Parent Bulletin, September-October 2009

Rudolf Steiner School

B ULLETIN

September/October 2009

WELCOME BACK! INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Letters from Board Chair, Parent Council, Student Council

Pgs. 4-5

Our Connection to Hawthorne Valley Farm

Pgs. 8-9

Bringing Waldorf Education to Kenya

Pg. 10

The Myth of Being Smart

Pg. 11

Student Reflections from Graduation 2009

Pg. 11

In Memoriam

Pgs. 12-13

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS: Early Childhood New Parent Orientation; 10:30 am

9/1 2

Fall Fair General Meeting All Welcome; 8:45 am

9/17

High School Back-to-School Night; 6:30 pm

9/22

School Closed - Yom Kippur

9/28

All School Meet and Greet; 7:00 pm

10/1

School Closed - Columbus Day

10/12

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

Greetings and a warm welcome back to the entire Rudolf Steiner Community! We hope you have enjoyed a rewarding summer and are looking forward to the start of another school year. With this letter, we are pleased to bring you updates regarding some of the School’s initiatives this year, and various personnel announcements as well.

The School will continue its work with Kim Payne this year and his approach to Social Inclusion. On August 31st, the faculty and staff attended a workshop with Mr. Payne entitled “Working Together as Colleagues.” In addition, on September 1st and 2nd, the Social Inclusion group and the newly formed Student Action Committee (SAC) engaged in training sessions with Mr. Payne.

Two important topics of discussion this year will be “Diversity” at the School, and issues pertaining to “Learning Differences at Steiner.” Both themes will require in-depth analysis and discussion throughout the course of the year. Lively conversations on both these points took place in several venues last year; the College Of Teachers believes it is vital to continue our talks, given the rapidly expanding body of knowledge available, and serious priority of interest these two themes are assuming in our world.

In the Upper School, new windows have been installed in the front of the building.

These windows are visually pleasing and were custom made to replicate the look of the existing windows and meet the requirements set by the NYC Landmark Commission.

The new windows also increase the energy efficiency of the building and dramatically reduce the infiltration of sound from the street.

It is customary with this first Bulletin letter to include updates regarding changes in personnel for the upcoming school year. Many of these changes have already been mentioned in a detailed letter that was sent out in the early summer from Joshua Eisen, our School Administrator, and will not be repeated again in this letter. Listed below, however, are several announcements of appointments and updates that have been finalized over the summer months.

Please join me in warmly welcoming our new colleagues, and thanking all those members of the community who left at the end of the school year for their hard work and much appreciated service to the School. We especially wish to thank the members of Continued on page 2...

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last year’s Parent Council for their energetic and helpful work on behalf of the community. A special welcome goes out to our newly elected Co-Chairs, Susanne Kastler-Knerr and James Salser, and to all the members of this year’s Council.

We also wish to recognize Mark Reed, our newly elected Chairman of the Board, and this year’s entire Board of Trustees. We are most grateful for their service and guidance.

We are delighted to introduce Cat Greenstreet who will assume the newly created position of Lower School Chair. In the past, the role of “Lower School Coordinator” was held by a Lower School class teacher; we are most grateful to Dale Bennett for serving in this capacity for the past three years. Ms. Greenstreet will work on a part-time interim basis this year while a Search Committee, appointed by the College of Teachers, takes up the challenge of identifying a full-time administrator to fill the position of Lower School Chair for the 2010-2011 school year. Some of us are already acquainted with Cat Greenstreet through her mentoring work at the school last year. She has had extensive experience in the Waldorf School movement, including serving as Director of Teacher Education and as an instructor at Sunbridge College since 2001. In Austin, Texas, Cat was a class teacher (1991-1997) and also served as High School Coordinator for its pioneering high school (1996-1998), and as High School Chairperson (1998-2001). In recent years, Cat has also worked as facilitator for “Courage to Teach / Courage to Lead” renewal retreats at Sunbridge College and other venues in New York City.

Recent economic pressures have necessitated a certain amount of downsizing in the School. As a result, the role of Upper School Librarian has been temporarily eliminated. The library itself, however, will be covered and maintained by the Rudolf Steiner faculty and staff. In addition, an exciting new connection with the New York Society Library and some of our older students has been arranged. Pending final agreement with the library, Eleventh and Twelfth grade students will be allowed to use the facilities at the Society Library, and benefit from their research librarians as well.

