May 20th, 2011

Personalities in the Classroom: Teaching the Eeyore’s, Tigger’s, Rabbit’s, and Pooh’s

A parent reminded me that I had not yet re-addressed the temperaments from the January 2011 Awareness, so let’s begin with how  to recognize them. Often, the archetypal characters in “Winnie the Pooh” are used as models. Pooh is phlegmatic with his calm demeanor and overall preoccupation with eating, comfort, and rest. Eeyor and Piglet represent the melancholic temperament with their “Everything is going wrong…again,” and “The sky is falling!” attitudes. Tigger is of the sanguine temperament--optimistic, fun, happy-go-lucky, and chatty! Rabbit is the choleric with his passionate leadership qualities, his fiery personality, and his proclivity toward anger.

Russian Language and Culture

On May 4th, AWS 4th graders traveled to the Jewish Community Center to visit ESL class for Russian immigrants. Russian Teacher Rita Meikson prepared a surprise presentation in honor of  Victory Day.

January 27th, 2012

What it takes to be a Class Teacher in the Waldorf Grades

"A Waldorf teacher needs to value the development of wonder, gratitude, and responsibility. When subjects are brought to life in the class by the teacher via imagination and/or intuition, the student wants to explore learning, and this creates wonder. When topics and subjects are over-explained or taught to a test, the student’s desire for learning is thwarted. Reverence and wonder can easily arise out of the Waldorf curriculum..."

Alabama Waldorf School participates in Alabama Gives Day!

On February 2, 2012, our community will come together for Alabama Gives Day, and we need YOU to join us as our state makes history and our school raises money for, among other things, Waldorf teacher training!

May 2012

Anthroposophy: It's not just a Tongue Twister -- Anthro…what? Anth-ro-POS-ophy. I like to think of it as a combination of anthropology and philosophy—the study of mankind. And why do you care? Because it’s the philosophical basis for Waldorf education. In a nutshell, it’s what makes us different. And that means it’s at least partially why you chose AWS for your child's schooling and why your child’s teacher chooses AWS as a place to work...

Jaimen McMillan Visits AWS!  ...His (Jaimen's) lecture focused around the idea that we don’t need to ban digital media, as much as we need to be educated about it, especially before exposing a child to it. So, how can you prepare a child for exposure to virtual reality? How can you strengthen them so that they are not taken in by what they are watching?...

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

The Timeless Quality of Waldorf Education

"When I speak to people about the wisdom of Waldorf education, I am struck by its timelessness. I often say that things are different here at the Waldorf school because we know what we are doing, the curriculum is set and was built around the development of the healthy child, and it’s been practiced and honed to a fine art over 92 years."

Eurythmy

"For three weeks in November, AWS will, for the fifth consecutive year, host a student of the American Eurythmy School in California. Student Karen Robertson is completing her practicum for Euruythmy Certification here, which means that AWS students will get to experience this unique Waldorf art form!"

Monday, May 10th, 2010

How are Waldorf Schools and Montessori Schools alike/different? I love this question because I love the story that answers it. Legend has it that Maria Montessori and Rudolf Steiner met after the first World War to discuss how best to heal society after such devastating tragedy.  Both scientists and philosophers, they agreed that education of the future generation was the key for a healthy future. Montessori felt that in Italy, all people ever did was feel, feel, feel, and they never THOUGHT about ANYthing. Steiner felt that people in Germany engaged in plenty of thinking, but it wasn’t permeated with any FEELING. So, they each created an educational method that provided balance in their respective societies.

6th/7th Grade Spanish - Jose Marti

Senora Mixon took advantage of a call for artwork surrounding the topic of the White Rose, a nonviolent resistance movement in Germany during World War II. Students translated Jose Marti’s poem, “I Cultivate a White Rose,” and then completed artistic renderings using pastels. Children ages 3 to 18 years have sent in artistic responses to the theme of the courage to stand alone in the face of unjust practices.