Each class in a Waldorf Steiner grade school has a story theme. These stories become the starting points for teaching many Language Arts lessons. Stories nurture a Student’s imagination. Stories and lessons are presented in creative and artistic ways to deepen a Student’s feelings and engage a Student’s connection with different subjects. Fundamental Maths concepts are often introduced through stories.
Science, Geography, and History teaching are also enhanced through stories. Folk tales and nature stories, Bible stories and Norse myths in Lower School, stories of ancient Greece and Rome, Explorers, Renaissance, and Industrial Revolutions in Middle School, Odyssey, Parsifal and Faust stories, and stories in History Through Art, History Through Music and Architecture in Upper School – these lessons are presented with stories and artistic and purposeful activities that resonate with the students’ inner lives at each phase of their journey into young adulthood.
Main Teacher
The Main Teacher is a generalist teacher who teaches and guides the same class from Class 1 up to Class 8. This Teacher teaches Language Arts, Maths, History, Geography, and Sciences, and integrates arts, music, and other experiential activities into the main lessons and skills practice classes. The consistent affiliation of the Main Teacher to the same class fosters a bond of understanding between a Teacher, a Student, and a Student’s family. The teacher gets to know a student and a Student’s family through the years. When a Teacher forms a relationship with Students and Parents over an extended period of time, as is done in a Waldorf Steiner school, we share both the joys and the sorrows of life.
This also lends itself to some significant benefits such as:
Class routines and expectations are consistent and a Teacher can be highly creative and adaptable with lessons and class rhythm. New Students, quickly pick up on a class rhythm. Experience has shown that a Student responds positively to a Main Teacher’s courage and openness to teach what is relevant and meaningful across all subjects and activities.
Perhaps most importantly, a Teacher becomes an example of one who sees others for who they are and stays. In moments big or small, and especially as a Student enters puberty, one finds a valuable gift in the unconditional acceptance of a Teacher, a steadfast adult who has known a Student closely for much of one’s school life.
The World is True
Building Capacities for Balanced Discernment to Creatively Meet the Challenges of Our Time
Main Lessons and Subject ClassesClass 1: I Am
(7 years)
Class 1 is a transitional year that supports a seven-year-old child who is playful and is now ready to begin to learn to work with his or her mind. Ideas and concepts are taught in pictorial and exploratory ways, with love, sympathy, and wonder. New skills are developed and lessons are structured to provide a child with ample opportunities to ease into a class rhythm, explore new ideas, and learn social skills. Qualities of numbers, the alphabet as well as other subjects are learned with stories.
Main Lesson Blocks
Form Drawing as Preparation to WritingCapital Letters, Lower Case Letters Alphabet Through Stories: Fairy Tales From Around The WorldNature Studies: Exploration of The Four Elements: Earth, Water, Fire, and AirNature Studies: Exploration of the Four Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, WinterWhole Numbers, Roman NumeralsFour Arithmetic Operations, Simple Mental Math, Story ProblemsTongue Twisters, Poetry, Speech, Phonetics, Sounds of The Letters, Word FamiliesSimple Circle Class Play as a Chorus Inside One’s ClassroomSubject Classes
MUSIC
Pentatonic Music and SongsInterval FlutesFolk SongsSeasonal SongsMOVEMENT and SPATIAL DYNAMICS
Rhythmic Precision MovementCircle GamesSimple EurythmyPRACTICAL and FINE ARTS
Form DrawingBeeswax ModellingWatercolor PaintingDramaFinger Knitting, Knitting, Crafts**FILIPINO LANGUAGE
Listening, Recitation, Oral Learning Through Poetry, Stories, Songs, Crafts, Circle GamesTRIPS
Class One Nature and Surroundings Trips to nearby Beach, Farm, Vegetable GardenClass 2: I Am – You Are
(8 years)
A child’s new abilities learned in Class 1 are developed further in Class 2. A child’s alertness and observation skills increase and a child starts to discover his relationship to the world around him and is eager to participate in everything that comes his way. Stories about resilience, perseverance, responsibility, and overcoming hardship help nurture a child’s inner life as he receives his own new experiences.
Main Lesson Blocks
Form Drawing as Preparation to Cursive WritingLower Case and Upper Case LettersAnimal Fables, Folklore, Saints and Hero StoriesPhilippine Legends and Folk TalesExploring Nature StudiesFour Arithmetic Operations, Multiplication TablesMental Math, Number Patterns, Simple Story ProblemsPoetry, Speech, Tongue TwistersSimple Circle Class Play as a Chorus Inside One’s ClassroomSkills Classes
MathsEnglishSubject Classes
MUSIC
Pentatonic Flute Music and SongsInterval FlutesFolk SongsSeasonal SongsMOVEMENT and SPATIAL DYNAMICS
Rhythmic Precision MovementBody Geography GamesFolk DanceEurythmyPRACTICAL and FINE ARTS
Form DrawingBeeswax ModellingWatercolor PaintingDramaKnitting, Purling, CraftsFILIPINO LANGUAGE
Oral Learning and Speaking, Oral Composition of Simple Sentences Using Previously Learned VocabularyPoetry, Stories, Songs, Crafts, Circle GamesTRIPS AND WORK EXPERIENCE
Class Two Trip To A Bee Farm, Zoo, or Animal FarmClass 3: I Am, Who Are You?
