Page1€¦ · Web viewThe purpose of education is summarised as follows: to. foster healthy development in each individual child. to. enable children to realise their potential

Michael House School School Curriculum Policy

Michael House School

School Curriculum Policy

Presented to Date Signature

Collegiate (Facilitator)

Trustees (chair)Next Review date April 2019

Statement of Policy Michael House School is a Rudolf Steiner School and as such seeks

to set general guidelines for its curriculum, taking its starting point from Rudolf Steiner’s

indications for the Waldorf School movement as a whole.

National associations such as the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship - which is the British professional support and standards organisation for the Rudolf Steiner educational organisations in Britain - recognise that excellence in education is achieved by creativity of the teacher responding to the needs of a particular group of children at a particular time in their development, rather than out of a tightly prescribed system. There is however a comprehensive manual of curriculum guidelines published by the Fellowship and readily available — see paragraph 5.

The greater freedoms given to a teacher in this type of education calls for a teacher to be an artist as well as a professional educator. As such, he/she will need to have developed a familiarity and facility with Waldorf Education, which only a suitable training in this education can provide, and which, for many, needs a minimum period of one year’s probation, with support and guidance to become proficient in this educational artistry.

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1 Balance

1.1. The purpose of education is summarised as follows:

1.1.1. to foster healthy development in each individual child.

1.1.2. to enable children to realise their potential.

1.1.3. to help children to develop the skills they need to contribute to society.

1.2 Part of the construction of the curriculum for any particular class will entail a balance between the activity of three realms of the human being:

1.2.1 The head/sense organisation – “thinking”

1.2.2 The heart/artistic realm and the imagination – “feeling”

1.2.3 The limb/will activity involved in crafts, movement and other outdoor

Activities – “willing”

1.3 Ideally the whole timetable will show a certain rhythmic balance, i.e. not too many activities of one single realm on the same day. ln practice, the logistics of teacher availability may on occasion force such an imbalance simply so that classes get the subjects they need.

1.4 Individual lessons also need to be planned with a view to this balance, as this will lead to more effective teaching.

2 The Role of the Class Teacher

2.1 Lower school children look to a ‘cIass teacher’ for particular guidance in their education, and often work better for this teacher, with whom they have developed a special relationship, established by their class-teacher through a great investment of work by this teacher on each individual child in the class. This special relationship of the cIass teacher is also a formal one as, ideally, the class teacher retains this role for the full eight years of the lower school. The form is given by the daily contact of the class teacher with his class for main lesson, usually tlmetabled at the start of the school day, and lasting for up to two hours.

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2.2 The content of main lessons is selected on the grounds that it is deemed by a broad consensus of Steiner Waldorf teachers to be the material which engages children most keenly at particular stages in their development.

2.3 Another aspect of the formal role of the Class Teacher is to manage the curriculum of the class, again with the needs of the class in mind, taking into account such factors as the seasons and festivals of the year.

3 A Typical Main Lesson Curriculum

3.1 Each lesson contains a range of the following activities:

First part: morning verse, recitation of poetry, singing, musical instrumental work, mental arithmetic and recall of previous material.

Second part: presentation of new material and discussion.

Third part: individual working, narrative, practice of basic skills.

3.2 The Christian festivals supply some narrative content and cultural setting for work. Care must be taken not to give a one-sided world view.

3.3 Class 1

3.3.1 Straight line and curve work pave the way for alphabet writing and writing of numerals.

3.3.2 Periods of numeracy and literacy work alternate during the first two school years.

3.3.3 Roman numerals may precede Arabic. Counting is not taken for granted, but practised as a conscious will activity. Functions of arithmetic are introduced together, but practiced separately--see numeracy policy for details. Number bonds and times-table work are practised in whoIe-chiId, rhythmic will-activities.

3.3.4 Learning the alphabet is through pictograms, for which narrative is used to engage the pupils. The fairy-taIe mood is generally used for the narrative, although nature stories with anthropomorphism may also be composed, or used. Reading is generally a whole-class activity, though some individual pupils will progress to solo reading within the year.

3.3.5 It is also a prime objective that pupils acquire the good habits of classroom life and work, including reverence for nature, care for the environment, respect for others, interest in the world and a feeling of confidence in their teachers. Much will depend on the

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example and person of the Class teacher for this, as seven-year olds still remain to an extent in the period of imitative learning, but the place of story-teIling in these lessons gives manifold opportunities for moral education and social conflict resolution.

3.4 Class 2

3.4.1 In the alternating literacy and numeracy blocks, children can be expected to produce a considerably greater amount of practice work than previously.

3.4.2 Narrative content comprises legends, particularly of saints in contrast with periods of fables, animal stories and nature stories. In addition, some British and East European folk tales are often used.

3.5 Class 3

3.5.1 From the fairy-tale and legendary mood of the content of the first two years, the narrative now becomes a little more down to earth. Creation myths lead onto Old Testament stories. Themes of farming and house-buiIding lead to practical activities. Maths leads into practical measurement and imperial units.

3.5.2 If cursive script has not been introduced in Class two, for example because of a combination of the class with a younger group, then Class Three is more than ready for this.

3.6 Class 4

3.6.1 Maths moves onto metric measurement, (although this may already be included in class three’s maths), and fractions.

3.6.2 Letter writing is taught, as an encouragement to greater independence in writing.

3.6.3 The narrative mood encompasses ancient mythologies, such as tales of Norse and Greek gods. Local studies include both geography and history of the area. This will entail most likely looking at the industrial history of Heanor and Ilkeston. An introduction to maps is made with ordnance survey ones.

3.6.4 In zoology, man and animal are looked at in general terms, focussing on the correspondences between human wholeness and non-specialisation, and the diversity of animal specialisations.

