Knowing that the Charlotte Mason, Montessori, & Waldorf methods all honor the individual child, I wanted to compare these 3 hands-on homeschooling methods.
As I write this post we just finished up with Letter V and are on the home stretch to finish up our first year with The Peaceful Preschool curriculum . I knew when we started this curriculum that I would be repeating it again, and my kids and I are already getting excited to start again with Letter
Learn about similarities and differences between the Montessori and Waldorf methods, in a "for-beginners" series comparing alternative educational philosophies.
In the first grade, the child still feels connected to the world of fairy tales with their inherent archetypes of good, evil, kindness, humility, rewards, punishments and transformation. Those who have been good and kind or have been transformed, live happily ever after. The seven-year-old child, is nurtured within these images - finding that all is right with the world, in the end. These stories are also interweaved into another tale, one of four children from four corners of the world that hav
The beauty of Waldorf education is that it meets the child where he is developmentally. The synergy of Waldorf teaching methods and child development is discussed wonderfully in an article by Dr Reggie Melrose called ‘Waldorf from a Neuroscientific Perspective‘. The Morning circle is a great example of how Waldorf meets the young child where […]
Roundup of free botany materials for homeschools and classrooms; free plant printables for a variety of ages
With all the different educational options available to parents today, it can be difficult to pick the right one for your child. This article will provide parents with information about the main different types of
Find out where to get free Waldorf resources to use in your homeschool.
Free Montessori scope and sequence resources for both homeschoolers and teachers for preschool and elementary-level planning and record keeping!
Main lesson blocks are a central feature of Waldorf education. Are you wondering, "what is a main lesson block?" Let me show you what Waldorf homeschooling has looked like over the years in our house with three children.
Thank you for visiting Teaching Waldorfian This is an instant download purchase of 1 piece of paper that tells the Waldorf pedagogy around each day of the week Steiner had indications about what would support a child and a day-to-day schedule for the week. "according to Waldorf education" https://www.waldorfschule.de/): ❤To use -You will receive a digital download file in PDF format sized to A4 ready to print - no physical product will be shipped to you. If you have any issues with downloading or printing my files do not hesitate to contact me. ❤ Please note: This is a digital product. Upon purchase, you will receive an email with your download links ready to open and print! Several files will be given to you due to how Etsy loads its product. They are in a PDF format You will need to have an up to date version of a PDF Reader like ADOBE Reader installed on your computer to open this resource. You can download your digital products as soon as you complete your purchase!
Create your own homeschool curriculum plan for main lessons with this outline of the traditional Waldorf block rotation for homeschoolers.
Children in Waldorf schools begin painting with liquid watercolors on damp paper in preschool and kindergarten. The use of this medium continues into grade one, however at this point there is a shift in the way the weekly painting lesson is presented.
I grew up attending school in France and never liked it. I have always been successful, ranking top of my classes, graduated high school at age 16… but I always hated school. I felt like I did not belong. I was not interested in the way we were taught – […]
Waldorf inspired multiplication crafts. Multiplication circles, multiplication flowers and weaving.
Free instant downloads of Montessori invertebrate cards and presentations, including bug activities from KHT Montessori at Living Montessori Now!
Are you new to Montessori homeschooling? Here is a list of online communities, resources, blogs, ecourses and websites to help you get started!
A summary of the beginning of our Waldorf Inspired Homeschool year for Grades One and Three.
Waldorf is a holistic educational model that strives to teach the whole child... head, heart, and soul. It's appealing and exciting, but can also feel overwhelming! Kirtsee Raki explains how you too can gift your children a Waldorf-inspired education.
Learn the reason behind losing patience with toddlers, how to break the cycle of being impatient with kids. When you keep losing your temper with toddlers.
Huge number of resources for free printables for Montessori homeschools and preschools along with ideas for using printables to create Montessori activities
Are you wondering how to teach geography to your children? In Montessori education, we introduce children to the beauty of the world from early on.
If you are doing Montessori at home, this free Montessori curriculum download will be a God-send! Come and take a look!
When Junior High and Middle School was introduced in 1909, the children sat at desks, were lectured, and encouraged to study in preparation for a career as the primary focus. Over the past century, the curriculum has been updated by legislators, and new textbooks have been issued, but not
Getting started with Waldorf homeschooling can be overwhelming! Here are 7 simple steps to get started and a short list of supplies.
