Class One

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The seventh year sees the start of formal education in the Waldorf educational philosophy. The children have moved away from the imitation phase, often marked by the change of teeth, and are now ready to take on formal learning. 

The newly freed forces of the etheric are now released so the child can clearly form and recall mental pictures from sensory experiences. This picture thinking is closely connected to living experiences the child has and the associated feelings. The teacher now leads the child through images to begin the process of learning literacy and numeracy skills.

Class One is a world of fairy tales and nature stories which are used to develop both literacy and numeracy skills. Movement and rhythm of important parts of the learning process and the children will engage in daily and weekly activities to build and strengthen their routine.

Form drawing is a vital part of the curriculum as it brings in the skills of pre literacy and numeracy, developing the art of writing so that the child feels confident in the work they do, not only with the hands but with their entire body. Movement play an important role in all activities the children do in Class one.

Regular nature stories help the child begin to understand the environment around them though imaginative pictures and feels comfortable in their world.

Form Drawing I

     30 Aug – 16 Sep                  

Literacy - Introduction of Letters I

     19 Sep – 07 Oct         

Numeracy - Quality of Number

     17 Oct – 04 Nov             

Form Drawing II

    07 Nov – 25 Nov              

Literacy - Introduction of Letters II

     28 Nov – 16 Dec                           

Numeracy - Arabic Numbers 

     09 Jan – 27 Jan                          

Literacy - Introduction of Letter III

     30 Jan – 17 Feb                     

Numeracy - Four Processes I

     27 Feb – 17 Mar                             

Literacy - Vowels

     20 Mar – 06 Apr                       

Numeracy - Four Processes II

     02 May – 19 May                                     

Form Drawing III

     22 May – 09 Jun                             

Literacy - Writing

     12 Jun – 30 Jun

The class two child is like a butterfly which has emerged from its protective chrysalis, poised to take flight. Children in class two are now almost 8 years old and are ready to explore, meet, wonder, question, comply and resist in the world around them. They like contrasts and polarities, for example: good (base nature) vs good (higher self).  

After their first year of formal education, the children in Class 2 visibly grow and change, both outwardly and inwardly; they become more confident and, in comparison with the contentment of Class I,  they are more talkative, louder and cheekier. They push boundaries more than before and they notice and question things. Slowly, through the course of this year and the next, the impulse to just follow - to imitate - will be replaced by the growing wish for independence. The fluctuations in the behaviour of the 8-year-old signals the beginning of a process, which will lead them eventually to become free thinking, empathetic, responsible adults. Form Drawing at the beginning of the year brings some form to the children after the freedom of the summer holiday. At the same time, it is an artistic activity that the children enjoy, and the form - ability to focus, to sit still, to listen, to work carefully, to abide by class rules - comes in almost unnoticed.  Much of what is done in the second-grade year builds upon the groundwork laid in the first grade, increasing the repertoire of knowledge and skills developed in the previous year.  The second grader’s learning through imitation is still prevalent and their thinking is still very pictorial.    

Multicultural animal fables, such as those from Aesop/African and Native American lore, in contrast with stories of great people, saints and heroines/heroes. The stories speak to the children’s imaginations allowing them to form their own inner pictures of right and wrong. The moral of the story is not made conscious, instead the children are let to work inwardly with it.    

Language Arts a thorough study of phonics skills coupled with sight word acquisition is pursued as we write and read short vignettes of fables and stories. During writing blocks, children practice their handwriting moving onto printed lower case letters. Form drawing will help with dexterity to practice running forms. Form drawing is also an introduction to identifying and describing shapes.      

Math/Numeracy  work is continued with the four processes, using the vertical format and story problems. Place value work into the thousands, regrouping in addition and subtraction, introducing carrying/borrowing. Daily mental math. Times tables of 7,8,11 and 12 will be formally introduced. Learning of times tables by heart, through recitation and movement, continues and, by the end of the year, everyone should know the 2, 5, and 10 times tables; most should also know 11, 3 and 4; some will know all of them.

Literacy - Fables reading and writing

     30 Aug – 16 Sep                                   

Numeracy - Four Operations

     19 Sep – 07 Oct                

Form Drawing

     17 Oct – 04 Nov                          

Literacy - Saints and lower case letters

     07 Nov – 25 Nov              

Literacy - Saints and Mary's Little Donkey

     28 Nov – 16 Dec                                                      

Numeracy - Place Value

     09 Jan – 27 Jan                          

Literacy - Fables and Phonics

     30 Jan – 17 Feb                                          

Numeracy - Place Value

     27 Feb – 17 Mar                                                          

Literacy - Saints and Readers

    20 Mar – 06 Apr                                              

Numeracy - Tables and the Four Operations

     02 May – 19 May                                     

Literacy - Fables

     22 May – 09 Jun                             

Literacy - Saints and Readers

     12 Jun – 30 Jun 

The children, now nine years old, experience a great deal of change, both physically and psychologically. It is often referred to as the 9 Year old Change or Rubicon, which can dominate the year.  

