Do you feel like your children are uninspired?

Are your kids bored in school?

Is the program you’ve chosen falling short of your expectations?

Is flexibility important to your family?

Are the changes to mainstream curriculum making you scratch your head?

Is the planning of homeschool lessons for multiple children more than you bargained for?

Are you unsure if you are doing anything/everything correctly?

Do you desire to be a part of your child(ren)’s schooling, but you need assistance?

Have you been looking for a LIVE online Waldorf-inspired program with limited screen time and maximum learning potential?

Are you ready to make some changes to your child(ren)’s educational experience?

Do not worry if you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions. Read on to learn why online schooling is more than a trend. Nowadays there are so many options for homeschoolers and we owe so much to the homeschool families who came before us and paved the way for all the opportunities we have today. What a wonderful time be a homeschooler!

With all the choices, how do you choose what is the best for your family? Even after deciding that a Waldorf-inspired curriculum is right for your family, there are so many MORE decisions to be made! Is there a brick and mortar school near me? Can I afford it? Do I become my child(ren)’s teacher, planning and teaching ALL of the lessons? Do I enlist the help of a hybrid program, such as Lotus & Ivy? Within each of the above categories, there are even more options! Co-ops, classes, online, in-person, music, sports, and the possibilities never seem to end!

Fast forward, and now you’ve decided that you’d like to embrace the Waldorf movement; however, you’re still deciding if an online program can meet the needs of your family. Point blank, online programs are developed to create flexibility in busy lives. Be forewarned, though, not all online programs are created equal. Here are some points to ponder before committing.

How do you know when an online Waldorf-inspired hybrid program makes sense for your family?

1.      When the teacher’s delivery of instruction is LIVE and interactive, “teaching the children in front of them.” Does your students need constructive feedback from a Waldorf-trained teacher? Does your students thrive on interaction with peers? Do you see the value in being a part of student, parent, and/or whole-program communities?

2.      When grownups need help planning and instructing, but still want to play a significant role in the homeschooling. When you’ve decided homeschooling is the best choice for your family and you desire an experienced Waldorf teacher to support the family. This may be the case for families new to Waldorf, families with multiple students, families with working grownups, or families who just want the partnership with a Waldorf-trained teacher.

3.      When a brick-and-mortar Waldorf school is not an option physically, financially, or for other reasons. Many students live in cities where there are no Waldorf schools. The internet allows Lotus & Ivy to bring Waldorf-trained teachers and students from around the globe together. We keep our tuition and class size low to maintain affordability and provide more chances for children to participate in his/her class community.

Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education, said, “Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives. The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility—these three forces are the very nerve of education.” At Lotus & Ivy, we take these words to heart, infusing each our lessons with developmental content that reaches the child’s head through the work he/she does with the heart and the hands. Online learning can be as impactful, even more so in some situations, because of the way Lotus & Ivy brings together different geographical areas, origins, and cultures. Lotus & Ivy teachers are not only experts in the area of Waldorf pedagogy, they also bring this world of magical knowledge to life via small, LIVE, online, and interactive classes.

Is it trendy to want the best educational experience for your child?

When selecting an online Waldorf-inspired hybrid program, here are some things to consider:

·        Are the classes LIVE and are the teachers and students interacting in real time? Can students ask questions, laugh with their peers, and does the teacher have the opportunity to build a classroom community? Will my child be able to interact with their peers or just see them on a screen?

·        Are the teachers experienced and trained by an AWSNA-recognized Waldorf teacher training program?

•       Is the curriculum is developed by Waldorf teachers?

·        Does the program have equal focus on math and science as it does on humanities and language arts?

·        Are the teachers and staff available to the family for support and questions outside of class time?

·        Are parent education opportunities available? Is there access to a real person via phone, when you need them?

·        Do the teachers and staff have kind and loving dispositions paired with intelligence and passion for Waldorf education and their specialized grades/subjects?

•       Does the program value its teachers and pay them accordingly?

·        Is screen time carefully considered to foster optimal engagement? Do students look forward to attending class?

·        Are ALL lesson plans are provided by the program for a complete block or class? Is this a program where parents become a part of the learning process without the stress of planning so they may enjoy their child’s wonderment?

•       Is class size small for optimal connection with teachers and peers?

·        Do the program directors realize the importance of diversity and inclusion and the evolving Waldorf curriculum to reflect all children and to meet the needs of the 21st century?

·        Is the program International? Where do the teachers and students live? The makeup of a class community makes for a more diverse learning environment.

•       Is festival life supported through program events for the entire program community?

Making decisions about your child’s education may not be easy. Lotus & Ivy founders, Sarah Barrett and Heather Parrish, took all of these ideals into consideration when developing the Lotus & Ivy concept and when hiring all of Lotus & Ivy’s teachers. They know that online schooling is a wave of the future, not just a trend. Technology is taking Waldorf education places it has never been before. Lotus & Ivy is at the forefront of the evolution of homeschooling. Being a part of the Lotus & Ivy family means being a part of an International community of lifetime learners.

Lotus & Ivy Kindergarten Teacher, Ms. Smith, shares her expertise from over 17 years in the Waldorf Kindergarten.

It is important for parents to observe the developmental milestones of their children in early childhood. Children have incredibly malleable brains during early childhood. Waiting until a challenge is identified in grade school often means habits have become ingrained and are much more challenging to transform.

Below is a list of developmental milestones for kindergarten. It is best not to present this as a test for your child. Instead, spend some time having fun with your child while observing these skills. Try not to call attention to their actions as you watch their movements. It may take you multiple days to complete your observations. Remember, this is only a snapshot of your child’s developmental skills AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME. I implore you not to fret if your child cannot complete this list successfully yet.

By the time your child enters Grade 1, most of the skills on this list should be met, but in the meantime, having an idea of what they can/cannot do offers you a plan for additional activities that can support their development as they mature. In the Lotus & Ivy Kindergarten class, we incorporate activities throughout the year to prepare the child for meeting these critical milestones. For more about the Lotus & Ivy Kindergarten class, please visit: Kindergarten Class — Lotus & Ivy (lotusandivy.com)

Developmental Milestones for the Kindergarten Child: 

• Skip (How many skips? Does your child use alternating feet or gallop with only one forward-moving foot?)

• Balance on one foot while standing still (Which foot for how many seconds, 3 of 5 times?)

• Hop on one foot (How many hops, which foot 3 of 5 times?)

• Kick a ball (Which foot in 7 of 10 kicks? Aim the ball toward different sides each time.)

• When climbing/descending stairs, which foot automatically takes the first step?

• Crawl (Are arms and legs alternating, or does your child crawl with the arm/leg on the same side?)

• Ride a bike (With training wheels or without?)

• Jump rope (How many jumps? Are feet together or landing at different times?)

• Cross the monkey bars (How many bars?)

