Getting ready

The last month has been truly amazing. Oldest is maturing from a little girl into this fun being who likes to laugh and play tricks and makes wonderful observations. She is naturally melancholic, so watching her playful side emerge feels like a nice rounding out.

While away at my homeschool conference, I came to the realization that we will not be returning to Grade 1 material in the fall, but will begin Grade 2. While this makes little difference in terms of the skills we will be learning and practicing (it's a fairly linear process after all), Second Grade in Waldorf is a whole new mood. Different stories, a different feel to the presentation of material, a different way you try to reach the children. I am so glad we are doing this, as the material speaks to me more, the goals are clearer, and I'm feeling a whole lot more focused.

Yesterday I worked on our schedule for the year, which begins with Form Drawing from parts of Longfellow's "Song of Hiawatha", moves into Native American Legends, then Fables and a block on the Saints. We will be reading "The King of Ireland's Son" as well as Anansi stories In Grade Two, you bring to the child the one-sidedness of animals and tricksters on the one hand, and the fulfillment of human potential in the Saints on the other. I am hoping to find Sages other than Saints to include, as I want to bring my children stories and truths from all over the world.

The other element I have been working on is the piece I mostly neglected last year: Adult Development. My morning meditations have been focused on the childrens' needs and on bringing an objective presence to them, rather than subjective self-absorption. I find that on days where I am better able to leave the subjective behind, I can better connect with my children, and I enjoy them more.

So it is beginning to feel like the pieces are falling into place. There is still a lot of detailed planning to be done, but I'm excited about it. For crafts we will likely sew a basket out of raffia, while our handwork will be making colonial clothes for Oldest so we can continue to work as interpreters on the farm.