(9 years)
This is a time when a child starts to experience his individuality and starts to live more consciously on the earth. Stories of the Old Testament meet the unfolding inner life of a Class 3 child. The curriculum is designed to support and help a child to understand the physical world and learn self-reliance with the Gardening, Farming, Men at Work, and Shelter studies. A study of Measurement, Time, Currency, and Borrowing contribute to learning about healthy living in a community.
Main Lesson Blocks
Spelling, Writing Skills and Grammar Through Old Testament StoriesNative TalesNature StudyFour Arithmetic Operations, Mental Math, Time, Measurement, Prime NumbersLong Division, Long MultiplicationCurrency, Carrying, and Borrowing, Simple Story ProblemsSpeech, Poetry, Tongue TwistersGardening/FarmingMen At WorkSheltersClass Play: Choral Recitation Inside One’s Classroom with a Small AudienceSkills Classes
MathsEnglish Subject Classes
MUSIC
Interval Flutes, C and G Scales, B flat and F sharp are introducedDiatonic Flute MusicSinging and Playing Diatonic Flute Music in RoundsSeasonal SongsFolk SongsStringed Instrument: Violin or CelloReading Music BeginsMOVEMENT and SPATIAL DYNAMICS
Rhythmic Precision MovementCooperative GamesFolk DanceCircus ArtsEurythmyPRACTICAL and FINE ARTS
Form DrawingBeeswax ModellingWatercolor PaintingDramaEmbroidery, Crochet, CraftsGardeningFILIPINO LANGUAGE
Oral and Written Learning Through Poetry, Stories, Songs, Crafts, GamesOral Reading, Writing, Spelling, Vocabulary, Grammar** TRIPS AND WORK EXPERIENCE**
Farm Work ExperienceClass Three Men at Work TripClass Three Nature and Surroundings Camp at a Nearby LocaleClass 4: Who I Am, Where I Am?
(10 years)
A Class 4 child has come to an end of one’s childhood and starts to develop greater confidence, independence, a sense of one’s self, and an awakening to one’s place in the world. This is a year to explore and work with possibilities. A child works harmoniously with others and finds stability and strength in the rich stories of Norse Myths, and stories of Local History, and discovers the wonders of Zoology and Maths Fractions.
**Main Lesson Blocks **
Form Drawing – CursiveLocal History and Geography, Map MakingNorse MythologyMan and Animal, ZoologyNature Study: Landforms and Water FeaturesFour Arithmetic Operations, Mental Math, FractionsLong Multiplication, Long Division, Story ProblemsSpeech, Poetry, Tongue TwistersEnglish GrammarClass Play with an AudienceSkills Classes
MathsEnglishSubject Classes
MUSIC
Interval FlutesRound Songs, Part SongsSeasonal SongsFolk Songs in C Major ScaleStringed Instrument: Violin or CelloSight Reading of Music and Working With RhythmsMOVEMENT and SPATIAL DYNAMICSRhythmic Precision MovementFolk DanceCooperative GamesEurythmyPRACTICAL and FINE ARTS
Geometric DrawingClay ModellingWatercolor PaintingDramaEmbroidery and Cross Stitch, CraftsWoodworkFILIPINO LANGUAGE
Oral and Written Learning Through Poetry, Stories, Songs, Crafts, GamesWriting, Reading and Vocabulary, Syntax, Grammar and Spelling, Short Talks, DictationsTRIPS
Class Four Local History and Geography CampClass 5: Where I Stand In The World
(11 years)
A Student in Class 5 is more socially confident and physically agile. He or she begins to flourish in harmonious balance. Ancient Civilizations, Greek Mythology, and History are taken up and a high point is a Greek Pentathlon, wherein a Student shows his or her grace and agility, and supports and competes in traditional Greek Pentathlon games.
Main Lesson Blocks
Ancient Civilizations: India, Persia, Mesopotamia, EgyptGreek MythologyGreek HistoryPhilippine GeographyBotany: The Human Being And PlantsFour Arithmetic Operations, Mental Math, Decimals, Metric System, Story ProblemsDecimal Fractions, FractionsFreehand GeometryClass Play with an AudienceSkills Classes
MathsEnglish Subject Classes
MUSIC
Write and Play Music With Scales in G, F, DSoprano, Alto, Tenor FlutesFolk Songs, Seasonal SongsStringed Instrument: Violin or Cello, Orchestra or EnsembleRead Music and Work With RhythmsMOVEMENT and SPATIAL DYNAMICSRhythmic Precision MovementGreek Olympic Pentathlon GamesFolk DanceEurythmyPRACTICAL and FINE ARTS
Geometric DrawingWatercolor PaintingDramaKnitting, Purling, Dyeing Own Yarn, CraftsWoodworkFILIPINO LANGUAGE
Oral and Written Learning Through Poetry, Stories, Songs, Crafts, GamesReading, Writing, Vocabulary, Syntax, Short Talks, Grammar and Spelling, Comprehension, DictationsExposure to BaybayinFOREIGN LANGUAGEExposure to SanskritTRIPS
Class Five Greek Pentathlon CampClass 6: How I Stand In The World
(12 years)
Class 6 is a transition year into Middle School. A student becomes aware of the changes in his or her body and takes a firm and intentional step into the outer world. “As a student progresses through the challenges of adolescence, he or she explores the law and order of Rome and the rules of Geometry and Physics. These help a Student organize and make sense of his or her changing world.” This is also the right time for a study of the physical body and the earth, to support a Student’s increasing awareness of one’s self.
