The  Consciousness of the child in the Primary Years

Children after seven are ready for more formal education and their world now is more than the self. They are ready to expand and explore, and their feeling-life is rich. They need to experience the beauty of life and dwell in the wonder of this world. Children of this age need a responsible adult who will help them look at the world with their imaginative eyes rather than the realistic one. The education offered must stir their feelings, and develop a sense of moral responsibility towards the world around them and look forward to engaging in the learning process deeply. 

Waldorf Philosophy and Curriculum

Waldorf education is child-centric; it seeks to educate the whole child – "head heart and hands" It gives equal attention to the intellectual, physical, emotional, cultural and spiritual needs of the child. The curriculum's prime objective is to nurture capable, free-thinking individuals who take responsibility for their action. 

Waldorf Curriculum is based on the different developmental stages of growing years of a child. Children are involved in the learning process, which fosters besides wholesome development, deep engagement, love and enthusiasm for school and for learning.   When children experience education in this manner they develop a strong sense of self and diverse capacities that enable them to become socially and economically responsible citizens.

Language Arts, Mathematics and Environmental Studies are the core focus areas in the Primary curriculum . Music, singing, movement, art, handwork and drama play an equally essential part of the curriculum. 

The Teacher 

The role of a class teacher is decisive and all encompassing in the Primary School. They meet the children with ‘Beloved Authority’ and travel with the class. Remarkable things come from this commitment over the years. Through these years the children comprehend the teacher’s striving, the teacher’s love for all in the class and the teacher’s commitment. There is a relationship that builds between the teacher and the children which deepens with each year. 

 Through this deep understanding the teacher works to strengthen, nurture, and grow the capacities of each child and the class. The teacher makes the learning experience relevant and rewarding for both children and self. This continual developmental loop not only saves time and reduces “new school year” anxiety but also builds on what has already been created.

The Main Lessons

The Main lessons are the building blocks of Primary education and the methodology. It is an hour and half period  for three weeks where the subject is presented in a way to appeal to the thinking, willing and feeling of the child.  The child is immersed in the topic and is allowed to experience and feel the content through stories which are rich in narration, have artistic expression and activities that will enable them to feel and live with it. 

Elements of rhythm and movement, verse and recitation wake the child up to the subject before the teach session though stories bring alive the concepts. This is followed by an activity or doing session which is artistic and appeals to the feeling of the child. Each Main Lesson is carefully and rhythmically structured to ensure that the children listen, work independently, participate and think. This would include performance, painting, handwork and storytelling and alongside writing and drawing.

The Daily Rhythm

Children in Primary have a routine and rhythm, and an enriching day. When you walk into the campus on this beautiful farm,  you see the happy children engrossed in stories, music, art and movement. Following the river in the Primary building, you will hear the jolly voices singing, tunes from the recorder, the red, yellow and blue of the  paintings and , beautiful chalkboard drawing and a teacher joyfully sharing stories. Every day has a breathing quality where the children listen, learn and also do, they jump, they move but also sit attentively, they write, they think but also knit and paint. Children are not limited to the class, they are out in the field digging and sowing, they are cleaning and washing , they are reading under the trees, they are chopping and cooking. What remains with them after every day is the joy of learning something new. 

Physical Education in Primary years:

The primary grades attend Physical Education lessons twice a week. It is focussed on building social and pre-game skills, and sportsmanship.A lot of emphasis is on movement, rhythm and collaborative games. While Grades 1 and 2 play a lot of circle games where the entire class play together, grades 3 and 4 focus on team games, where there is still a sense of togetherness. 

Bothmer Gymnastics:

"Enjoy your work with the children!" were the indications and words of encouragement given to Fritz Graf Von Bothmer by Rudolf Steiner as Bothmer embarked on his new career teaching the physical education lessons to students in the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart, Germany. 

Bothmer Gymnastics is introduced to children Grade 4 and upwards. The children, initially are introduced to a lot of collaborative games, which is an extension of their sports lessons and then they are slowly introduced to various movements based on the indications from Bothmer Curriculum and indications from the children. When children enter Middle School, a lot of importance is given to the form and the gestures in the movement and it really meets the student well.

Waldorf Olympics:

In Grade Five, the children do the Greek mythology block and as a culmination of the block, it is a tradition among Waldorf schools to hold “The Waldorf Olympics”, which is loosely based on the Olympic games that were held in ancient Greece. This is the first inter school sports event that the children will participate in. The children train in the disciplines of style running, long jump, discus, javelin, Greek wrestling, marathon and relay throughout the year. The event is judged based on the grace with which the child performs and it is not about competition. It is an inclusive event and every participant gets a chance to display their ability. It is an event that celebrates the effort and the earnestness of the child.

