Notes..

I'm at the conclusion of preparing for sample teaching and interviewing at our local Waldorf school...tomorrow!

I'm excited and so happy to have this opportunity...no matter what the outcome is.

I felt that the best way to prepare for the interview was to carefully read more of Steiner's work, as challenging as it sometimes can be. However, the past few nights, I've had  my nose in the book and I'm really thinking hard and considering what I've read...
   Here are some of my notes; a way for me to think more upon these things....

(All notes in italics were taken from Rudolph Steiner's Education of the Child)

We must know what part of the human being especially needs to be worked on at a certain age and how to work on it in the proper way
In Waldorf education, we are looking at everything in light of the developmental needs of each child. Young children under the age of 7 are still forming their physical organs into definite shapes. Just as nature causes the proper environment for the physical human body before birth, so after birth the educator must provide for the proper physical environment. A physical environment includes everything that can be perceived by their senses...all actions, foolish or wise. We must seek to become worthy of imitation, as this is how they learn about life: through imitation and example.

Toys with dead mathematical forms alone have a desolating and killing effect on the formative forces of children; on the other hand whatever kindles the imagination of living things works in the proper way. I've read this quote numerous times in waldorf early childhood books. It's worth repeating.

The joy of children in and with their environment, must therefore be counted among the forces that build and shape the physical organs. They need teachers that look and act with happiness and, most of all, with honest and unaffected love. Such a love that streams, as it were, with warmth through the physical environment of the children may literally "hatch" the forms of physical organs.
That is the intention: to bring a true and honest love for each child; regardless of your mood, what has happened during the early morning hours before school. To create an environment that offers beauty to the young eye...a sense of calm yet joyful and purposeful work...all in a predictable manner. Safety.

Imitation  belongs to the time when the physical body is developing...all learning associated with speech in these years should be especially through imitation. Children will best learn to speak through hearing; no rules or artificial instruction of any kind can be good for this.

....and now I must force myself to try to get a good night's sleep. It's not going to be easy! I find that I have the most clarity in the morning...and I'll be ready to face everything tomorrow after some time in the spiritual world of sleep...

Photos from the week...

 

wetfelting some puppets and props for a story...

 

we are dog sitting long term for a close friend...

the children adore these 2 pups!

...AND who needs a rototiller when you have a digging daschund?