I started my exploring of Waldorf Education by researching as much information as I could to gain an understanding of child development and how the curriculum is designed to speak to the children at each stage.  I can then take this knowledge and apply it in the best way for my family.

Under a Waldorf system daily, weekly, yearly rhythm is important therefore formal learning for us just becomes a part of our family rhythm.  The rhythm of the main lesson for young children is also important.  The lesson should appeal to the imagination, through story or activity,  followed by artistic expression  and finally understanding.

I start each day with a rhythmic part which contains things like singing, speech exercises, counting and mental arithmetic done with movement like walking, finger exercises, action songs or verses.and playing a song together on the lyre. This rhythmic part was quite intense in our first year but is less so in our second year . Also counting has given way to working on multiples instead.

Then I deliver the main lesson. Whether it be a story, poem  or some hands on activity.  As the main lesson goes on for three weeks sometimes I do a puppet show with the story and only give bits at a time. This way they are always looking forward to what is going to happening next.

Then a drawing, making something, or painting a picture is done.
After this we do our practical work whether it be writing, maths problems, or learning how to use the information from our stories.   

There is also plenty of opportunity to incorporate music, painting, modelling  and stories.

Craft is next. It can be an ongoing project like knitting or candle making where we make a different sort of candle each day.

A second language is learnt but is done informally.

I personally break my schooling into two streams. There are subjects I want to do main lesson books for   and some things they will pick up just by doing things through play and observing and talking to others.

For example. One main lesson for grade 2 is the four seasons. My husband spends a lot of time outside and talks with the boys about what is happening around them whether they are tending to the vegie patch, the chooks or looking at some bird or other. I felt to spend three weeks on this subject was not relevant. However I did want to bring in some writing of the names of different seasons and what they meant to him. So I combined this lesson with one on telling time. This included a story on the history of telling time by using the sun, moon and seasons.

I like to prepare an overview of the subjects for the whole year and then I can plan the lessons. This allows me to know the types of subjects which might appeal to them.  Of course this will change through the year as opportunities arise.

This year is going to be  really exciting and different as it will be the first year of both my children doing formal lessons. 

I hope you all can enjoy your homeschooling journey as much as I am.