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One by one children pop the peas out of their pods, keenly observing the teacher peel and then imitating. They have almost set up an industry at the school – peeling pods and pulling out peas to then prepare their meal. Eye hand coordination, concentration, ability to patiently sit and complete a task, persistence, working harmoniously in a group – all developments from a simple household chore! The life skills that the kindergarten child learns in a loving and enjoyable way are essential as a foundation for their future experiences as a capable and responsible adult. We see how meaningful work brings order, calmness and harmony in the environment.<figure id="figure-1g4dtfo5aglvkxvug3"><img id="1g4dtfo5aglvkxvug3" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/207ZoMv3ATJEi7u14GwFAF7J5muvZm3bD3kny01PnSyQqw1gDSyz1OqdXExkrWnG.jpg" alt="Color pencils isolated on blue paper background." title="Color pencils isolated on blue paper background." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionX="undefined" data-positionY="undefined" data-fullWidth="false"/></figure>

Importance of meaningful work in Waldorf classrooms.

Waldorf teachers are generally asked: “How does learning happen in a Waldorf classroom with children of mixed age group?”Children learn from the kind of play they are involved in.Children in the age group of 2-3, begin to explore everything around them as the formative life forces are active in them. They love moving and handling things on their own without any external imposition or assistance. They are involved in solitary play based on imitation. They move out of their own will but they are yet to learn to create harmonious relationship between their will and their surroundingsChildren in the age group of 2-3, begin to explore everything around them as the formative life forces are active in them. They love moving and handling things on their own without any external imposition or assistance. They are involved in solitary play based on imitation. They move out of their own will but they are yet to learn to create harmonious relationship between their will and their surroundings. Children in the age group of 4.6-5, by now start relating to their environment. Memory and imagination become the active faculties. The children start creating group play based on their memory and imagination. They tend to copy daily events and transform objects into things based on their imagination. They learn from each other as the play happens in small groups.&nbsp;Children think of something new all the time. It is important that there are objects available to children which can be transformed by them.&nbsp;‘As the muscles of the hand grow firm and strong in performing the work for which they are fitted, so the brain and other organs of the physical body of man are guided by the right lines of development if they receive the right impressions from the environment.’<figure id="figure-fvrkpii9fklvla2mp4"><img id="fvrkpii9fklvla2mp4" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2eEKoNNFSkG3nZyi2lKxoSlLU8bn09QCI31RHecpL9GDN212ByWOd7PD3xWsDFjH.png" alt="Back to School" title="Back to School" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2eEKoNNFSkG3nZyi2lKxoSlLU8bn09QCI31RHecpL9GDN212ByWOd7PD3xWsDFjH.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;"></figure> <figure id="figure-rw6b0vwd0olvla3mzu" class=""><img id="rw6b0vwd0olvla3mzu" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/25LtAUNzHHmR0NvLLRd4BImzP7Nr2aZIZTiDkjkLVoeYGgyG3g9OaQzO7OpY2oUI.jpg" alt="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, this photograph depicts a typical classroom scene, where an audience of school children were seated on the floor before a teacher at the front of the room, who was reading an illustrated storybook, during one of the scheduled classroom sessions. Assisting the instructor were two female students to her left, and a male student on her right, who was holding up the book, while the seated classmates were raising their hands to answer questions related to the story just read." title="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, this photograph depicts a typical classroom scene, where an audience of school children were seated on the floor before a teacher at the front of the room, who was reading an illustrated storybook, during one of the scheduled classroom sessions. Assisting the instructor were two female students to her left, and a male student on her right, who was holding up the book, while the seated classmates were raising their hands to answer questions related to the story just read." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/25LtAUNzHHmR0NvLLRd4BImzP7Nr2aZIZTiDkjkLVoeYGgyG3g9OaQzO7OpY2oUI.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;"></figure><figure id="figure-p53rq1r8ojlvla5b8y"><img id="p53rq1r8ojlvla5b8y" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/33T2Mp5ljmNlVWWbvEwy2ICRCKjrfUUyRxsDsvVpq5NZ6Ef8fqBJ0XtBkAxgwgaG.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl selected" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/33T2Mp5ljmNlVWWbvEwy2ICRCKjrfUUyRxsDsvVpq5NZ6Ef8fqBJ0XtBkAxgwgaG.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-mce-selected="1"></figure>

