Waldorf in the Hometag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2009://12009-03-01T05:00:37ZResources for Nourishing Family LifeMovable Type Pro 4.24-en"Sharing the Joy of Nature"tag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2009://1.2752009-03-01T04:51:58Z2009-03-01T05:00:37Z"Sharing the Joy of Nature" Keynote address by Joseph Cornell Joseph Cornell, author of the pioneering works Sharing Nature with Children and Listening to Nature, shares from 30 years of developing inspiring nature activities you can use to deepen your...Rahima
"Sharing the Joy of Nature"
Keynote address by Joseph Cornell
Joseph Cornell, author of the pioneering works Sharing Nature with Children and Listening to Nature, shares from 30 years of developing inspiring nature activities you can use to deepen your family's experience and relationship with nature. He also incudes stories and insights from the lives of great nature mystics, including John Muir, Henry David Thoreau, and others.
Video recording in DVD format: $20.00
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"Developing Healthy Sensory Integration"tag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2009://1.2742009-03-01T04:42:28Z2009-03-01T05:03:45Z"Developing Healthy Sensory Integration: Play in the Natural World" Workshop by Nancy Blanning Outdoor play in the natural world has supported sensory development for ages, and we need to reclaim this connection. Nancy takes participants on a playful walk and...Rahima
"Developing Healthy Sensory Integration:
Play in the Natural World"
Workshop by Nancy Blanning
Outdoor play in the natural world has supported sensory development for ages, and we need to reclaim this connection. Nancy takes participants on a playful walk and then explores the senses of touch, self-movement and balance, and ways to use the natural world as our playground for children's healthy development.
Video Recording in DVD format: $20.00
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Educating Our Children, Changing the Futuretag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2009://1.2732009-01-15T03:56:50Z2009-01-15T04:05:33Z"Educating Our Children--Changing the Future" will be the theme of the annual spring parenting conference April 25-26 at Sacramento Waldorf School, sponsored by Informed Family Life....Rahima
"Educating Our Children--Changing the Future" will be the theme of the annual spring parenting conference April 25-26 at Sacramento Waldorf School, sponsored by Informed Family Life.
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Shea Darian, author of the new book Living Passages for the Whole Family, as well as Seven Times the Sun and Sanctuaries of Childhood: Nurturing a Child's Spiritual Life. Shea will explore the transformative power of blessings in family and community life, and how meaningful rites of passage from birth to adulthood help us and our children to live joyfully in the present, heal and celebrate the past, and foster courage and hope for the future. Shea is the mother of two grown daughters who attended Waldorf schools.
Lisa Bennett, Communications Director at The Center for Ecoliteracy, will share the principles and exciting applications of their program "Smart by Nature: Schooling for Sustainability" as it is being taken up by school communities across the country and around the world. Lisa is a researcher and writer, and has spoken at the National Press Club and appeared on the BBC, C-SPAN, Hardball, and many other programs.
John Bloom is Director of Organizational Culture at Rudolf Steiner Foundation Social Finance. He will share from the work he has been developing with the Transforming Money Collaborative as well as other educational programs addressing the intersection of money and spirit in personal and social transformation. RSF Social Finance provides innovative investing, lending, and philanthropic services to promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
Focusing on the tremendous changes in adolescence, DeAnna L'am will address the question, "How would our world be different if adolescent children were witnessed, cherished, and celebrated as they transitioned into adulthood?" DeAnna is a Waldorf parent and the founder of Red Moon--Cycles of Women's Wisdomâ¢. She was the first to bring Rites of Passage work to mixed groups of Jewish and Palestinian women in Israel/Palestine, her country of origin. Her work helped participants bond as women beyond all political differences and artificial divides. DeAnna trains Red Tent facilitators, helps reclaim and renew Coming of Age traditions, and works internationally to inspire and equip adults to assume the task of Eldering our children. She is the author of Becoming Peers, Mentoring Girls into Womanhood.
