A Comparison of the First, Fourth, and Seventh Grades’ Main Lessons at The Meadowbrook Waldorf School
First Grade - Use pre-made Main Lesson books - Use crayons for work - Abbreviated Main Lesson time - Name tags on the chairs - Long tables for desks - Students still trying to figure out what peers do not tolerate (have only been together since the beginning of the year) - Grade’s theme = movement and fairy tales - Lots of movement during class - Taught only through stories and somewhat by what teacher has prepare on topic - No homework and tests - Students are curious at this age - Start playing the recorder a,er winter break - Most of the parents come into the classroom to drop off their child in - No similarities the morning
Fourth Grade
- Regular Main Lesson time - Name tags on the desks - Some conflict amongst students (been together for 4 years) - Grade’s theme = local geography, Native American stories, and Norse mythology - Less movement, more academic work during class - Homework every night but no more than 1 hour - No tests - Same teacher all 8 years - Students are curious but have more - Teach shakes hands every morning with every independence student and asks how they are doing - Know how to play the recorder well and - Learn German are beginning to learn strings - Reinforce ALL subjects through artistic expression - Some parents come into the which allows emotional connection to information classroom with child in the - No textbooks morning - Assignments allow children to express their own - Learn Chinese originality instead of recite facts - Educates the WHOLE child - mind, body, soul - No grades; teachers write reflections at the end of - Students make the year to show where the student has improved, and bind their own where they excel, and where more improvement is Main Lesson books needed - Use fountain pens for - Taught through stories final work - Memorization is important - Individual desks for - The Main Lesson, snack, and lunch students have a verse/blessing before - Taught through stories they begin and what teacher has - “Circle Time” is part of Main Lesson - Sing to call attendance every morning
prepared on the subject
Seventh Grade
By Hannah Gardner November 2012
- Know how to play the recorder well as well as viola, violin, or cello - Extended main lesson time - Bothmer or chorus at the beginning of three of the days - None of the parents come into the classroom in the morning - Name tags on the chairs and desks - Barely any conflict amongst students (been together for 7 years) - Homework every other night and tests at the end of each block - Grade’s theme = exploration, physiology, and historical stories - Mostly academic work during class - Independent students - Learn Latin