. As it is, I have enough trouble even figuring out what to tell her about her grandparents. She's never met my parents and likely never will and my husband's parents are dead and he doesn't even remember them. The woman he knew as his mom was really his half sister (LONG STORY). So yeah, I think at this point, Bible stories and maybe some favorite books are going to be about the best we can do on that. She does seem to really be expressing interest in letters so I'm going to try and see if I can somehow get some of the printing pages I have saved printed off somewhere. She seems very motivated to write. We also work on teaching her numbers and reading numbers and she's gotten pretty good with that. She especially likes the number three, which is her age. lol

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  6. CherylJuly 13, 2009 at 10:51 AM

    Janeen,
    I'm so sorry! Perhaps you can make up stories (tell her they're just pretend) with yourself and your husband as characters. Or put yourself in traditional fairy tales. The Bible stories and other favorites sound good too.

    Young children DO like to write letters and numbers because they like to imitate you. It doesn't mean they need to learn all the letters, but it's good to teach as they ask. Right now it's all about imitation.

    Don't feel like you can't have "rhythms" in your life--even with a crazy schedule. Having some routines (even if they happen at varied times of day) may actually save your sanity when you have a crazy schedule! It sounds like you do have some big challenges in this regard. Just remember that routines are not the same as a strict schedule; routines are just things that you do the same way every day. They provide a "safe" time for your daughter because they are familiar.

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  7. AnonymousSeptember 24, 2009 at 3:26 AM

    I am a die-hard Charlotte Mason mama, but like you I am open to adding other things that work and bring good change and results, etc. Your blog is treasure! (((((HUGS))))) sandi

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