You can join more than 250 like-minded parents for a weekend of inspiration and renewal by clicking on the conference link in the column at the right. It will take you to an information page with links to the complete 8-page brochure and secure online registration. Or you can call Informed Family Life at 303-546-0070 to request a brochure be mailed to you, or if you have any questions.
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Connecting Children and Naturetag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2009://1.2722009-01-15T03:39:14Z2009-03-01T04:39:01Z"Connecting Children and Nature" Workshop by Jill Dreves Explore your connection to the natural world and how it impacts your child's. Based on the work of Richard Louv (Last Child in the Woods) and the work of the Wild Bear...Rahima
"Connecting Children and Nature"
Workshop by Jill Dreves
Explore your connection to the natural world and how it impacts your child's. Based on the work of Richard Louv (Last Child in the Woods) and the work of the Wild Bear Center for Nature Discovery in Nederland, Colorado, Jill shares the current trends and research on the importance of connecting children with nature. Participants also make a biodome, a great project to do with your children.
Video Recording: DVD, $20
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Can We See with Fresh Eyes?tag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2009://1.2712009-01-15T03:33:21Z2009-01-15T03:37:20Z"Can We See with Fresh Eyes? Replacing Habits of Abstract Thought" Workshop by Craig Holdrege Do we encourage our children to enjoy the night sky, or do we explain how many light years away those stars are? To help our...Rahima
"Can We See with Fresh Eyes? Replacing Habits of Abstract Thought"
Workshop by Craig Holdrege
Do we encourage our children to enjoy the night sky, or do we explain how many light years away those stars are? To help our children have deep experiences of the world, we need to overcome our tendency to over-intellectualize--to explain and define. Can we learn to hold back, provide opportunities for quiet observation, and portray the world with open-ended concepts that can grow as children grow?
Audio Recording: CD, $12.50
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Inner Nature: The Four Elements and the Temperamentstag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2009://1.2702009-01-15T03:16:32Z2009-01-24T21:01:40Z"Inner Nature: The Four Elements and the Temperaments" Workshop by Cheryl Mulholland The four elements also appear within human nature as our temperament, with each person expressing an affinity towards earth, air, fire and water in how they think, feel...Rahima
"Inner Nature: The Four Elements and the Temperaments"
Workshop by Cheryl Mulholland
The four elements also appear within human nature as our temperament, with each person expressing an affinity towards earth, air, fire and water in how they think, feel and act in life. Understanding the temperaments can improve our relationships and parenting and help us guide our children with their strengths and weaknesses.
Audio Recording: CD, $12.50
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"Gardening as a Pathway to Understanding Nature"tag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2009://1.2692009-01-15T03:06:29Z2009-01-15T03:32:54Z"Gardening as a Pathway to Understanding Nature" Workshop by Chris Korrow An organic/biodynamic garden is a miniature ecosystem in which the gardener strives to mimic the workings of nature. Gardens vary greatly from location to location, and understanding your specific...Rahima
"Gardening as a Pathway to Understanding Nature"
Workshop by Chris Korrow
An organic/biodynamic garden is a miniature ecosystem in which the gardener strives to mimic the workings of nature. Gardens vary greatly from location to location, and understanding your specific plot will give you insight as to the best way to deal with its uniqueness. These simple concepts are also a great aid in teaching children about gardening, biodiversity, soil science, the environment and even climate change.
Audio recording: CD, $12.50
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"Nature from a Child's View"tag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2009://1.2682009-01-15T02:36:40Z2009-01-15T03:05:46Z"The Sky Starts at your Feet: Nature from a Child's View" Keynote Address by Sharon Lovejoy Nationally-known author Sharon Lovejoy (Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots, Sunflower Houses, and Trowel & Error) shares ways to enchant and enliven children's relationships with...Rahima
"The Sky Starts at your Feet: Nature from a Child's View"
Keynote Address by Sharon Lovejoy
Nationally-known author Sharon Lovejoy (Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots, Sunflower Houses, and Trowel & Error) shares ways to enchant and enliven children's relationships with nature through gardens and gardening. Sharon shares a collection of simple techniques for learning with children, not teaching at them as she shares her formula of the Five S's.
