A mother with an 18-month-old asks about the need for preschool and about attending Waldorf training programs while her child is young. She asks:
"Is it healthier to homeschool a preschooler, using Waldorf principles, or is
there a greater benefit to being in a Waldorf preschool with other
children? And, if I were to homeschool my daughter during her preschool
years, would it be more beneficial to take a Foundations class or go to a
Lifeways seminar? And, is there a database of Foundation year programs in the
United States that I can search to locate one that fits my needs? Is there
a Foundation program that is taught in seminars (so that it would not be necessary to relocate for one year)?
I want the best for my daughter, and I don't want to leave out anything
crucial in these precious, first years. I have read You Are Your Child's
First Teacher, as well as many of its referenced texts. Thank you Rahima!
Your book has been an indispensable guide.
Rahima replies:
I don't think there is any need, per se, for a child to attend preschool if you are offering an intentional and rich life at home. However, some children really want the stimulation of being with other children-your daughter will guide you! Based on what you described, I would recommend the LifeWays program over a foundation year course. LifeWays is grounded in being home with young children--and it might inspire you to take in other children as a way of providing playmates for your daughter. It also provides a lot of training that would get you into an existing school as an assistant, if you decided to move.
I don't know of any foundation year programs that offer seminars that don't
require moving. The current list of teacher training programs is available
from www.awsna.org --some of them offer foundation programs that meet Friday nights and Saturdays, which might be doable; they also have teacher training programs that meet one month each summer for our years instead of full time, recognizing that "students" have families and/or jobs. But you're right
about both the training and raising children both requiring so much energy
--there's no point in sacrificing your child to learn what to do with someone else's!
I'd just continue studying through Donna Simmon's book on being at home with
3-6 year olds (see www.christopherushomeschool.org) and the
preschool-kindergarten curriculum from www.live-education.com. And look into the LifeWays training at www.lifeways-center.org. It is offered at three locations (California, Wisconsin and New England) and is designed so you would be away from home for only short periods.
