Facing Uncertain Times: The Adaptability of Waldorf Education during COVID19
When Waldorf Education came to life 100 years ago, no one could have imagined taking this life-affirming, imagination-promoting educational philosophy and approach to a virtual classroom. But due to the COVID19 pandemic and the need to reduce public gatherings to prevent the spread of this virus, we, like all schools in Michigan and most across the nation, have taken our learning to the digital classroom, and adapted in short order for our new circumstances.
It seems intuitive that as children grow and mature, online learning might be a format they can manage – especially in middle school and beyond. At the same time, one might wonder how younger children can adapt to online learning. In this story, Kindergarten teacher Rachel White explains how our youngest children are continuing their learning at home during these weeks and months of such an unusual situation, and how Waldorf learning continues to thrive, even in a new format.
Sample Class Rhythms (a schedule to replicate at home)
8:30 - Language arts circle
8:45 - Group Activity at the table.
Monday: Coloring
Tuesday: Chop Vegetables for Soup
Wednesday: This is "magic shoe day", but can also be an extra time to help prepare food for the family, and for craft time.
Thursday: Bread Baking (or other baking)
Friday: Painting.
9:15 - Play, indoors or out
10:15 - Clean up time (Never deprive the children of the opportunity to restore order from chaos!)
10:30 - Snack (see recipes below)
11:00 - Story
11:30 - Play outside
12:30 - Lunch
1:15 - Nap / rest time
2:30 to 3:30 - Play outside.
A normal day in Detroit Waldorf School’s Kindergarten begins with a circle and songs. Now that children are at home with their parents, many of whom are working from home as well as administering school lessons and parenting, it’s the children leading their parents in the daily circle.
“Some were shy to participate at school,” notes Mrs. White. “When they are taking the role of the teacher at home, it’s a different and rich experience. I am glad they know the songs and movements so well.”
Truly, the lessons of the classroom have been taken deep within each student so that now, sharing them at home, they are able to share the delightful experiences they’ve had all year with their family. After circle time at school, Mondays are devoted to coloring, Tuesdays to making soup and Wednesdays to Eurythmy and crafts . On Thursdays, the kindergarteners bake bread and on Fridays, they paint.
Mrs. White sends activity suggestions via email to parents, asking children to share in drawing or painting what they find in their garden or on a walk, animals and birds they spot outside. Parents are sharing videos and pictures of the children creatively adapting the school curriculum to their homes. There have been videos of soup making, puppet plays, jumping rope, and baking.
The class stays connected through WhatsApp. On St. Patrick’s Day last month, they made Irish soda bread. Recently, a pizza recipe went home.
Snack time and chores happen in the classroom and they are easily transferred to the homefront. Mrs. White asks the children to make their beds, help fold laundry and set and clear the family table. They have songs for classroom tasks that they are incorporating into their home routines.
On painting day, one child painted rocks and made a treasure hunt for his next-door neighbor, providing the neighbor with a map. Many children are playing in the garden, planting vegetables and finding worms.
“A Waldorf kindergarten is meant to be very home-like,” White says. “So the fact that they can be at home and have this rhythm can support and nurture everybody.”
For the moments and hours that parents have to work, children can listen to story podcasts or Mrs. White’s recording of “The Wind in the Willows”; she sends an audio file each day, one chapter at a time, for the children to hear her familiar voice and listen to the same story from afar.
It’s important for the children to stay connected, she says. That’s why she assigned each child to write a letter to a classmate. Some of the children are having FaceTime playdates, facilitated by parents, and on Fridays, the class gathers for a 15-minute Zoom class lunch, where everybody says hello to one another. Many children are calling their friends on the phone.
“A lot of parents are busier now, but because many of us are home, and rushing around less, we can have quality time with our children,” White says. There is no longer a commute to school, although most parents now need to balance working from home with 24/7 parenting. Teachers are suggesting ideas for building structure. Children are capable of doing many things on their own, and this is an opportunity for fostering creativity and independence.”
The Rainbow Class Snack Schedule
Blessing: Earth who gives to us this food, Sun who makes it ripe and good, Dear Sun, Dear Earth, by you we live, our loving thanks to you we give, Amen, have a happy snack time, blessings on our snack.
Monday: Rice
1 part rice to 2 parts water. Saute dry rice in olive oil until it is slightly toasted. Add salt, soup stock, and water. Gently simmer for 45 minutes with lid on. Let cool and eat. Sometimes we add Braggs liquid aminos as well. (For a class of 15, we make 6 cups of rice.)
Tuesday: Soup
Saute any vegetables you have or like in olive oil. Add water, salt and soup stock. Simmer until vegetables are cooked. If you are using dried beans, soak them overnight if you are able. Do not add any salt until beans are cooked. Salt keeps them from cooking completely. A teaspoon of baking soda while cooking can help soften the beans if you are cooking them on their own.
Wednesday: Golden Millet Porridge
Soak millet overnight if possible in water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Rinse thoroughly in the morning. Add water and simmer until the millet is nice and mushy. I don’t measure the water, but add more as I go along. The idea is to have it mushy but not soupy and to keep it moist,not dry. Stir in a bit of salt, raisins, and butter. (coconut oil is also a delicious substitution for the butter.) (For a class of 15, we make 4 cups of millet.)
Thursday: Bread
We make many different kinds of bread. Here is my go to recipe that can be used for bread, pizza, flatbreads, or breadsticks. It is from the River Cottage Veg cookbook.
4 cups (500 grams) flour (if you have it, half all-purpose and half bread flour.)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 ⅓ cups (325 ml) warm water
Add flour, salt and yeast to a large bowl. Add oil and warm water and mix into a rough dough. Flour your hands a little. Tip out the dough onto a work surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth. This is a loose and sticky dough.
Put some oil into a clean bowl , add the kneaded dough, and turn it in the oil so it is covered with a light film. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size--at least an hour, maybe closer to two.
Rachel White
Kindergarten Teacher (Rainbow Class)
When the dough is well-risen and puffy, tip it out and punch it down. Now it is ready to shape. For rolls: take roughly lemon-sized chunks (about 125 grams each/4 oz.) and shape into neat rounds. Place on a baking sheet, cover with a cloth and leave until doubled in size. About an hour. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes until risen and golden.
Friday: Oatmeal
1 cup oatmeal to 3 cups water. It will cook more quickly if you are able to soak it overnight. Cook until it is tender but not dried out. Add raisins and maple syrup to taste.