Audio: CD recording, $12.50
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Storytelling from the Hearttag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2008://1.2672008-11-12T23:01:03Z2009-01-15T03:03:48ZStorytelling from the Heart By Cynthia Wand I believe that one of the greatest contributors to dis-connection from our children today is technology. I feel it is has somewhat replaced one of our most cherished threads of bonding in families,...RahimaStorytelling from the Heart
By Cynthia Wand
I believe that one of the greatest contributors to dis-connection from our children today is technology. I feel it is has somewhat replaced one of our most cherished threads of bonding in families, the art of storytelling.]]>
Steven and Cynthia Wand have been Waldorf homeschoolers and are the authors of Living The Heart Life... Letting Go of the Hard Life. They offer transformational mentoring/coaching in the area of relationships and parenting. Visit http://www.livingtheheartlife.com to sign up for their free Love Notes Newsletter.]]>
Play, from the Alliance for Childhoodtag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2008://1.2662008-06-30T01:44:26Z2008-06-30T02:19:52ZJoan Almon, Chair of the US Alliance for Childhood shares the following about their important work in promoting play [Note that we have two talks on play available by Joan, The Rebirth of Play and Re-Creating Play.] Our last update...Rahima
The Rebirth of Play and Re-Creating Play.]
Our last update invited you to help us promote the new PBS documentary Where Do the Children Play? by organizing a local screening of the film. You responded with a flood of requests, and we have now sent out more than 250 copies of the film for screenings in the U.S. and abroad. The reports we are getting say that audiences are provoked, moved, and inspired to take action in their communities.]]>
Outdoors in New York City:
For many of today's children, play opportunities have turned into a world full of electronic games, plastic toys, and structured sports activities. They seem to have forgotten, or never had the chance to experience, the fun of building a fort using rocks and sticks or pretending to be an explorer while trekking through the woods. Get reacquainted with games such as hide-and-seek and scavenger hunts. All one really needs is a vivid imagination. Batteries not included.
This spring, our Recreation Division and the Urban Park Rangers will collaborate to bring you new and exciting play opportunities. Playworkers and Rangers will refocus how children look at nature--to see it as a world full of "loose parts."
Nancy Barthold is one of the movers and shakers with whom we are now working as part of the New York Coalition for Play. Our goal is nothing less than to transform the face of childhood in New York by making freely chosen play accessible to every child. And New York is not the only place where these things are happening. Similar coalitions are forming in cities and towns all over the country.
Play is suddenly very much in the news. But we won't be satisfied until we see it on every playground, in every neighborhood, in after-school programs and other out-of-school spaces, in fact everywhere that children gather. And we want every parent to appreciate the importance of play and to feel safe about their children going out to play.
That's why we're focusing on the professional development of playworkers in this country. Playworkers know how to create safe but adventuresome play spaces. They know how to keep an eye on children without intruding and "adulterating" their play. They know how to help when needed and wear a cloak of invisibility at other times. They protect children and reassure adults.
Outdoor play in nature and in parks and playgrounds is important. But so is indoor play, especially for young children. The Alliance is committed to restoring play to kindergarten classrooms and preserving it in preschool programs.
We know it will be a hard sell. Most public kindergartens are now full-day programs and most of their time is devoted to academic instruction. Kindergarten teachers are under pressure to get children ready for standardized tests. Many of them are being told by supervisors that they may not let their children play. Some are forced to follow scripts for hours each day. Many districts expect children to have basic reading skills when they enter kindergarten, so the focus in preschool is also shifting from exploratory learning and play to academic instruction.
All of this flies in the face of what we know about young children. They discover themselves and the world around them through self-initiated, creative play and hands-on exploration. Through such activity they develop oral language, an essential building block for reading. They develop social skills through the negotiation and planning that is part of play.
