Parent Bulletin, June 2009

Ru d o l f S t e i n e r S c h o o l

B ULLETIN

June 2009

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS: Early Childhood Closing Day; Noon Dismissal

6/5

8th Grade Graduation; LSAR at 5:00 pm

6/8

Closing Day; Noon Dismissal Grades 1-6

6/10

Senior Graduation; Madison Ave. Presbyterian Church; 921 Madison at 2:00 pm

6/10

For a complete and up-to-date Calendar of Events for the month of June logon to www.steiner.edu.

The Steiner Music Faculty invites the Steiner Community to the SUMMER INTERLUDE CONCERT Friday June 26, 2009 (Time to be confirmed) The Brearley School 610 E. 83rd St off of East End Ave. Come support our many Steiner participants!!

ARTWORK BY ALEXANDRA, 5TH GRADE BOTANY

SPRING BENEFIT IN CENTRAL PARK Spring Benefit 2009 at Tavern on the Green on May 15 was a night to remember, in spite of the recession! Thanks to all who attended and sponsored the event and faculty, and donated items for the silent and live auctions, the School raised $90,000 in support of the Annual Fund. While this is lower than what’s been raised through the benefits of the most recent past, it is still an indicator of the just how much our community can accomplish even in difficult times.

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INCREASING DIVERSITY AT RSS BY

PARENT JUSTIN PEYSER

[We] must seek to unite people of all races and nations, and to bridge the divisions and differences between various groups of people. Rudolf Steiner: The Universal Human, Lecture 1 Last Fall the Diversity Committee was founded and began monthly meetings at Steiner. We are thirty persons strong and sixteen are actively working on teams around themes of education, outreach, and administration. Our members serve on the Board and College. We wish to stimulate an ongoing conversation here at the school on this vital, if at times, uncomfortable topic.

By way of introduction, my wife Michelle and I have daughters in the nursery and kindergarten. I was drawn to join the diversity committee because I believe understanding and adopting diverse perspectives is not only wise, but also a significant reason why we choose to live in cities like New York. If you think about it, diverse points of view are at the heart of the humanistic values that anchor our liberal arts tradition. Consciously or not we want our children to gain exposure to a variety of subject areas, bodies of knowledge, --different ways of looking at the world. We want them to learn literature and history and civics and science and math and music and arts. Why is that? For me it has a lot to do with their finding their enthusiasms, but it also involves a development of the notion that there are many ways of seeing the world.

And here is where diversity enters the picture. I sense that when we are in touch with our better natures we allow ourselves to see and hear what others feel and think. It is in this spirit that I approach the work of diversity. If we truly wish for our children to receive a modern, culturally relevant education, then the environment where our children spend nearly two thirds of their childhoods should draw upon the rich variety of experiences or perspectives of NYC. Color blindness is not an ideal as I had often thought. I find it uncomfortable to talk about differences of color or class, plus philosophically I rationalized that since we’re all human beings, why bother about our differences or call attention to them. I’ve realized that attitude isn’t so noble but rather serves the status quo. You can’t deny differences. Children and adults do see and notice difference. Occasionally we have insight. Raising consciousness about our differences from the earliest ages can free us from the stereotypes before the dominant media messages seep in.

Increasing diversity at RSS is not the end goal. It is simply a means to begin creating the conditions for an ongoing exploration within our community of equity and justice and access. It would appear that the philosophical framework for this consciousness-raising work is already resident within the traditions and approach of Waldorf. By drawing more actively from the diversity of New York City and ensuring a supportive environment at the school, we should widen our appeal and base. I have learned that Waldorf has a proud history of fighting oppression that we need to promote and actuate here on the Upper East Side.

Steiner was among the first to promote the now mainstream idea of coeducation. He opposed Hitler in 1923 and the Waldorf schools were shut down when the Nazi’s came to power in the 1930’s. Waldorf schools have worked against apartheid in South Africa. They have bridged the Palestinian Israeli divide, and they have located themselves amid the favelas of Brazil.

Thankfully, Waldorf education embraces diversity and fights against oppression with a global footprint.

And, our school already has international diversity—a tremendous strength to which we can add. We are embarking together on a long, yet rewarding journey. There will be surprises along the way, and yes, there will be tensions. We must accept the tension. Frankness on this subject can get awkward. This is okay.

We’re about to get to know one another much better. It is a privilege to receive a Waldorf education.

Continued on page 4...

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SOCIAL INCLUSION

BY LINDA OGDEN-WOLGEMUTH, CLASS TEACHER

On a wintry evening in January, right before a long weekend, over 100 people gathered together to listen to Kim and to discuss the subject of discipline. It was wonderful to see the diversity of attendees at the meeting: parents, administrators, staff, and faculty of both the Lower and Upper Schools.

Kim John was invited by the Social Inclusion Committee to come to the Rudolf Steiner School to speak.