Developmentally they are finding balance within their bodies, a firmer gait and constitutionally they are more robust than previously. Growth is now more focused in the limbs as they become ‘spindly’. These changes can also bring symptoms of weariness, tummy and head pains, nausea and dizziness and interrupted sleep patterns. 

As the children become more aware of themselves the curriculum meets them with content that engages them in the world around them. Class Three is very practical, with farming, building and measurement, all of which they need to get a hands-on experience. Lay bricks and mortar, dig and plant seeds, weight out and measure different materials.  

Behaviour needs clear guidelines at this age with the help of the teachers and parents. The old testament stories which are key to this year also have a pedagogical value as they tell of the old testament god where there was right and wrong, no grey areas.  Class Three is a wonderful and practical year that fully engages the child’s, head, heart and hands.

Creation Stories

     30 Aug – 16 Sep

Numeracy - Four Operations skill development

     19 Sep – 07 Oct

Farming/Agriculture

     17 Oct – 04 Nov

Literacy - Old Testament Stories

     07 Nov – 25 Nov

Numeracy - Measurement

     28 Nov – 16 Dec

Building/Shelters & Homes

     09 Jan – 27 Jan

Literacy - Old Testament Stories & Cursive Writing

     30 Jan – 17 Feb

Farming and Nutrition

     27 Feb – 17 Mar

Numeracy - Money

     20 Mar – 06 Apr

Literacy - Grammar skills

     02 May – 19 May

Numeracy - Time

     22 May – 09 Jun

Literacy and Numeracy - Skills Review

     12 Jun – 30 Jun

The children, now ten years old, are entering the middle of the class teacher years and begin a phase between childhood and puberty which is often called the “Heart of Childhood” in Waldorf pedagogy.

Developmentally they are harmonising the relationship between blood circulation and breathing, finding a balance in themselves.

This brings with it a solid self-assurance that focuses their learning and desire for knowledge which shows in their work. They are awakening to their own individual character and exploring who they are in relation to their friends, family and community.

The curriculum brings Norse mythology with strong lively characters that they often connect to strongly. We also start looking out into the world around us and learn what we can from observation and experience. Local history and geography focus on the environment they live in and teach them to get their bearings and how to draw maps. Natural science is begun with a very phenomenological study of the animal kingdom in relation to the human being.

Class four is a year of laying solid foundations for work habits and the children are given more and more responsibility for their own work and its completion.

Norse Mythology I - Form Drawing

     30 Aug – 16 Sep

Local History and Geography I

     19 Sep – 07 Oct

Human and Animal I

     17 Oct – 04 Nov

Norse Mythology II

     07 Nov – 25 Nov

Literacy - History of Writing

     28 Nov – 16 Dec

Numeracy - Common Fractions I

     09 Jan – 27 Jan

Local History and Geography II

     30 Jan – 17 Feb

Human and Animal II

     27 Feb – 17 Mar

Norse Mythology III

     20 Mar – 06 Apr

Numeracy - Common Fractions II

     02 May – 19 May

Human and Animal III

     22 May – 09 Jun

Norse Mythology IIII

     12 Jun – 30 Jun       

In their evolving progress the Class Five child attains a new stage of grace and agility in their movement; developmentally this is a stage of co-ordination, balance, and harmony. This year their psychological development of ‘self’ grows as the child begins to develop their own fledgling ego, hand in hand with a sense of ‘will’. They are now more capable of understanding and formulating concepts as they approach their twelfth year. This age, before puberty sets in, can be described as the golden age of childhood, where they find balance and form in themselves physically and psychologically.

The curriculum meets these developmental changes and helps the children find their place as the educational content looks further afield in geography and takes them on a journey from the ancient mythologies to historical Greece. Here we look at developing the Olympian Ideal where the group/individual distinctions are subservient to the greater whole, where qualities such as beauty are valued as much as speed and distance.

