It’s been a year (or so) of great flux for us in our homeschooling… and life in general.  From moving across the country, to new cars, new jobs, not to mention a new house.   From exploring Flipper’s issues (and realizing that it’s not something that just “better discipline” or “more self-awareness teaching” is going to help), I opened myself up to homeschooling philosophies I had previously disregarded as… well, I don’t really know what.  I assumed they were… cultish?  Faddish?  Too restrictive?

First, it was Charlotte Mason.  Then Montessori.  Now most recently, Waldorf and Enki.  Each time that I researched a new philosophy with an open mind, I found measureless inspiration and wisdom.

I also found nonsense, of course.    No single curriculum or philosophy is likely to suit any individual 100%.  But rather than simply rejecting the entire philosophy outright due to a few weird bits, or even without really understanding the philosophy at all, much can be gained from an honest investigation of some idea you had not previously considered.

If nothing else, your existing assumptions and beliefs will be challenged, and if you decide that this path is not for you, your beliefs will be all the stronger for having met and withstood a challenge.  And misguided beliefs (however well-intentioned they may have been to begin with) will be cleared away.

So as I mentioned, the most recent exploration has been Waldorf (and the greatly related Enki).  There is much about the root of Waldorf that does not sit right with me.  I am not, personally, a fan of anthoposophy, or of Steiner in general.  The idea of the “morality of colour”, with black crayons being forbidden, seems unnatural to me.  Then there’s the strictness of delaying reading instruction until age 7… while in principal I agree with this, ‘pure’ Waldorf makes no exceptions for exceptional children.  Individual variations in development are disregarded.  All children are expected to develop at pretty much the same rate, at the same ages, solely as a product of age.

If you believe the anthoposophic ideas of the schedule by which the soul enters and inhabits the body, this makes perfect sense.  But if you don’t, well, then, it doesn’t.  No more than it makes sense to expect children to all walk or talk at the same age.  Strict Waldorf teaches that a 5-year-old child who is already reading is “too much in their head” and their reading should be limited, so that their body can be properly developed instead.  But would you tell a 10-month old baby who has begun to walk or talk, that they should refrain from doing so because it’s too early?

That being said, there is some good wisdom to glean from this (on-the-surface rather bizarre) belief.  Namely, that a child who does show early propensity for academics could be at risk of neglecting their physical and practical skills development.  Not merely because of the child’s own natural development, but because of an over-zealous parent eagerly pouncing on their child’s academic gifts, spending hours on books and worksheets, rather than time spent cooking together, painting, drawing, learning to fasten buttons, pour liquids, or use scissors.

In other words, it can be a warning to “the rest of us” to be careful with our precociously academic youngsters, to ensure that they still have a rich diet of natural, physical activities, even if we do commit the grievous sin of allowing them to read, if they want to.

And this is the great strength of the Waldorf philosophy: the emphasis on art and on nature.  Not merely as enjoyable activities for children, but as important learning tools.

Form Drawing, a progressive study of drawing shapes, moving from simple lines and curves to complex Celtic knots, works along the same lines as “brain training” exercises.  Many forms work on “crossing the midline”, a common difficult task for children with sensory integration issues.  There is almost a meditative quality to the forms, which are said to help with attention and calmness, as well as with handwriting.

Full-body movement also addresses “crossing the midline” and other sensory integrative tasks.  Strict Waldorf uses a specific kind of movement called “Eurhythmy”, while Waldorf-inspired programs may use various other types of dance and movement.  Think: action songs with a purpose.

Drawing and painting are central to Waldorf as well.  Lessons are taught through story (frequently involving fairies and gnomes), which children then interpret through pictures.  This reminds me a lot of the Charlotte Mason ideas of learning through living books, and of narration.   While oral and written narrations are the “standard”, drawing is one of the many other options available as well.

In fact, drawn narrations are what drew me to Charlotte Mason in the first place, and one of the most appealing features of Waldorf to me.

The final main aspect of Waldorf (in my understanding, anyway), is that of rhythm.  Rhythm to your days, as well as rhythm to the seasons of the year.  There is much focus on routine, with verses and songs to ease transitions.  Festivals and holidays are celebrated throughout the year.

In our house, we are not as attached to the idea of seasonal rhythms and endless festivals as some are.  But I am intrigued by this particular version of developing a daily schedule that is smooth, natural, and effective.  And I confess, I’m starting to appreciate the value of at least some recognition of the passing of the seasons, renewing a connection to nature and our world which is sorely lacking in modern generations.

This is not, by any means, a thorough and exhaustive review of All Things Waldorf.  There are many other great elements… and many not-so-great ones as well (depending on where you’re standing).  This is, rather, a collection of my personal thoughts after researching Waldorf to the best of my ability over the last couple of weeks.

Enki markets itself, in part, as deriving from Waldorf, but also drawing from the best of Montessori and Charlotte Mason.  In my recent wanderings, I’ve encountered several other homeschooling families hoping to accomplish a similar sort of blend on their own.  I think this is the direction I’m heading in as well…

I should give the disclaimer right up front: I haven’t really tried any of this yet!  Well, I’m trying to restructure our daily rhythm a bit.    But over the next little while, we will be incorporating some of my favourite ideas gleaned from Waldorf, and we’ll see how it goes.  I don’t think we’ll be having any visits from gnomes anytime soon, but there may well be some playsilks in our future…

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