We continue to search for the right lead teacher and assistant to head a new Extended Day Program for K5 – 3rd Grade. We wish to thank parents Karyn Zieve and Stacy Kelly for their original proposal and help in supporting the creation of this program. The initiative would provide much needed after school hours of supervision for children of working parents who are unable to pick up their children earlier in the day. We will provide further updates as soon as possible.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new High School Eurythmy teacher, Alexandra Spadea. Ms. Spadea is a trained eurythmist, having studied both in Dornach, Switzerland, and Spring Valley, New York. She has worked as a Eurythmy teacher for grades eight through twelve at the Green Meadow Waldorf School in Chestnut Ridge, NY, where she served as a class advisor and bookbinding assistant as well. Ms. Spadea will also be working with the Eighth Grade this year.

Over the summer months the Website Committee continued its efforts to launch a new design of our website for the Rudolf Steiner School, which should better serve its needs in every possible way. We warmly thank Irene Mantel for taking a leading role with this initiative. The work will be on-going, with many important decisions regarding the look and content of the website made over the next few months. We will make every effort to bring you updates in a timely manner regarding this exciting project.

We are pleased to introduce Eileen B. Diskin who will serve as Director of Alumni and Community Relations. Among her many qualifications, Ms. Diskin has served as Office Administrator and Executive Assistant to the Executive Director for the Tisch Center for the Arts. She will be responsible for all efforts and

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activities to grow and maintain a strong Alumni Program, support the Development office and maintain its database, organize and host alumni and community events, and develop and maintain positive working relationships with the volunteers in our community. Ms. Diskin will also endeavor to strengthen “outreach” and the cultivation of “community” at the school.

We also welcome Melissa Alter as our new Admissions Coordinator. Ms. Alter will work in both the Lower School with Irene Mantel and with Julia Hays in the Upper School, supporting the overall work of the Admissions Department. She is a graduate of Brandeis University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Economics. In addition, Ms. Alter holds a Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance from Brandeis International Business School. She has had considerable experience with the admissions process, both at Brandeis University where she served as Coordinator of Admissions Assistants and participated on the Alumni Admissions Council, and at Lawrence Woodmere Academy where she worked as an Admissions Office Intern.

There will be significant changes to the end-of-the-year Eighth Grade and Senior Graduation ceremonies.

This year, the Seniors will graduate on Friday, June 4th and not on the last day of school, Wednesday, June 9th. The Senior Graduation Ceremony will also be preceded by an all school closing “Rose Ceremony.” On Wednesday, June 9th, the last day of school, the Eighth Grade students will be honored in the newly titled “Moving Up Ceremony,” a celebration that will formally close the school year. Details regarding both these events have yet to be finalized; we will keep you informed accordingly.

In closing, we once again wish to thank all of our volunteers who serve with such dedication and in so many capacities throughout the year on behalf of the School. We acknowledge their tireless efforts and many achievements with the deepest appreciation.

Warmest good wishes for a rewarding 2009-2010 school year to our families, faculty, and staff.

Rallou M. Hamshaw Speaker for the College of Teachers

Messages FROM OUR NEW BOARD CHAIR Dear Rudolf Steiner Community:

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FROM OUR NEW PARENT COUNCIL CO-CHAIRS

As we squeeze out the last little bit of summer from the rapidly dwindling supply of August days, we I am honored to begin my term as your new Board look forward to the start of another school year.

Chair. Having volunteered on the Finance and Investment Committees for the past four years, I have Really? observed first-hand the immense dedication of the Well, we could have sworn there was another Board and College of Teachers in guiding all aspects month of Summer break. So as we contemplate the of our School. blank slate that is the 2009-2010 school year we are reminded that the upcoming year is without limOver the past two years, the Board has engaged in its: for your child, for your child’s teacher, for yoursignificant discussions and changes to the School’s self. governance, in collaboration with the College. This has been challenging and productive work. All As every year before and every year to come, the remembers of our community should feel confident entry into school brings with it hope, promise, and that the discussion is vibrant and their voices are the occasional morning dash to get to class on heard. time. We have grown to love and cherish reconnecting with our community each and every September This year, the Board will continue what it has begun at the start of school, because the community is one and spend time refining its strategic thesis, a need of the things that sets this school apart from others that emerged as it began evaluating opportunities to in the city. It is all the individual members of expand our School late last year. While I cannot tell o u r c o m m u n i t y - - t h e p a r e n t s , t e a c h you what the result will be, I can assure you that ers, administrators, support staff, children and such strategic inquiry is a key function of the friends-- that contribute the commitment, caring Board. We depend on your input to inform this and love that will ensure that the upcoming school process. You can expect an update from me at a year is one to be cherished.

