Dd is bored - Page 3

[Jimibell]

I can see how sometimes the AP style can conflict with Waldorf philosophies....

[blessed]

How so, Jimibell? Can you elaborate?

[Maggieinnh]

Originally Posted by blessed

How so, Jimibell? Can you elaborate?

The "modern version" of AP or what this board in general understands of AP, is very different from the "traditional style" of Waldorf AP, ...I guess that is how you could describe this.
Just as an example, modern AP is very child oriented, so much so that the child leads bed times, feeding on demand well into the childhood years, co-sleeping etc.
Waldorf is also very child oriented, what a lot of AP parents believe to be the main idea, but Waldorf also sets up a routine and a specific rhythm in the home life, regular meal times, regular bed times in their own personal spaces etc.
These are just a few things that show strong differences.

[LindaCl]

Well, as others have said before me, some things don't make sense to me at all and others do, in a way.

I do not get that there is little indoor play and a "look but don't touch" policy with toys. I didn't have any child younger than 4 in any Waldorf preschool, but there was free indoor play and outdoor play, virtually every day (exception for extreme weather). And teachers would rarely let children play with things on the Nature Table, but certainly they were welcome to play with the toys if they were displayed!

Also, I was invited to visit, and participated quite a number of times, but only when invited. And I know they would have probably shooed me away if I dropped in early. The traditional Waldorf teacher puts such a huge importance on rhythm; a good rhythm helps children feel enriched by the school day rather than frazzled, and is so effective at preventing or alleviating discipline problems, etc. They try to do almost the Same-Thing-Every-Day, Same-Time, like a ritual. It's taken very seriously, and dropping in late or early upsets the rhythm. Besides, there is a very distinct beginning, middle, end of the school day, beginning with the hug, ending with the hug, one child after another, individual acknowledgment in this rhythm. In the grades this hug is replaced by the handshake. It's very high on the teacher's list of priorities of the school day. I just can't vouch this is true for classes with younger children.

I wouldn't necessarily conclude that your child's bored because of the academics at home, only because some of my sons' classmates were in this situation, former Montessori or academic preschool/kindergartens yet they thrived at Waldorf.

And I hope the teacher was just worried about the bump, not that your child "misbehaved" scaling the fence. She's very very little yet and shouldn't be led to feel she committed a serious crime or misdemeanor for climbing!

[LindaCl]

doubled post

[Jimibell]

Originally Posted by LindaCl

Well, as others have said before me, some things don't make sense to me at all and others do, in a way.

I do not get that there is little indoor play and a "look but don't touch" policy with toys. I didn't have any child younger than 4 in any Waldorf preschool, but there was free indoor play and outdoor play, virtually every day (exception for extreme weather). And teachers would rarely let children play with things on the Nature Table, but certainly they were welcome to play with the toys if they were displayed!

Also, I was invited to visit, and participated quite a number of times, but only when invited. And I know they would have probably shooed me away if I dropped in early. The traditional Waldorf teacher puts such a huge importance on rhythm; a good rhythm helps children feel enriched by the school day rather than frazzled, and is so effective at preventing or alleviating discipline problems, etc. They try to do almost the Same-Thing-Every-Day, Same-Time, like a ritual. It's taken very seriously, and dropping in late or early upsets the rhythm. Besides, there is a very distinct beginning, middle, end of the school day, beginning with the hug, ending with the hug, one child after another, individual acknowledgment in this rhythm. In the grades this hug is replaced by the handshake. It's very high on the teacher's list of priorities of the school day. I just can't vouch this is true for classes with younger children.

I wouldn't necessarily conclude that your child's bored because of the academics at home, only because some of my sons' classmates were in this situation, former Montessori or academic preschool/kindergartens yet they thrived at Waldorf.

And I hope the teacher was just worried about the bump, not that your child "misbehaved" scaling the fence. She's very very little yet and shouldn't be led to feel she committed a serious crime or misdemeanor for climbing!

very well-put!!

to add to the differences btw AP and Waldorf style discipline that Maggieinnh posted (quite well I think) I also wanted to add that with AP there is emphasis on talking things through with a child, explaining things, letting the child speak his/her mind, trying to work through things together, etc
With Waldorf I think it is more action-based and imitative and rhythm-based. So instead of trying to explain to a 2 yr old why he can't throw sand in someone's face, a Waldorf teacher would (I think) just gently redirect the 2 yr old to something else, or remove him/her from the sandbox if it was getting bad. There might be something said in a sing-song voice, "sand stays in the sandbox"....or something like that, I'm not a teacher but that's kind of how I discipline my 2 yr old. I don't explain to her or try to reason with her.

I think Waldorf avoids trying to talk through too many things with little ones whereas AP wants to set up a non-violent communication relationship. Honestly, I'm attracted to elements of both and mix and match in a way that suits us, but I do lean toward Waldorf style, especially with rhythm.
gotta go

[Deborah]

This afternoon I was chatting with my grandson about his nursery school. He was telling me about the toys. I asked if he could play with the dolls. "Of course!"

[Maggieinnh]

Originally Posted by Jimibell

to add to the differences btw AP and Waldorf style discipline that Maggieinnh posted (quite well I think) ...

Oh, thank you very much! :
It was a bit hard for me to actually learn what AP meant when moving to this country, as I have never heard of this before, so I am quite happy to have gotten the description somewhat right.