3.7 Class 5

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3.7.1 Maths includes an introduction to geometry, long division methods (if not already introduced, in which case practice is needed with natural numbers.) If not introduced, then decimal fractions need a thorough an investigation.

3.7.2 ln English, letter writing, possibly to a pen-friend, is continued, but also, correct English usage in business letters

3.7.3 Narrative content is provided by the journey through mythologies of ancient civilizations such as Ancient Indian, Old Persian, Egyptian, Babylonian, and Homeric Greek up to the historical Greek classical period. This will occupy two to three main lesson blocks. The geography of Britain, possibly including the British Isles. Ideally a further Man and Animal block can deepen the previous year’s work, if there is time, but another life sciences period will be taken up by botany

3.8 Class 6

3.8.1 Maths introduces statistics and percentages, and geometrical construction, with instruments work with angles of triangle, etc..

3.8.2 ln English, direct and indirect speech is worked with, as well as a deeper examination of sentence structure.

3.8.3 Main lesson blocks should include geology, physics, European geography, Roman History through to the Dark Ages — it is left up to the class teacher how much is deferred to class 7.

3.8.4 Physics should include acoustics, heat, light, static electricity and magnetism.

3.9 Class 7

3.9.1 Maths introduces negative numbers, algebra, indices, compound interest, and the value of pi and calculations of circular shapes.

3.9.2 In English, simile, metaphor and comparable literary devices are practised, summarising spoken presentations, writing in different styles, e.g. account of a scientific experiment, adventure story, descriptive writing to convey vivid pictures. A main lesson block can work on the moods of wish, wonder and surprise.

3.9.3 Physics can supplement all areas worked on in class 6, by calibrated accurate measurement with scientific instruments, e.g. thermometers. Mechanics should be introduced in class 7 or 8.

3.9.4 Chemistry proper is begun with work on combustion and metals. Salts are examined, for example the Lime Cycle may be observed in the operation of a lime kiln.

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3.9.5 The life sciences comprise a health and hygiene main lesson, which includes sex education.

3.9.6 World geography is complemented by blocks of main lessons on the Age of Discovery (history), and on Astronomy.

3.10 Class 8

3.10.1 Maths includes calculation of volumes of solids, equations, construction of five regular Platonic solids.

3.10.2 English includes work on drama, probably the preparation and performance of a play. Also the art of debate is practised. A short talk on a chosen subject is presented.

3.10.3 History lessons include the Age of Revolution, from Cromwell to Stalin. Life Sciences examine the human skeleton, and possibly the structure of the human eye and/or ear.

3.10.4 Physics lessons can encompass meteorology and processes and laws of electricity.

3.10.5 The chemistry of food is studied, though as with maths, these main lesson blocks are supplemented by subject lessons in which the relevant matter may be covered.

3.10.6 ln a main lesson on world geography, areas not covered during the previous year should be studied. Geographical comparative studies may contrast North and South America, or Africa with Europe.

3.10.7 There is a great deal worthy of coverage in classes seven and eight, and in both the sciences and the humanities, teachers will vary in what they are able to encompass in class seven, and have to defer to class eight.

4 Subject Lesson Curriculum

4.1 Subject lessons are sometimes taught by the class teacher, particularly for the younger classes. As the children progress up the school, subjects tend more and more to require the expertise of a dedicated subject teacher.

4.2 Subjects taught throughout the school include eurythmy, singing, art, German, handwork and ‘free’ religion lessons — (free, as opposed to denominational). Form-drawing (dynamic line drawing) is taught from class one through to class 5. Woodwork is taught from class 6 to class 10, as is gardening. Movement lessons (with imaginative games) are given in classes one and two, to be superseded by gym/games lessons from classes three through ten. Bothmer gymnastics or spatial dynamics are taught from class five to class ten. ln classes one to three, nature walks usually take place once a week.

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4.3 ln classes one to eight a small number of ‘cIass’ lessons are given weekly which are usually taught by the class teacher in classes one to three, but further on up the school may be taken by other teachers. A class teacher may use these lessons as ‘extra main lessons' to supplement the main lesson work, or for a practical activity such as baking, or to practise literacy and numeracy skills. Subject teachers may also use these for a craft activity, or where needful, for literacy skills teaching. In class 6 one lesson is used to supplement the classical history main lesson through the teaching of Greek and Latin.

4.4 From class four onwards, a number of lessons each week are dedicated to supplementing English and maths already taught in the main lessons, from class six, 2 to 3 of each. Similarly, from class eight a double-science lesson is given in addition to the main-lesson sciences.

5 Upper School Curriculum

5.1 ln the Upper School a curriculum in preparation for G.C.S.E. examinations is taught alongside the Waldorf curriculum.

5.2 Whilst the day structure continues the pattern from the lower school of main lessons, followed by subject lessons, the main lessons are no longer given by a Class Teacher, but by teachers specialising in each subject, very much as are subject lessons from around class 7.

5.3 Main lessons generally continue to cover aspects of the Waldorf Curriculum more connected with the young person‘s developmental needs, rather than specific examination content--though there is some overlap, particularly in science and maths.

5.4 In Class 9, there are main lessons in maths, with equations leading to studies in permutations and computations, and geometrical constructions of sections of solids, with dynamic exercises developing ellipse, parabola and hyperbola. A block is given on scientific maths to support the science lessons.

5.5 In biology, the human biology begun in class 8 is developed and led on to a study of the senses. There are also blocks on organic and bio-chemistry. Physics main lessons include Telecoms and Heat Engines.

5.6 Geography is looked at from a geomorphological point of view. Aspects of political geography are introduced in a Modern History main lesson, which examines the heightened tension between human rights development and exploitation in the light of ideals and technology. This is later complemented with a History of Art main lesson.