Ancient Mythologies     

     30 Aug – 16 Sep                  

Geography – Home Country

     19 Sep – 07 Oct         

Numeracy - Freehand Geometry

     17 Oct – 04 Nov             

Ancient Mythologies

     07 Nov – 25 Nov              

Numeracy - Decimal Fractions I

     28 Nov – 16 Dec                           

Greek Mythology 

     09 Jan – 27 Jan                          

Animal Kingdoms

     30 Jan – 17 Feb                     

Greek History

     27 Feb – 17 Mar                             

Numeracy - Decimal Fractions II

     20 Mar – 06 Apr                       

Botany

     02 May – 19 May                                     

Greek History

     22 May – 09 Jun                             

Literacy - Review 

     12 Jun – 30 Jun                           

These lessons are subject to change

The Class Six child’s growth begins to express itself in the skeleton as the limbs begin to lengthen and the child develops a tendency for awkward and angular movements.  The twelve year old experiences the strength of gravity through the skeleton.  The physical change is accompanied by the first experience of causation in the thinking realm, while psychologically the child enters a phase which may be characterised as the ‘changeling’ period.  The twelve year old witnesses what may be described as the death of their childhood and the birth pangs as their rise into individuality.  As the child begins to anticipate adolescence the children are also forced to re-examine their relationships and develop a new understanding of social responsibility.

Roman History I 

     30 Aug – 16 Sep                  

Business Math I

     19 Sep – 07 Oct         

Physics

     14 Oct – 04 Nov

Roman History Part II 

     07 Nov – 25 Nov              

Geometry with Instruments 

     28 Nov – 16 Dec                           

Geography of Europe and Asia 

     09 Jan – 27 Jan                          

Astronomy February 

     30 Jan – 17 Feb                     

Medieval History I

     27 Feb – 17 Mar                             

Geology and Mineralogy 

     20 Mar – 06 Apr                       

Business Math II

     02 May – 19 May                                     

Medieval History II

     22 May – 09 Jun                             

Literacy - Review

     12 Jun – 30 Jun 

Class Seven is the year the children turn 13 and move from being a child to being a teenager.  This change manifests in two main characteristics of this age: the increased outer active life and the dynamic stirrings of the inner life. The children’s appetite for knowledge grows as they explore the world and develop the capacity for reflection.  Their physical changes, related to puberty, are often only later followed by maturing psychological development. The children will yearn for independence and solitude but can often be hampered by feelings of anxiety, emotional sensitivity and embarrassment. Boys and girls vary greatly in the way in which they deal with the challenges before them, both physically and emotionally; the Waldorf curriculum helps give them perspective and bring some understanding into their lives. 

Voyages of Discovery deal with the great surge in outer activity whereas moods and styles in English compliment the inner changes of the children.

Algebra - Equations

     30 Aug – 16 Sep                  

Wish, Wonder and Surprise

     19 Sep – 07 Oct 

The Age of Exploration

     17 Oct – 04 Nov 

Heliocentric and Geocentric Views

     07 Nov – 25 Nov 

The Four Human Systems

     28 Nov – 16 Dec 

Geometry - Pythagoras

     09 Jan – 27 Jan 

The Renaissance and Reformation

    30 Jan – 17 Feb 

Comparing Two Continents

     27 Feb – 17 Mar 

Chemistry

     20 Mar – 06 Apr 

Arithmetic - Fibonacci and Phi

     02 May – 19 May 

The Enlightenment

     22 May – 09 Jun 

Physics - Mechanics

     12 Jun – 30 Jun

The Class Eight child now reaches their most intense period of inwardness, from which they will journey back out into the periphery, the world.  It is now that the young person begins to sees what is around them with a new more critical and conscious faculty. They will feel more ready to face the world and challenge what they feel to be unjust. They will feel more down to earth, connected to the world around them. Discussion, debate and laughter will bubble up in the expressing of new found ideals. The ability to make judgement, especially about rules and aesthetics begins to emerge. It is a time of thresholds for the young person; challenges help them to stand confidently as they enter the turbulent years of teenage hood.

Anatomy

     30 Aug – 16 Sep 

Geography – World

     19 Sep – 07 Oct 

Numeracy I

     17 Oct – 04 Nov 

The Age of Revolutions

     07 Nov – 25 Nov 

Organic Chemistry

     28 Nov – 16 Dec 

The Industrial Revolution

     09 Jan – 27 Jan 

Literacy – The Short Story

    30 Jan – 17 Feb 

Numeracy II – Platonic Solids

     27 Feb – 17 Mar 

Physics

     20 Mar – 06 Apr 

History – Modern

     02 May – 19 May 

Meteorology

     22 May – 09 Jun 

Class 8 Projects and Review

     12 Jun – 30 Jun