I just finished reading Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish. It's the story of her days growing up on a farm in Iowa where they made everything from scratch. According to her description, she not only survived but truly thrived in that atmosphere of industry and goodness.
In the book, I learned recipes like the one for carrot marmalade,how to make soap as well as antedotes to bee stings and much more. A lot of this folk wisdom, Kalish laments, is not being passed down to the next generation. She also noted that some of the character traits she acquired are not being actively taught anymore, since they are not required as much in our modern lives with all the conveniences.
Allow me to share Kalish's concluding paragraph:
"Now, how to conclude my story without making comments that will probably
seem sappy about the virtues of resourcefulness, dedication, hard work,
discipline, creativity, and goodwill? Isn't it perfectly obvious to all that those early childhood experiences, under those special conditions with those particular relatives on that Iowa farm, prepared me for the modestly successful, hugely satisfying, truly blessed life that has been my lot? I shall always be grateful."
I couldn't help but think about Waldorf Early Childhood Education when I was reading this book. It was "real" work that made Kalish feel important as a child. She was able to participate in making life happen on the farm. Children, depending on their age of course, were a part of day-to-day life, not sheltered, entertained or in any way separate from what was "real" and important. Yes, they were protected from foul language and premature information, but otherwise, they were included.
That's what we do in our Waldorf early childhood classrooms. Children help to prepare the snack, set the table, wash the dishes and clean the room. Adults in their presence are engaged in work that the children can imitate in their play. It's not becuase the adults could not do the work alone, but we engage the children so they can learn through active participation. It's satisfying, it builds self-esteem and serves their development.
As a matter of fact, when I feel out of sorts, few things set me right more than gardening, housecleaning or other chores. They are grounding to me, so I can imagine what they give young children while they are developing their physical bodies and their senses. By the way, Kalish did leave the farm and went on to be an English professor and lived in metropolitan areas. Those early childhood experiences, however, gave her the solid ground that supported her throughout her life. What ground are we giving our children to stand on?
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Children and Flowers
"Having children is like planting seeds from an unmarked packet. You vaguely believe you'll get daisies, but instead you get roses, morning glories, iris...all wonderful and beautiful, like you."
- anonymous
Being that its summer and we are working daily to open this early childhood center. flowers and children are a big focus of mine. How lucky am I, because I love them both! With my garden, I enjoy planting, weeding, and picking a bouquet of flowers to bring inside. When I pick a bouquet, I like to mix flowers with aromatic herbs like peppermint and even a few weeds.
Aren't weeds just plants we haven't found a use for yet? Or are they the right thing in the wrong place? Dandelions for instance are very useful and farmers grow them to sell the greens. Besides the edible leaves, the roots can be used to make a tincture that aids in liver functioning and digestion, but also the flowers can be made into crowns or necklaces. Finally, the puffball of seeds can be blown to scatter wishes and dreams and of course, ultimately, more dandelions.
I took a course in the dandelion last summer. We picked, observed and painted them. With a deepened appreciation for the plant, I named the day care program we were building, Dandelion Day Care. Then through the oourse of this year, we found a home and named it the Rose Garden. Now I wonder what kind of plants will bloom there. Whatever seeds come, I know we will observe them respectfully, care for them lovingly and be grateful for the contribution each one brings. We'll provide the rich nutrients, fresh air and warmth they need to grow strong.
I love tending then witnessing the growth and beauty.
- anonymous
Being that its summer and we are working daily to open this early childhood center. flowers and children are a big focus of mine. How lucky am I, because I love them both! With my garden, I enjoy planting, weeding, and picking a bouquet of flowers to bring inside. When I pick a bouquet, I like to mix flowers with aromatic herbs like peppermint and even a few weeds.
Aren't weeds just plants we haven't found a use for yet? Or are they the right thing in the wrong place? Dandelions for instance are very useful and farmers grow them to sell the greens. Besides the edible leaves, the roots can be used to make a tincture that aids in liver functioning and digestion, but also the flowers can be made into crowns or necklaces. Finally, the puffball of seeds can be blown to scatter wishes and dreams and of course, ultimately, more dandelions.
