What are the main goals of the Waldorf approach to education?

• To provide children with a broad and deep experience of the world.
• To lay foundations for independent, creative thought.
• To recognize and nurture the soul and spirit of the children.
• To enable children to develop self-discipline.
• To meet the child as an equal and recognize the unique, timeless Self of each child. To create a program that addresses that unique Self and gives it dignity.
• To create a community in the classroom that fosters cooperation and warmth in personal relationships.
• To build physical strength, coordination and balance as a basis for cognitive learning.

What are the differences between Briar Rose Children's Center and a traditional preschool?

Waldorf educators are aware of the spiritual nature of children, recognizing that they are whole and complete beings who have gathered themselves together in this time and place to learn and grow.  It is the teacher's task to facilitate the interactions, activities, and experiences which will enable the children to become their best selves.

The above stated goals are achieved in the following ways:

Experiencing the world

• Fairy tales and folk tales are told by the teacher from memory, often told with puppets.  This allows the teacher to maintain eye-contact and "soul-contact" with the children.  It expands the children's vocabulary, presents imaginative pictures of the world, and creates an atmosphere for creative exploration.  The stories are told repeatedly so the children know them deeply.
• The majority of playthings are undefined, open-ended toys which allow the children to create their own play, rather than relying on the form of the toy to tell them how to play.  This brings their imagination many tasks, and strengthens the ability to think creatively and expansively.
• The teachers sing and play musical instruments.  The children also have musical and rhythm instruments available to play.  All music presented in the classroom is live and relevant to the children.  The teachers select and create songs to change the mood of the class to remind the children of tasks (putting plates away, etc.), and to give images of the natural world - the growth of plants, the life cycles of animals, the work and play of human beings.
• Children do real, purposeful work regularly.  They experience the consequences of their own creations and serviceful actions.  They work with the teachers to build furniture, garden, bake and sew.  Items needed for the classroom are created by the children and teachers together.  This brings to the children an appreciation for objects used in their daily environment, a sense of competence and self-reliance, and a recognition of each other's talents and skills.
• Many kinds of food are offered and children try everything several times.

Foundations for independent, creative thought

• Children retell stories they have heard, learning the rhythm and structure of stories.
• Extended uninterrupted free play allows children to directly experience the elaboration and follow-through of their own ideas.
• Many building and creating materials such as wood pieces, large cloths, and small natural objects are available to extend play ideas.  The open-endedness of the toys allows them to be many different things, often in the same moment.
• Handwork includes finger knitting, sewing, beeswax sculpting, woodworking, painting, drawing, gluing and braiding.  "Nimble fingers, nimble minds."

Recognizing and nurturing the soul and spirit of children

• The Waldorf teacher training courses include instruction on observation of children. This encourages teachers to look for underlying moods, intentions, and patterns which indicate the conditions of the emotional and spiritual bodies of children.
• Music, rhythm, storytelling, work, play, and a balance of activity contribute to a sense of peacefulness in the classroom. This mood of "active peace" nurtures the most sensitive aspects of the children.

Developing self-discipline

• Daily rhythm is flexible and dependable. Transitions happen naturally, based on a set flow of the day. For example, we may go outside at 10:30 or 11:00, but it is always after indoor play and clean-up.
• There is great attention to detail in putting the toys away, setting the table, and other housekeeping tasks. Always having things the same gives a sense of security to the children. This security is the basis for self-discipline, and the children find themselves willing and able to co-create a beautiful, orderly, and peaceful space.
• Children are guided toward understanding and controlling their feelings through stories and imaginative pictures. "When you feel that fire again, you could get a drink of water to cool it down." This takes into account the understanding of the young child which is still in imagination and fantasy. Naming and discussing feelings is useful for giving words to describe them, but does nothing in the way of healing or self-correction.

Recognizing and meeting the child's unique self

• Children identify themselves through play, which the teacher observes and carefully notes. The observation of children is the teacher's primary method of understanding their behavior, and discovering their underlying intentions, gifts, and challenges.
• The teacher thinks about each child every night in a time of reflection. This meditation allows ideas and inspiration to flow from the children to the teacher and helps the teacher keep continually focused on the unique, spirit-filled being of each child.
• Curriculum is born out of these reflections and out of a developmental understanding of children which is inclusive of physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the children.

Community in the classroom

• Older children assist younger ones in tying shoes, moving furniture, opening packages, etc. The children ask each other for help or offer it when it is needed. This is a great advantage of a mixed-age classroom (3-6 year olds).
• Meals and snacks are eaten family style and good table manners are strongly emphasized. Conversation at lunch and snack time provides an opportunity for children to share experiences they have had and realize shared values and fears. They learn about new things from each other and from the teachers, who facilitate the naturally occurring discussions.
• Circle time is shared by all and is designed to enhance the group dynamic. Special songs and stories address the needs of the group and emphasize shared experiences, such as changing seasons, work activities, stories and songs.
• Families come together every month for a Parent and Teacher learning day. A two hour discussion and activity time for the parents is followed by a potluck with the children and parents together. Parents visit the school often to participate in our activities and to share their stories, talents and skills.

