On this week’s Sunday With Sarah I share further thoughts on Waldorf homeschooling, and the lessons I learned when I began to let go of sticking with a prescribed curriculum, and the idea of “Waldorf School at home.”
If you use a curriculum, how strictly do you follow it? Do you combine resources? Are you an unschooler? Please share what works for you!
9 Comments
Sarah Sarah Sarah….. You are brilliant. I love watching your videos and this one in particular was so informative to me! This was one of the topics that I had requested you talk about. I am also very interested in the second video you were talking about making for ways to teach children under 6 through life. While it may seem obvious in ways to do it, I am very interested in hearing your ideas and such. I really value your thoughts and look forward to many more videos from you! You make my Sundays a little brighter!
I can’t wait to start looking into these different curriculums and seeing what I think will work best for us. My daughter is only 19 months but I think the more informed the better when it comes to school time
Thank you so much!!
Thank you, Lindsey! I will definitely be addressing life at home with preschoolers in an upcoming video. In the meantime, I invite you to read a guest post I wrote for Simple Homeschool on this very subject:
http://simplehomeschool.net/homeschooling-preschoolers/
Thanks Sarah!
How important is this “letting go”…everyday! I have two small daughters (ages 2.5 and 11 months) and we have been thinking more about homeschooling in the future. I’d especially love to have a post on creating a Waldorf experience at home for pre-school age children. Thanks again and have a wonderful time in Germany!
Hi Lauren,
I have a five year old son and a two year old daughter. The first homeschooling book I purchased was from Christopherus, “Kindergarten with Your Three to Six Year Old”. It is a fabulous resource to start with.
Sarah, thank you for sharing your thoughts these past two weeks on Waldorf homeschooling. I have many Christopherus resources and also the Live Education Kindergarten curriculum, which has become my main guide. I do spend a lot of time on it, but it’s working for me. I’m optimistic that since I will have already used the curriculum with my son, it will not be too much when my daughter is older and I am preparing two full lessons.
Melisa Nielsen of Waldorf Essentials and Carrie Dentler of The Parenting Passageway have also been invaluable to me.
Studying Rudlof Steiner’s written works and lectures directly has been key to developing a deeper understanding of Waldorf Education as well.
Thanks for the warm wishes, Lauren. See link above posted in response to Lindsey!
Great video series Sarah!
This is my first year that we bought a curriculum, the first three years I put our curriculum together by myself from various books and other resources. I have to admit it was a bit strenuous and therefore decided this year to buy the Christopherus curriculum, which I really like.
I have to admit that I have chosen to replace some of the blocks in her curriculum guide with other materials, also Waldorf, but with different stories, as well as some subjects. The curriculum provides a great framework for the year as well as some great materials, even if you have to change some things up (some of the things I will use next year). With it though I do not spend 6 months out of the year collecting materials, reviewing them and putting them all together from scratch.
I think even if one buy’s a curriculum it is inevitable to adjust it as children and families differ. It is more important to have a curriculum that fits that particular child rather than having a curriculum where I can just cross off the subjects covered.
I believe that is the beauty of homeschooling.
Have fun in Nurnberg Sarah, it’s a very nice city!
Maggie
Wow! It’s amazing how similar our story was to yours — I started off with grand ideas and plans to fit lots into our days and we had the schoolroom and even tiny bell to ding. The first year or two I really had to learn what fit our family best, to not compare myself with othes, and to do what was best for OUR kids and myself. My novel came out of wanting to share that story (challenges and joys) with others.
What we actually do now is a mix of traditional, great books, experiential learning, and some Waldorf principles. I love the Waldorf ideas of learning through the home, and am doing more of them with my 3 year old this time around and less formal school as early. I have enjoyed the Lifeways CDs and a DVD (though I wish they were longer) for resources on practical ideas on how to involve small children in learning through home life.
It’s an adventure!
Oh, one other thing we really enjoy is a co-op on Fridays with other homeschoolers. It helps me and my children see their friends and mix things up a bit.
Have a wonderful trip. Can’t wait to hear the report. 🙂
I am a Mother of Five and also a Certified Teacher. When my now teenage twin sons started Waldorf – I was torn between Waldorf and homeschooling – I decided Waldorf for at that time I did not want to do it alone and there were no other homeschoolers – I then had another child and sent her to Waldorf. She is now in Grade 7.
My two little ones are 6 and 7 and I finally got the courage to homeschool them – I took my Early Childhood Training in Waldorf and graduated last year – I felt more confident to homeschool after this. I am loving it as we have a small group and we meet a couple of times a week. Sometimes though I feel I am not doing as perfect as Waldorf but they are getting other things Waldorf cannot give them.
I am using a combination of my own – Live Ed Christopherus Little Garden and Barbara Dewey and what I learned in Grade Intensives that I have been taking each summer.
What do you feel about Waldorf vs Homeschooling? I will take it year by year, but next year I would like to continue for it is working well and I feel the girls have more time to play and are not rushed going to and from school etc. They are so close – it is so nice to see. Let me know and let me know for Grade Two would you order all the curriculums or stick to one and my own – I am doing like you said in your video I saw today – thank you for all this – you are a wonderful person – I can just tell and feel it – thank you for helping us homeschoolers – Gabriella
thanks for another timely post! as homeschooling my kindergartener approaches quickly, I do wonder how to balance it with 2 that are not yet school aged. letting go is such a good lesson to put into practice, in areas beyond schooling as well. like you mention, we do enjoy the freedom to get out and do whatever is enticing at the moment. and all of the children are sure to gain something, school aged or not! freedom to get out and “do” is one of the many benefits to homeschooling, I think. safe travels to you!!!