Monthly Archives: February 2012

Lesson Planning: A Sample Form

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In one post I shared my personal form for the rhythm of one of our days of the week, but I was recently thinking about a sample form or list that could help mothers plan their Grades One through Eight  homeschooling according to the eight pillars of artistic work of Waldorf Education that we have talked about in the past on this blog.  Academic subjects are taught through artistic work in Waldorf Education; this is an enlivening form of education for the child.

Please take this as a “I thought of this in quickly and you might be able to tweak it or use parts of  it or come up with something even better” kind of way, not as a definitive end product.  Smile

Anyway, this is what I was thinking: Continue reading →

Dealing With Conflict: Eight Facets Of A Healthy Family Culture

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How we deal with conflict in a family is so important as it really sets the tone for the energy and mood of the house. Is the tone of the home that things are important, but the moments are there for teaching and connection? Or is the tone of the home that things are important, but in a stressful way, and the energy and tone of the home is punishing and threatening?

I think how we deal with conflict comes down to two main things:  how we set boundaries and how we communicate. Continue reading →

Homespun Waldorf Winter Carnival

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Today I am kicking off a week of posts regarding the topic of “Pondering” over at the Homespun Waldorf Winter Carnival.  Here is the link so you can check out my post and the forum:  http://homespunwaldorf.com/wordpress/2012/02/ponder-a-vision-for-your-family/

 

I like the Homespun Waldorf forum; it is run by mothers who are veteran Waldorf homeschoolers.  I enjoy that this forum is not connected to any particular curriculum, so mothers write very honest reviews of books and curricula and how it worked for their family.  There are also great threads on homemaking, and how mothers combine Waldorf with other methods.

 

Come join us to brighten up your winter days!

Many blessings,
Carrie

Gratitude: Eight Facets Of A Healthy Family Culture

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“The cultivation of this universal gratitude toward the world is of paramount importance.  It does not always need to be in one’s consciousness, but may simply live in the background of the feeling life, so that, at the end of a strenuous day, one can experience gratitude, for example, when entering a beautiful meadow full of flowers……And if we only act properly in front of the children, a corresponding increase in gratitude will develop within them for all that comes to them from the people living around them, from the way they speak or smile, or the way such people treat them.”  Rudolf Steiner from “A Child’s Changing Consciousness as the basis of pedagogical practice” –

I have always loved this idea that the concept of gratitude is planted within the first seven years of life as this seed that later grows into how we love people and the world, and then how we have a duty toward people and the world  as an outgrowth of gratitude and love.  That, to me, is one of the true pathways and one of the ultimate goals of education and parenting inspired by Rudolf Steiner.

Gratitude is embedded in the way one looks at the world. It colors what words we choose to use with our spouses and partners, with our extended family, with our friends and with our children.  Some of my long-term readers may remember this post:  https://theparentingpassageway.com/2009/08/19/using-our-words-like-pearls/

It also colors our deeds and actions.  Continue reading →