Physical strength, coordination and balance

• Carefully supervised work with real tools requires attentive physical movement. The children are shown the proper way to hold, use and care for tools in order to be safe and effective.
• Circle time movement includes a balance of fast, slow, small and big motions.
• Outdoor play equipment includes boards and logs which the children use to build houses, teeter totters, balance beams, bridges, and a number of interesting structures. This physical work is strengthening and requires coordination, balance, and cooperation.

What is the discipline policy?

The Waldorf teacher has learned how to "read" a class as a whole and children as individuals. She sets up the classroom in such a way that rambunctious play does not interfere or invade quiet play. She keeps a close watch on the kinds of play happening and can usually head off a problem before it happens by redirecting a child who may not even know he is headed for trouble. When conflicts arise, they are addressed as individual events, and the same consequence does not follow every misbehavior. It may be as simple as having an out-of-control child come and help with sweeping the floor, to be near the teacher, or having the child mend the shirt he has torn, get the first aid basket for the one he hurt, or other appropriate responses. In many cases, after being in this environment for a while, a child will initiate restitution himself. Thus, discipline becomes self-discipline as well.

What methods are used to instruct language arts, math and science?

In the early childhood centers (ages 3-6), language arts is brought to the children mainly through storytelling (by the teachers and children). Math and science are brought through nature experiences, cooking, baking, stacking blocks, mixing colors in painting, and other activities naturally occurring in play. Lessons are not made of these; rather the child is free to explore and experiment without being questioned or lectured.

In the early grades of a Waldorf elementary school, the children learn subjects through story, movement, experience and art. All four math processes are taught at the same time, beginning in the first grade, and relationships between the processes are highlighted through characterizing each in story form.

All students in the grade school create their own textbooks, which become more and more detailed as the grades process. The information is brought orally by the teacher, who stays with a class from first through eighth grade, bringing subject matter in ways most useful for that particular group of children. Subjects are integrated, as they are in the story of Galileo, Amelia Earhart, Abraham Lincoln and others.

Every student is recognized as an artist. All students play at least two musical instruments, paint, draw, sculpt, do woodworking, sing, and participate in eurythmy, a form of artistic movement related to the sound of language and musical tones.

Do you provide readiness assessments for entering elementary school?

Yes. At the beginning of the year, we obtain entrance criteria for the elementary schools the children will be attending when they leave Briar Rose and carefully guide the children to meet these criteria. (Of course, unknown to the child, as it tends to create unnecessary stress). Until we have a Waldorf grade school for the preschool students to graduate into, we will keep a close watch on what the child is expected to know and be able to do, so the transition to another kindergarten or to first grade is as comfortable for the child as possible.

What importance does foreign language have in the curriculum and when is it introduced?

Students in Waldorf elementary schools learn two foreign languages. Which languages are taught depends on the school's geographical region and the local availability of language teachers. Formal instruction begins in first grade and is mostly verbal for the first two years. When the children are able to write in English, the written form of the foreign language is also presented. In the early childhood center, the teacher will present songs and games in a foreign language from time to time, depending on her skill.

How do children perform when transitioning into a regular school (as in third or fourth grade)?

By the third or fourth grade, most students in a Waldorf school transition well to a public school in terms of academic ability. Since evaluation of the student in a Waldorf school is based on observation and portfolio work, it is necessary to teach the children how to take tests and meet the grading criteria. Teachers report that children coming from Waldorf schools are creative thinkers and curious learners. Students report that they miss the closeness of the community they experienced in their Waldorf class, but are able to make friends and find their place in the new setting.

Are there children not well-suited for this type of education?

Curriculum in the early childhood center and in the grade school is created based on the child's needs and capacities. It is very strong academically, artistically and socially. There are many opportunities for sports and social groups. Every effort is made to meet the needs of each child. Children who have trouble learning in traditional settings may benefit from the Waldorf school. However, most schools are not equipped to deal with severe developmental disorders. It is best for the child to be in a school which the parents believe in and support, since family has the greatest influence on a child's success and self-concept.

What are the educational and experiential requirements of lead teachers in the early childhood center?

Teachers must complete a Waldorf Teacher Development program, which is a two to three year program. They must also have been an assistant for a year or had other experience in a Waldorf School. An ideal situation is to have an assistant working in the preschool who is enrolled in the Waldorf Teacher Development program, who can then take a new class on his/her own after graduation.

Many Waldorf teachers have taught previously in other settings. Most choose Waldorf teaching as part of an important life path and turnover is low.

What is the teacher to student ratio in the early childhood program?

2 teachers : 20 children (3-6 year olds)