I took a course in the dandelion last summer. We picked, observed and painted them. With a deepened appreciation for the plant, I named the day care program we were building, Dandelion Day Care. Then through the oourse of this year, we found a home and named it the Rose Garden. Now I wonder what kind of plants will bloom there. Whatever seeds come, I know we will observe them respectfully, care for them lovingly and be grateful for the contribution each one brings. We'll provide the rich nutrients, fresh air and warmth they need to grow strong.
I love tending then witnessing the growth and beauty.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Closing Assembly
On Friday, I went to the closing assembly at Aurora Waldorf School. On that day, the last day of school, each class presented something from the year's curriculum on stage to a full auditorium. The event opened with children, teachers and parents singing a round led by the music teacher.
Then the presentations began. The following glimpse of what each class brought does not begin to describe the light in the children's eyes, the warmth of the teachers or the overall sense of community in the auditorium but here's the nutshell anyway:
1st grade recited several verses from memory.
2nd grade sang seasonal songs (including one they wrote the lyrics to).
3rd grade played their recorders and recited a poem about a house
(3rd grade curriculum focuses on house-building).
4th grade performed poetry with movement in a circle.
5th grade is the year of studying ancient Greece including participating in the Greek Olympics (along with other Waldorf schools)so they wore their togas (with their own painted designs)and recited odes they had written.
6th grade dressed in early Americana style and square danced to the fiddle music of a classmate and when the dance was over, they tossed their straw hats in the air (ah, the last day of school!).
7th grade spoke aphorisms and then jumped double dutch rope, in perfect synch, hopping in and out at just the right moment and providing many variations on the theme.
8th graders stood alone on stage and recited inspiration sayings from famous people they studied.
Then the first graders gave a rose to each of the eighth graders. The classes had built relationships throughout the year by having snack and recess together every Monday after starting the year with a similar rose ceremony, only in reverse. In the fall, the eighth graders each gave a rose to one of the new first graders and then it comes full circle at the end of the year, ultimately at the end of the eight year cycle. Why do I always forget to bring tissues to this event?
As you can imagine, it was a beautiful assembly and it brought to light what works about Waldorf education. On the other hand, when my husband and I were gardening Saturday afternoon at the Lafayette site, we saw a gathering in the yard behind us. We talked with the parents and found that they were meeting to form a team to fight the high stakes testing going on in their children's preschool classes in a popular public school. The parents understood that the tests are unreliable for children that young, that the time invested in test prep could be better spent and that they needed to do something about it to protect their children from what they described as nonsense. The children and parents were no different from those I was with at the assembly on Friday but the school's curriculums were very different.
These back to back experiences reminded me of why we are opening the Rose Garden Early Childhood Center in in Buffalo and what this educational model provides. It's an alternative that works. Children have only one childhood and it's a golden opportunity to learn what is true and of lasting value, accumulating rich resources and memories for a lifetime.
Then the presentations began. The following glimpse of what each class brought does not begin to describe the light in the children's eyes, the warmth of the teachers or the overall sense of community in the auditorium but here's the nutshell anyway:
1st grade recited several verses from memory.
2nd grade sang seasonal songs (including one they wrote the lyrics to).
3rd grade played their recorders and recited a poem about a house
(3rd grade curriculum focuses on house-building).
4th grade performed poetry with movement in a circle.
5th grade is the year of studying ancient Greece including participating in the Greek Olympics (along with other Waldorf schools)so they wore their togas (with their own painted designs)and recited odes they had written.
6th grade dressed in early Americana style and square danced to the fiddle music of a classmate and when the dance was over, they tossed their straw hats in the air (ah, the last day of school!).
7th grade spoke aphorisms and then jumped double dutch rope, in perfect synch, hopping in and out at just the right moment and providing many variations on the theme.
8th graders stood alone on stage and recited inspiration sayings from famous people they studied.
Then the first graders gave a rose to each of the eighth graders. The classes had built relationships throughout the year by having snack and recess together every Monday after starting the year with a similar rose ceremony, only in reverse. In the fall, the eighth graders each gave a rose to one of the new first graders and then it comes full circle at the end of the year, ultimately at the end of the eight year cycle. Why do I always forget to bring tissues to this event?
