Teaching the Alphabet Waldorf Inspired

So, I've read about Waldorf for many years.  I wanted to try Oak Meadow with my oldest in Grade 1.  That is actually in one of my first posts way back when.  But, I never did.

So without regrets and perfectionism we are will work through the alphabet equipped with stories from A Journey through Waldorf Homeschooling Grade 1, crayons, paper, and our imaginations.  He has already a half a years practice with letter, writing, and some reading instruction.  So, what you will see here isn't typical or wonderfully artistic.  But, it's inspired...and remember it's our journey.

Here are some more resources I dug up about Waldorf Inspired Alphabet learning and teaching.  If you have anything to share let me know and I'll add it.

Here is Elisabeth working on her main lesson book.
Artemis Moon shares how to make your own Waldorf inspired wall cards.
Road to Joy shares how she made the Alphabet hers.
Sara @ Teaching from the heart.

Friday

Math U See lesson for the youngest child. He will probably do this at a different time during the week.
Molly's Seasons
Cave and Claws Game


Of course, there is more work to be done. Some things just spill into the next day naturally anyway. But, this gives us a goal for each day. It's, also, give the children a visual to see that yes there is work to be done. No you cannot watch a movie. No you can't just play legos. Let me repeat. Did you see any legos on that shelf today?

Why Waldorf?

I got a comment about Waldorf.  I thought I would throw out a few helpful links for anyone interested.  You can always check out my cloud label in the sidebar.  There is a waldorf tag.  Just click that and you will probably find some further links.

Why Waldorf Works is a site from the Association of Waldorf Schools North America.

A Little Garden Flower & Waldorf Essentials is where I've purchased my curriculum.

Bob and Nancy's Bookshop is probably the most popular Waldorf Bookstore.

Paper Scissors Stone is a supplier of Waldorf goods.

Form Drawing

I've been interested in form drawing for awhile.  I have been hesitant because I felt like there was some secret knowledge.  I'm just starting with my Grade 1 son. We are doing forms as they introduced in A Journey through Waldorf Homeschooling Grade 1. I think it will be some good practice.  He has already been doing some basic letter writing.  So, he played with some of the ones we did.  But, honestly I will not stop because I can't do it "right".  We enjoyed the process and I think that is what matters to us.

Here is a slideshow from Millennialchild.
Curriculum and more information from Barbara Dewey and Christopherus.
Some lovely examples at Nature Nest.
A Youtube video from A Little Garden Flower. And, the DVD set.
A form drawing lesson on a chalkboard at Flickr.  (Check out the entire set of chalkboard drawings.  They are gorgeous and I'm not quite there yet=))

Thursday

Thursday the plan is to listen to a few chapters of Story of the World Volume 3 and do a notebook page or an activity.

Wednesday

Our Plans


Top to Bottom...
Bob Books Level A
Christian Liberty Nature Reader 1
First Language Lessons
Dangerous Devotions
Italics Handwriting for E


The verdict
We went swimming instead. So, everything got moved on down to Thursday. I'm afraid there will be a big pile on Friday.

Tuesday

Tuesday
Originally uploaded by OakBlossoms

This is our Tuesday block. Bottom to top. Real Science For Kids Biology Chapter 5. People say they speed through this book. I knew it would take us the entire year to get through. We love Nature but turning it into a textbook isn't a fun thing. We read a few sections each week, discuss it, work on the experiment and that's it. It doesn't take us long. But, we like to spend our Science time outside. Italics Handwriting workbooks and Chinese jumprope

Monday

Monday
Originally uploaded by OakBlossoms

From top to bottom. A Journey to Waldorf Homeschooling Grade 1.  This is just the outline for the first month.  We are just going to start at the beginning of the curriculum.  I figure some of it will be review even if it's in a different form.  It shouldn't last us a year, but I didn't want to jump up to Grade 2 yet.  A few books to read aloud including Gail Gibbons From Seed to Plant.  We love Gail Gibbons!  Spelling Power book for Spelling Tests.  Math U See for the two older boys.

Weather Tree

Our Grade 1 student has been studying weather.  We have read a ton of books from the library.  Last month we printed a weather chart from Enchanted Learning.  I really wanted to get this weather chart.  But, sometimes homemade just hits the spot.  The little guy decided to just do this month on his tree.  That gives him plenty of room.  I think next year we will branch out (ha ha ha) and do a years worth at once.  I wanted to share a few more links on weather trees here and here is a easy verse to sing in the mornings or while you are coloring in that leaf.




I'm not sure where the idea originated from, but Rockin- Granola said it was described in All Year Round.  

Five days, Five shelves

This weeks schooling
Originally uploaded by OakBlossoms

I'm trying, trying, trying...

...always trying to be more organized. Of course, I keep adding to my load, so what can you do with that. This week we are trying the we have five cubbies in our bookshelf and we have five days in our week.

Moving towards Waldorf

We really are moving towards Waldorf.  I have purchased a Grade 1 curriculum and doing some work with my youngest son.  But, I've been reading and studying and moving towards Waldorf.  I'm not going to go crazy and drop everything we are doing now.  Partly because it would be a lot of work with the VA program we belong to.  I don't want to rewrite all their goals for the year.  So, I hope you enjoy some of the changes you see here.  


I hope it helps others who feel like maybe it's too late for their family or because they are Christians or because their income level is too low.  Those are the reasons I have fought over the years.  But, honestly something has changed and opened for us.  I think that change was our little girl.  But, it's blossoming into so much more.


Some of my favorite Waldorf Inspirations currently are:
The Online Waldorf Library  This site is amazing.  There is an unlimited amount of information to completely overwhelm you =)
These youtube videos from A Little Garden Flower were the kick in the pants I needed to get going.   
Waldorfmama has a lot of eye candy to devour.  Just like any candy, you could get downright sick if you thought you needed to run out right now and make the perfect Waldorf home.  Enjoy the beauty.  See what posts you are more attracted to.  Make a wishlist for upcoming birthdays.  I love her daughter's bedroom.  I've been wanting to change our colors since I was sick during my pregnancy.  I spent way too much time in there.  I've been looking everywhere and her pics really resonated with me.  

Humble Leaders

(Here is the Peacemaker in all his glory.  He doesn't want to do this craft because he was certain his Elmer's glue was made from animals.  He was interested again once we found out it wasn't.)

P (otherwise known as the Peacemaker) is an introspective little fellow. He is passionate. He has chosen to be a Vegetarian.  He let go of eggs and I imagine cheese is close behind.  He is gentle and up till the last year, has always had a smile.  Lately though (and I imagine because of his birthday change at the beginning of January) he has taken an interest in leaders and changers and shakers.  He has started to ask questions about WHY people do things.  It's that path towards manhood, I think.

We have been learning about the beginnings of our nation, The United States of America.  Plan as you might, you can never plan a good discussion.  You can never plan A Great Conversation.  That is what makes it so Great.  We read about George Washington in Story of the World Volume 3.  We read about the different labels others felt they should address a President by.  We read about his reluctance to be President.  And, I just enjoyed this conversation.  I tried to remember to hold my tongue.  I tried to remember to not get into those big adult conversations about politics and how things "really" went down.  Because you see, it wasn't about politics.  The conversation was about being humble.  It came down to one thought, one thought from a 10 year old boy.

How different would the US be if we hadn't had a humble first leader?