• Ties a knot

• Ties shoelaces into a bow

• Zips a coat (including engaging the zipper initially)

• Buttons a shirt with multiple buttons

• Coloring/drawing (Which hand is used?)

• Which hand is used with a fork/spoon?

• Cut a paper shape with scissors (Which hand is used?)

• Which ear does your child use when talking on the phone? (Please observe this multiple times, but not in a single setting. Instead, try handing the phone to different hands each time.)

• Which eye does your child use when looking through a kaleidoscope or a peephole? (Please observe this multiple times, but not in a single setting. Try handing the kaleidoscope to different hands each time.)

What is your child’s Dominance?        Hand R/L        Foot R/L        Eye R/L        Ear R/L

Parents should familiarize themselves with midline crossing to help their children meet their developmental milestones. 

“Midline Crossing” may be a new term for some parents. Still, it is vital to weave crossing movement into your child’s daily routine to support brain development, balance, and coordination, essential for future academics. For example, perhaps you could try to include midline crossing when you are doing circle, beanbag play, game movement, and even fingerplay activities by including movements through the various planes of space: left/right, forward/backward, up/down.

If you notice during this observation that your child is struggling to cross the midline, I encourage you to identify ways to support your child’s development now. Here is more information about midline crossing that I have compiled from many online sources.  

Importance of Midline Crossing

“Crossing the midline activities develops a child’s gross motor skills such as coordination and balance. Gross motor development is also essential to maintain a child’s development with their peers. A child’s poor gross motor skills can also negatively impact their attention and working memory. For example, the child can be too preoccupied coordinating themselves to retain the information they need in their working memory. Attention and working memory are necessary for completing the more complex activities of daily living, such as dressing or writing (e.g., knowing the sequences of dressing themselves or having enough attention to complete a writing task). Therefore, therapists incorporate crossing the midline activities to address numerous avenues of up-skilling and learning for the children.”

“When children are not able to easily cross the midline, learning to write becomes a struggle (especially if your child exhibits ambidextrous writing tendencies). Struggle happens because they now have two less skilled hands rather than one stronger, dominant hand. Difficulty crossing the midline can also impact reading, writing, and language. When children have difficulty visually tracking moving objects from one side to the other, it delays their reading ability. Being able to track left to right is a critical skill when reading.”

 Necessary building blocks for crossing the midline:

• Bilateral integration—This is using both sides of the body at the same time.

• Core strength—The muscles of the trunk are needed to stabilize your child’s body so that they can use their arms and legs with control.

• Trunk rotation—This allows for fluid body movement without the need to continually reposition the body to accomplish a seated task.

• Hand dominance—This allows advanced movement across the midline for tasks such as writing.

• Planning and sequencing—This is the ability to complete multi-step skills.

• Body awareness/sensation—Information from the body’s joints and muscles tells the brain about the body’s position.

 If your child has problems crossing the midline, you might see:

• Swapping hands when doing activities, e.g., drawing/painting, etc.

• Delayed hand dominance – Using their left hand for activities on the left and right hand for activities on the right, with no crossing over.

• Rotating their body rather than reaching across the imaginary midline.

• Having difficulty visually tracking an object – i.e., following text when reading.

• Having difficulty with complex gross motor skills –jumping jacks, skipping.

• Having difficulty learning to tie shoelaces.

 What you can do to help your child to cross the midline:

Encourage your child to use their two-handed skills, ex. dressing, catching a ball, threading beads, riding a bike.

• Help your child strengthen their core – ex. playing “row, row, row your boat”; doing yoga; riding a balance bike; swimming; crossing the monkey bars.

• Integrate crossing the midline while doing daily activities—ex. dressing, bathing, sweeping, raking, dusting, wiping tables, etc.

 Some activities that you can do with your child to help cross the midline:

• Craft activities – threading beads, painting, drawing, molding with play dough, finger knitting

• Finger puppets – taking puppets on/off using the other hand

• Playing with stickers—taking stickers off body parts on the right side using the left hand and taking stickers off body parts on the left side using the right hand.

• Playing musical instruments

• Marching games/yoga

• Playing Twister and Simon Says using specific hands and feet

• Crossing one foot over the other while walking sideways (dancing the Grape Vine)

• Touching elbows to opposite knees (when standing, this activity helps with balance as well as midline crossing)

• Hand clapping games – Patty Cake, Sailor Went to Sea/Sea/Sea, Miss Mary Mack

• Passing bean bags or balls from hand to hand

• Popping bubbles on opposite of body

• Placing utensils on the opposite side of the plate/bowl, so they have to reach over to use them

• Placing shoes on the floor on the wrong side of your child’s body, so when sitting, they have to reach over to pick up the shoes.

• Scooping toys from the floor on one side of the body and putting them into a bucket on the opposite side of the body.

• Playing balloon tennis while holding onto the racquet with both hands

• Clipping clothespins to your child’s shirt (especially the sleeves) and having your child remove them.

 When to get help: 

• If your child has difficulty with age-appropriate skills, i.e., buttoning buttons, threading beads, using scissors.

• If your child has not developed dominance by 3-4 years of age.

• If your child swaps hands when writing/drawing, i.e., cannot cross their hand over the midline to draw/write on the far most left/right side of the paper.

• If your child has difficulty visually tracking objects across the midline.

• If your child has difficulty with two-handed gross motor skills, ex. hitting a baseball and other ball skills.

Helpful articles to learn more about midlines:

https://www.centreofmovement.com.au/what-is-midline-and-why-is-crossing-the-midline-important-for-your-childs-brain-development/

https://therapiesforkids.com.au/importance-of-crossing-the-midline/

https://thethinksunpreschool.com/blog/2018/03/14/what-is-crossing-the-mid-line-and-why-is-it-so-important/

https://www.abcpediatrictherapy.com/the-importance-of-crossing-midline-in-children/

https://www.readingllcenter.com/why-is-crossing-midline-so-important/

Karen Smith, Lotus & Ivy Kindergarten Class Teacher

In 1999, Karen was smitten with Waldorf education the moment she walked into her four-year-old daughter's pre-school kindergarten class at The Waldorf School of Atlanta. The following year, Karen joined the WSA faculty as kindergarten assistant, and in 2001 she stepped forward to become a lead teacher in the kindergarten. She earned her Waldorf Early Childhood Teaching Certificate at Sunbridge College in New York, and she spent almost 17 years in the classroom guiding, laughing, and singing with her treasured students. She believes Waldorf education is able to meet the ever-changing needs of young children by honoring the unique gifts of each student.

Karen was born to older parents who took an early retirement just after her birth. With a 16-foot travel trailer hitched to the back of their car, the family drove across the country for two years, finally settling in rural Mississippi to live next door to her grandparents. Karen's family continued their love of travel, and they regularly enjoyed extended trips in their camper RV exploring the national parks of the West and Midwest. Telling stories, moving to music, making crafts, baking, and painting were activities that filled her life as a child. Although Karen didn’t have a Waldorf educational experience herself, living a simple childhood with much time spent outdoors filled her heart with fond memories and adventurous stories!

