Celebrating significant moments in childhood Waldorf schools make an effort to observe significant moments in childhood and to celebrate these with rituals that have meaning for children. One of the most beautiful, symbolic and touching of these rituals is the rose ceremony held at the beginning of each year. Each school has its own way of celebrating the rose ceremony. On the first...

For the young child, engaging in imaginative problem solving is more important than finding a realistic answer. If you listen carefully to children of many ages as they work on answering their own questions, you will find that realism increases with age. “Mom, what makes the car go?” she said. In response, “Hmm… I wonder. What do you think?” Some questions...

With our world changing exponentially before us, we must ask: What do children need to learn today in order to succeed in the future? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 65% of today’s grade school kids will be in jobs that don’t yet exist. How does an education system best teach children to succeed in phantom careers? The agricultural world once needed healthy and strong...

Although less well known than the Montessori education philosophy, Waldorf is an alternative education system which focuses on the holistic development of a child. As their website states, Waldorf schools integrate artistic, practical and intellectual content in their curriculum and focus on social skills and spiritual values. Waldorf education first began in 1919 when the first...

Author: Susan Johnson M.D. Date published: Unknown Contact details: Contact tab available on Waldorf library site Source: http://www.waldorflibrary.org/articles/668-you-and-your-childs-health-fever The anthroposophical approach to fever is different then what I was taught during my residency. In anthroposophical medicine, a fever is seen as good because it actually strengthens...

Author: Susan Johnson M.D. Date published: Unknown Contact details: Contact tab available on Waldorf library site Source: http://www.waldorflibrary.org/articles/614-the-meaning-of-illness   In Anthroposophical medicine our Spirit (our higher-self) is always healthy. It is our Soul that first becomes ill. If we do not pay attention to our Soul, then we start to lose our vitality...

Author:  Dr Laura Markham Date published: Unknown Contact details: Option available to contact author on site Source: http://www.ahaparenting.com/ages-stages/tweens/prevent-eating-disorder-child   In this culture, unfortunately, many of us eat diets that aren’t very healthy, and we don’t get enough exercise. That’s true for our kids, too. In fact, experts...

Author: Bernard Graves Date published: Unknown Contact details: Contact tab available on Waldorf library site Source: http://www.waldorflibrary.org/articles/732-the-relevance-of-handwork-and-craft Published in Kindling, the Journal of the Early Childhood Assn. (UK), issue #8, 2005 Edited transcript of a lecture given by Bernard Graves   What is the role of hand and craft work...

Author: Wolfgang Wagner Date published: Unknown Published in the Journal, Education as an Art, Vol. 20, No. 4, Spring, 1960 Source: http://www.waldorflibrary.org/articles/678-education-of-the-will-in-the-crafts-lesson   He who has had the opportunity of seeing a class of children aged 9 to 10 tackling the task of driving a row of nails into each side of a wooden frame for...

by Dr. Robert McNeish     As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an “uplift” for the bird following. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% more flying range than if each bird flew alone.   Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are...