Waldorfy Homeschoolers December 2010

[SandyBeachBums]

I thought I would start a new thread.

We have been slowly adding in elements of Waldorf. We use a VA in Washington State. We use Oak Meadow and love Waldorfsupplies. Last year we used ALGF/Waldorf Essentials Grade 1.

[Mittsy]

We use OM Pre-K and K, and are slowly adding Waldorf elements into our home too! So far our favorite waldorf toy shop is, [url=http://www.atoygarden.com/index.cfm]A Toy Garden[/url], and our favorite art/crafts supplier is, [http://meadowsweet.creocommunico.com/]meadowsweet naturals[/url].

[SandyBeachBums]

I thought I would add my boys are 13, 10, 7, and our daughter is 1.

[CCJWGM]

I go back and forth on how Waldorfy we are or aren't depending on my mood.  LOL.  My mood today is Waldorfy.  Check back tomorrow because it may change by then.   I got some wool roving today to make the advent spiral that was linked to from Parenting Passageway.  We will countdown to the solstice. I'm actually pretty excited about that project.   I was also thinking of making a book with the children this month (non Waldorfy) but I was going to focus on the sun in our hearts and on different Waldorf verses regarding that.  My children are only 3 and 5 so I'm trying to relax.  My goal for December is to enjoy being more Waldorfy and settle into a nice rhythm with my hubby's new schedule. 

Edit to add:

Does anyone here have the Wynstone books?  I was thinking about getting Winter but my budget is limited.  Is it a book you can just sit down and read to the children or is it an idea book for verses, poems to use with them but not read from the book?  Does my question make sense?

[littlest birds]

beezer, I used to have that book.  It was a collection of songs, poems, and stories, some of which I really liked.  Yes, they could be read with the kids, but I think you'd be selective and want to pick out what you'd like best/what you think they'd like best.  You'd probably want to learn the songs ahead yourself as with any songs you might introduce to your children.   I wish I could tell you more but I don't remember it well enough. 

sandybeachbums, hello!  I have children sort of near yours in ages.  I am thinking about getting A Little Garden Flower materials for grade 2 and 5 in the middle of the year to do after Christmas.  I don't know how that will work. I feel weird about adding "complete" year long curriculum in the middle of the year but I am craving Waldorf again after sort of giving it up before getting very focused with it at an earlier point.  My kids have also been in and back out of public school.

I have always mixed different sources and done pick and choose but I want something to start from so I don't have to make all decisions and have a framework.  I'd really enjoy hearing more about that curriculum.

This thread hasn't gotten much attention.  I hope there are still folks who want to talk Waldorf out there

[onyxravnos]

hi ! we are using OM K this year with plenty of resources from christopherus, ALGF, LA, & SOJ

i try to be waldorfy or at least keep it in mind with whatever we are doing by no means am strictly waldorf though. :)  

[Greenmama2]

I go back and forth on how Waldorfy we are or aren't depending on my mood.  LOL

Hahaha that is me too! We are unschoolers but I love a lot of Waldorf ideas and we definitely do have a daily/weekly/seasonal rhythm. Lately though my mood has been quite unWaldorf. I've actually been reading a lot about classical ed simply because DD is always asking about the origins of words so I thought Latin would be quite interesting for her. The very parent-led ideal of C.E. wouldn't work for us though.

I'm about halfway through seven times the sun and enjoying it. Has anyone else read it?

[Barbee]

Hi, 

We're using OM. My 5 year old son is at a homeschool charter so he has classes twice a week and the rest is with me at home. His classes at school are extracurricular. This trimester he is taking cooking/sewing, sculpture, Dancing around the world and a wilderness class. We just got our curriculum. Any suggestions for starting mid year? Also, he'll enroll as a Kindergartner again next year because he only just turned 5 in October so the curriculum is going to last us a while. Glad I found this group. I'm really excited about taking this journey with my son. 

[LuxPerpetua]

Hi all. :)

Dd will start her kindy year next Septmember (she'll be 5.75 then).  I'm thinking of using Little Acorn Learning.  Has anyone done this for kindy?  Also, a lot of you are using Oak Meadow kindy.  What is that like--as in, what does it cover?  Dd knows her letters, can read a lot of words already, and can write really well, so I was just going to focus more on crafting, nature, and story-telling next year.  Would Oak Meadow fit well or should I stick with Little Acorn Learning? 

We aren't purists either and as dd gets older I somehow want to blend Classical Ed with Waldorf.  We're also into unschooling too, so it's kind of a weird mix. 

For anyone who is Christian or who celebrates the Waldorf festival of Advent, I have to give a hand to SOJ's Advent e-book.  We have LOVED it this Advent.  Yay, Annette!

[elus0814]

We use a Catholic curriculum that is very 'school at home' but I'm incorporating waldorfy things. Nature walks, more time outdoors, toys made of natural materials, handwork and waldorf style crafts, daily and weekly rhythms, and seasonal projects. Revamping our toys for our four kids has been the big project this month. I'm also trying to encourage the kids to play creatively with the new toys. They're coming out of the 'toys should entertain me' mindset but it sometimes requires me to spend a few minutes showing them fun things to do with their toys before they are able to run with it. My house looks fantastic now without all the plastic stuff. We've even switched our playroom, which used to be in the back of the house hidden away, to where our table used to be, which is now in the old playroom off the kitchen, so people walking in the door see the toys before the often messy table.

[AmyShin]

Wondering what people have liked using for handwriting?  My 6 yo DD has some fine motor delay so it isn't coming naturally and I would like to work on letters with her.

[Mittsy]

AmyShin: Handwriting definitely isn't coming naturally to dd(5.5yrs) either, we suspect some fine motor delays and may have to get her into OT. We are using Handwriting without tears and it's working well.

[littlest birds]

I would use form drawing and handwork to build toward handwriting, and keep actual writing incidental to those.  I think making an object or an image is a better fit for that age (and therefore might come more naturally) because those are more concrete, while the same skills are being worked on.    

[AdinaL]

Jumping in to lurk and read. :)  

[konamama]

we homeschooled up until this school year.  since sept my dd has been in a waldorf charter, but recently she hasn't wanted to return to school and wants to return to homeschooling.  we were using OM and if we return to homeschooling we will use that as a base again.  still trying to process where we are and what we are going to do next but wanting to re-connect with homeschooling communities near and far :-)  feeling a bit off kilter and in limbo with this decision not made and not totally liking that but wanting to take our time making the decision since once we give up our spot it would take years most likely to get it back if she were to change her mind - but that doesn't seem likely at this point :-))  anyhow... subbing