In the Kingdom of
Kindercottage: Early Waldorf Education
An
exploration of early Waldorf Education experiences at Sunrise Waldorf School,
in the beautiful Cowichan Valley area of Vancouver Island.
Imagine our
community in the eyes of a three and a half year old child: the Land of
Sunrise. Its great halls where the giant grade-school children walk, even its
kindergartens are over a fence and beyond a safely closed door – mysteries, for
the most part, mere dreams. Perhaps emissaries come from that place in the
form of older siblings, and perhaps not. Within the embracing walls of
Candace Moore and Claire Callahan’s room, the clamor and news from that land
are echoes and stories, and not much more. Into this modest kingdom of
calm, the littlest students make their entrances into Sunrise.
It’s a
different place. The general quiet, the peaceful activity, and the
carefully ordered, soft, and simple beauty of the room are not what most of us
are used to encountering in our day to day lives. It’s hard to bring your
child to Kindercottage, even on a rushed or grumpy, parent-centric morning, and
not be affected by the feeling of calm and attentiveness.
I get
to experience this a few mornings a week, having the magic key to the kingdom:
a four-year-old child. On those mornings I come in, however I happen to
be, and I leave under a spell. Since most of us at the school can only
peep through the keyhole at best, I’d like to give you some tales of
Kindercottage.
Ms.
Moore tells me that at about 3 and a half years, as the children first join the
class, they are experiencing a major change in their selves and growth, and a
brand new ability to engage with other children in the world outside the closed
circles of their families. Supporting this newly ripe capacity and helping
children to learn the skills of relating to others is therefore the central
focus of the teachers’ work. Like shepherds, Ms. Moore and Claire help
the children through their day, as the children begin to wonder, “Just how is
it that I go from one thing to another?” But you won’t hear admonishments
to share or instruction on the virtues of proper behaviour. No, Ms. Moore
and Ms. Claire are somewhat stealthier – or perhaps just cleverer - about what
rings true to and supports a preschooler: they model how we behave. And
model and model and model. They really do! I’ve seen them at it.
The
gentle, spare appeal to the senses that the room offers is mirrored in the
program of activities that the children are asked to join. Both teachers
emphasize that it’s within a seedbed of safety that their social awareness can
sprout. Security – a really safe, loving place to learn, receive
instruction, and make mistakes - is created through gentleness plus very
obvious order, predictability, and simplicity – in a word, rhythm. A
minimal, repeated sequence of simple activities builds a safe, sturdy shelter
for the children to play and explore in. I can testify that they also
pick up some wonderful habits along the way: my child is now an expert and joyful
folder of clothes, and recently surprised me with an unprompted “excuse me” for
every little burp at the table. And their exposure to stories, puppet
plays, and song create young singers and storytellers of distinction - just ask
a parent from the class and watch them light up and begin talking. (Plan
to spend a while.)
Claire
tells me that coming back from the rest and wonders of the holidays, and with
the experience of the autumn behind them, the children now know how one does
this school stuff. What a thing to learn!: how to be in school, how to
come to the table with with others, how to play in a group with each other, in
a great degree of harmony and with a joyful richness of imagination.
Their
teachers agree that this crop of preschoolers have the makings of kings.
They both characterize the group as courageous and interestingly strong – and
not just the outwardly ‘large’ and adventurous members of the class. I
could hear Ms. Moore and Ms. Claire’s pleasure in the fact that many of the
children have overcome fears, and that they love the physical challenge
involved in their robust play.
The
children’s royal bearing and potential has come into focus with Epiphany in
early January. As this term began in midwinter, the class began acting a
simple pageant of three wise kings following their guiding star to a newborn
child of light. Each child dresses up and “takes on the mantle of royalty
eagerly and with wonder, and it’s beautiful to see… When they bow down
, there is real reverence.”
, there is real reverence.”
This article was written by a Sunrise Waldorf School parent for the Daybreak
Monthly Newsletter which can be viewed online at www.sunrisewaldorfschool.org
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