Before she discovered Waldorf, Karen attended Mississippi State University and graduated with a degree in graphic design. After moving to Atlanta, she worked at Turner Publishing for the next six years designing books of all kinds. She’s kept her hand in graphic design throughout her life, and after leaving her kindergarten classroom in 2017 for health reasons, she continues to help WSA with social media and occasional design projects.

Karen and her husband have two daughters who both live nearby in the Atlanta area. Her older daughter and her husband bestowed the title of grandmother on Karen, and she now has three precious grandchildren. Her younger daughter graduated from 8th grade at WSA, from 12th grade at Academe of the Oaks, Atlanta’s Waldorf high school, and recently from Auburn University where she studied Industrial Design.

These days, Karen’s two beloved dachshunds keep her chuckling, and she has noticed that Oscar and Remy's antics often remind her of exuberant kindergarten children! She spends quite a bit of time in her backyard garden growing vegetables, in her kitchen baking sourdough bread, and in her front yard greeting neighbors who’ve stopped by to claim a book at the “Little Free Library” she maintains.

By experiencing the rhythm of the seasons, celebrating simple traditions, observing nature’s quieter revelations, and enjoying the family-like feeling of a play-based kindergarten, Waldorf education offers the ideal platform for young children to build foundational skills that will help them evolve into well-rounded individuals. Karen is delighted to bring her genuine interest in the world around us to her online students in ways that create beauty and preserve their wide-eyed sense of wonder. She also feels it is equally important to work with parents and provide them with the same nurturing, guidance, and warmth as the children.

by Mary Jo AbiNader. Lotus & Ivy Class 3 Main Lesson, Class 3 Math, and Classes 1-8 Pentatonic Flute and Recorder Teacher

What are we talking about in Waldorf Education when we talk about rhythm?  This is a question that often comes up and it becomes even more important for us at Lotus & Ivy with the consideration of families in different time zones and schedules.  My experience comes from teaching in brick and mortar Waldorf schools for 17 years. I understand that each family will need to find a rhythm that works well, considering the differing ages of children in your household, your time zone and your extra curricular activities that happen at a fixed time of day.  So let’s go deeper into the question.  Rudolf Steiner tells educators that we are tasked with teaching children two things, 1) how to sleep and 2) how to breathe.  

When we look at nature, we can see sleeping and breathing in many instances.  Look at the four seasons, cycling around, giving the earth rest and rejuvenation during the winter, while the plant life is active underground.  Look at day and night.  For the human being, the night time when we are asleep is a time for healing sickness, rejuvenation, digesting the events and emotions of our day and in essence, an extremely important part of conceptualizing what we learn.  Sleeping is letting it go, resting.  In school, we experience this rest in a big way. Over the summertime,  children are not in school and almost forget all about numbers, or spelling.  Yet when we create the rhythm again in September, the effort that it takes to recall what we know creates a space where what has been learned is imprinted into the memory, actually right into the cells in the limbs.  And sometimes it does take effort! Building the rhythm of your school week will support your child’s effort in remembering what they already know.

Breathing in and out, as you know, is crucial for our survival.  Yet breathing can refer to more than bringing air into the lungs and letting it out again.  There are activities that are inbreath.  These activities require focus and clarity.  You can see it when your child is focusing on a math problem, or concentrating while writing an essay. They lean in and become still.  Depending on your child’s age, this kind of focus and concentration can only last for a while before they get tired or distracted.  Then your child might need an outbreath.  Outbreath activities allow us to stretch and broaden our capacities of focus and concentration.  Some outbreath activities include artistic activities, nature, singing, playing an instrument, gardening and just plain recess.   These can provide a balance and a breathing to other more inbreath activities.  However, a child is rarely served by “just going crazy” or being overstimulated.  This is different from the healthy inbreath and outbreath we try to create each day.

In general, in a Waldorf School, the daily schedule attempts to create a balance between inbreath and outbreath.  This creates the rhythm of the day. Usually there is the period in the morning for more inbreath lessons, especially the main lesson and afternoons are balanced between artistic, craft and subject lessons. Actually, teachers design each lesson with a balance between inbreath and outbreath as well.  After a verse or bonding activity, each lesson may contain movement, group work and individual work. 

Your class teacher may offer additional activities such as crafts, field trip suggestions and homework to spread out over your week to create the balance.  You may be signed up for homeschooling group activities as well. Now how can you create this balance of inbreath and outbreath weaving your family activities with Lotus & Ivy’s Zoom schedule?  Good Question!  Keep observing your children for fatigue or interest and shift your activity accordingly.  Know that they may need a shift to rejuvenate or reset from overwhelm or just need a break.  In my teaching experience, I did not always have the flexibility to follow a specific child’s need to transition slower, since I was also on a whole school schedule and needed to move along with the community.  However, some children do need a gentle nudge to develop their stamina and grow their ability to participate.  Try to find that nudge to increase your child’s ability to concentrate and focus for longer periods of time.  They may be uncomfortable at first but will soon develop increased capacity.

I have put our Lotus & Ivy School Zoom schedule in a chart, one for Eastern Time Zone and one for Western Time Zone. I’ve suggested activities to surround that schedule that might help you develop a schedule that works for your family.  Feel free to recreate a chart with your own family activities in there as well. 

As homeschoolers it is great to be able to slow down the schedule and have lots of space between activities.  It is still very important, however, to have a consistent schedule that you and your children can rely on.  There is comfort and safety in knowing what to expect.  We can develop the flexibility for things to change, once we have that feeling of being able to rely on the consistency around us.  The most success in whatever happens in your day is based on observation. 

“Where is the book in which the teacher can read about what teaching is? The children themselves are this book. We should not learn to teach out of any book other than the one lying open before us and consisting of the children themselves.”

― Rudolf Steiner, Kingdom of Childhood

Let us know how your routines and rhythms are shaping up over the next few weeks. Happy Breathing and Sleeping!

About Mary Jo AbiNader

Mary Jo AbiNader’s journey as a Waldorf teacher began in 2002.  She remembers her first class of 30 students so well in those beginning days of Class 1 in Portland, Oregon.  Those children are now grown, just about 24 years old and doing marvelous things out in the world.  That class went on to high school the same year that Ms. AbiNader’s daughter finished high school and went to college.  Ms. AbiNader then went for an adventure in Hawaii at the Honolulu Waldorf School bringing her class from Class 2 through to Class 8. These students are Juniors in High School now and keeping in touch has been awesome to see how they are taking their strengths from their Waldorf Education and applying them in High School through perseverance, creativity, initiative and courage. Ms. AbiNader returned to Portland, Oregon to teach Class 1 and 2, and now looks forward to continuing in Class 3 with a new online class with Lotus & Ivy.  

