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...]
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 Late Spring Waldorf Circle
Friday was our homeschool coop's final meeting for the school year. It has been such a wonderful experience for the adults, as well as for the children. There is so much I want to say about how we structure our group, how our school-creating process is evolving, and what we're visioning for the coming year, but I will get to each of those topics in turn. Today I would like to share the Circle that we have used this spring, and this week I will share our end of year ceremony. Each Friday morning, I led the ten children in song, movement, and verse for about 30 minutes. I gather my songs from the following sources: the wonderful CD "Come Follow Me," various Waldorf curricula such as … [Read more...]