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5.7 English main lessons are given in Tragedy and Comedy, and the History of Drama.

5.8 Class 10 maths main lessons are in trigonometry and forces, and projective geometry.

5.9 History of Art is continued for a block, and English poetry is covered for one main lesson block. Physics covers light and astronomy, chemistry comprises acids, salts and bases, and biology includes genetics and evolution.

5.10 Visits to theatrical events form an important complement to the drama courses in classes 8, 9 and 10.

5.11 ln class 10, a number of subjects are examined at G.C.S.E. level, so the year’s timetable includes a short period for mock examinations, and the prescribed period for actual examinations. There are also blocks allowed for course-work and revision.

5.12 Subjects examined are maths, English language and literature, either a double science award, or in rarer cases, 2 to 3 single sciences; German and art., Drama and Music have also been offered, though it is optional.

5.13 Where applicable, certain optional courses may be examined early, for example in Class 9.

5.14a The school currently offers courses under the Aims Award Scheme, for example in crafts, with its respective award systems.

5.14b The school is also piloting the European Waldorf Diploma in collaboration with a range of other Waldorf schools.

5.14c The school is currently in the process of setting up the European Portfolio certificate for students in classes 9 and 10.

5.15 There is also a healthy balance of subjects which are not examined, but provide a creative impulse, healthy dynamic movement, or pointers towards world-citizenship. These include religion, handwork, woodwork, singing, gym and games, bothmer (spatial dynamics), eurythmy and gardening. Art is taken, irrespective of whether a pupil enters for the exam or not. Careers advice is currently given in a lesson, as class-sizes are small enough.

5.16 Where interest is shown, a small program of activities is organised for the period following the final exams in class 10, such as visits to industries or cultural centres. Whilst these are voluntary, they do depend, for viability, on pupils' committing in advance to attend.

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6 Kindergarten

Kindergarten has an extensive curriculum and philosophy as outlined :

CONTENTS

6.1 Introduction

6.2 THE KINDERGARTEN DAY

(a) Arriving time and play/activity time(b) Ring time(c) Snack time(d) Outdoor time(e) Story time

6.3 THE KINDERGARTEN ENVIRONMENT

(a) The indoor space(b) Materials and toys(c) The outdoor space

6.4 KEY PEDAGOGICAL PRIORITIES

(a) Speech(b) Mathematical concepts(c) Dexterity and physical co-ordination(d) Social skills(e) Respect for the natural environment

6.5 KEY PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES

(a) The whole child(b) Play is a young child’s work(c) ‘Doing’ is learning(d) Rhythm and repetition are crucial(e) The role of ‘mood’

6.6 THE TEACHER

(a) The teaching method(b) Lesson planning, monitoring and observation/assessment(c) OFSTED(d) EYFS & ELG’s

6.1 INTRODUCTION

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The Steiner curriculum is founded on the work of the Austrian philosopher and educator Rudolf Steiner who wished to create a form of education which would help pupils achieve clarity of thought, sensitivity of feeling and strength of will. After listening to his lectures, the workers at the WaIdor-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart asked him to form a school for their children and in 1919 the first Waldorf school was founded. Today, from the favelas in Sao Paulo to the villages of Nepal, there are some 800 schools and 1700 Early Years centres in over 60 countries serving children from birth to eighteen years of age. The kindergartens began in 1926, and spread first amongst the European countries, then into the UK and USA, before spreading throughout the world.

The Steiner approach to the care of young children encompasses birth to seven years and includes parenting, home childcare and pregnancy. ln addition to providing kindergartens (3-6+), Steiner EY settings usually include sessions for parent and child groups (birth - 3), playgroups, nursery groups (2.5-4 yrs), where an understanding of this approach is developed before the child starts kindergarten.

6.2 THE KINDERGARTEN DAY

Children enter the kindergarten between the ages of three and six. Some settings prefer to have separate groups for children up to the age of 4 to enable the youngest children to settle in a smaller group. Each kindergarten group usually has about 16 children although sizes vary with a ratio of one adult to 8 children (in line with the statutory welfare requirements). Each group comprises mixed ages to create a large family structure where older children can become aware of the needs of those younger, and the younger imitate the older child. Older children who are familiar with the rhythm of the kindergarten are encouraged to help the younger children and to ease their integration into the group. The number of sessions a child attends varies according to age. Each session lasts for approximately four+ hours. Where the Kindergarten includes afternoons, lunch (often brought from home) is eaten together around the table, followed by a rest and then further periods of play.

The day is structured so that there is a varied pace, with periods of contraction and expansion to provide a balance between times of activity and times of rest. In practice, this might mean that creative play would be followed by a more concentrated ring-time (music and movement), or energetic outdoor activity by quiet story, that is, child-initiated activity is alternated with teacher-led activity. The latter is a comparatively short period at this age. The kindergarten day follows a consistent and predictable pattern and the children do the same things at the same times, carried through imitation of others. Within this rhythm the children feel held and safe and rarely express a wish to be excused from an activity or event.

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The structure of the kindergarten day follows a broadly similar pattern in all settings as follows:

(a) Arriving time and play/activity time

As the children begin to arrive, they hang up their coats and change into indoor shoes and say good-bye to the parent/carer before the kindergarten teacher welcomes each child. The day begins with a period of free play (see below), perhaps getting the dolls up and dressed, building with small logs or driving a bus made from upturned chairs. During this free-play time, the teacher and assistants are usually engaged in some task, such as preparing the dough if it is baking day. Each day of the week is identified by a particular ‘doing’ activity such as baking, gardening, painting, a seasonal handicraft, modeling, cleaning or woodwork. They might make things for particular festivals, such as window decorations, lanterns and mobiles, sew or braid, and either for the kindergarten room or to take home. The children are welcome, but not required to ‘heIp’ with the activity and they are expected to engage in the activity only for as long as their interest lasts. ln all these activities the children learn by example, finding their way in to the experiences at their own pace. Some of the children may prefer to be around the adults, as children traditionally have been, watching or helping, while adults work. These informal moments are vital, not least in a world in which parents are often so busy. In this way the children learn to explore and be creative whilst acquiring a love of work. This manifests itself in an increasing mood of self-reliance and calm industriousness when the children are engaged.