Prior to her Waldorf teacher training certification at Rudolf Steiner College, and working towards a Masters of Arts in Human Development from St. Mary’s University, Ms. AbiNader earned a BA in Theater Education, taught theater arts, creative dramatics and directed plays and built curriculum with teachers in public schools to integrate music, art and drama in the classroom—for a total of 18 years in Washington, D.C. and the Greater Portland, Oregon area.  This background has brought a richness into her Waldorf classroom over the years.  Ms. AbiNader continues to study to stay connected to new trends in education and deepen her understanding of The Waldorf Pedagogy.  She is currently working toward a certificate in Educational Support from Association for Healing Education with the intent of understanding and supporting the needs of all children, especially as we attempt to recover from the last year of pandemic stress and uncertainty.  Social-emotional learning can be supported through the arts and storytelling. 

Ms. AbiNader’s daughter lives and works in the Portland area, having been bolstered by her strong education in Waldorf kindergarten through Class 12.  Ms. AbiNader enjoyed the sunshine and beaches while living in Hawaii, and here in Portland, her loves include biking, bookstores and hiking through the forest. 

How to Support Healthy Brain Development for the Homeschool Student

Imagine lessons that begin with a story, rather than a lecture.  Envision a world where every child is encouraged to create art, regardless of his or her natural ability.  Imagine a school where math, grammar, language arts, history, and science are brought to the students through stories, hands-on experiments, songs, painting, drawing, drama, building, and movement – the arts!  Imagine a school where students experience the academic content through positive personal experiences that nurture a lifelong love of learning.  Enter Waldorf pedagogy.  Children don’t just create art; they experience it on a deeper level. 

It is well-known that the Waldorf approach calls for the arts to be incorporated into every lesson. Yes, even into math and science lessons.  The arts include drawing, painting, music, drama, storytelling, sculpting, creative building/handwork, crafting, poetry, etc. 

A common misconception about an arts-based curriculum is that it is for students who have previously shown giftedness or interest in art.  While those students would certainly find the Waldorf curriculum appealing, an arts-based curriculum should be considered for all students, as it supports and enriches optimal brain development and a sense of well-being.

Children in their late elementary and middle school years are still in the heart of the brain development process.  Neuroscientists agree that brain development is not complete until a person reaches their 20s, sometimes late into their 20s. 

According to an article published by the Waldorf Research Institute entitled Waldorf Education is Developmentally Appropriate – What Exactly Does this Mean?, “Recent MRI equipment has illuminated the fact that in young children, artistic work, full body playing, and sensory stimulation all light up the whole brain. Focused academic work, on the other hand, only lights up small parts of the brain. That ‘lighting’ up points to the development of neurons, making the child’s brain replete with neurons which end up looking, at their best, like a gorgeous, mature tree crown. Once myelinated, these neurons communicate for clear thinking, flexible problem solving, executive function, and creativity.”  (https://www.waldorflibrary.org/articles/1249-waldorf-education-is-developmentally-appropriate-what-exactly-does-this-mean)

Cutting-edge studies by neuroscientists and educators at the Learning & Brain conference in San Francisco, California in 2015 found that students in arts-integrated classrooms are more creative, positively challenged, and more engaged in their schoolwork than those not in arts-integrated classrooms.  After a decade of studying the human brain, scientists at this conference were able to confirm that “the arts enhance math and science comprehension.”

Research presented at the Learning & Brain conference highlight how the arts:  

·       encourage joyful, active learning.

·       help students make and express personal connections to content.

·       help students understand and express abstract concepts.

·       stimulate higher level thinking.

·       connect students to authentic learning that matters to them.

·       provide opportunities for all learners—even struggling learners—to be successful.

·       develop feelings of self-efficacy.

·       increase intrinsic motivation to learn.

·       develop students’ abilities to apply learning to new situations and experiences.

·       motivate students to engage more fully with the related subject area.

·       extend how learners process and retain information because it combines several learning modalities (visual, aural, and kinesthetic) and thus reach a wider range of students.

·       (focused on drama and storytelling) “strengthen students’ visualization of the text and their emotional engagement with it, both of which contribute to greater retention and understanding.”

·       naturally involve several ways of processing information that may have positive effects on long-term memory.

Research from the Kennedy Center was presented at this same conference and one can find a lot more about the science behind arts-infused curriculum here:  https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/articles-and-hot-tos/articles/collections/arts-integration-resources/.  

At Lotus & Ivy, our teachers integrate the arts into every academic lesson.  Just to name a few examples -- we create main lesson books full of carefully-rendered illustrations and diagrams, we paint, we sculpt, we build models, we craft, we hear stories, we play games, we sing, we act out historical events or scenes from literature, and we learn poetry.  All of these activities allow the student to experience the lessons in meaningful ways.  When students feel like they had a positive personal experience with a subject or content, retention, understanding, and skills are enhanced along with an increased love and joy for a lifetime of learning. 

Lotus & Ivy supports homeschooling families by bringing the arts to children on a consistent basis as part of the full academic curriculum.  Main Lesson blocks, Complete Year Math, and Complements are available in a live virtual format for grades K-8.  Our curriculum and our teachers will play a key role in students’ brain development reaching its full potential.  

To learn more, visit our website at http://www.lotusandivy.com or email us at lotusandivyvirtualclasses@gmail.com.

The Waldorf approach to science, used by Lotus & Ivy teachers, contrasts the conventional approach in several ways. In the early years, Classes K-3, Waldorf science is centered on promoting wonder and developing keen observation skills.  The natural world and the practical sciences, such as gardening & agriculture, farming, housebuilding, and textiles, are presented to the student through the arts, stories, and experiences. Teachings avoid abstract concepts at this age and present what is relatable and meaningful to the child.

Formal science lessons begin in Class 4 with the study of animals, something dear to the heart of the 9- and 10-year-old child.  In Class 5, we present a formal study of botany.  The middle school years are significantly science-heavy offering Astronomy (Classes 6 and 7), Physics (Classes 6, 7, & 8) Chemistry (Classes 7 & 8), Rocks & Minerals or Geology (Classes 6), and Human Anatomy (Class 8).  (Some Waldorf curricula also include the study of aviation and meteorology.) See our Gallery of Science Main Lesson Book pages at the bottom of this page.

What Makes the Waldorf Approach to Science So Effective?

 ·        Each lesson is developed with the whole child in mind.  Education must be a balance of learning for the head, heart, and hands.  The gifts each child has go beyond the limits of their logical thoughts and analytical reasoning.  The Waldorf approach helps to call forth all the child’s gifts, supporting both sides of the brain to their fullest potential. A student’s creative and innovative capacities come from nurturing both hemispheres of the brain, and an optimal brain needs movement, art, music, analytical thinking, stories about real scientists that call on feelings, logical reasoning, and more.  After all, Einstein said, “The greatest scientists are artists as well.”

