The preschool curriculum is centered in the seasons of the year and the festivals that illuminate them. From this framework, a program is developed which allows the child to live in an environment where rhythm, repetition, and ritual can be the foundation for healthy imitation. In the classroom, all is done to enhance the child’s natural creative forces, as these forces will later transform into the faculty of true thinking.
Work as play~ Young children love nothing more than working with adults. Each day brings a particular task, such as baking, grinding grains, making gomazio, washing clothes, or grating cheese for snack. While one teacher begins the daily work in the kitchen, the other teacher sets up her handwork in the play area. As the children observe the teachers working, they join in as they are able, moving freely between working and playing. This is perhaps the most important time of the day, a time when children enter into creative relationships and have the opportunity to join together in their own imitation of life.
Circle time ~ Songs, games, and finger plays which reflect the current season of the year are brought together in a rhythmic way. Rhymes and games from the rich heritage of human folklore are also used with pentatonic music and songs.
Painting ~ Watercolor painting is done once a week. We seek to give the child an experience of color using the wet-on-wet watercolor technique.
Handwork ~ The children love to do what teacher does, and soon want to try their hand at sewing. How exciting to make one’s very own gnome hat or treasure pouch! The classroom needs blocks and the children will help in sanding and polishing beautiful pieces of branches with which they will later build castles or corrals. If someone needs a fishing line or belt, it will be time to learn how to finger crochet .
Fairy tales ~ The stories used are drawn from a variety of cultures and are stories which depict common human confrontations encountered as man strives for a true experience of life. Children receive the fairy tale in story form, by play-acting, or through a puppet play.
Our classroom is designed to parallel a home environment and we work to instill reverence for life and a love of beauty in all we do. As with all of Waldorf-modeled education rhythm is particularly important part of the day, weeks and months.