The teacher and assistants initiate the next phase by beginning to clear the things away and the children join in helping each tool or object to find its place on shelf or in basket - sorting, matching, folding and stacking. Tidying up is an important task and it is done in such a way that it does not occur to the children that this is something that spoils their fun or is a tedious chore. lt is done out of imitation of the adults and more experienced children, and soon becomes part of the rhythm of the kindergarten day.

(b) Ring time

Once things have been put back in their places after the ‘doing’ activity and play, the children gather for ring-time. The activities in ring time help focus the children's attention, develop their linguistic skills and help strengthen their motor skills. Ring-time is when the children come together in a circle and sing traditional songs; play games and rhythmical verses are spoken and acted out. Listening and clear articulation is practiced through this kind of rhythmical recitation which is repeated for a week or more. Children leave kindergarten with a rich and varied repertoire of songs, stories and poems, including verses in French, German or other languages, which they have learned during

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ring time. Sometimes the eurythmist (movement teacher) or foreign language teacher may visit and contribute to the ring-time activities. Ring time is sometimes referred to as ‘circle time’.

(c) Snack time

Next, the children go to the toilet and wash their hands in preparation for snack time. Some of the older ones help lay and set the table with mats, cutlery and a vase of flowers. Bread and fruit, or a variety of healthy organic snacks such as muesli, fruit salad, rice pudding or soup are placed on the table and everyone gathers to say a blessing on the meal and they may also sing some seasonal songs before eating. Meal times offer an opportunity for moral, social and mathematical development to work together as children engage in sharing out of food, partaking in conversation and listening to the comments of others about various bits of ‘news’. Some of the children help clear up while others get ready to go outside.

(d) Outdoor timeOur kindergarten has a safe outdoor play space with a sandpit, trees, bushes for dens/hiding areas and smaIl-scale paths. The outdoor space also includes an organic vegetable garden where the children can work alongside the adults in caring for the garden or vegetables or playing together. The produce is used for the snack. Recycling and composting is part of the ethos. All children help to tidy the garden before coming in to hang up coats and scarves and put on indoor shoes. The development of physical co-ordination through movement, balance etc is fundamental at this age. Climbing trees, balancing on poles, skipping with large and small ropes, or doing hard physical digging all provide an excellent opportunity for children to develop these capacities and to find their own boundaries. Further, play out of doors has a different quality/mood from the indoor play and allows for a different social dynamic to emerge. lt also provides an opportunity for children to begin to appreciate their environment.

Some kindergartens are particularly committed to the importance of the outdoors and so have prioritised the establishment of extensive rhythm of activities. Sometimes the whole morning is spent outside.

(e) Story time

The morning concludes with story time. Story time is always a very special event. The mood is hushed and the expectation is that children will listen and respect, that this is a quiet time. The children are told (never read) many wonderful stories that belong to the literary heritage of the culture of childhood, sometimes supported by a puppet show by the teacher. Fairy tales and nature stories address the feeling realm and awaken a moral sense. A well-told story creates an appreciation for the human voice and the beauty and rhythms of language. lt also helps to extend vocabulary and to aid the development of a good

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memory. Children love to hear the same story many times and delight in the repetition which brings the opportunity for children to familiarise themselves with the material and to deepen their relationship to it. By the time the story ends, parents/carers are waiting outside to collect the children.

6.3 THE KINDERGARTEN ENVIRONMENT

(a) The indoor space

The Steiner early childhood curriculum is based on an understanding that all the senses of the young child are very impressionable and that everything that surrounds a child has a direct although sometimes extremely subtle impact on the child. Very careful consideration is therefore given to the detail of the quality of all aspects of the kindergarten environment to ensure that it is gentle to the eye, ear and all the senses. The physical space is designed to be home-like and as free from exterior distraction as possible. The scale of the space should not overwhelm a small child and so where possible the ceiling is low, there are no ‘hard’ corners and it is decorated in soft tones of pink to create a gentle, secure feeling. Each child has his/her own coat peg with their name above it and somewhere to leave a change of shoes. There is a nature table, which follows a seasonal theme, and the decorations are also seasonal and are always displayed with moderation, using soft material and pastel colours. There is a quiet corner, a home corner, an area for floor play and building large constructions, an area for the activity or snack tables and chairs. The kitchen area is partitioned but usually within the room.

(b) Materials and toys

The furniture is made of wood and is intended for multi use by the children. Toys are made of natural materials and are deliberately crafted to be relatively undefined to allow maximum scope for imaginative use as props in children’s play. They include wooden blocks and logs, natural plain cloth, shells, and hand-made dolls. Equipment includes grain mills, juice presses, woodwork tools, spinning wheels and other simple manual tools, watercolours, broad brushes, beeswax crayons, sheep’s fleece, sewing materials and specially designed picture books. There are also a variety of materials in soft colours for dressing up or using to cover the wooden screens, which can make houses, boats or castles. ln the home corner there are small cradles, prams, table and chairs, kitchen equipment and more. There are often instruments for musical activities, and sometimes a quiet/book corner with a few carefully chosen picture books, which are changed regularly.