Learning in a mixed-age classroom

Penned by Maulishree Jhawer, Nutritionist by profession and a happy Waldorf parent by heartWhen our child was about two years old, as an anxious mother I stepped out to look for a kindergarten most appropriate for him. I had formulated an image of it in the mind through my understanding and knowledge. More precisely, the spiritual knowledge acquired in the past few years. We become what we absorb from the environment around. It is a universal law known to many. And that formed one of the basic principles behind my search too.I could minimally connect with the places visited, as there was something else that my heart yearned for. It looked for a place which made us feel rooted.A place which supported the child with a basic healthy routine.A place where love was the language. A place which was led by conscious loving adults. A place which valued our ancient wisdom and culture. An education or kindergarten that helped retain the child’s purity and innocence and accepted him wholeheartedly.That is when we met with the “Waldorf pedagogy”. An age old well researched education system given by the very enlightened Rudolf Steiner. We researched in depth and read further on. Our love for this wonderful education grew with each passing day only to realise that this was exactly the kind of exposure we wanted to giveour child, in his journey towards the outside world. A school which was like a “home away from home”.That was the day and today, it’s been over a year, the journey has been fulfilling in every sense.Why Waldorf Education?My views and experience…For a balanced life one needs to strengthen primarily five capacities. Physical development, intellectual growth, social connections, emotional strength and spiritual wisdom.The last one being of utmost importance to me. The Waldorf kindergartens through their ideology predominantly nurture children emotionally and spiritually. The kindergarten space is created to be aesthetically beautiful with minimal stimulation. The child at a very slow pace is allowed to evolve and meet the beauty of life. &nbsp;Children are born perfect with all the innate wisdom and powers. In their early years they still remain in the spiritual realms and are angelic by nature. They are most soul conscious and least body or role conscious. The Waldorf method helps them stay close to their true spiritual self and assists to nurture their inner capacities at every step. A conducive environment, non-judgemental space makes them use their intellectual abilities effectively.No reading and writing till the age of seven is the prime feature of the education. Children engage in gardening, cooking, music, rhythmic movements, free play, handwork, painting, puppetry, stories and sharing meals. Every aspect of the kindergarten helps children experience simplicity, contentment, cooperation, compassion, love, humility. The values are lived daily. When we enable the soul to experience its true self, true joy is experienced. And at the end of the day this is how we want our children to be. Happy, healthy and internally satisfied.The accuracy with which the school works, often gives me goose bumps. It’s amazing to see the system functioning with so much uniformity all across the nation only and only for the benefit of children.Daily rhythm and a basic routine in a child’s life are of immense importance. Timely nutritious meals, rest times, sufficient outdoor play, skilful work at the school encourages disciplined and holistic way of living.Waldorf education is about educating not only the head and heart but also the hands.Handwork is one of the key features of the curriculum. It has always inspired me. Handwork is synonym to hard work, skill, love, care, gratitude precision, concentration, coordination, accomplishment and logical thinking. It has literally vanished from our homes with technology taking over.Children play with handmade toys woven by the teachers. While they engage in their play, the teacher engages in handwork singing along melodious Waldorf songs most soothing to hear. Children are made to do beading, knitting and much more. Its practice helps them awaken their creative powers which find a fruitful application in later life and work.Waldorf kindergartens and schools promote tech-free education. An early exposure to technology takes the child away from his imaginative, creative and peaceful self. Waldorf integrates the use of arts, rhythmic movements along with the traditional chalk board medium in their academic endeavours. I thoroughly believe that a slow age appropriate transition to academics “the artistic way”instils keenness, interest and love for learning along with a lot of confidence.All in all the education aims to build responsible and self-reliant teens and adults by giving the young children a strong foundation and a worthwhile exposure over a fancy and glorified one.Letting children be the way they want to be and truly respecting them for what they aspire to be is the essence of it!!