Children who engage regularly in active outdoor play tend to have healthy bodies and develop a love for nature. And play strengthens imagination and creativity, essential ingredients for the kind of open-ended thinking that the world needs.
In the fall we will issue a new report on early childhood education and launch a campaign to restore play and experiential learning in preschools and kindergartens. Stay tuned.
To continue this vital work we need your support. Our fiscal year ends on June 30 and we must raise $15,000 to end the year with a balanced budget. Your gifts both large and small are deeply appreciated. You can make your tax-deductible donation by mail or online at the Alliance's secure web site: www.allianceforchildhood.org.
For those who can give $100 or more we offer a special bonus: a copy of A Place for Play, a beautiful new volume of play articles and color photographs edited by Elizabeth Goodenough, published by the National Institute for Play and the University of Michigan Press.
To one and all we wish a healthy summer. Our prescription: Use it as a time to relax your body and deepen your thinking. Play accomplishes both.
With all best wishes,
Joan Almon
Chair, U.S. Alliance for Childhood
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Becoming Peers: Mentoring Girlstag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2008://1.2652008-06-29T21:21:08Z2009-01-15T02:33:52ZBecoming Peers: Mentoring Girls into Womanhood Book by DeAnna L'am This book provides practical guidelines for mentoring a girl into womanhood. It offers creative ceremonies and activities designed to honor a girl's transition and call her to new levels of...RahimaBecoming Peers: Mentoring Girls into Womanhood
Book by DeAnna L'am
This book provides practical guidelines for mentoring a girl into womanhood. It offers creative ceremonies and activities designed to honor a girl's transition and call her to new levels of maturity. At the same time, it presents the adult woman/mentor with powerful tools for enhancing her inner and outer life. The book is motivated by the belief that for a girl to enter womanhood in a meaningful way, it is essential that her mother and other special women in her life cultivate a new way of relating that will gradually help her to become their peer.
DeAnna will be a keynote speaker at our conference on "Educating Your Children--Changing the Future" April 25-26, 2009 in Fair Oaks, CA. She has been a frequent and popular workshop presenter at many conferences in the past. DeAnna has been teaching in the United States and internationally since 1980 in the fields of team building, conflict resolution, peacemaking, and women's spirituality. Since founding Red Moon Rites of Passage in 1994, she has been leading groups for girls and women throughout California and around the world.
Book, $14.95
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Waldorf and Learning to Readtag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2008://1.2642008-06-29T21:16:21Z2008-06-29T21:19:23ZWaldorf and Learning to Read by Barbara Dewey, Waldorf without Walls Reading is not required in Waldorf schools until the end of grade 3. The Waldorf curriculum is based on the developmental interests of children, rather than skill levels, and...Rahima
Waldorf and Learning to Read
by Barbara Dewey, Waldorf without Walls
Reading is not required in Waldorf schools until the end of grade 3. The Waldorf curriculum is based on the developmental interests of children, rather than skill levels, and does not require reading in the early grades. Material is presented by the teacher in dramatic, interesting ways and the children make use of the material in their play and hands-on dramatic and artistic activities.]]>
Reading for Waldorf Homeschoolers: This very practical publication explores the theory behind Waldorf reading philosophies and provides the stories and pictures that might be used to develop the alphabet. Also included are enjoyable word and sound games, verses, and tongue twisters. Many color illustrations. To order, http://www.waldorfwithoutwalls.com/books/reading/
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Marionette Making Retreattag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2008://1.2632008-06-23T19:31:40Z2008-06-23T19:37:25ZA marionette making retreat will be offered in Ashland, Oregon from August 4-8, 2008 with Analuisa Witt, a Waldorf kindergarten teacher who trained with Suzanne Down of Juniper Tree Puppets. The retreat includes an early morig nature walk, euryhtmy, the...Rahima
A marionette making retreat will be offered in Ashland, Oregon from August 4-8, 2008 with Analuisa Witt, a Waldorf kindergarten teacher who trained with Suzanne Down of Juniper Tree Puppets.