We are beginning to move full swing into the holiday season and I have been planning the two weeks we will all be at home. With some down time I thought it would be a great chance to plan a few activities with my little ones, and since I do love all things Waldorf, I
So, I thought I'd share how our days came to have their current rhythm, pattern, flow. Call it a totally basic and not entirely orthodox guide to Waldorf-type home ed for littlies. Note, I am writing as an utter beginner, and an unschooler, and a Waldorf sceptic. :) I don't know yet if this is just a season that we need, or a more lasting change, but for now I am loving it so much I want to share the joy! The first thing that came was seeing and setting a theme for each day of the week. (On a repeating cycle). Mondays were always our library days, so now we have Story Day (where I make time to tell a story in keeping with the season and our current interests, that will take us through the week in play and activities). Last week our story was Peter and the Wolf (tying with the bigger recent themes of both classical music and listening games, sometimes together). This week it is John Barleycorn (with activities to do with corn and the harvest, and some more apple activities for good measure).Tuesday here is handwork day. Wednesday is wash day (and Montessori activities). Thursday is baking day (and food planning, and making meals ahead). Friday morning is for art, and friday afternoon for erand running and preparing for holy time. :) When I plan an activity, I don't insist that they join in, just get on with things myself. But I've rarely had them turn something down and then always simply because I am cutting short something they are enjoying. So I don't cut short their time, just work alongside them unless and until they want to join me. :) This is the unschooler in me insisting that they don't *need* this stuff unless they want it for themselves. The need is in me, and I am meeting it. (I do think they need more opportunity to experience NEW activities, and this does also meet that need!) The next thing to come was enhancing and invigorating our gateway times. Getting up used to be more chaotic. Now we have woven another little rhythm around washing our faces and cleaning our teeth before we go downstairs (usually this involves singing, but I swear this has nothing to do with me and my various Waldorf-related books, the children started it)! Then there are the little bits of ritual around bedtime (book, candle, story in the dark), meal times (blessing and candle before meal, prayer and extinguishing candle after), all these daily signposts. I won't be prescriptive here, the important thing to me is that I followed their lead, I listened to what worked, I tried what appealed to me and fitted my working assesment of their unique characters. When I first started reading Waldorf books I got carried away with extremes, either trying to force something to fit that just wasn't US or rejecting the whole thing out of hand. Even now, when I read these plans and my own writing about them I have this unschooler's gut reaction against being rigid and inflexible. ;) But it hasn't been like that in reality. Having something written down has given us more freedom and more time, because I have been doing more of the fun stuff and less of the sitting around wondering what to do next (or even asking myself if it's OK to direct them to something fun, because I might be interrupting something not visible to me as an adult). Then I decided that I was being silly, and if I feel that they would enjoy a period of having more things put in front of them I should go ahead and try it out! To start with I was setting a walk time in the mornings, but I've since realised that it's easier to be flexible and listen to them - and easier to enjoy our walk - if I just remind myself to get out of the house either in the morning or afternoon "work" time. Some days that has been the garden, but most it has also been the park or somewhere else nice for walking in nature. :) The only other thing that has changed is that the rest time in the afternoon - that we used to have when Rowan was smaller - is back. This is purely because as the days get darker and colder we spend more time inside and have that terrible slump in the afternoons AND now it's confined to the living room where we all get on each others' nerves until someone shouts! SO rest time is back, after lunch and a short outside play, we eat our snack and all settle down either for a sleep or to watch a DVD or sit for stories on the sofa. Sleeping is not compulsary, but calm time is! Otherwise I become controlling through all the *rest* of the day. So, baby steps, autonomy yes sort of, but within the limits of my own abilities. If you see what I mean. Perhaps this has all led to me getting a bit overexcited with the ringbinder-and-charts side of things. ;) Anyhow, I have my list of activities for the near future, and I've taken a week at a time and planned one for each day (though I suspect they'll be moved around a bit and perhaps lots get done one day and nothing the next some weeks). Obviously the main themes this month are the High Holy Days and Autumn/Harvest. Beyond that, Jenna has also announced that we have a theme for the year. She must have been reading Steiner (lol) because I've found online that this is something most Waldorf schools do. So the golden thread through this year is "Our Beautiful World"!And here we are. Looking very much like a Waldorf kindergarten home setting. But still feeling like unschoolers. Rhythm and ritual, but freedom and autonomy. Somehow a happy union of different styles! Who knows where this will take us? :) We live, right here, in what is. So far it's wonderful. :)
Teach kids how to sew running stitch by hand using burlap and yarn for an easy beginning sewing lesson for children. Learning how to sew a line using a basic running stitch develops the fine motor muscles of the hand to prepare the hand for writing and more detailed handwork projects.
Cynthia Schottel, an early childhood teacher, Waldorf homeschooling mom, and an all-around Wise Woman of Waldorf has returned with more excellent advice! If you have questions for Cynthia, you can …
If you are the type of teacher who wants handcrafted work that stays true to the Montessori method and if you are excited about teaching children about Spiders. Then we have a materials for you! Handcrafted, life cycle of a spider work. Work that can be used by the teacher and the children for acade...
Waldorf education, sometimes also known as Steiner education was introduced in the 20th century by Austrian Rudolf Steiner. It's aim is to educate the whole…
Learn about 5 common preschool philosophies: Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, Play-Based, and Forest. Print our free infographic.
First grade is such a sweet, memorable year. It’s the bridge between the kindergarten and elementary years. Like the kindergarten child, the first grader still thrives on days full of play, connection, and rhythm. (For more on supporting these needs, see this post on How to Teach Kindergarten ). Yo
This is a guest post written by Barbara Dewey of Waldorf Without Walls in which she describes learning to read the Waldorf way.
Are you new to Montessori?! Do you feel sometimes overwhelmed with the amount of new information you need to process? Would you like to hear advice from Montessori parents, bloggers, and teachers on common mistakes Montessori newbies make and how to avoid them!?
Complete April Lesson PLans PDF - Waldorf Enrichment Members Read more about crafts, thistle, henna, clouds, ripple and fairies.