Reviews of Waldorf books, toys and curriculum resources
There is a real art to doing wet-on-wet watercolor painting.
It is not the easiest technique to master but there are a few resources out there that can help.
One of these resources is my own Guide to Fifth Grade Wet-on-Wet Watercolor Painting.
I’ve put this guide together that includes photographs and instructions for seventeen individual paintings, as well as tips and techniques for creating your own paintings. It’s exactly the kind of resource I wish I’d had as I taught fifth grade.
I’m looking to populate my sidebar with links to other great Waldorf resources. If you’ve got one that you love leave it in the comments below!
When I first discovered Waldorf Education, I was fascinated by everything I read about the temperaments. I found it endlessly fun to think about my own personality type, as well as my son’s, and try to determine what exactly was behind our actions.
I really could have used a simple, straightforward introduction to the temperaments.
Well, recently, I took it upon myself to write one. I’m currently offering it for sale for $1.99 on my teaching blog A Waldorf Journey.
You can find the mini-ebook by following the link below and checking out with Paypal.
The Temperaments and Waldorf Education.
I hope you enjoy it!
There are a lot of inspiring Waldorf blogs out there. Many of these have beautiful photos and they give a beautiful picture of a Waldorf environment.
Syrendell – The beautiful Tan family.
Our Little Nature Nest – A great blog in itself and this links to a post about Waldorf blogs.
Little Acorn Learning — A nice homeschooling curriculum and an inspiring blog.
The Parenting Passageway – A fabulous blog with so much parenting insight. Definitely add it to your reader!
Rhythm of the Home — So inspiring!
Well, I just can’t get enough of this blogging stuff so I’m starting a new one. This one will be dedicated to chronicling my experiences with my students and I think it is something my readers here will truly appreciate. I’m hoping that it will be just as useful for other people as it is for me. Make sure you check it out!
I’ve got so many readers here I just wanted to give a little plug for my personal blog. Now that I’m back in the classroom full-time I’ll be sharing the Waldorf adventures I have with a great group of fifth students. We’re in fifth grade now and I’ll be posting useful information like photos of main lesson books, chalkboard drawings and extra activities that we do. My hope is that the blog can be inspiring to others, just as useful as it is to me to have a chronicle of my experiences in the classroom.
You can see my most recent post with pictures of our recent field trip to a nearby cedar forest. Check it out and comment!
This is a fairly recent discovery of mine — Rudolf Steiner Audio.
I’ve already downloaded a couple of the lectures that have been recorded by a man named Dale Brunsvold and they are fabulous. I’ve mentioned before that for reading I prefer Steiner’s books. The conversational, repetitive style of some of the lectures bothers me a bit when I’m reading them. I’m so pleased to have discovered, then, that lectures are best listened to! I’m so grateful to Mr. Brunsvold for taking up this task, which seems quite a monumental one. Listening to his voice I feel as though I am listening to Steiner speak, and I find the conversational style endearing. Steiner’s books are so rich that they would be difficult to listen to, but the lectures are completely accessible.
I’ve already downloaded the series of lectures on Bees and I’m enjoying listening while I’m in the car. Audiobooks are so good for making use of that time!
Friday is my day to share with you one of the wonderful Waldorf education and parenting blogs that I read.
Today’s feature is Shelley from Waldorf Mama.
Shelley is a Waldorf mother somewhere in Texas and her posts are quite inspiring. Many of her entries are handwork related (which satisfies the knitter in me) and her photos are beautiful. She creates the most beautiful things using rich, colorful yarn.
Shelley also does a lovely job of depicting the cycle of the year by documenting her family’s celebrations. I look forward to her sweet photos and reverent observations.
Go check her out. Definitely a blog you’ll want to subscribe to for a little inspiration.
Oh, so sorry, dear readers, once again I have been neglectful. This week I am teaching an 8th grade creative writing block at a nearby Waldorf school. Writing and language arts are my specialty, so I’m really enjoying it. It’s so much fun to study writing and then watch as the students’ writing improves.
For this block I am primarily using online resources. I found a great website that lists the main elements of the short story along with stories that represent good examples of each element. Each day this week we are reading and discussing a couple of stories, having a writing workshop and beginning on a new story.
There are some really wonderful stories out there. Some of them I’d read in high school but had forgotten about. Others are completely new to me. Some of the great titles we’re reading. . .
The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Charles by Shirley Jackson
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe
To Build a Fire by Jack London
All the Years of Her Life by Morley Callaghan
Some of these stories are fabulously disturbing — not for children younger than eighth grade. In fact when I read The Most Dangerous Game I started to wonder if it was even appropriate for them! But in the end all of these stories are fun and inspiring. This block is a blast!
A couple of my favorites, along with quite a few others, can be found on this CD put out by the people who broadcast “Selected Shorts” on NPR.
Really great stories can also be heard via podcast. I subscribe to The Moth and the Selected Shorts podcasts, in addition to Story Corps and Classic Tales. Some of the stories are just great for me. The Classic Tales stories are enjoyed by everyone in my family. Short stories are great for when you want a little something, but can’t commit to a whole book. Have fun reading!
It’s Friday again — my chance to share with you all blogs and websites that I find particularly inspiring.
Today’s feature is Jen’s blog called Ancient Hearth.
Jen is the mother of twin daughters who are in first grade. She is homeschooling them, using the Waldorf curriculum as inspiration. Over the past few months I have read her chronicle her journey homeschooling her girls and I have been absolutely flabbergasted by how much she is bringing to the curriculum. Jen has found a truly wonderful, imaginative way to bring the curriculum, with lots of projects, stories and artistic work. Her girls are receiving a phenomenal education!
I’m also enjoying Jen’s posts about how she and her girls honor and recognize the festivals throughout the year. It’s truly incredible and inspiring to see what a rich experience she is bringing to her girls. Really. Go visit. And subscribe so you don’t miss a post.