 ·        “Experience before explanation” refers to the idea of performing a science experiment with the student, or letting them experience a phenomenon, without giving any facts or explanations for at least 24 hours.  This gives the student an invaluable opportunity to absorb and ponder the phenomena and start to formulate ideas and questions independently.  This philosophy is often called the phenomenological approach and is the core of the Waldorf approach to teaching science.

So often in conventional science lessons, we give the explanation without giving the student time to fully process what they have observed in order to form questions for themselves. Allowing the questions to form and live in the student is the root of critical and creative thinking and is instrumental in developing deep thinkers.  

Remember learning about osmosis, planetary retrograde motion, Newton’s Laws, isotopes, or the immune system in your science classes years ago?  Were you able to experience these concepts in meaningful ways so that you remember and understand them years later?  Did you have a positive personal experience with each one that fostered a love of learning?  Sometimes students do not even get to experience the phenomena – it is solely presented lecture-style or as words on paper.

The Waldorf approach to science gives students the opportunity to experience the phenomena in meaningful ways through the arts, science experiments, hands-on engineering activities, and more.  Giving students a positive personal experience with the content fosters their love of learning.

·         The concept of teaching from “whole to parts” also comes from Waldorf pedagogy.  The idea is to bring the big picture to students first, then dive deeper into the detailed parts from there.  When introducing a concept, it is important to start from a place of familiarity for the student.  When bringing new concepts to students, help them build a foundation that is familiar and then build from there.  

For example, in Chemistry in Class 7, we present oxygen and nitrogen as elements.  We start out by discussing the air we breathe.  We muse about the fact that we cannot see the air with our naked eye, but we know it is there.  We will continue our discussion with questions like, “How do we know it’s there?” or “What do you already know about our air?”  This would lead to the discussion of gases, and to the question, “What other gases are you familiar with?”  

There is an interesting story I love to tell students about a man who did not realize propane gas was denser than the air we breathe.  He released propane from his gas grill into his back yard thinking it would dissipate into the upper atmosphere.  Unfortunately, it settled along the grass below the air we breathe and made its way to the pilot light on his hot water heater adjacent to his home.  The result was an explosion!  (This story is always popular, and they never forget it.)  By telling this story, I can connect the concept of density to something they can relate to well – the air we breathe.

From here, we start our study of the elements (the parts) that make up the air we breathe (the whole).  We bring in the periodic table and eventually compare the elements in the air we breathe to the elements that make up propane.  Of course, this will eventually lead to a hands-on density experiment with liquids that will layer upon each other.

Now imagine if this lesson started with the periodic table and dove right into elements.  It would have been abstract and not nearly as meaningful to the student.  Going from whole to parts, we give students a foundation from which to make connections with the learning.  When we connect the dots in a meaningful way it allows the new and abstract content to be remembered and relatable.   

While academic success is very important, the Waldorf approach recognizes that graduates who develop a love for lifelong learning, a passion for their work, a natural generosity, and a high level of emotional intelligence are more likely to grow into fulfilled and happy adults.  This is our overarching goal and why Lotus & Ivy teachers plan lessons that are meaningful.  When students have a positive personal experience with the lesson, they want to learn more.  As Rudolf Steiner says, “Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives. The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility—these three forces are the very nerve of education.”

Lotus & Ivy offers main lesson, math, Spanish, German, handwork, and music for grades K-8.  To learn more about how your child can join a live, interactive virtual class taught by a Waldorf-trained teacher, visit our website at www.lotusandivy.com or contact us at lotusandivyvirtualclasses@gmail.com.

 

 Sample Science Main Lesson Book Pages

Waldorf education is so abundant and full it is impossible to sufficiently describe it in a 300-page book, much less in a blog post; however, these ABCs of Waldorf Homeschooling will provide newcomers with a good starting point from which to dive in deeper, and will provide inspiration to Waldorf homeschool veterans.

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A picture is worth a thousand words.  Through main lesson books, Waldorf students learn to present his/her learning in beautiful and compelling ways to engage an audience thereby practicing effective presentation skills from a very young age.  Textbooks and worksheets are rare.

Beeswax, block & stick crayons, wooden toys, & play silks.  Waldorf materials are made of natural materials to awaken the imagination and to surround the child with warmth and beauty. 

Careful consideration of screen time is important to Waldorf families because screen time that is passive and one-sided is cognitively harmful.  Waldorf virtual classes must be live and collaborative, and the screen time limited, to foster meaningful connection between the teacher and students, real time interaction, and good use of technology.  Making Waldorf available to every family with internet access is a wonderful thing!

Diversity is necessary for a complete education. Maya Angelou stated, “…in diversity, there is beauty and there is strength.”  Twenty-first century Waldorf families are committed to diversifying the original Euro-centric and patriarchal stories in our main lessons. We consider racism and any form of discrimination to be unacceptable. We fundamentally reject any view which questions the equal value of every individual. We explicitly reject any racial doctrine attributed to or inferred from the ideas of Rudolf Steiner or any other person.

Experience the seasons and festivals with reverence. Waldorf schools incorporate special festivals, or holidays, which are integral to the rhythm of life and passing of the seasons. In celebrating seasonal holidays, the goal is to develop in the child (and adult) a sense of the rhythm of the seasons and the passage of time, and a sense that there is something bigger than herself. Our lives are seasonal as we go through ups and downs and it’s important for us to remember that seasons change, and time passes so we are never in a “down season” forever. Celebrating the rhythm of the year helps us to remember, and live out, this truth.

Follow a rhythm at home and in your school lessons.  The Waldorf idea of rhythm refers to a repeated routine, whether it be daily, weekly, or yearly that mimics the natural rhythms of the body, like breathing in and breathing out.  “Breathing in” activities include things that draw us inward, like rest and listening to a story or lesson. “Breathing out” activities include outward activities like playing, exercising, and helping with chores. The rhythm in and of itself enables children to participate successfully.  Arranging the day so that it is a sequence of in-breaths and out-breaths is comforting to human beings, and when children know what to expect, they can relax, and you can see the peacefulness it brings to their body.  We all know how it feels when a day is a-rhythmic, right?!? No one can learn in a stressful environment. 

Geometry and math are brought to the students in a threefold approach.
1.   Through rhythmic and mental math during the morning warm-up or circle time
2.   Through daily practice similar to what we are used to in traditional schooling
3.   And through math main lessons once, twice, or three times a year. 
In Waldorf math, blind procedures are never given, rather students are led to discover math concepts for themselves.  Arts and hands-on activities are consistently infused into the lessons.

Head, Heart, and Hands – the three components to every Waldorf lesson.  When students have engaged their heads through cognitive stimulation, their heart through feelings, and their hands through artistic or creative expression, the learning is complete, meaningful, engaging, and it sticks! 

Inner work is the consistent practice of the teacher or homeschool parent toward personal growth and well-being.  Rudolf Steiner said, ”You will not be good teachers if you focus only on what you do and not upon who you are.”  Lotus & Ivy teacher, Karen Smith, says, “The care with which an item is placed on a shelf, a door closed, or a chair moved is noticed and replicated by our young students.” Every action and reaction we make is teaching our children, even into adulthood.