(c) The outdoor space

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Every kindergarten will have a protected and safe outdoor area for play and work where the children are allowed to climb trees, hide in bushes or play in the sand or mud pit. The outdoor equipment is simple, with a choice of skipping ropes, digging or raking equipment, and logs and branches for building dens. Children are also taken to the local park, playground or wherever they can experience nature. Where possible, children are introduced to gardening/composting in the kindergarten garden where there is an opportunity to become familiar with the process of growing from planting to harvesting.

6.4 KEY PEDAGOGICAL PRIORITIES

The Steiner early childhood approach recognises that experimentation with 'writing' and numbers is part of a young chiId’s normal development. For example, a child will naturally 'write' signs for their games or use conkers and shells as 'money'. However, formal learning is not introduced until the child starts school at rising 7. We firmly believe that young children are not physically, emotionally and intellectually ready for formal learning at the kindergarten stage and that young children benefit from an unhurried and stress free environment, where there is time to discover the world around him/her and to master physical co-ordination, speech and other life skills before abstract learning is introduced. The focus in a Steiner kindergarten therefore is on developing these skills in preparation for formal schooling when the pupils is rising 7.

(a) Literacy

The Minister Beverley Hughes says; ‘Practitioners in a Steiner setting will be expected to show they are developing foundation skills for literacy, numeracy and other academic skills at a pace and in a manner that is in keeping with their judgment about the individual needs of their children'. (18.3.08) In a Steiner kindergarten the priority is to develop the following skills:

(b) Speech

The evidence of the importance that Steiner EY curriculum attaches to the spoken word is in the way the day is structured. Good communication and oral numeric skills develop out of playing and working together in an informal and practical atmosphere. Every day the children take part in activities such as counting games, rhythmic activities, poetry, rhymes and singing, including material in foreign languages. The oral tradition is integrated into most parts of the kindergarten day to encourage listening and speech development. They listen to stories told by the teacher, which include a rich vocabulary. Children experience the musicality of language and its social aspects through playing ring games and eurythmy, a form of movement, which works with language and music. Children are encouraged to speak freely and learn to listen to others. Use of

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language enables cognitive development and well-chosen words and good syntax support clear thinking. The development of a good memory and recall are reliant on the spoken word, rather than the printed word or computers, and speech develops concentration and empathy, which are essential for formal learning.

(c) Mathematical concepts

The kindergarten experience integrates mathematical concepts and the use of mathematical language on the grounds that grasping mathematical concepts such as weight, measure and shape is most meaningful when it relates to everyday activities and routines. For example, the preparation of food provides an opportunity to weigh, measure, count and recognise numbers on scales, and setting the table is another area where maths is used in a practical way. Through movement games, children recognise and recreate patterns - in, out, alternate, in front of, behind. Natural objects such as acorns, pinecones, conkers and shells are sorted, ordered and counted, as part of spontaneous play or tidy. This approach to the introduction of mathematics embeds the concepts in a social and moral context.

(d) Dexterity and physical co-ordination

Formal learning relies on dexterity and physical co-ordination. In Steiner kindergartens children have the opportunity to develop both gross and fine motor skills throughout the range of directed and chiId-initiated activities, such as laying the table, finger games and eurythmy. These activities develop hand to eye co-ordination, manual dexterity and orientation. For example, doing some simple sewing or weaving is a useful preparation for reading print from left to right, and a lot of skill is needed in woodwork.

(e) Social skills

The development of social skills and awareness of others are also precursors to formal learning and prepares children for the level of behaviour that is required once children are in the classroom situation. ln a Steiner kindergarten children are encouraged to share, to work together, to care for each other and to respect the needs of others. The behaviour of children is molded by what surrounds them. Kindness is practised by teachers and encouraged in the children and they learn to trust the adults around them. Many items are made as gifts for family members. Traditional fairy tales and nature stories address the feeling realm and gradually awaken a fine moral sense for knowing right from wrong.

(f) Respect for the natural environment

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ln our kindergarten, children are encouraged to appreciate the natural world in order to help them to value its gifts and to understand its processes and the patterns of the seasons. The beauty of nature, plants, insects and animals is brought to the children with awe and wonder. Domestic tasks provide opportunities for elementary experiences of science and the four elements. When children make toys from sheep's wool, wood, felt, cotton and other natural materials they learn about its origin. Local crafts people are often invited to visit kindergarten; short local walks provide an opportunity for the children to appreciate some of nature’s wonders. Children are encouraged to look after the kindergarten equipment, sanding and oiling wooden furniture and toys, mending things that break, washing cloths and other simple tasks which children and adults can do together.

6.5 KEY PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES

The education is based on the notion that everything which surrounds the child, both visible and invisible, has an impact on the child. The education takes account of the whole child, including his/her soul qualities and believes that children’s learning flourishes in a calm, peaceful, predictable, familiar and unhurried environment which recognises the chiId’s sensory sensitivities.

(a) The whole child

The Steiner curriculum takes as given the interconnectedness of physical, emotional, social, spiritual and cognitive development. Young children need to experience the relevance of their world before they separate themselves from it and begin to analyse it in a detached way. Learning gains meaning by its relevance to life and should not be separated from the business of daily living. The learning experience of children under seven therefore is integrated and not subject based. Mathematics and use of mathematical language, for example, might take place at the cooking table, where food is prepared (thinly sliced carrots make wonderful natural circles and have the added virtue of being able to be eaten later in soup!) and concepts such as addition and subtraction (or more or less), weight, measure, quantity and shape are grasped in a practical manner as part of daily life. Children are able to tell stories by 'reading' the pictures in a book, which develops verbal skills and frees the narrative from the printed text and encourages children to use their own words. Many children also act out or perform puppet shows and develop dramatic skills through working with narrative and dialogue. The conversations around the meal table, give the children the opportunity to become familiar with listening and speaking, rhyming and riddles. Painting and drawing help with balance and symmetry. The integration of these activities

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cultivates a love of language, develops speech and allows children time to become really familiar with the spoken word - the best preparation and foundation for the subsequent development of literacy.