He chose the topic: “Raising Respectful Children in a Culture of Disrespect: The Soul of Discipline.” The school began conversations regarding social inclusion with Kim John two years ago, and as a result, the school has formed a Social Inclusion Coordinating Group (SICG) to work with Kim John on bringing his social inclusion initiatives into our community. This is a 3-year initiative involving education of our entire community.

Kim John began the evening talking about discipline as a concept. Very often we think of discipline as punitive, but Kim John suggested that when we apply discipline, we are affirming our vision of what we want our family or our school culture to be. Kim used the example of the carving of David by Michelangelo. When asked how he carved the incredible marble sculpture, Michelangelo reportedly said that he did not carve David, he took away that which was not David. In a way, when we apply discipline and say to children, “No, this is not what we do in our family,” it affirms what our family or community is and what its core values are.

Throughout the evening, Kim emphasized this statement by giving us a history of disciplinary styles, past and present by describing a pendulum of approaches where values switch from conservation to liberal and back, sometimes within a decade. He then went on to discuss creative disciplinary approaches which were changeable and more appropriate to a child’s developmental stages. He addressed the full spectrum of techniques, including giving young children fewer choices and limiting media exposure for teens and tweens.

Kim shared many personal anecdotes within his talk in a warm and humorous way. His ideas stimulated a lively conversation in the second half of the evening, where Kim took questions from the audience. The evening proved to be both stimulating and informative, leaving the entire community with plenty of ideas for further discussion on this all important topic.

Don’t despair if you could not attend! Kim Payne will be visiting us again. In the meantime, Kim has a series of CDs and articles, which can be found on his website: thechildtoday.com. He has an upcoming book, entitled Simplicity Parenting, due out later this year. The SICG will soon have a lending library of his CDs as well. Please be look out for a questionnaire to ask for your input on social inclusion to help us shape policies appropriate for our school.

Kim John Payne is an Australian who has for 27 years worked as a counselor, adult educator, consultant/ researcher and educator. He has been helping children, adolescents, and families explore issues such as social difficulties with siblings and classmates, attention and behavioral issues at home and school, emotional issues such as defiance, aggression addiction, and self esteem.

Submitted by the Social Inclusion Coordinating Group: Dale Bennett and Leslie Li, Co-chairs Brooke Brosenne Nadja Carneol

Denise Crane Stacey Kelly Beth Lee Marina McGrew Linda Ogden-Wolgemuth

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ORAL TRADITION, THEN AND NOW

BY DALE BENNETT, CLASS TEACHER

It is not only the story narratives and topic presentations in main lesson that demonstrate how teachers bring the curriculum forward. It is often the material itself, as in 5th Grade Ancient History.

The Oral Tradition, written in verse and song, from the Indian Rig Veda and Bhagavad-Gita to the Persian Zend-Avesta to the Sumerian Gilgamesh to the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Hymn to Ra, becomes the “pedagogical grist” itself when the students sing and recite the legends and laws within these texts. The Ancients naturally set a precedent for a teaching methodology, so to speak.

Moreover, this tradition requires a sensitive ear on the teacher’s part. Do her words have music, balance, and harmony? Are they distinctly said? Do they contain imagery that promotes a strong memory and possible inferential information? Can the students grasp and retain on a level that not only informs, but enhances, thinking of events in sequence, recognizing where the transitions occur, and knowing multiple facets of character.

MAIN LESSON FOR GROWNUPS

BY LEE STEVENS, CLASS TEACHER

In Grade one this year two of our parent meetings have been offered as “Main Lesson’s For Grownups.”

This structure allows parents an experience of the lesson, rather than simply reading or hearing about it.

You may know that movement is an important part of the curriculum, yet through moving one may discover a new appreciation of its’ value in the learning process. The same thing can be said for painting, singing and drawing.

Another benefit of the “Main Lesson For Adults” is that a universal desire for parents at a Steiner School is, “Oh how I wish I had learned this way!” These two hours dedicated to actually swimming in the waters of Steiner methodology are very satisfying to most.

We explored how fairy tales contain essential human lessons. We did circle activities to the poetry of William Blake. We painted a picture showing how colors play together. We discussed the work of Joseph Chilton Pearce and focused on the distinction between the use of, versus the development of, our human capacities.

We turned to the film “Princess Bride” to find an excellent example of the difference between intellect and intelligence.

Next year we have decided to continue this format and will open it up to all interested parents.

INCREASING DIVERSITY AT RSS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

I believe we can use the responsibility that the privilege confers to open the minds of the children who attend our school. That should not only happen by reading about other cultures in books, but in person-something woven into the social fabric of our school and readily gained from the diverse perspectives of our students and teachers. We have the power to allocate real resources to this project so that it may take root and grow into a true legacy of diversity. I hope you join us in this conversation and by all means, I/ we welcome your feedback.

Justin Peyser is co-chair of the Diversity Committee along with Sandra Reid. He can be reached at jpeyser@verizon.net.

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IMAGINATIVE PLAY IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD

BY BIANCA BROUSSEAU, EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSISTANT

How do students in early childhood process responses to stories using the artistic tools in the classroom?