Join a Facebook community like Waldorf-Inspired Virtual Classes: Lotus & Ivy for support.

Knitting is an artistic and mathematical medium. In the early years, knitting reinforces counting and pattern recognition. The counting and patterns grow in complexity as the child becomes more proficient. As an engineer, I noticed my daughter’s knitting instructions in 6th and 7th grade looked very much like the computer code I learned in engineering school! If you need more convincing as to why you should include knitting as a critical piece of your child’s homeschool curriculum, here is a wonderful article describing in more detail the brain work required during knitting.

Lotus & Ivy provides key elements of Waldorf education to English-speaking homeschoolers worldwide.  We provide Main Lessons for K-8 and Complete Year Math, Spanish, German, Handwork, and Music in a live, interactive format for grades 1-8. For families who do not have access to a brick and mortar Waldorf school and desire instruction by a trained Waldorf teacher, Lotus & Ivy brings the teachers to your home.

Many hands make light work. This phrase refers to the meaningful work Waldorf students learn, as early as Kindergarten with Lotus & Ivy, so they can contribute to the family in helpful ways. For example, students learn to garden, cook, knit, make gifts like candles, gloves, and birdhouses — all of which help at home and give students lifelong skills and a feeling of pride, shared responsibility, and belonging.

Nature is the best classroom. On a recent trip out West, my family and I made stops at Yellowstone National Park, Carlsbad Caverns, Arches National Park, Grand Teton National Park, White Sands National Park, and The Grand Canyon. My head is spinning as I am writing this because I want to share so much incredible information here, but I’ll only share one cool fact and then let you explore these amazing places on your own. Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico is located in the middle of the desert. When it does rain there, it takes 8 months for the water to seep through the rock down 700 feet to reach the cave. Think about that for a minute… One of the best ways to enjoy nature is with loved ones or friends. Learning can occur in your backyard, at the neighborhood park, or at one of the 423 national park sites. Enjoy nature. Love nature. Respect nature. It is wonderous.

Optimal brain development occurs when both sides of the brain are working simultaneously.  According to an article published by the Waldorf Research Institute entitled Waldorf Education is Developmentally Appropriate – What Exactly Does this Mean?, “recent MRI equipment has illuminated the fact that in young children, artistic work, full body playing, and sensory stimulation all light up the whole brain. Focused academic work, on the other hand, only lights up small parts of the brain. That ‘lighting’ up points to the development of neurons, making the child’s brain replete with neurons which end up looking, at their best, like a gorgeous, mature tree crown. Once myelinated, these neurons communicate for clear thinking, flexible problem solving, executive function, and creativity.”  (https://www.waldorflibrary.org/articles/1249-waldorf-education-is-developmentally-appropriate-what-exactly-does-this-mean)

Practice, not perfection. One of the main tenets of Waldorf education is to educate the whole child, head, heart, and hands. The focus in on inspiring the child, not teaching them how to pass tests or make A’s. One of our Lotus & Ivy teachers said, “The stories throughout the curriculum are so rich and inspiring that the grammar, spelling lessons are just side effects.” Your children will be given many experiences to “practice” creating, learning, and discovering, and should never be pressured into fitting some synthetic standard of perfection.

Questions need not be answered before they are asked.  “Experience before explanation” refers to the idea of performing a science experiment with the student, or letting them experience a phenomenon, without giving any facts or explanations for at least 24 hours.  This gives the student an invaluable opportunity to absorb and ponder the phenomena and start to formulate ideas and questions independently.  This philosophy is often called the phenomenological approach. So often in conventional science lessons, we give the explanation without giving the student time to fully process what they have observed and form questions for themselves. Sometimes students do not even get to experience the phenomena – it is solely presented lecture-style or as words on paper. Allowing the questions to form and live in the student is the root of critical and creative thinking, and is instrumental in developing deep thinkers.  

Rudolf Steiner is credited with saying this quote, but it was actually Caroline von Heydebrand who said it. She was one of the first teachers whom Steiner trained in 1919 and she deserves the credit for this quote that gives Waldorf teachers a beautiful vision of education, “Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives. The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility — these three forces are the very nerve of education.”

“Since it is so likely that (children) will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.” (CS Lewis)  Storytelling is one of the most beloved facets of the Waldorf approach. Telling children a story in your own words is a warm, earnest, and engaging experience for the teacher/parent and child.  In addition, storytelling has many cognitive benefits. Storytelling strengthens the students’ visualization capacity and their emotional engagement with the story, both of which contribute to greater retention and understanding. Their ability to create a picture in their “mind’s eye,” is an essential skill for creative thinking later in life.  

Stories are an effective teaching method. Think back on stories from your childhood.  Some of the greatest truths and lasting impacts came from stories we heard as children.  Remember Dorothy?  It turned out she always had the power within herself – she didn’t need a wizard.  

There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.  No matter what, go outdoors every day.  (See Letter N above.) Let your kids get messy, Mama! It’s okay! Little ones making mud pies from fresh rainwater, while it’s still drizzling…there’s just nothing like it. The smell right before and after a rain. Yes! The feeling of cool red clay between your toes, oh, there’s just something organically wonderful about the minerally, naturalness of red clay. Allowing students to experience nature no matter the weater gives them more opportunities to experience the wonder and beauty of their world, a perspective they will carry into adulthood and throughout their lives.

Understanding of math and science is enhanced by the arts.  After a decade of studying the human brain, scientists at the 2015 Learning and Brain conference in San Francisco were able to confirm that the arts:  

·        encourage joyful, active learning.

·        help students make and express personal connections to content.

·        help students understand and express abstract concepts.

·        stimulate higher level thinking.

·        connect students to authentic learning that matters to them.

·        provide opportunities for all learners—even struggling learners—to be successful.

·        develop feelings of self-efficacy.

·        increase intrinsic motivation to learn.

·        develop students’ abilities to apply learning to new situations and experiences.

·        motivate students to engage more fully with the related subject area.

·        extend how learners process and retain information because it combines several learning modalities (visual, aural, and kinesthetic) and thus reach a wider range of students.

·        (focused on drama and storytelling) “strengthen students’ visualization of the text and their emotional engagement with it, both of which contribute to greater retention and understanding.”

·        naturally involve several ways of processing information that may have positive effects on long-term memory.

Wow!  That is some list of benefits!

Verses in Waldorf education help contribute to the rhythm of the day by marking the beginning and end of moments or tasks.  They also consist of beautiful verbiage and are often poems. Research has shown that introducing poetry to children at earlier ages, and encouraging them to memorize it, has significant benefits.  Not only will it help instill an intrinsic appreciation for rhythm and melody, but it will challenge the brain and train the brain to improve memory.  Research has shown that memorization makes the brain stronger, more capable of critical thinking, and better able to focus.  Poetry memorization helps with articulation and provides students with a more eloquent vocabulary.  All these benefits will give the student an advantage as they progress through schooling and beyond.  

