Hi Lower Grade Families,
We all enjoyed our first full week at school! It was busy! We are starting to settle into a routine with our schedule and each other. We have completed our first block of Form Drawing. We will still practice Form Drawing on Mondays, however we are beginning our first Language block this week. Our Language block will focus on the alphabet. Each letter will be paired to a story (or several within the same story). We will work on letter formation, phonemic awareness (sounds in spoken words) and phonics (the relationship between sounds and written words). In the Waldorf education, children learn to read through their own writing. Even children who are reading fluently often read above their writing level. By focusing on letters, formation and sounds, children are able to become fluent writers as well as readers. Wherever your child falls in their reading ability, they will all have the chance to grow and learn more!
The children are enjoying their Spanish lessons and also began Mandarin this week. They were captivated by their teacher (and truly, so was I!) and her way of sharing her language. In Practical Arts, the children began winding balls of yarn from skeins (in varying degrees of success 😉) and also finger chaining. We had our first Friendship Circle meeting with Ki Kristie and began building a friendship chain.
Each day your child should bring a water bottle, boots, extra clothes and rain gear. On Mondays and Fridays, please bring a yoga mat. On Wednesdays we will be exploring our outdoor campus with Ki Sonya. We visited the wetlands this past week discovering tadpoles, turtles, and large variety of plants and insects (not all of the plants and insects were friendly to our legs!). Having proper footwear and clothing is helpful to make these experiences safe and joyful for the children. We will also be at the creek Friday afternoons while the weather is warm. Many children opt to get wet. Please remember to check backpacks for wet and dirty clothing.
Thank you to all of you for sharing your children with us! Friendships are blooming and deepening. It is a joy to be a part of it all!
Warmly,
Ki Melissa