I’m often asked about how we homeschool our two children, ages 4 and 7. And while I’ve shared quite a bit about our homeschooling experience in past blog posts, I haven’t given an update in quite a while. Last year we gathered every Friday with a few other families for a Waldorf-inspired mixed ages kindergarten consisting of circle time, crafts, story, and seasonal celebrations. While we still gather on Tuesday afternoons for a totally informal, fun playdate, and we still try to celebrate festivals and holidays together, we are no longer meeting for “school.” Several of us had children entering into First Grade this year, which is a really big deal if you follow the Waldorf philosophy, … [Read more...]
An Advent Spiral Celebration
One of the sweetest yearly rituals that our family enjoys is an Advent spiral in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Although we do not practice a particular religion at home, I find that the Advent spiral encompasses all of the many festivals of light in a beautiful, introspective, and peace-filled way. Our Waldorf homeschool cooperative group has come together to celebrate this festival for the past three years. The details have changed from year to year, but the essence remains the same: the spiral, songs, a story, and a shared meal. The Spiral The Advent spiral is really at the heart of our festival. It is not possible to describe how precious it is to watch each child walk slowly … [Read more...]
January Circle Time
This January has been one of the coldest I've experienced since 1995, when I was in college in Maine. That winter, I remember walking across our small campus, bundled up in my warmest L.L. Bean wool sweater and down vest, and having to retreat into buildings just to escape the cold. This year, we've had several Arctic cold fronts move through, accompanied by high winds, so even if we bundle the kids up for an outdoor adventure, within minutes, they seem to get cold. I've been very grateful for indoor adventures, such as a trip to Columbia where enjoyed their huge public library, or a field trip to a local hotel that let our community rent their indoor pool for a few hours, and especially … [Read more...]
December Circle Time
Our little homeschool cooperative has expanded to 12 little ones, and still meets weekly on Friday mornings. In addition, we are gathering on Monday evenings to celebrate Advent with a beautiful spiral, singing, a short ritual, and a shared meal. It's very sweet, and I hope to take and share some photos in the coming weeks. Today, I will share our December circle time, which is a combination of nature-based, Christmas, and Advent songs, fingerplays, and movement. This month we have enjoyed listening to stories about St. Nicholas, The Christmas Rose, and the wonderful children's book, Holly and Ivy. Some of my favorite resources for creating our circle are the lovely CD Come Follow … [Read more...]
Halloween
We celebrated Halloween with our community of neighbors and children and parents from our Waldorf homeschool cooperative. A longstanding Halloween tradition in this community is to gather for a "Gross Foods Potluck". So people come bearing dishes with names like "Brains", "Maggots and Wood Chips", "Porcupines in a Blood Bath", and "Coconut Frog Eggs". But since this community really knows how to cook, it's really a collection of delicious, organic, whole food dishes. Our contribution was "Bunny in a Blender", which was Ella's brainchild. Ella had been excited for months to be a scary dragon, so I used my limited sewing skills to whip up her costume, and thankfully, at the last … [Read more...]
October Circle Time
October is one of my favorite months of the year, and it is a truly beautiful time in Northeast Missouri. When we arrived, almost a year ago, we were greeted by the peak fall foliage; it's such a treat to see the leaves move through this transition now. With so much happening outdoors, my emphasis on our kindergarten homeschooling experience this month is one of connecting with nature and its beauty and bounty. So we're processing apples, collecting native persimmons, eating autumn olives, taking walks in the woods to collect hickory nuts and acorns, delivering pumpkins to neighbors, and dyeing silk scarves with natural materials: black walnut, goldenrod, and pokeberry. This month, I'm … [Read more...]
September Circle Time
Our first day of school was on the late side this year, partly because of our Labor Day vacation, and partly because I just wanted to enjoy the last days of summer. I've been steadily planning and gathering resources both for our Waldorf-inspired homeschooling cooperative, and also for Kindergarten with Ella (and Preschool with Everett), and we officially began just before the Fall Equinox. Our first day of Kindergarten was really sweet, although I have to admit, the first 5 minutes were a total disaster. Everett was crying, Ella was pouting, and I tried to "keep calm and carry on." After a few songs we got back on track, and by the time I lit the story candle, we were all having a … [Read more...]
Waldorf Homeschool Planning Thoughts
Happy Friday! It is another gorgeous Missouri summer day. We have been so blessed by the weather this summer - days in the high 70's, clear skies. While I do wish for a bit more rain to fill our water catchment barrels, I am so grateful to be living outdoors in comfortable conditions. In fact, this morning, there was a bit of a chill in the air, and I found myself putting on long pants, wool socks, and a hat! A tiny hint of fall. And no matter how many years its been since I was last in school (not really all that long ago!), cool crisp fall-like weather always gets me thinking about school. This year, I will be doing kindergarten at home with Ella (and Everett gets to tag … [Read more...]
A Waldorf Homeschool Co-op End of Year Celebration
Last Friday, I mentioned in my last post, was the year's final meeting for our Waldorf Homeschooling group. Each Friday morning, we've shared songs, verses, stories, snacks, crafts, and outdoor adventures. The group has grown to a total of 10 children, ages 2 - 6, and we've held the space as a mixed-ages kindergarten. In celebration of the children's growth and efforts this year, we held a small, but lovely ceremony at the close of Friday's school. Actually, I should mention Friday's school adventure, because it is very unique. Our good friend Ethan, a parent of one of the students, has led occasional "Adventure Days" throughout the winter and spring. A former outdoor educator, he … [Read more...]
