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The Elementary Years The seventh year of a child’s life is one of great transition. Children begin to have a stronger spirit of independence in their relationship with parents and they enter the social sphere more readily. Additionally, children at this age have a longer attention span and a new capacity for memory and directed learning. The child can now form mental pictures and begins to see relationships and patterns in his/her world. The child is ready now to embark on a journey through grade school, guided by the loving authority of the class teacher, who typically teaches the same group of children from grades 1-8. Not only does this consistency offer the child a sense of security but it also enables the teacher to know each child deeply and to develop his/her capacities. The Rhythm in the Classroom In the early grades the children begin each day in a circle time that is carefully planned to build social skills, integrate the senses, develop coordination, memory, speech, and practice arithmetic skills kinesthetically. The class teacher is responsible for teaching the main lesson, which takes place in the first two hours of each school day. The main lesson is a thematic study that extends over a four-week period, which allows the class to focus on an topic and attain a deep understanding. Textbooks are avoided, but rather the lessons are taught through story and direct experience. Arts and academics are interwoven as the children create their own books that reflect their learning. Often each class works together on a play related to a topic they have been studying that year, which is presented to the school community. The main lesson is followed by 40-minute subject lessons which include music, handwork, Spanish, Chinese, games, eurythmy, painting, clay modeling, and form drawing. These classes promote the child’s well-rounded development and give them the opportunity to learn from other experienced teachers. The class teacher also works with the class on spelling, reading, arithmetic, and handwriting in additional 40-minute periods throughout the week. These periods of academic learning are balanced by a snack, lunch, and a recess in nearby Fort Greene Park. In first grade there is also a rest time each afternoon. Sample Schedule:
First Grade Curriculum For the seven-year-old child the inner and outer world are still closely connected. “Magical” beings such as fairies and gnomes are spoken of as if they were truly seen. The child still sees the world with a somewhat dream-like consciousness, from which they slowly wake. Thus, in first grade, the class teacher tells Fairy Tales and Folk Tales from various cultures, which offer the archetypes the child needs to meet the world. By retelling these tales in their main lesson books, the children not only develop a relationship with the material but also learn the letters of the alphabet and simple sentence structure. The children also recite rhymes, poems and tongue twisters, which develop their ear for language as well as poise in public speaking. Often these poems are written and illustrated once they have been learned “by heart.” The children then learn to read from their own writing. This process by which reading is the natural extension of speaking and writing, is intrinsically motivating and inspires the children to become lifelong readers and writers. Spelling and phonics are integrated in this work and also practiced through word games and activities. In addition to fairy and folk tales, the children hear nature stories, which awaken a sense of wonder and respect for the natural world. Nature walks in the surrounding parks and gardening activities develop the children’Äôs observation and curiosity, building a relationship to their living environment. Mathematics is taught in a multi-sensory way. Children have an inherent sense of rhythm, as demonstrated in their hand-clapping games and jump rope rhymes. Thus, the children gain familiarity with the number system, and with the multiples of the different numbers, by clapping, stepping, and jumping as they count. Visually, they become familiar with the different qualities of numbers. For example, they discover how four makes a square and can represent the four seasons. Through story and the use of manipulatives, the children learn the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) and how they interrelate. One unique aspect of the Waldorf curriculum is the way in which arithmetic is introduced from the whole to the parts. There is only one answer to 3 + 9 =, but there are many was to define 12 =, (3 + 9, 6 x 2.) This approach builds the capacity for flexible thinking. Second Grade Curriculum The eight-year-old child begins to approach the world with sharper perception. Children at this age are not yet objective, as their perception is still mediated by their strong feelings. However, they begin to notice inconsistencies and differences more acutely. They awaken to their own and others’ gifts and imperfections. As the second graders begin to experience the different shades of human nature, they hear fables that reveal our weaknesses and legends that exemplify our most noble strengths. Through their imaginations, the children arrive at the important life lessons contained within these stories. The children are now capable of more writing. In first grade the children learned how to retell a story in sequence. In second grade that skill is expanded as the children learn how to summarize and write a story on their own. While, the children continue to read from their own work, they also begin to read a book as a class, each taking a turn. Recitation of poems, rhymes, and tongue twisters continue to build a love for language, phonemic awareness, and clear speech. The children learn how to read and spell words in various word families. In mathematics, the children are introduced to place value through story and concrete experience. They learn how to read numbers to one million. They are introduced to problems in vertical form, regrouping, and strategies for mental arithmetic. Circle games and exercises help the children learn and remember their multiplication tables. The children discover number patterns, and are deeply satisfied at this age by the order within the number system. Factors, common multiples, and prime numbers are explored preparing for the understanding of fractions in fourth grade. The children continue to learn about the natural world through visits to the park and gardening. The children may begin to reflect on their experiences on nature walks, by writing in a nature journal. Through the animal fables, the children discuss the characteristics of various animals. Third Grade Curriculum In third grade, the nine-year-old begins to experience a separation of the inner and outer worlds. Children at this age begin to ask philosophical questions, such “Why is there evil?” or “Who made the world?” as they experience a more distanced relationship to their environment. To satisfy this inner searching, the language arts curriculum begins with cultural experiences of the Creation Story and stories from the Old Testament. The children now want to experience their environment in a more practical way. Thus, they study how the native cultures lived in accordance with nature. Not only do they study house building and farming, but engage in these activities as well. The children also learn about the practical functioning of the city. They may take local field trips to discover, for example, the journey water takes to and from their sinks. There is a practical aspect to the mathematics curriculum as well. In tandem with their building project, the children are introduced to linear measurement. Alongside their study of farming, the children are introduced to liquid and solid measurement. The third graders learn about the measurement of time from a historical as well as practical perspective. They learn how to read a clock and may make a calendar or a sundial. The children also learn about currency and how to give change through practical activities such as managing a bake sale. The children apply their multiplication and division skills to simple conversion of measurement units. Throughout these units of study, the class continues to review and expand their skills with the four operations. They will learn long division and long multiplication and become flexible within the multiplication tables. They become confident in applying mathematical equations to word problems. In third grade the children learn to be more expressive in their writing. They learn the parts of speech, sentence structure, and punctuation. They are expected to write more of their own compositions and begin to take dictations to develop skills in listening, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. Cursive script is introduced. More complicated word families are introduced as well as sight words. Spelling words may also arise out of the main lesson content. As with their writing, the children now learn to read with expression. They read in groups as well as independently. They learn strategies for decoding difficult words. They continue to develop their speech through the recitation of poetry and tongue twisters. |