Why Waldorf kindergarten?: A parent’s reflection (part-2)

<figure id="figure-jzt1q2g9lvlacj4q"><img id="jzt1q2g9lvlacj4q" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1ev21Okk6UkYP0He0BKR3hgBurioslytTFtHLXUGpeN9xil9aIHDtMzLsSlFjw53.png" alt="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, seated amongst his classmates, this photograph depicts a young African-American schoolboy who was in the process of drawing with a pencil on a piece of white paper. Note that the student was focused on a drawing book that referenced fantasy flying planes, while intent on creating his artwork, seemingly oblivious to all the classroom goings-on that surrounded him. It is important to know that objects, including pencils, crayons, paper, etc., are known as fomites, and can act as transmitters of illnesses." title="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, seated amongst his classmates, this photograph depicts a young African-American schoolboy who was in the process of drawing with a pencil on a piece of white paper. Note that the student was focused on a drawing book that referenced fantasy flying planes, while intent on creating his artwork, seemingly oblivious to all the classroom goings-on that surrounded him. It is important to know that objects, including pencils, crayons, paper, etc., are known as fomites, and can act as transmitters of illnesses." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 1/1; object-position: center center;" data-corners="medium" data-aspect="1:1" data-caption="" data-positionX="undefined" data-positionY="undefined" data-fullWidth="false"/></figure>Juhi Anurag Mishra, An educator in search of true meaning of educationBeing in education sector since last eight years and having worked in several states, schools and organisations, it was obvious for me to be worried about my child’s education who was still resting in my womb (Now my child is two though). I know it was too early to worry about it, but nothing can beat the anxiety of a first time mom :).I didn’t want my child to be exposed to the pressure of memorising alphabets and rhymes the moment she starts speaking, I didn’t want her to acquire calligraphic skills even when her muscles are not developed enough to do so and I didn’t want her to be the part of the rat-race created by us adults. I went through all the literature about all the philosophies followed across the world for nurturing children. This was the time I came across Waldorf pedagogy and started connecting with like minded parents and parents-to-be.Now the big question: Why Waldorf education? Finding an answer took me 2 years (well before the time my child is ready to be a part of the playgroup). Having settled in Ahmedabad, the answer came in the form of Shining Spiral, the first Waldorf kindergarten in Gujarat and the parent group leading the initiative.I had some first hand thoughts based on my visits to the mentioned school. A Waldorf kindergarten is an extension of the family experience, an intermediate step that helps in smooth transition for the child between the home and formal schooling. One must visit a Waldorf kindergarten to experience the warmth and security created by ONLY natural materials: woods, cotton, wool used in the decor and the toys. It is like entering a “children’s garden”, where it is heavenly to breathe, relax and play. The absence of stimulating plastic toys, screens and too many instructions, makes it a place TO BE for children.The children are given opportunities to innovate, think and create using the unfinished toys, cloth, shells, dried seeds, logs, tyres, etc. The unfolding of imagination, creativity, self-expression through free play, art, songs and finger rhymes, helps the children grow and learn on their own.In the book, The Hurried Child by David Elkind (child psychologist and professor at Tufts university, discusses the problem of stress he finds in children who come to him. He points out that, in the great rush to bring children into academic work, we have ceased to ask if children are inwardly ready for such concentrated, worksheet-oriented work.Leaving readers with the question to brainstorm over, till I pen down the thoughts of the parents I interacted with: Why has kindergarten (children’s garden full of free play) turned into a pre-first grade learning station (full of instructions and activities)?