Waldorf education is a developmentally appropriate, academically rigorous approach to education in which the arts and creative thinking play a major role in all subjects.  If I had to sum it up in one sentence, that would be it.

Exams, tests, assessments, oh my!  How do Waldorf students perform?  Stanford study

You are Waldorf enough! What are you waiting for? We hear parents say they aren’t sure if they can homeschool using Waldorf methods because it’s just too perfect, too beautiful, too complicated, or because their children watch TV, play video games, or play with plastic toys. It is not about who you are as a parent or what your family does. It is about what you want for your children.

From Zeus to Zarathustra, ziggurat to zenith, zygote to zinc, zoology to zodiac, the zygomatic process, zigzag forms, and atmospheric zones, Waldorf education brings learning with imagination, stories, art and experience like no other educational approach.

Many blessings to you on your Waldorf journey from the faculty and staff of Lotus & Ivy.

By Sarah Barrett

Welcome to the BRAND NEW Lotus & Ivy blog! We are looking forward to being a premier resource for Waldorf homeschooling families in the years ahead. Upcoming blog topics include Teaching Waldorf Math, the ABCs of Waldorf Homeschooling, Microgreens Gardening, Mother’s Day Gift Ideas, and so much more. We will have a few guest bloggers too! ;)

Our first blog is special because it addresses a question we hear a lot in Waldorf homeschooling groups and programs. It’s a question people are hesitant to ask out loud at first, but I’m willing to bet we’ve all wondered, “Am I Waldorf Enough?” before.

Waldorf education is so beautiful, robust, and complete that it can often feel intimidating to newcomers.  

I have met with dozens of families over the years who didn’t start out on their homeschooling journey with Waldorf curriculum, but, for a number of reasons, found themselves drawn to Waldorf education after homeschooling for a while. One thing I have noticed that is common to many families in this boat is the concern that they aren’t Waldorf enough. Are you Waldorf enough? I want to address this question today by starting out with a story about a girl named Clara.

Please click the link to hear Sarah’s 13-minute talk: “Are You Waldorf Enough?” (You will be able to download an mp3 file and play it whenever you like.)

by Heather Parrish

April showers bring May flowers and moms love flowers! Moms also love spending quality time with their families and making memories that will last a lifetime. Moms are so often the center of the family, the glue that holds all the pieces together. This Mother’s Day, we are offering some unique gift ideas for the Waldorf homeschooling mom. Click the photos below for a direct link to that product.

Lotus & Ivy does not benefit in any way from the sale of these products. Most of the products are sustainable and ethical products, and all are from women-owned businesses.

For clothing and jewelry, we suggest organic and/or sustainable materials. Here are a few to choose from (the pictures are linked):

1. ffc.eco- Original Cotton ”Elephantasia” Crewneck, was $100, now $50, made from organic cotton

2. shopwearwell.com- A gift that keeps on giving to Mom as a subscription for sustainable clothing. The monthly membership fee of $8.50 goes toward the monthly purchase, allowing Mom to keep the items she loves and return the ones that aren’t her style.

3. vivaiacollection.com- These shoes are made from plastic bottles and other recycled materials, are incredibly stylish, and are comfortable to wear.

4. thecuraco.com- The Cura Collective focuses on artful, ethical, and mindful products. The collection of beautiful jewelry and other items have been sustainably sourced. One we love: Aiko Gold Vermeil Hoop Earring by Boma, $20

For gifts for the home, Mom may enjoy making her own beeswax candles (meadowsweetnaturals.com, Beeswax Candle Making Set, $47.95) or pampering herself with some skin care products from MyChelle. “MyChelle products transformed the natural beauty industry by being the first to use anti-aging peptides, plant stem cells, and clinically proven dermatological ingredients.” (pharmica.com) You can save 10% by using code WELLNESS10 and there’s free shipping for orders over $45. We recommend MyChelle Sun Shield Liquid Tint SPF 50 Sunscreen. It comes in different tints so you you can find one that’s perfect for Mom. This sunscreen doubles as a non-greasy foundation for all day sun protection.

Perhaps you are heading to the lake or beach soon and Mom could use a new fashionable tote. We love this one from Orange Blossom Threads, Hello Sunshine Tote, $24. Orange Blossom Threads is an online clothing/fashion store owned and run by a homeschooling Mama of 4, breast cancer survivor, and friend. OBT takes styling appointments and will host a virtual trunk party for Mom and her Momfriends. Contact her at orangeblossomthreads.com/pages/contact-us.

Maybe Mom loves crystals - shopaquariansoul.com has ethically sourced crystals and stones. One we love: Jade Facial Massage Tool. Not only is this jade a calming stone, it is also heart-shaped, representing the love Mom shares everyday.

Some people love their digital calendar. For others, a daily planner helps them stay organized. If Mom prefers to use paper & pen, rather than a device, this Around the Day Waldorf-Inspired Planner, will keep her errands, chores, and children in order. The 2021-2022 Academic Year Calendar is on Pre-Order Status only so go to aroundthedayplanner.com to be on the list to be notified when it becomes available.

At Lotus & Ivy, we understand and appreciate all Moms (step-moms, aunts, girlfriends, and grandmothers) for being strong role models for your children, for being pillars of unconditional love, and for being there when you are needed most. Lotus & Ivy is a women-run business. Both Sarah Barrett and Heather Parrish are homeschool moms and entrepreneurs who strive to make the world their children live in a little better each day. We hope this list leads you to a new product that improves the life of the woman you call Mom.

Happy Mother’s Day!

by Sarah Barrett

We all find ourselves at a point (every year at least once, I think!) when we feel like things are not going as well as we would like with our homeschooling.  Somewhere along the way, we seem to have taken a wrong turn.  Maybe the kids seem bored or uninterested.  Maybe they are acting out or in tears. Maybe you are burned out and just don’t feel like preparing for the week’s lessons yet again.  Or maybe something just hasn’t felt “warm and fuzzy” in a long time.  It seems those special moments of connection with your children and with the curriculum hasn’t happened in a while, and everyone seems to be moving in a direction further and further away from connection.

The good news is that being aware that your homeschool is not where you would like for it to be allows you the opportunity to shift back into those moments of “flow”.  Being in flow means having a conscious feeling of inner harmony for whatever you are doing.  When you are in flow, you feel at peace.  When you are in flow, you feel like you are exactly where you need to be, and from this place comes more creativity, more productivity, and more contentment. 

Bringing your homeschool back to flow, starts with the homeschooling parent, of course.  But once you make the shift, the kids follow your lead.  It’s during these times of “flow” when the kids feel at peace with the lessons, and when they know, and you know, that the learning is meaningful and engaging.

So how do we make that shift back into flow from a place that is so far from it? 

