Is there room in Waldorf for loudness? - Page 2

[Melaniee]

I also remember the parent-child class as being quiet and soothing. I happened to have a quiet child, the first go-around though, so it didn't bother me. I don't ever remember children be admonished for being loud in that class. Ever. As they get older I agree with teaching them there are times for quiet and times for loud. I don't see it as a negative thing to teach them to sit quietly for a short story. There's a "breathing in and out" they speak of, and I have seen that. Times for quiet, and times to be out and let their energy flow.

Now that my children are older, I can tell you for a fact that kids are LOUD. Now that I have a child in the grades, yes, children are asked to be quiet and respectful during lessons and things, but oh my plenty of time to be loud and energetic! I think that is one great thing about it. A child in any school is expected to sit quietly for lessons, for long periods of time. But here, the first thing they do is move their bodies around and stomp and make noise and get out their energy. On days they have even more the teachers will take them outside and do obstacles with them.

So, I can't speak to your school (unless it's the same as mine, LOL) but they definitely allow for times of volume and energy.

[ribbons_undone]

Loudness in Waldorf-school

I have had two very different children to discuss with our Waldorf transition-nursery teachers. One is sensitive and easily upset by noise and chaos. Her younger brother ..is kind of loud, strong and active. So, he's a boy.

I've observed two years of nursery classes. When the weather is good, our teachers try to start with the more active outdoor play. After a good long time of this, like 45-55 minutes, everyone is tired and ready for a snack and the music/circle/story.

In my discussion with the teachers,they explained that they will try to work a schedule that benefits the most children. They started the school year playing indoors for an hour but found the class seemed a bit rough. That is when they switched to outdoors play first. When that is impossible, I've heard them ask the active childrens' parents to run them around the school a couple of times before coming in to class.

For my two, we decided that my 3 year old boy could use another year outdoors, as similar to this as I can manage, since we don't have this actual program at our school.

The key at our Waldorf school is that the children are outside so much more than at public school. The public school is a very quick 12-minute run over the playground. The outdoor time at Waldorf is L-O-N-G and very active, climbing on (real) rocks and trees, playing in streams, carrying heavy soil and sand. It is so exhausting that there is not much loudness when the children are done playing outside.. They are too busy drinking a cup of water while listening to a magical story.