Watch Yellow Train’s Waldorf Olympics 2020 video here

Grade 1

A little seed was planted

Into a tree it grew

And from it came this special gift

From the tree to you

My work is like a seedling

So that it might become a gift

I’ll plant it here with care

So that it might become a gift

For all the world to share

In first grade, the formal introduction to writing and reading is brought in a lively pictorial way through fairy tales, folktales and nature stories. Children learn the names of sounds of letters through the experience of a story followed by rhyming words and word families. Reading evolves throughout the year, and the writing of familiar poems and verses support this process. Children are soon able to read and write words and simple sentences.  Number work is begun, again with pictures, rhymes and stories and the four processes are introduced. A start is made on learning times tables by heart. One second language – Tamil/ Hindi is introduced.

Singing and recorder are introduced with pentatonic notes. There is more rigour and structure to speech, movement and sports. As part of the artistic curriculum, children have painting lessons, form drawing and handwork classes.

Grade 2

The little bird sighed, “Oh me, oh my!

How they will laugh if I try to fly.

If I flutter and flop, or tumble and fall,

Will the creatures all laugh at me, clumsy and small?”

But the sun shone down with a kindly face

“Just try and soon you will fly with grace.”

The bird practiced hard never minding to fall,

And now the great eagle flies highest of all.

As the children move into second grade, they are ready for more challenges and a quicker pace of learning. A running theme through the grade is the stories of fables, saints, and sages from around the world, inspiring a will to do good work, and to treat developing friendships like gold. Word families, phonics, digraphs, basic vowel patterns, and early grammar concepts are introduced and worked with extensively throughout the year. Beautiful handwriting is encouraged and practised regularly, and cursive is introduced in second grade. In Math, mental math techniques, movement, and other methods are applied regularly to enhance the curriculum.  The wonder of number patterns is expanded through geometric forms and patterns as well. Nature studies are done with stories and experiencing the outdoors and connecting to the surroundings that they belong to.

Singing, recorder and pentatonic tunes are taken to the next level.  Speech, movement and sports are done more rhythmically.  New handwork and clay modelling projects are introduced. Painting lessons and form drawing explore a whole new aspect.

Grade 3

How deep the foundation?

What height for the wall?

What length for the rooms,

And the passage and hall?

How high is the chimney?

How wide are the floors?

How broad is the staircase?

How narrow the doors?

Give me the measure

To build your house right:

The width and the length,

The depth and the height.

The third grade is often called the turning point of childhood. At this point in development, children are transitioning out of the dreamy state of their early years and entering the serious world as they never have before the rich and dramatic stories of the Old Testament, stories from Ramayana mirror the third grader's soul journey. Creative writing, reading every day and grammar concepts become more specific and clear. Math lesson becomes more practical, concepts of time and money, linear measurement are introduced. More complex exercises on four processes are practised along with mental math.  Through nature studies- farming, gardening, cooking, and animal care allow the child to engage in practical and meaningful work actively. Shelter building and textile work further develop this experience.

Speech exercises continue regularly, and third graders often perform a play that is longer and tougher, and serious in its subject. In singing and recorder, diatonic tunes are introduced. Painting, form drawing and handwork are designed to challenge the growing minds.

 Grade 4

Eagle, Lion and Bull

The far-sighted eagle glides high in the air;

The roar of the lion tells all to beware;

The might of the oxen, patient and strong,

Pulls for the farmer the bright plough along.

With the wings of the eagle my clear thoughts can fly,

With the heart of a lion my fears I’ll defy;

With the strength of the plough-ox my deeds I’ll fulfill -

And love, too, I’ll bring to thought, heart, and will.

In fourth grade, the children are emerging from the nine-year change and now are standing independently in the world. Curiosity grows, and a desire to learn more about the world in which one lives deepens as well. The Main Lessons provides more opportunities for more independent work. They are introduced to local geography, local history, and beginning with the Norse myths. In English, grammar work covers the tenses and parts of speech. Second language skills are further developed with grammar and composition writing, including verb tenses, spelling, punctuation, and use of the dictionary. Class readers are assigned to cushion and kick start the habit of reading. In maths, fractions are introduced, using all four processes; measurements, area work is continued. In sciences, the form and functions of humans and animals are introduced.  Speech, poetry, recitation, bothmer gymnastics, clay modelling, singing and recorder with diatonic tunes becomes more advanced. Painting and handwork lessons become a bit more complicated.

Grade 5

Bear the light to the earth

you, o human being

Are set between light and darkness

be the warrior of light

Love the Earth

Into a radiant diamond

transform the plants

transform the animals

transform yourself

"The heart of the Waldorf method is the conviction that education is an art – it must speak to the child's experience. To educate the whole child, his heart and will must be reached as well as his mind."

 —Rudolf Steiner