Why Waldorf Kindergarten?: A parent’s reflection (part-1)

<figure id="figure-b243ya7s3wlvksqbye"><img id="b243ya7s3wlvksqbye" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/25LtAUNzHHmR0NvLLRd4BImzP7Nr2aZIZTiDkjkLVoeYGgyG3g9OaQzO7OpY2oUI.jpg" alt="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, this photograph depicts a typical classroom scene, where an audience of school children were seated on the floor before a teacher at the front of the room, who was reading an illustrated storybook, during one of the scheduled classroom sessions. Assisting the instructor were two female students to her left, and a male student on her right, who was holding up the book, while the seated classmates were raising their hands to answer questions related to the story just read." title="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, this photograph depicts a typical classroom scene, where an audience of school children were seated on the floor before a teacher at the front of the room, who was reading an illustrated storybook, during one of the scheduled classroom sessions. Assisting the instructor were two female students to her left, and a male student on her right, who was holding up the book, while the seated classmates were raising their hands to answer questions related to the story just read." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionX="undefined" data-positionY="undefined" data-fullWidth="false"/></figure>Your child is a little bundle of energy. S/he may not like sitting in one place for more than a few minutes. What s/he may like is jumping, running and being the bundle of energy s/he is. Does that give you the liberty to tag your child as a ‘Hyper Child’?Your child may be ‘very active’ (yes this is what your child most probably is), because s/he is still a CHILD. Normally children have more energy to do physical activities than adults. Especially in their early years they can be ‘very-very’ active (tiring-ly active for you as a parent). Movement is innate nature of children, also it is beneficial as they develop balance, motor skills, social skills, life skills and learn several aspects of their environment through it.You might have heard about hyperthyroidism, hyperglycaemia, etc. The prefix ‘hyper-‘ is used in these terms to depict that something is high, beyond, excessive or above normal.&nbsp;Read the above sentence again and reflect— Is my child ‘hyper’? or Is my child very active?Until a specialist or expert hasn’t diagnosed (yes, diagnosed!) your child as a hyperactive child, it is always better to call your child an active child. Also, all children are different. Some are more exploratory and some like to be in their own boundaries but mostly we have ACTIVE CHILDREN.<h3>We as adults need to provide an environment to our little ones so that their energy is driven in a meaningful way. Following points can come handy as parents/caregivers:</h3>1. Giving their daily activities a schedule/ a rhythm, helps them build connections (they understand that which activity follows another- lunch is followed by nap and henceforth milk and snacks which in turn will be followed by garden time may sound boring but a healthy way to keep their day structured). For more details in rhythms and other parenting queries you may go through 30 days of parenting by Shining Spiral Ahmedabad on Youtube:<figure id="figure-z8kirlhhxlvkste0c"><iframe id="z8kirlhhxlvkste0c" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YV6sefFCk9U" class="w-full bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV6sefFCk9U" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YV6sefFCk9U" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure>2. Providing them enough opportunities of free play indoors and outdoors, is a fine way to channelise their energy.3. Involving them in daily household chores is a meaningful way to keep them engaged. Laundry sorting, cooking, cleaning, etc. will not only keep them engaged but help in the development of life skills, motor skills and a lot more. (Refer to: <a href="https://fb.watch/dQfnhg5uBP/)" data-mce-href="https://fb.watch/dQfnhg5uBP/)">https://fb.watch/dQfnhg5uBP/)</a>4. Providing them enough time TO BE. Their surroundings should be calming and not stimulating with a lot of noise or any kind of chaos.5. Last but not the least, give them a lot of warmth, unconditional love and hugs- whatever be the case.An actively moving child is a happy child!!

Hyper or Active? What do you think your child is?