The retreat includes an early morig nature walk, euryhtmy, the theory of "Philosphy of the Gesture," marioneete making with seil and needle felting sulptin, and practice with the marionettes. For more information contact Analuisa at auroraskinder@hotmail.com or call 541-552-0231.
Homeschooling Group in Bouldertag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2008://1.2622008-05-14T14:24:51Z2008-05-14T14:30:00ZHomeschooling Program in Boulder with Sage Hamilton, Director Let us honor spirit that moves in all things and know ourselves better through creative expression and community....Rahima
Homeschooling Program in Boulder
with Sage Hamilton, Director
Let us honor spirit that moves in all things and
know ourselves better through
creative expression and community. ]]>
Morning Activities:
Nature Walk
Recitation
Movement
Rhythmic Activities
Recorder
Story-Art-Drawing-Painting
Creative Writing,
9+ Afternoon Activities
Bee Stewardship
Gardening
Harvesting
Medicine Making
Cooking
Crafting
Handwork
Expanded Program 2008 - 2009
Ages 6 - 8 Wednesdays and Fridays 9 - 3 pm
Ages 9 - 11 Mondays and Thursdays 9 - 3 pm
We now offer flexible scheduling options.
Sage Hamilton, Director
30 years experience - conventional, Waldorf and Alternative Education
303 938-8867 sagehamilton.com
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The Sick Childtag:waldorf2.intercast-media.com,2008://1.2612008-05-08T15:18:28Z2008-05-08T15:23:50ZA mother inquired: Hi, we have a Waldorf co-op and have been faced with some differing views regarding colds, sickness and when to bring and not bring your children. Do you have any waldorf guidelines for colds and sickness to...Rahima
A mother inquired:
Hi, we have a Waldorf co-op and have been faced with some differing views regarding colds, sickness and when to bring and not bring your children. Do you have any waldorf guidelines for colds and sickness to protect or children or philosophies around protecting them I could share with the group?
We have a few of us that feel it is very important to keep our children home to heal when they are sick, keep them bundled and conserve there energy. There are the others who feel like it's important to build the immune system by being sick and feel very comfortable bringing their sick kids to co-op. Any thoughts? We could really use some waldorf mama help! Blessings -JH
ps. Love the Homemaking 101 video you recommended!
Rahima responded:
Thank you for your question! Any time children come together in childcare (or co-ops) there will be increased colds/illness (spreading to the adults as well--bleh). When children are sick they need homecare that nurtures their etheric (life) forces and gives them the calm and support they need to muster their forces.
It sounds to me as if some people are misinterpreting an idea from "Waldorf" that it can be good for children to have the childhood illnesses (chickenpox, measles, etc), because they can strengthen the individual "I" forces as the child's body and spirit fight and overcome the disease. But with these illnesses it is even more importance that the parents be prepared to nurse the child at home (potentially for 8 weeks with whooping cough) and to provide professional help (homeopathics, Anthroposophical compounds, etc) if the child needs help in overcoming the onslaught.
Parents would do well to start practicing up on their homecare skills with minor illnesses, rather than making their children work twice as hard by continuing to take them out when they are sick. There is no advantage to exposing others to colds and flus--everyone has more than enough opportunity for this through daily life.
Our instincts are lacking about what supports the etheric when a child or adult is ill--we tend to go on with "business as usual." This can be a disastrous pattern if the child actually contracts measles, etc. Care during illnesses involves seeing with new eyes and being willing to interrupt our lives long enough to give space for healing. A rule of thumb used to be "an extra day in bed/at home for every day there was fever"--not take antibiotics and return to work or school after 24 hours because you're no longer contagious.
It's not easy to stay home with a sick child--the society and economics work against it. But please don't use "Waldorf" as a reason to bring your children to school/groups when they are ill!
Rahima