(b) Play is a young child’s work

Young children find their own learning situations in play. Studies demonstrate that good players show more empathy towards others and good social skills and are less aggressive; are able to see things from the perspective of the other and show less signs of fear, sadness and fatigue. Play also strengthens the imagination -- an essential aspect of cognitive development. Through play children are able to exercise and consolidate their ability to understand and think and to develop and strengthen their concentration. Creative play supports physical, emotional and social development and allows children to learn through, investigation, exploration and discovery. It encourages children to become inventive and adaptable. Children are able to exercise and consolidate their ability to understand and to think through their play and take initiative. In addition it develops and strengthens concentration. Studies show that children who score highest in socio-dramatic play also demonstrate the greatest gains in a number of cognitive areas such as higher intellectual competence, longer attention span, and more innovative and creative thinking. ln the kindergarten the children are given opportunity for child led free play (both inside and outside), play arising out of the chiId’s own observation of life, where they have the opportunity to integrate socially and to use their imaginations and fantasy to recreate and work out situations which they have seen or experienced. There is no adult interference in the play, as the adult is involved in their ‘work’ and able to observe and help where necessary.

(c) ‘Doing’ is learning

A kindergarten is a community of "doers" and through ‘work’ the young child learns not only social and domestic skills, but is able to develop good motor and practical skills. They 'think' with their entire physical being, learn through doing and experiencing and 'grasp' the world through experiential and self-motivated physical activity. Also, the will is developed through doing activities when children are young and ‘doing’ activity brings long-term benefits to learning later on. Young children learn for life from life.

(d) Rhythm and repetition are crucial

Regular patterns of activities create routine and foster a sense of security and self-confidence and help the child to know what to expect. Working with rhythm helps children to live with change, to find their place in the world, and to begin to understand the past, present and future. It provides a very real foundation for the understanding of time -

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what has gone before and what will follow - and helps children to relate to the natural and the human world. Children's memories are strengthened by recurring experiences and daily, weekly and yearly events in kindergarten (such as festivals and celebrations) are remembered and often eagerly anticipated a second time around.

Repetition helps to support good habits. So in a Steiner kindergarten emphasis is given to regular patterns of activities repeated within the day, week and year to provide rhythm and routine. Every day has its own rhythms, which support the day's activities - a ‘tidy up’ song, for example, might signal the end of one activity and the beginning of another. Seasonal activities celebrate the cycles of the year - autumn might be a time for threshing and grinding corn and spring a time for planting. Stories, songs, verses and craft activities relate to the season and a 'seasonal area' in the room reflects the changing natural world throughout the year, as do the themes of the songs, stories and poems.

(e) The role of ‘mood’

The kindergarten day has different ‘moods’ within it, which provide an opportunity for children to learn that there is an expectation to adjust behaviour in different situations. The creating of different moods to accompany different kinds of activities is done very deliberately as a way of allowing children to become aware of the invisible boundaries that determine what kind of behaviour is appropriate for the situation. For example, there are moments of reverence each day when the children associate the mood with stillness, awe and wonder. The mood mealtime, on the other hand, is more sociable and is associated with being aware of others - ensuring that everyone has a share of the food, listening to another child’s ‘news’. Seasonal or culturally relevant festivals provide the opportunity to create a special joyful and celebratory mood. They usually involve other members of the families. Birthdays are important events, where the parents provide the 'birthday story' based on the child’s own life, which is told at a special birthday ceremony to which families are invited. At all times the teacher will aim to integrate other assistants, parents and visitors into the rhythm of the morning without disrupting the carefully prepared ‘mood’ of the kindergarten.

6.6 THE STEINER TEACHER IN KINDERGARTEN

Steiner kindergarten teachers (or early childhood leaders) undertake a rigorous formal training in Steiner Early childhood pedagogy. The qualifications are accepted on the national qualification framework (CWDC) and by OFSTED. The training includes the pedagogical philosophy, its approach to child development that underpins Steiner Early childhood education and the pivotal role of child observation for assessing and monitoring each child’s development. Teachers are trained to be conscious of their own moral influence upon the child and

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that young children perceive and imitate everything the adults do - it is not only what one does before the young child but also how one does it. How we handle our tools and materials, our relationships with colleagues and parents, and even our thoughts, feelings, gestures and body language, are all registered and internalised by the child. The teachers are also trained to encourage independent activity and development through the child’s self-initiated action/play and to hold the group together through a quiet, calm presence.

(a) The teaching method

Steiner Early childhood teachers work with their image of the child as a spiritual being bearing gifts, and it is the task of the teacher to help the child to unwrap these gifts as the child develops. The teachers’ role is to be conscious of their responsibility to provide a nurturing, warm and secure environment and to respect the wisdom of childhood and the child’s unique mode of experiencing and learning as the first step towards affirming the sense of self. There is no deliberate effort to ‘teach’ the children in any formal sense. Imitation is one the most effective and natural means of learning at this age and can be most easily directed when the adults perform their tasks consciously and carefully, repeating the gestures of each action in a rhythmical and natural way. The children imitate the conscious activity of the teacher. To see an adult at work, perhaps in the activity of carving a spoon, in which care, skill, concentration and perseverance, are all demanded, is a wonderful example to the ever-watchful child - a lesson in the sustained application of wilI-power. Children can learn to do quite complex practical tasks, even involving sharp or awkward tools or equipment, if they see them regularly performed with love and care. Teachers therefore carry out their daily tasks in such a way as to be worthy of imitation and remain vigilant that they are providing a role model and example at all times. The teacher who sets the example may then have certain expectations of the children.

