Cautions in Aromatherapy Posted in: Aromatherapy, Student Lounge - As many of you know our students range from beginners to professionals. One professional aromatherapist wanted to make sure that safety was emphasized in the aromatherapy lessons. Although we already mention that oils should never be used undiluted and that… Read More >>
Storytelling in the Waldorf Classroom Posted in: Inner Work, Inner Work, Parenting, Stories, Storytelling, Teachers, Techniques - The other night I was watching Dr. Who on TV with a friend who is a Dr. Who enthusiast. However, it was not the program that captured my attention, but the commercials. The first commercial showed a man who was jealous… Read More >>
Waldorf Teacher Parent Inner Work: Doing “Nothing” as an Accomplishment Posted in: Inner Work, Inner Work, Parenting, Teachers - Doing nothing may be your biggest accomplishment this year. My New Year’s Resolution this year is not to make any active New Year’s Resolutions and instead to focus more on the value of rest and relaxation. In today’s society there… Read More >>
Who Discovered…? Posted in: Assignments and Exams, Student Lounge - This quote is from a student assignment. This student was asked about who discovered a certain medical theory. Her answer was perfect! She says, "A fact is defined as one of three things: something demonstrated to exist, a real occurrence,… Read More >>
Waldorf-inspired Synthetic-hybrid Acorn-thingamabobs Posted in: Art Supplies, Arts, Crafts & Handwork, Autumn - We have a well supplied arts and crafts room at the house - mostly supplied with Waldorf & natural supplies like beeswax and paper and watercolor paper, block crayons, chalk, felt, wool roving. However, I also have an entire file… Read More >>
Watercolor & Meditation with The Middle Grades Posted in: Arts, Crafts & Handwork, Autumn, Nature Walks - (originally posted on old BLOG 10/10/08) As winter approaches the kids (mine and the ones who come for Waldorf Enrichment) have been both more meditative in many ways but also more physically energetic! So we have been outdoors a… Read More >>
Deciphering Health Issues in Yourself, Your Family & Others Posted in: Consultations, Legal & Ethical Consultations, Naturopathic Healing - During my years studying as a cultural anthropologist I was taught how to observe even the most minute details about a human being and the culture s/he lives in. I learned that the things what we don't spend time thinking… Read More >>My Favorite Acorn Craft Posted in: Arts, Crafts & Handwork, Autumn - As you all know we have a million acorns in our front yard (yes, even after sending out over 1000 of them to friends online). So in my quest for more acorn crafts I came across a wonderfully simple and… Read More >>
Waldorf Teacher Education: How to Encourage Students Posted in: Inner Work, Inner Work, Parenting, Teachers - An Inner Work meditation for parents and teachers... A few days ago I was listening to the radio and a popular song came on. It's a song by Avicii and the refrain is, "So wake me up when it's all… Read More >>
Waldorf Teacher Tip #345: Keeping Your Energy Levels Up Posted in: Inner Work, Inner Work, Teachers - Waldorf Teacher Tip #345: This weekend I attended an outdoor seminar in wildlife field research. This seminar was part of my own research for the new Wildlife Curriculum I am developing and also part of my training for my own… Read More >>Why Waldorf-inspired Education Creates Great Scientists Posted in: Curriculum, Eighth Grade, Farming, Field Trips, Fifth Grade, High School, Housebuilding, Lesson Blocks, Math, Middle Grades, Nature Walks, Ninth Grade, Science, Seventh Grade, Sixth Grade, Third Grade, Toys, Uncategorized, Waldorf Philosophy, Woodworking - One of the many reasons we decided to base Earthschooling on Waldorf-inspired principles was because of the strong science base Waldorf-inspired education provides. When I share this thought with parents and teachers the first questions they ask is (something like),… Read More >>
Dealing with Blame and Guilt on a Healing Journey Posted in: Consultations, Detoxification, Herbal Healing, Holistic Health, Nutritional Healing, Temperament, Uncategorized - Over the past two decades of consulting I've met a large number of clients who are letting blame and guilt negatively affect their lives. This blame and guilt not only motivates their actions in negative ways, but also adds stress… Read More >>Hands On Education: Working with Your Hands in the Classroom Posted in: Inner Work, Inner Work, Inner Work, Organization, Organization, Parenting, Planning, Planning, Rhythm, Teachers, Waldorf Philosophy - As parents and teachers using Waldorf-inspired methods we learn about the importance of making sure there is a balance between the head, heart and hands* in daily education. Steiner teaches that this balance is essential to learning and that when… Read More >>
Breaking Down “Shoulds” and Stereotypes in Homeschooling Posted in: Inner Work, Inner Work, Inner Work, Modeling, Naturopathic Healing, Parenting, Teachers - The other night I saw a spider in my living-room. Now, usually I just pick it up with a cup and put it outside but it was late and this spider was really big so I got a shoe and… Read More >>
