Going Waldorf

What I loved about teaching is the constant changing. It was soley based on reflection, everyday was a new day, a new beginning, a new chance to reach the students, to teach more creatively, and do so with more patience. A bad day always came to an end, and it was usually the bad days that created space for positive change.

I feel the same way about mothering. My philosophy of parenting doesn't come to a surprise to those that knqo me. I was questioning vaxes, nursing my baby on demand, cosleeping, and practicing gentle discipline before I found out that these practices actually fall under the "attached parenting" label. And once I found mothering.com, and read books and articles that speak to the way adam and I parent, I did feel more at home. 

But there was a peace missing. A few months back I started reading the power of now, and  We are the ones we have been waiting for by Alice Walker, and a more spiritual side to me emerged.

Then I started to explore other modes of learning and teaching, different forms of education. Being an elementary teacher for four years and having many friends in public school system, I am well aware, perhaps too aware of the crisis our schools face. Leave no child behind, and the utter disaster it created, left our schools void of art, music, creative thinking, and problem solving. Pressure to teach to the test, reading, writing and math, and book work replaced all forms of creative expression. And for the first time, now that I am a mother, it really scared me when I realized that in a few years Charlie would be forced to sit inside at a desk for hours upon hours....having to raise his hand to speak, having to complete worksheet after worksheet. And this isn't a rant against teachers, I am one of them. Raising your hand is essential when you have a classroom full of children, and learning to not interrupt is a lifelong skill...as are many things that are taught in school settings.

 I tried my hardest in my classroom to teach science and social studies through projects, we started a big school garden and even ate some things out of the garden as a lesson on farm to fork. I tried to collaborate with younger and older classes so kids would learn how to work together peacefully in a school community. And yet I didn't do it as good as I would want for either of my children.

Once I started researching and reading I found the waldorf way of teaching. It seems to me that it is a way of life, a way of being, and a way of homeschooling. Despite adam being the awesome and supportive husband he is and actually letting me know on more than one occasion that it would be fine if I wanted to homeschool our children, I know that that is not something I want to. Although through my reading I have a much better understanding of why it is that many families take that route.

For me waldorf is more of a guideline, a set of principles to try to live by. And like everything in my life it is not my intention to be perfect...I like to practice everything in moderation. 

Once I was able to wrap my brain around waldorf philosophies and figure out how it fit with my way of mothering...a huge light inside me went off. And within the first few days I noticed how small things can create big changes. Here is what I love so far about waldorf:

1. Having a rhythm to each day, a routine that focuses on the family. Most of our days are the same and our activities and meals and playtimes happen around the same time each day, allowing for flexibilty, naturally.

2. Involving everyone in the housework, and celebrating housework as a way to celebrate ourselves. 

3.Trying to sit back more and just watch my children play and interact with each other, letting Charlie create the games, and watch both kids' imaginations flourish.

4.declutter, declutter, declutter. I have pretty much given away or thrown out most of our toys, leaving the more open-ended ones for us to play with.

5. Singing and poetry incorporated into our day.

6. Having a meal candle, and a night night candle: This is the smallest thing that has brought such peace into our homes. Charlie gets so excited when it is breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He runs right over and watches one of us light it, and then when we are all done eating, he blows it out. The night night candles is a predictable part of his nightly routine, and after we read a few books we get really close to the candle and he tells me about his favorite part of the day. To look into his beautiful, sweet, and curious face as the light from the candle reflects upon it is truly precious.

7. Really focusing on nature and the changing of seasons (easy because we all love to be outside and live in a beautiful place, yet challenging because hmb doesn't seem to have changing seasons...) We also have a nature table now that reflects the season we are in. Ours has some twigs, moss, and pinecones collected from a hike in the redwoods, some fresh flowers to signify spring time, a beautiful card, and some small animals. It is a work in progress.

8.limitted tv time. Here is where I moderate. Strict waldorf families have no tv or video games for young children. I think a little TV here and there are just fine. 

I am sure I will learn more as I go, but for now I feel so lucky to have found this way of being. So much of it comes natural to me and it is encouraging to know that there are entire communities out there that live and teach in this way.....

I will try to capture some pictures over the next week.