In our early childhood program the children are left free respond to stories in any setting. Yet, the deepest responses can be witnessed most often through the artistic medium of imaginative play. Although we paint, mold beeswax, sew and draw together, these activities are not used to illustrate an aspect or deepen an experience of a story told to the children, but are done for their own sake. For example, instead of painting a picture out of a story, painting is used to experience color—made evident by the prolific production of monochromatic art. Artistic instruction in the kindergarten is used to develop technique and experience the medium on its own terms. Hence our children usually express their experience of stories during playtime.

All toys in the early childhood classrooms are simple and therefore versatile tools for a diversity of makebelieve scenarios. Blocks can be used in any type of construction or vehicle and capes for transformation into a spy, St. Martin, or a bossy mother. Shells and stones can become currency, food, and houses for gnomes, and, in the twenty-first century, even cell phones. Children process much more than the fairy tales and nature stories told to them. Life in New York City also tells many stories to the children and we teachers get to hear them all. On any given day you might see a few children busy setting up a puppet show of a fairy tale heard that week, spending most of the playtime carefully setting up the scene, while another child, sporting a blue velvet cape and knitted woolen headband, stands at the front of a long line of chairs shouting “stand clear of the closing doors!”

Although imaginative play is an outward expression of a deepened experience of a story, the stories told in the early childhood programs are also considered healthy meals for the bodies of our children. Steiner said that it is not food alone that nourishes the body, but language itself: sounds, words, sentence structures and the images created through them. The nursery rhymes, songs and fairy tales told to the children mirror their emotional and physical development, allowing them to see a reflection of themselves. Just as “coming of age” stories speak to adolescents affirming their physical and emotional struggles to become adults, young children identify with images in the stories we tell. The images conveyed are age-appropriate affirmations of physical growth that boost the growth of the body itself. What the children absorb through these stories fill them with a feeling of familiarity and also with a deep reverence for the truth of their own experience.

In the early childhood program artistic responses to stories come spontaneously out of the children through imitation and imaginative play. We receive them with delight, gratitude and a deep love for the mystery of developing young humans.

FROM THE KITCHEN,BY

CHEF LESLIE LI

In these times of economic ups and downs, where we all might feel a bit unsettled, it was felt back in February that a “comfort food” meal might really hit the spot. Comfort food often brings to mind memories of childhood, feelings of warmth and a sense of well being. For some this might mean meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, for others it could be a steaming bowl of chicken matzo ball soup or bowl of rice congee w/ pickled vegetables, or perhaps even a spicy hot toddy sipped by the fire. For the Parents Association sponsored Winter Community Dinner held back in February, southern comfort food was the Continued on page 6…. fare and theme.

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FROM THE KITCHEN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

One of the entrees served that night was Pineapple Jerk Chicken. Although new to the schools lunch menu, it has quickly become a favorite with the students and faculty/staff. What I especially appreciate about this dish is its simplicity. Instead of heavily seasoning the chicken itself, thereby making it perhaps too strong for a younger or more sensitive pallet, the main seasoning is saved for the sauce, which can then be controlled – some, a little, a lot or not at all. This gives everyone in the family a chance to enjoy the dish. Originally this recipe was found on line from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel dated December 11, 2008. Here at school we prepare it with organic chicken, fresh squeezed lime juice and homemade jerk sauce.

Baked Chicken w/ Pineapple Jerk Sauce (Serves 4)

For the Baked Chicken you will need: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 tablespoons lime juice Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ½ teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon garlic powder

For the Pineapple Jerk Sauce: 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple (the pineapple is ripe if you can pull out one of the center top green leaves)

1 tablespoon honey ¼ teaspoon Sea salt ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1 ½ teaspoon jerk seasoning paste or sauce (more or less to taste) 1 piece (1/3 inch) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 2/3 cup organic creamy sweet corn soup (Pacific brand found at Whole Foods is my preference) A tablespoon or so of light brown sugar can be added to the sauce while cooking if desired.

To make the chicken, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat the chicken with lime juice and place in a baking dish with the salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders. Bake 30 minutes or until cooked through and the juices run clear.

To make the sauce, begin with putting the sweet corn soup in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Meanwhile, place the pineapple in a blender or food processor and puree. Add the honey, salt, pepper, jerk sauce or paste and ginger root and blend. Pour pineapple mixture into boiling corn soup, mixing together, and simmer on reduced heat approximately 30 minutes until mixture reduces and thickens a bit. Serve sauce generously over chicken and enjoy.

We would like to thank the volunteers who helped the kitchen team make the Winter Community dinner possible. Louise Randolph (parent 7th grader), Gabrielle Ortiz (alumni and parent back nursery) and David Nuss (parent 4th grader) assisted with food preparation, and both Luca Eisen (7th grader) and Louise assisted in serving throughout the evening. Thanks also to all the members of the Parents Association for their help and support, and to everyone who cut vegetables and served throughout the school year.

On behalf of Rudy, Rafael, David and I, we wish you all a wonderful and joyous summer holiday, and we look forward to seeing you all back in the fall.