Portable Rejuvenation: Increasing Your Energy Levels Naturally Posted in: Aromatherapy, Iridology, Meditation, Naturopathic Healing, Nutritional Healing, Reflexology, Space Clearing, Uncategorized - There was a period of my life when I was traveling on a weekly basis and/or moving a few times a year. During this time it was near impossible to find supplies I needed and was familiar with during my… Read More >>Waldorf Teacher Training: Teaching History in the Early & Middle Grades Posted in: Eighth Grade, Fifth Grade, High School, Middle Grades, Ninth Grade, Planning, Seventh Grade, Sixth Grade, Teachers, Third Grade, Waldorf Philosophy - It always seems like there is a lot to cover with history and there is. If you covered everything in history from every period you would have to read every newspaper and book from every country for every year you… Read More >>
Naturopathic Consulting Questions Posted in: Legal & Ethical Consultations, Naturopathic Healing - When seeking more balance, harmony and well-being the questions you ask are just as important as the answers because without the correct questions a mystery still remains. WHY do I feel imbalanced and unhealthy? I had my yearly check-up at… Read More >>Waldorf Teacher Training: Exploring the 12-Senses in Waldorf Education Posted in: Parenting, Teachers, Waldorf Philosophy - At the wildlife center I volunteer at we had some bobcat kittens last spring. Since I had my Ipad with me I thought it would be fun to see if they liked the App on the Ipad that was a… Read More >>
Book Review: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: 8th Grade and Up Posted in: Eighth Grade, Ninth Grade, Waldorf Books, Waldorf Earthschooling - I'm always on the lookout for interesting books I can use in home education. I'm pretty "picky" so new ones don't come along very often. My requirements are - they need to be interesting enough to capture the attention of… Read More >>Lesson Planning – A Dozen Tips Posted in: Curriculum, Lesson Blocks, Organization, Organization, Parenting, Planning, Planning, Teachers - This month has been all about lesson planning for us. I've been spending hours every day putting the finishing touches on the new daily lesson planners for the First and Second Grade Earthschooling Curriculum for this coming year, planning our coming year… Read More >>
The Syllabus a Waldorf-Trained Teacher Shared with Parents of Her Students Posted in: Waldorf 101 - As a Waldorf-Trained teacher in a classroom, enrichment program, or even online, it can be rewarding to share some behind-the-scenes wisdom with the parents of your students. This can help cultivate a sense of trust and understanding. If you are… Read More >>Bedtime Verses Posted in: Waldorf 101 - These verses were all shared by members of Earhschooling. They are NOT part of the Earthschooling curriculum, but they reflect the diversity of our members. Original question from a member: My son's teacher recommended we say a verse before bed… Read More >>
Waldorf Television Posted in: Waldorf 101 - What Does Waldorf Education Say About TV? References for this article are listed below the article. As a naturopath, writer, and teacher, this is one of my favorite projects to take on. I enjoy researching the historical uses of herbs and… Read More >>
Parent-Teacher Education Posted in: Waldorf 101 - Have you ever heard the term "What's good for the goose is good for the gander?" (It means, basically, that what a man can do, a woman can do too, or what is good for the man is also suitable… Read More >>
Meditation and Inner Work Posted in: Waldorf 101 - One thing that Steiner saw as very important for Waldorf parents and educators was to maintain a constant awareness of ourselves through meditation and self-reflection. The beginning of his work, The Foundation Meditation, expresses his thought best when he says,… Read More >>
Temperaments in Education Posted in: Waldorf 101 - Even Samuel Hahnemann, the father of homeopathy, recognized the importance of type and noted that knowing a person’s type was essential to understanding how they might exhibit the same disease and how they would react to similar medicines. In his… Read More >>
Basic Waldorf Verses Posted in: Waldorf 101 - Waldorf poems, songs, and recitations during morning circle are called "verses." They are not inherently religious. They are called "verses" because that is what best describes them. Calling them "circle time songs" could not allow for the inclusion of poems,… Read More >>
The Waldorf Birthday Story Posted in: Waldorf 101 - Invoke a sense of the sacred on a child’s birth and are performed with the teacher reading, the child acting, and the parent watching. The story can be changed from ‘he’ to ‘she,’ of course. In cases of miscarriage, I… Read More >>
Waldorf Celebrations Posted in: Waldorf 101 - One of the celebrations we celebrate during the Waldorf Earthschooling year is Advent. However, contrary to popular belief, the Advent spiral done at Waldorf schools is not inherently Christian. It can be secular and calendar-based, or celebrated to honor several… Read More >>
Waldorf 101: Waldorf & Spirituality Posted in: Waldorf 101 - Waldorf Spirituality: The Waldorf Curriculum for children actually does not teach Anthroposophy. However, Waldorf Schools in general are either secular, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or very broadly spiritually based. Each day begins with a prayer and ends with a parting prayer.… Read More >>
