Every Wednesday our members get to ask Waldorf teacher Diane Power questions about their homeschooling experience, Waldorf education and more. These Q & A sessions are posted on the member blog every week so you have access to all the past Q & A sessions. Become a member of Earthschooling to get your questions answered personally every week.
Question from Member: Do you have any suggestions when it comes to teaching multiple ages at one time? What type of lessons do you do? Do you teach to the middle, the younger, the older? Or do you do the younger then have them leave, do the middle then have them leave, and do the oldest? (so they all get the younger lessons but only the oldest get the last part of the lesson. And by leaving I mean do independent stuff or read or play or something.) It’s 1st through 5th being taught at one time, mostly extra lessons not main lessons. – J.R.
Reply from Diane: This is a great question! Many families have struggled with this issue. The Earthschooling blog has some resources, including past answers to this question on this forum. My suggestion is to look over the hints, set up a plan for your family, think of it as an experiment with no right or wrong answers, and check in monthly. Subjects will be changing, your children are growing and maturing, and so are you as a teacher of your children. Discover what works best for you! Here are some resources on the Earthschooling blog:
Ask a Waldorf Teacher: Teaching Multiple Ages Together
Ask a Waldorf Teacher: How Can I Teach Multiple Ages?
Teaching Multiple Ages: What Can I Combine?
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