A happy, smooth transition from home to school relies on the teacher’s good relationship with parents/carers. The kindergarten teacher’s role includes home visits and parent evenings. Lectures, study groups, workshops and informal parent led sessions also provide a forum for understanding more about the Steiner approach to young children and what can be done at home to support the work in the kindergartens. Links are made through festivals and a range of social and school-based events and activities.

(b) Lesson planning, monitoring and assessment

The teacher works together with colleagues to plan and record the lessons and prepare appropriate stories, songs, verses and activities for the age, season or situation. They review their planning, the chiIdren’s development or the kindergarten situation frequently. The kindergarten staff takes care of the administrative duties that are

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necessary for the smooth running of the group. There are weekly kindergarten meetings where the teachers, assistants and other colleagues work together to review their work, the children’s development, and also to plan and keep abreast of the requirements for further training in areas such as child protection, the EYFS, SEN, new legislation, equal opportunities, first aid, health and safety, food hygiene, keeping children safe. They attend occasional short training courses provided by the local authority and the Steiner Schools Fellowship.

Observation of the whole child and child study are regarded as an integral part of understanding the development of each child. The teacher and assistant observe each child carefully as a matter of course. Formal, written observations and child study is undertaken with parental consultation at times and the observations are often recorded in a ‘chiId profile' which is developed to work with the Steiner curriculum and developmental stages of the child. The EYFS Profile for 5 year olds is generally completed for the 5 year olds by settings who receive the grant.

(c) OFSTED

All Steiner EY settings are familiar with OFSTED inspections, whether EY Inspection or as part of the Independent Schools Inspection. Settings in receipt of NEG funding, however, are also assessed in terms of their effectiveness in working towards the defined Learning and Development requirements supported by the Early Learning Goals. These settings have found that this inspection regime has not created a problem: the briefing inspectors receive before hand about how the Steiner curriculum provides the foundations towards the ELG’s has avoided misunderstanding, and generally OFSTED inspectors have found that funded Steiner EY settings provides an excellent foundation for working towards the Foundation Stage ELGs. When EYFS is introduced in September the settings that are not in receipt of the grant will be inspected in this way as well.

(d) EYFSThe Early Years Foundation Stage, which came into force in September 2008, introduces new requirements. lt will be important that any OFSTED assessment of these in a Steiner EY setting takes account of the Steiner curriculum's way of working towards the formal learning of numeracy and literacy to avoid misrepresenting the quality of the education that is available in Steiner kindergartens.

Early Learning Goals: The Minister Beverley Hughes states:… it is by no means compulsory and is perfectly legitimate for Steiner practitioners to continue to use whatever methods they use for planning. The EYFS does not prescribe how providers should plan, or how plans should be recorded.

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She further states that ‘Ofsted inspectors will evaluate the effectiveness of the planning in meeting individual chiIdren's needs and the way in which settings support children towards the early learning goals. Inspectors will be expected to assess how a Steiner setting is working flexibly with the EYFS based on an understanding of the way in which the Steiner curriculum approaches the goals. If a Steiner schools has good practice that will, for example, clearly lead children towards being able to read or write in the future, there would be no good reason to penalise the school’. (18.3.08)

ICT‘The EYFS does not require the use of a computer or other ICT in the classroom. ICT and programmable toys do appear in one of the early learning goals, but as with all the other goals it will be for practitioners to use their professional judgments to decide when children are ready'. (Beverley Hughes 18.3.08) See Appendix 2 for further information.

7 Further information

7.1 More detailed information on our curriculum is to be found in the reference-work, The Educational Tasks and Content of the Steiner Waldorf Curriculum as published by the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship (ISBN 1 900169 07 X) This reference work does not set itself up as a fixed system, but rather as an archetypical example of a healthy curriculum, the realisation of which will be as fluid as are the conditions of every day life.

7.2 Obvious divergences from the rich recommendations of this curriculum are due to limitations of size and scale, - here are some examples:

7.2.1 Our class-sizes rarely allow for a class orchestra, so such an orchestra

is drawn from the older pupils.

7.2.2 Currently the Upper School at Michael House only reaches up to Class 10, after which pupils leave. As a result of this limit of two classes, and also because the Upper School prepares pupils in GCSE examination subjects, any attempt to teach the full richness of what is possible out of a Waldorf Curriculum would require substantially more hours of education than a normal school-week could possibly or reasonably encompass.

7.2.3 Subjects such as metal-work, dress-making, a second foreign language and learning a second musical instrument, whilst desirable from the middIe-school upwards, are beyond what our resources can currently provide, while class-sizes are less than fifteen, though these may be provided on an optional basis for small groups by seIf-employed tutors on the school premises

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7.3 Books:

"Free To Learn - Introducing Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Education" by Lynne Oldfield. Hawthorn Press ISBN 1 903458-006-4

"Work and Play in Early Childhood” by Freya Jaffke. Floris Books. ISBN 0- 86315-227-9

"Bringing the Steiner Waldorf Approach to your Early Years Practice" by Janni Nicol (part of a Series of Comparative Approaches to Early Childhood Education).David Fulton (2007) ISBN 978-1-84312-433-7

"The Genius of Play" by Sally Jenkinson. Hawthorn Press ISBN 1-903458-04-8

"Ready to Learn" by Martyn Rawson and Michael Rose. Hawthorn Press. ISBN 1-903458-15-3

"Fools Gold - a critical look at Computers in Childhood"’ - an Alliance for Childhood publication, wwwalliance forchiIdhood.net (USA),www.allianceforchildhood.org (UK)

7.4 Web links

Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship www.steinerwaldorf.org.uk

Contact PersonJanni NicolSteiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship’s Early Childhood Representative3 Church Lane, BalshamCambridge. CB21 4DSTel: 01223 890988E-mail: [email protected]

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Appendix 1

Why children's work is not displayed in the kindergarten

We regard each piece of work that our children produce as important expressions of their developing skills/capacities. Their drawings are particularly significant as indicators of developmental progress. For these reasons we take careful note of everything that the children produce and of what a child may want to tell us about their work. We also consider that it is important to show respect and appreciation of their efforts and to take good care of whatever has been created by way of setting a good example for the children. But we do not display the work of young children. Young children are primarily doers. They love activity and for them the process is much more important than the result and viewing the display is less satisfactory than the producing of it. When the painting is finished and the child has shown it to the teacher and the teacher has shown appreciation, children usually ignore the product of their efforts after that and move on to something new.