Main Lesson Blocks
RomeMedieval HistoryCultural Studies, Asian GeographyPhysics of Sound, Light, DarknessFour Arithmetic Operations, Mental Math, Decimals, Metric SystemAverages, Factoring, Ratios, Percentages, Business Math, Story ProblemsGeometryGeology, MineralogyClass Play with an AudienceSkills Classes
MathsEnglishSubject Classes
MUSIC
Medieval MusicSeasonal SongsFolk SongsStringed Instrument: Violin or Cello, Orchestra or EnsembleReading Music and Working with RhythmsMOVEMENT and SPATIAL DYNAMICS
Rhythmic Precision MovementTeam GamesFolk DanceEurythmyPRACTICAL and FINE ARTS
Black and White DrawingBlack and White PaintingCalligraphyDramaThree-Dimensional Hand-Sewing, CraftsWoodworkFILIPINO LANGUAGE
Oral and Written Learning Through Poetry, Stories, Songs, Crafts, GamesPhilippine Geography and ArtVocabulary, Reading, Writing, Grammar and Spelling, DictationsTRIPS
Class Six Geology CampClass 7: What I Will Carry Into The World
(13 years)
A Class 7 Student enters puberty and has a spirit of inquiry and exploration. This is a time when a Student’s analytical mind begins to develop and comes to know one’s self alone and in relation to others. A balance of the laws of physical life is introduced in Physics and Physiology. A study of Geography, Renaissance, Reformation, and Age of Exploration allows a Student to explore a changing world.
Main Lesson Blocks
Age of ExplorationRenaissanceAsian GeographyPhysics of Simple MachinesCreative WritingAstronomyInorganic Chemistry (Salts and Bases)Physiology: Digestive and Reproductive SystemsAlgebraClass Play with an AudienceSkills Classes
MathsEnglishSubject Classes
MUSIC
Choral: Renaissance Music and Songs, Madrigals, African MusicSoprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass RecorderSeasonal SongsStringed Instruments, Orchestra or EnsembleReading Music and Working With RhythmsMOVEMENT and SPATIAL DYNAMICS
Rhythmic Precision MovementTeam GamesCircus ArtsEurythmy, Bothmer GymnasticsAikidoPRACTICAL and FINE ARTS
Perspective DrawingCharcoal and Pastel DrawingWatercolor PaintingDramaFiber Arts, Wool Felting, Tying Knots, CraftsWoodworkFILIPINO LANGUAGE
Oral and Written Learning Through Poetry, Stories, Songs, Crafts, GamesPhilippine Geography and ArtVocabulary, Reading, Conversations, Writing, Grammar and Spelling Drills, DictationsTRIPS
Class Seven Explorers Sailing TripClass 8: Identity
(14 years)
A Class 8 Student experiences significant growth and reflection as he or she prepares to enter Upper School. A Class 8 Student delves deeper into schoolwork, demonstrates maturity, and prepares for more serious and analytical work to come. Over the course of the school year, a Class 8 Student develops a project of his or her own, with help from a mentor. “A Class 8 project deepens a Student’s interests and has an inter-disciplinary approach, with an oral and written report, and a mechanical or artistic creation. This is presented to the community near the end of a school year.”
**Main Lesson Blocks **
Age of Reformation, Revolutions, Industrial RevolutionCivil Rights, Modern 20th Century HistoryAfrican GeographyPhysics of Electricity and MagnetismShort Story, Creative WritingOrganic Chemistry: Starch, Sugar, Protein and FatsPhysiology, Anatomy of the Eye, Human Skeleton, Muscles and BonesClimatologyAlgebraStereotomy, Platonic SolidsClass Play with an Audience Skills Classes
MathsEnglishSubject Classes
MUSIC
Choral music: Madrigals, Songs from Around the WorldSoprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass RecorderSeasonal SongsStringed Instruments, Orchestra or EnsembleReading Music and Working With RhythmsMOVEMENT and SPATIAL DYNAMICS
Rhythmic Precision MovementTeam GamesFolk Dancing, Circus ArtsEurythmy, Bothmer GymnasticsGymnasticsAikidoPRACTICAL and FINE ARTS
Watercolor PaintingCharcoal and Pastel DrawingDramaMachine-Sewing, CraftsWoodworkFILIPINO LANGUAGE
Oral and Written Learning Through Poetry, Stories, Songs, Crafts, GamesPhilippine Geography and ArtVocabulary, Reading, and Conversations, Writing, Grammar, Drills, Dictations, Oral PresentationsTRIPS
Class Eight History and Geography Trip