Waldorf Education in Nova Scotia, Canada - Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Education of the Head, Hands, and Heart mean?

Books on Child Development, Parenting, and Education

Websites on Child Development, Education, and Waldorf Education

What does Education of the Head, Hands, and Heart mean?

the head thinking and knowledge

Waldorf education fosters high academic standards. The emphasis is not on what to think but on how to think. It embraces complexity rather than simplified ‘facts’. To be truly prepared for the future, it will not only be necessary to discover unknown answers to a given problem. It will be necessary to define the problem, ask the right questions, and envision many different solutions.

the heart feelings and motivation

Waldorf education touches the hearts of the children in order to help them care about their fellow human beings, to reassure them that there is beauty and goodness in this world, and to show them that they play a role in preserving it. Artistic activities (painting, drawing, drama, music, and handcrafts) are part of the school experience each day. They foster a heartfelt connection between the student and the subject and make education more meaningful and more memorable.

the hands purposeful activity

Children develop self-discipline over time through repetition and gentle insistence on good habits. The Waldorf curriculum instils confidence and fosters self-esteem in order to find a meaningful path in a complex and confusing world where self-determination and strong character are needed. Without self-discipline, our children’s hopes and dreams will not translate into action.

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Curriculum Overview
Grade	Mathematics	Language Arts	Natural Sciences	Social Sciences and Literature	Geography
1	Geometric forms, count to 100, rhythmic patterns, qualities of numbers, beginnings of 4 processes (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division), mental arithmetic, word problems, number sequences and relationships, Roman numerals, odds and evens.	Letter forms and sounds, letter blends, oral recitation, writing words and simple sentences, beginning reading with one’s own writing as test, word families, poetry	The kingdom of nature through storytelling	Fairytales from around the world.	Wonders through observations of nature
2	Form drawings, number sequences and relationships, continue with 4 processes, borrowing and carrying, system of place value, multiplication tables through movement and recitation.	More letter blends and word families, writing, reading, punctuation, grammar, poetry, speech.	The kingdom of nature through storytelling. Animal stories through fables.	Fables from around the world, saint legends.	Environment through observation
3	Form drawing, multiplication tables, larger numbers with the 4 processes, beginning long division, time, money, weights, measures, use of ruler, scale models for house building.	Cursive writing, reading, writing, composition, spelling, grammar, poetry, drama, speech.	Human activity in nature: farming, gardening, house building, grains, clothing around the word, cooking.	Old testament stories, comparative cultures in studies of houses, food and clothing, Native American legends.	Practical studies
4	Weights and measures, long division, fractions, number sequences and relationships, factoring, prime numbers, continued drill work.	Reading, writing, grammar, spelling, letters: business/friendly, poetry, speech, drama, creative writing.	Human beings and animal studies.	Norse mythology, local natural resources, native peoples, early settlers.	Geography of local surrounding and B C including mapmaking.
5	Fractions, decimals, geometric forms, averages, metric system, continued drill work.	Composition, spelling, reading, grammar, poetry, speech, drama, creative writing.	Botany	Ancient mythologies and histories: India, Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, North American culture.	Mediterranean area, north America, mapmaking.
6	Ratio, proportion, profit/loss, discount, interest, percentage, graphs, estimation, geometry, continued drill work.	Composition, spelling, reading, grammar, poetry, speech, drama	Geology, physics: heat, light, acoustics, magnetism, electricity, gardening	Roman history, medieval history.	Lands and oceans
7	Algebra, geometry, graphs, continued drill work.	Composition, spelling, reading, grammar, poetry, speech, drama.	Human physiology and nutrition, physics (cont’d), mechanics, astronomy, chemistry: inorganic.	Renaissance, age of exploration.	Economic interdependence
8	Algebra, geometry, practical applications, continued drill work.	Composition, spelling, reading, grammar, poetry, speech, drama	Physics: (cont’d), plus hydraulics, aerodynamics, meteorology, human anatomy, organic chemistry	Modern history, 18th-20th centuries: revolutions in politics and industry.	Cultural geography (religions, traditions, life styles, etc.)

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Books on Child Development, Parenting, and Education

Aeppli, Willi Rudolf Steiner Education and the Developing Child

Baldwin, Rahima You are Your Child’s First Teacher (Check out Rahima Baldwin's article on Waldorf Education in Mothering Magazine.)

Bruno Bettleheim The Uses of Enchantment; On Reading

Carroll, Lee and Tober, Jan The Indigo Children

Coloroso Barbara Kids are Worth it! Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline

Dyer, Wayne What do you Really Want for your Children?

Egan Keiran Imagination in Teaching and Learning; The Educated Mind

Elkind, David The Hurried Child; All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go; Miseducation

Gatto, John Taylor Dumbing Us Down

Gardner Howard Frames of Mind; The Unschooled Mind; Multiple Intelligences

Goleman Daniel Emotional Intelligence

Hannaford, Carla Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head

Harrison, Steven The Happy Child: Changing the Heart of Education

Healy, Jane Endangered Minds; Your Child's Growing Mind; Failure to Connect

Large, Martin Who’s Bringing Them Up?

Lievegoed, Bernard Phases of Childhood: growing in body, soul and spirit

Miller, John The Holistic Curriculum

Miller, Ron (ed) Educational Freedom for a Democratic Society: A Critique of National Educational Goals, Standards, and Curriculum

Moore, Raymond and Dorothy Better Late Than Early; School Can Wait

Palmer, Parker To Know as We Are Known: Education as a Spiritual Journey

Pearce, Joseph Chilton Magical Child; Evolution’s End; The Biology of Transcendence

Postman, Neil Amusing Ourselves to Death

Schwartz, Eugene Waldorf Education: Schools for the 21^st Century

Winn, Marie Children Without Childhood; The Plug-in Drug; Unplugging the Plug-in Drug

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Websites on Child Development, Education, and Waldorf Education

The Alliance for Childhood promotes policies and practices that support children’s healthy development, love of learning, and joy in living.

The Waldorf School Association of Ontario has registered the name "Waldorf" in Canada. Together with the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), this association assists striving young school initiatives and supports the growth of established schools

The Association of Waldorf Schools in North America has set for itself the task of encouraging and furthering Waldorf education. This includes assisting schools and teacher training centers in the United States, Canada and Mexico to improve the quality of the education they offer.

The Website Waldorf Answers is a private site, intending to provide answers about Waldorf education, in depth, to questions that parents and prospective parents may have, and to clear up some of the misconceptions that may exist about Waldorf education

The Online Waldorf Library has been created to provide useful information to English speaking Waldorf teachers, parents, homeschoolers, and anyone interested in Waldorf education. Their aim is to make visible all the appropriate resources on Waldorf education that are currently available and to provide information about where these resources can be purchased or obtained.

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