As you can imagine, it was a beautiful assembly and it brought to light what works about Waldorf education. On the other hand, when my husband and I were gardening Saturday afternoon at the Lafayette site, we saw a gathering in the yard behind us. We talked with the parents and found that they were meeting to form a team to fight the high stakes testing going on in their children's preschool classes in a popular public school. The parents understood that the tests are unreliable for children that young, that the time invested in test prep could be better spent and that they needed to do something about it to protect their children from what they described as nonsense. The children and parents were no different from those I was with at the assembly on Friday but the school's curriculums were very different.
These back to back experiences reminded me of why we are opening the Rose Garden Early Childhood Center in in Buffalo and what this educational model provides. It's an alternative that works. Children have only one childhood and it's a golden opportunity to learn what is true and of lasting value, accumulating rich resources and memories for a lifetime.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Nesting
Since school ended last Friday, I am focusing on what this summer will bring. Ironically, the summer before my son goes to college and we officially have an "empty nest", I will be nesting. In order to prepare the space for the Rose Garden Early Childhood Center at 257 Lafayette where we will run our programs in the fall, I will be doing what one does who is expecting a child (or many). In this case, preparing the space involves painting, moving in the materials that have been gathered over the years, sending out announcements and getting approval from the Office of Child and Family Services, etc. My Early Childhood colleagues from Aurora Waldorf School are even having a shower for me so we can gather more things for the center and celebrate its coming.
We spent time in the playground on Saturday, digging up dirt, planting where we could plant and envisioning how it will be for the children. Fortunately, the front is being excavated and there is plenty of dirt (some of it rich and organic matter) that we can use to build up our flower beds. I am learning a lot about plants since a parent from Aurora Waldorf School and Master gardener, Linda Maywalt was with us on Saturday. She created a sweet garden with a log in the middle of it and I can imagine the children leaning against the log and leaving little offerings of flowers and stones there. All the children's play areas will be surrounded by lovely gardens and we plan to create a berm up to the fence in the back so the children can roll or sled down it depending on the season.
Another part of nesting I think is preparing our soul forces to meet the coming child/children. I remember when I taught a Nursery school class and I stitched dolls for the children's birthday gifts. Some of the dolls would come together easily and others I struggled with. One doll I had to take apart and start all over again. I thought that making that doll was preparing me to meet a certain child and I was practicing patience and perseverance to strengthen those qualities in me so I could serve that child's needs.
Gathering materials, preparing the space (indoors and out), as well as preparing our souls are some of the ways we "nest". I imagine how beautiful the space will be and how wonderful it will be to greet the children there. It seems that while my home nest is emptying, it is the ideal time to be "nesting" an early childhood center. As my 84 year old mother tells me, there will be plenty of time to rest - later.
We spent time in the playground on Saturday, digging up dirt, planting where we could plant and envisioning how it will be for the children. Fortunately, the front is being excavated and there is plenty of dirt (some of it rich and organic matter) that we can use to build up our flower beds. I am learning a lot about plants since a parent from Aurora Waldorf School and Master gardener, Linda Maywalt was with us on Saturday. She created a sweet garden with a log in the middle of it and I can imagine the children leaning against the log and leaving little offerings of flowers and stones there. All the children's play areas will be surrounded by lovely gardens and we plan to create a berm up to the fence in the back so the children can roll or sled down it depending on the season.
Another part of nesting I think is preparing our soul forces to meet the coming child/children. I remember when I taught a Nursery school class and I stitched dolls for the children's birthday gifts. Some of the dolls would come together easily and others I struggled with. One doll I had to take apart and start all over again. I thought that making that doll was preparing me to meet a certain child and I was practicing patience and perseverance to strengthen those qualities in me so I could serve that child's needs.
Gathering materials, preparing the space (indoors and out), as well as preparing our souls are some of the ways we "nest". I imagine how beautiful the space will be and how wonderful it will be to greet the children there. It seems that while my home nest is emptying, it is the ideal time to be "nesting" an early childhood center. As my 84 year old mother tells me, there will be plenty of time to rest - later.
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