The teacher, however, takes careful note of both the child at work and of the finished product. She will either be careful to put it ready for the child to take home (pictures may be rolled and tied with wool, other projects wrapped), or the teacher may keep the piece of work to give to the family at the end of term/end of the school year or at the next festival, if the project is directly related to the festival. For example, the felted chicks may be gathered in a nest of straw as they are completed, ready to give out at the spring festival, or the whole spread of paintings (one from each week) will be collected in a folder that the child has made, and given to the parents at the end of the term or school year. In this way children are shown that their work is valuable and to be taken care of, and that the work of producing it is worthwhile and noted, but they are not encouraged to dwell upon it after it is complete.

In situations where the child takes their drawings home more frequently, the teacher will keep a few as part of the child’s portfolio, because studying the drawings and painting produced over several months contributes to the teacher overview of the child's progress.

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Appendix 2

Why you won’t find computers or other electronic equipment in a Steiner kindergarten

Normally computers are introduced to five year olds in mainstream schools. ln Steiner schools an ICT programme of learning/computers is introduced when pupils reach early adolescence. The use of computers/watching television for young children is incompatible with the Steiner approach. We remain convinced of the benefits of introducing computers later and encouraging parents to do away with television at home. Later introduction avoids the problems associated with young children dwelling in virtual reality that can lead to confusion/distortion of values and perception and the under valuing of one’s own judgment and capacities. lt also avoids premature reliance on the computer as a teaching/learning tool, e.g. spelI-checking.

Young children need learning opportunities that can help them make sense of where our ‘power’ really comes from through involving the children in practical tasks such as making tea on a fire in the garden. Machines that reveal their actual workings and that allow the children to participate fascinate children. Steiner pedagogy recognises that the young child builds up her/his picture of the world from real tangible experiences in her/his everyday life. So, for example, she helps to shake the jar of cream until it becomes butter and then spreads this on the bread that she has helped to bake. In this experiential way, she learns how things happen, that real human physical effort is required, and that she is able to participate. It is therefore no coincidence that you will find children in a Steiner kindergarten busy with ‘work’ - sweeping with dustpan and brush, duster and polish, washing dolIs’ clothes, grinding wheat in a hand mill before making bread, chopping vegetables for the soup cooked on a hob, and tending the garden with real tools. ln our experience, children who are given the opportunity to experience the practicalities of the real world in this way in their early years, develop capacities that enable them to use very complex technology creatively and competently when they are older. The five year old who is happy to build his own ‘computer’ out of shells carefully arranged on a plank in his game has no problem in using ICT as a teenager.

We believe that using computers/watching television causes chronic disorganising of the chiId’s vulnerable growing senses and is detrimental to whole child development.Re: physical and neurological development - sitting still for extended periods is not natural for young children. It takes away time from play and contributes to child obesity; the flicker of screen affects long-term brain patterning; rapidly changing images reduces concentration and attention span.Re: psychological and emotional development - watching the screen is a poor substitute for human contact. The development of emotional literacy depends on warm relationships with real people who care for them; secondary experience blurs the distinction between what is/is not real; fixed

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images reduce the possibilities of developing mental pictures and the development of imagination.Re: social development - it diminishes the opportunity for social interaction with others; stunts speech development; provides stylised models of behaviour and inhibits social development that is dependent on the example of others.

Additional reasons: Learning of specific skills, such as those required to understand and

use computers, relies on a certain level of maturity and conceptual thinking and on developing other competences in pupils first, such as sense of judgment, emotional literacy, knowledge management, social skills and physical dexterity.

Developing the child’s imagination and the human relationship in teaching are key to successful learning and the learning experience benefits from human relationships involved in story telling, making and doing. Fixed images and static concepts as implied by computers/television limit capacity for picture-building

Computers/television can disrupt a young chiId’s receptiveness to the essence of the Steiner approach by undervaluing the human quality and detaching the child from the real life experiences in the kindergarten

Watching the screen requires no activity, which runs counter to the natural activeness of young children. Sitting still for prolonged periods creates obesity

we share the concern about the damaging effect of electro-magnetic fields

Further, there is no evidence that early introduction to computers benefits learning in the long term and there is a growing body of research and thinking that is critical oftelevision and computers for young children, including:

‘Mind-altering media’ by Helen Phillips - New Scientist 19 April 2007; ‘Toxic Chi/dhood’ by Sue Palmer — Orion Books, London, 2006

‘RemoteIy Controlled' by Dr Aric Sigman - Vermillion, London, 2005;

‘Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Chi/dren’s Minds’ by Jane M. Healy - Simon & Schuster, New York, 1998;

‘The Human Brain: A Guided Tour’ by Professor Susan Greenfield — Science Masters, 1998

‘Tech-Tonic‘ - Alliance for Childhood. www.aIIianceforchiIdhood.org

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27 April 2018

Documents

Page1€¦ · Web viewThe purpose of education is summarised as follows: to. foster healthy development in each individual child. to. enable children to realise their potential