Five Things You Can Do TODAY to Bring Your Waldorf Homeschool Days Back Into “Flow”

1.      Find a quiet place where you can spend 20-30 minutes uninterrupted.  Take a few breaths, close your eyes, and ask yourself, “What is not working well?”  Focus your mind on this question. You may come up with a list of several things that are not working well, and that is great!  Take a break from all of that this week.  Taking time off will bring solutions. 

My family is a Waldorf homeschooling family, and we came to a place when my oldest daughter just needed a break from main lesson book pages.  I had always been careful not to make the main lesson pages monotonous, but still, by the end of 5th grade, she needed a break.  So we didn’t make a main lesson book for Ancient Greece.  Instead, we just discussed the history and the lives of notable Greeks, and I told the Greek myths to her.  Taking this break from the main lesson book resulted in what felt like a renewal. 

During that block, she had so much creative energy and excitement toward the lessons.  She and my son made a movie about The Twelve Tasks of Heracles.  We had movie night a few times with whoever came to visit during that time.  The “movie theater” was complete with snacks, tickets, program brochures, and even a souvenir shop of Heracles-related items like homemade trading cards and beeswax monsters for purchase after the movie.  They drew a room-size map of Heracles travels.  They made a shadow puppet show for the Trojan War, and a life size diorama of Odysseus’ adventures. It turned out to be a really fun block!

2.      Once you determine what is not working, and set the intention to take a break from all of those things for a the week, take a few minutes to think of something YOU would really love to do with your kids, or something you would really like to teach them.  Do that this week.  Maybe it’s a new read-aloud.  Maybe it’s a trip to the beach or a local hike.  Kayaking, baking, gardening, movies, crafting, biking, birdwatching.  Whatever it is you would really love to do, DO IT.  And this can be several things, not just one

3.      Finally, make a list of 10 things you are doing exceptionally well or that went exceptionally well this week. Do not stop until you reach 10.  The list can be reflective of homeschool life or parenting and homelife.  When you homeschool, life is a conglomeration of all its parts.  Each piece affects the other, so everything counts here, even if not specific to homeschooling. 

Here are some ideas to get you started.

·        I hug my kids and tell them I love them every day.

·        I express enthusiasm about our learning.

·        They know I love to teach them.

·        My son enjoyed his art classes this week.

·        My daughter enjoyed her playdate on Sunday.

·        We went mural hunting downtown and everyone enjoyed it.

·        My daughter and I had a connected conversation on Saturday.

·        Family movie night

·        We biked to the river three times this week.

·        I averaged 8 hours of sleep this week.

·        I introduced a brand new math concept, and I thought of a great story to go with it.

This list should make you feel good, and these are things to keep doing. Maybe this list inspires new ideas.

4.      By taking time this week to step back from your recent routine, it opens space to let go of what is not working and invite in new options that feel in flow.  I think once we take a moment to be aware, it’s often obvious what isn’t working and what needs to be let go.  It’s more of a challenge to discern what to invite in. 

One thing that always helps me determine what to invite in is asking myself “What does (child’s name) need right now?”  Asking this question during my walk or during a quiet time alone once a week, or once a month, has been so helpful.  Our intuition as mothers is so powerful.  

Sometimes “stuff” sneaks into our homeschool routine from places of comparison with other families or fear that we are not doing enough.  Anything that comes from these places never turn into true opportunities for growth and learning for the kids.  Be aware of why you are inviting new activities in, and make sure it comes from a place of authentic support for your child and is alignment with their needs. 

Set aside time this week to think about what to invite in, but don’t feel hurried to add new activities right away. Maybe you just need to let go of things for awhile.

5. Keep in mind the old saying that “less is more”.  When it comes to homeschooling, covering several subjects each day means you only have enough time to touch the surface of several topics, and they are often disjointed and hurried.  When you deep-dive into one or two subjects, the learning becomes more meaningful and effective, and the learning tends to “stick” more. 

I like to think in threes each day.  This means there are three academic areas where we put our focus today.  The first two are always main lesson and math.  The third is dependent on the day of the week and my children’s interests now that they are older.  Maybe once or twice a week it is music, foreign language, handwork, sports, STEM club, or art.  Keep in mind, for example, that you can do handwork for a couple months and then switch to something else during that time slot.  Then, over the course of the year, you have covered more than you expected, and it never felt like overwhelm or overscheduling.

As kids get older, you may consider adding more than one afternoon activity some days, but make sure it doesn’t feel like too much.

Being in “flow” while you are homeschooling is one of the best feelings in the world. This time with our children is so precious. Wishing you moments of quiet contemplation as you discern what is best for your children on your homeschooling journey.

If you would like to join an authentic Waldorf community online for support and virtual classes, check out what Lotus & Ivy has to offer.  Enrollment is open at the end of each main lesson block. 

For a virtual Zoom Q&A session with one of our directors, please contact us.   For more blog posts like these, be sure to join our mailing list.

by Heather Parrish

So when I say I garden on a small scale, I mean it. I have one spot along the fence line on the right side of my property that’s about 8 inches wide by 10 feet long. In this space, my youngest and I have planted parsley, basil, thyme, mint, rosemary, carrots, eggplant, sunflowers, and pineapple crowns from 5-6 pineapples. We also have tomato plants and serrano peppers growing in old flower pots. We share a love of planting seeds and watching and waiting for them to sprout. There’s something magical about the day a seed sprouts. It’s new and just beginning.

I picked up a couple of packets of microgreens seeds a few weeks back. I’ve never grown microgreens before, but our family is trying to eat more healthy foods and I thought this would not only give us some extra fiber and nutrients but would also be fun to try. After perusing the internet for the correct way to grow microgreens, I decided to try it the “Heather Way.” I’m all about reduce, reuse, recycle so I had some reuseable plastic containers from my mail order food service that I washed out and took the label off. This container was the perfect size for one package of seeds, about 3 inches by 4 inches.

The wise ole internet said there needed to be something for the seeds to sit on that would absorb water but not too much or too little and suggested a coconut mat, but I was straight out of coconut mats, so I opted for a paper towel. Of course, the unbleached recycled ones are optimal for this project, but any paper towel or paper napkin will do.

So here’s what you need: a small container that will fit in your windowsill (preferably one that gets some sun), a paper towel or paper napkin, a package of microgreens seeds ( I used red and green mustard microgreens seeds.), a sprayer filled with filtered water, and an additional container for soaking.

And here’s what you do:

1. Fold the paper towel or paper napkin to fit nicely into the bottom of your container. Spray the paper towel with water so that it is wet but not soaked.

2. Soak the seeds in filtered water for at least 30 minutes, but not longer than 1 hour.

3. Spread the seeds out evenly on the paper towel or paper napkin and place container in the windowsill.

4. Water the seeds each day several times. Try not to let the seeds dry out. Once the plants sprout, spray the sprouts each day.

5. Wait.

The microgreens had a very mild taste, were extremely tender, and provided extra crunch and color to the plate. Growing microgreens this way is easy and fun!