Our Waldorf Homeschool Journey

Hey Everyone

The kids are climbing trees at the moment before bedtime, I know, rhythm and all that, but it’s a beautiful evening so let them enjoy it, I’ll call them in in a minute….

Tonight is the eve of the last Waldorf Animal Studies lesson for this year for Juliette (Grade 4) We’ve enjoyed every minute of it. It’s not just about the animals it’s about us as humans. Over the past few weeks we’ve looked at the physical characteristics of each animal, from the buffalo to the owl. We’ve seen how each animal is uniquely designed to fulfil it’s task in nature and to survive.

For example the owls’ eyes are different to the bald eagle as the owl hunts at night, and the eagle during the day. The mountain lion has large muscular hind legs to leap and pounce onto it’s prey. We’ve looked at how animals keep warm and dry, whether they can smell well, how big and sensitive are their eyes, ears, noses etc. ? Do they live in packs or solitary, as this effects the way they hunt, and care for their young.

And through all this we looked at the animals in relation to us as humans. Why do we not have super sensitive hearing and sight? Why do we not have thick coats? Well in essence we’re a completely balanced creature. We were blessed with the gift of thought, which the animals have not. We do not need to have thick coats to keep dry, we’re able to build our homes, and find shelter, using our hands, knitting jerseys. We do not need to be able to hear superbly to avoid predators, as we have the gift of thought, we’re able to think ahead, stay out of danger, and keep safe.

It’s been an interesting few weeks. It turned into a 6 week block lesson at the end of it, as we did a number of complimentary animals along the way. Every animal was drawn and written about in Jules’s main lesson book. I asked Juliette to finish each written piece. I would start it off, kind of like this….I am a mountain lion. I love to stalk through the long grass and….

She would then finish the story. Anywhere between 150 and 300 words. Here’s one of the pages from her main lesson book (A3 size). Often for the additional lesson, like this one, of the owl, I’d find a poem that sums up the animal, and yet does it in a beautiful or fun way. This poem is available on www.canteach.ca. It’s not a Waldorf site, but has some really nice resources.

The Owl

There’s a wide-eyed owl
With a pointed nose,
He has pointed ears
And claws for toes:
He sits in a tree
And looks at you;
Then flaps his wings and says,”Tu-whit, tu-whoo!”

You’ll notice that she has written on a lined piece of paper. She absolutely cannot bear to write on a blank piece of paper. She needs the lines, so I let her write her work on lined paper, and then stick it in her main lesson book. She then draws the animal and decorates around the stuck in story.

Before teaching this lesson block, not only did I research each animal, but listened to the series of lectures by Rudolf Steiner, The Study of Man also known as The Foundations of Human Experience. Only once I had listened and understood these, was I able to teach about the animals and us from the perspective of thinking, feeling and willing.

It’s an awesome lecture series, long and drawn out, but absolutely essential. I found that I couldn’t listen to more than 1 per day, otherwise I couldn’t absorb everything and would struggle to sleep, I assume because I was trying to process what I had heard that day.

Now I have to go and bring the children in they’re singing, “Down with darkness, Up with light!” from the top of our bluegum trees, which knowing some of our neighbours will scare them and they’ll be convinced we’re casting spells on them. Some people!Really….

Have a blessing filled week.

Sue

Filed under: Waldorf Animal Studies, Waldorf Homeschooling on November 24th, 2008