<figure id="figure-vkp881nnhdlvktc4sy" class=""><img id="vkp881nnhdlvktc4sy" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/13FzjQd0VxzxVHDlIACFqrMXsgTrrwAMQJET7QnpPT8UND3UH3qALV80JmsYNN7R.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/13FzjQd0VxzxVHDlIACFqrMXsgTrrwAMQJET7QnpPT8UND3UH3qALV80JmsYNN7R.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;"></figure>Waldorf Education is a school philosophy that encourages educating children through a wide range of learning experiences that nurture the whole child rather than focussing almost entirely on only one part of the body, the brain and it’s intellectual capacity. This is designed to be appropriate for each of the three stages in succession i.e.: developing the hands in early childhood, the heart in middle childhood, and then the head in later childhood, young adulthood, and beyond. &nbsp;Following is a brief about Stage One i.e. Developing Hands.Stage One: Zero to Seven Year Olds Throughout the first phase the young child, from zero to seven years old, learns from the cognitive faculty of imitation (Nicholson, 2000). The body initiates willing through physical development and by copying what is demonstrated. By utilizing imitation the child is able to connect to their immediate environment and engage their own will (Barnes 1991; Easton, 1997; Guthrie, 2003; Reinsmith, 1989; Uhrmacher, 1995). Intellectualization is not yet developed (Guthrie, 2003). The imagination works with simulation and replication to develop the physical body. The zero to seven year old absorbs the world mainly through their five senses and responds in the most active way of showing their awareness, through imitation. All senses speak to the infant, toddler, preschooler and primary school student while sounds, touch, gestures, light and emotions are sensitively comprehended (Barnes, 1991). Barnes (1991) states, “These influences are absorbed by the still-malleable physical organism and affect the body for a lifetime”.&nbsp;Transitioning very young children to a formal classroom setting, and rushing them into a scholastic environment with limited free play and few imitative processes, is an unnecessary and unhelpful disruption to a child’s natural learning(Clouder, 2003; Hutchins, 2009; Larrison et al., 2012; Marshak, 2003; O’Connor &amp; Angus, 2014). In order to develop children to their full capacity, adult caregivers of the very young need to create environments that are worthy of children’s imitation and their physical development (Barnes, 1991; Easton, 1997; O’Connor &amp; Angus, 2014).&nbsp;There should be plenty of opportunity for imitation, physical activity, and creative play. In the classroom environment stories, songs, puppet shows, quality materials, and imaginative lessons are necessary to help develop a zero to seven year old to their fullest potential. If the classroom environment is conducive to play and imaginative replication 12 then students will have the ability to develop their brain to its maximum capacity. Playfulness, physical activity, and imagination are the fundamental characteristics for the development of genius (Petrash, 2010). Imagination, imitation, well thought out classroom environments, interactive learning, and play are all vital to young children reaching their greatest potential during this early time of their lives (Clouder, 2004; Hutchins, 2009).&nbsp;Allowing the zero to seven year old child to focus on the important task of developing their physical body through play first, can encourage the child to reach complete bodily health and vitality needed later in life).Pushing very young children, in traditional education, to meet the impulsive, intellectual demands of early cognitive learning robs them of true health in their overall lifetime (Barnes, 1991; Hutchins, 2009; Larrison et al., 2012). Young students need to be playing, doing movement activities, and learning through kinesthetic interchanges (Darian, 2012). Educating the very young child with lively lessons that encourage physical growth, language development, and curiosity, will naturally lay a solid foundation for the later development of imagination, feeling, and thinking that comes during the second stage of childhood development.&nbsp; Play is essential for young children to fully progress all the way through the first stage of development. Educators must support their very young students to evolve gently, on their own timeline (House, 2013; Marshak, 2003). If educators push children to learn skills when they are not developmentally ready, as in many traditional school programs, there are &nbsp;risks of frustrating children, increasing their anxiety, damaging their self-esteem, and negatively impacting their long-term motivation to learn (Hutchins, 2009; Larrison et al., 2012; O’Connor &amp; Angus, 2014; Uhrmacher, 1995). Allowing the young child to mature properly will ensure that she is ready for the second phase of childhood development and the school achievement that comes with this phase).&nbsp;

Blog

Importance of meaningful work in Waldorf classrooms.

Learning in a mixed-age classroom

Why Waldorf kindergarten?: A parent’s reflection (part-2)

Why Waldorf Kindergarten?: A parent’s reflection (part-1)

Hyper or Active? What do you think your child is?

Waldorf education and how it benefits the whole child? (P...