Community Association meeting in the latter half of the school year.

And now to the point of this column, get involved! Each individual at Steiner has something to The Board of Trustees discusses sensitive matters contribute - be it time, experience, expertise, or just and tackles difficult questions. This cannot always raw enthusiasm. It’s the amazing, and varied talent be a public process. At times, discretion rules the base in the parents, teachers and staff that day. However, over the course of this year, you will makes this school and its community special. see frequent updates from me, and prompt and transparent communications. I encourage you to So if you love to work with wood or want to learn approach me with any questions or thoughtful com- how, or you just need to get away from the desk--if you love to sew or just want to chat with fellow parments you may have. ents--if you’re a financial wizard or a parent who Thank you for your ongoing contributions to our just wants to learn flamenco dancing-- we can use community and your dedication during these chal- your brains, your muscle, your creativity, your enlenging times. Our School community is blessed by thusiasm. As new Co-Chairs of Parent Council, we the amazing breadth and warmth of its member- encourage you to do what you can, when you ship. This month, a long-time member of this com- can. You will be glad you did! munity passed away in a tragic surprise. I hope that we will all show kindness and sensitivity to the fam- James Salser and Susanne Kastler-Knerr ily of Peter Mui as we begin the coming year.

Parent Council Co-Chairs 2009-2010 Mark Reed Board Chair, 2009-2010

Messages

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A

GLIMPSE OF THE STUDENT COUNCIL’S INCENTIVES AND ENDEAVORS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR SENIOR AND STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT

As of this fall, I have the honor of representing and serving the High School as Student Body President. I believe it is mandatory that the Student Council represent the Student Body and its interests adequately. Not only is it the role of the Council to enhance the high school experience, it is also our mission to voice concerns and issues directly to the faculty that reflect the overall position of the students. One of the ways that previous Student Councils have succeeded in understanding the position of the students was by conducting polls and student forums. I think that both polls and forums have proven extremely effective. I am particularly in favor of forums as they are a perfect opportunity for a variety of issues to surface and be discussed.

This year, the Student Council has committed itself to revitalizing the Mentorship Program, an initiative that was started a few years ago. The Mentorship Program facilitates dialogue between the “Mentors,” upper classmen, and the freshmen class along with any other new upperclassmen.

Last Spring, I proposed that the Student Council, with the support of Mr. Plane, be responsible for organizing and running the program. This new plan was approved by the High School Faculty. It will allow incoming students to enter the High School with useful information about what to expect for the upcoming year, and thereby ease their transition. The Mentors that have been chosen are students who reflect the values of our High School community. They are independent and responsible individuals who have set high standards for themselves. These Mentors, by example, are the best equipped to impart the necessary skills that the new students need to succeed. This will also provide the new incoming and freshmen students with an experienced individual who is readily available to answer questions and alleviate the natural sense of anxiety that develops with the unknown. In the fall, the Student Council will be conducting a poll of the freshmen and other new students to get their feedback on the program. This will enable us to further develop, monitor and improve the existing system.

The Mentorship Program is only one example of how we can unite our student body by forming a dialogue and facilitating interaction. Another way to improve our social atmosphere is by organizing multiple extra-curricular activities, such as a bike club, groups that branch off of the current Student Council, etc. Trips organized by the Student Council will also further strengthen our social atmosphere. During the year, student participation in these activities will be an important building block in forging long lasting friendships and a unified Steiner community.

Fa l l Fa i r 2 0 0 9

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The apples are ripe and ready to fall….

Fall Fair 2009 Once again, the start of school marks the official beginning of preparations for the Rudolf Steiner School Fall Fair, our largest community event of the year. Please reserve Saturday, November 21st, 10 am – 4 pm, for this year’s event. This is the day that presents the many talents and dedicated service of parents, faculty, staff and students, whether through a knitted doll, music performance or crafts.

Like any other large event undertaken by a non-profit, the event is only as successful as its dedicated volunteers make it. This means we rely on all of you to help. At the same time, it offers each of us a rare opportunity to work together in ways we are otherwise not able to do. Please consider taking on one of the many open positions.

If you are interested in what is being planned for this Fair, which raises much needed funds for the Tuition Assistance Program, please stop by for coffee and conversation at the first meeting on Thursday, September 17 at 8:45 in the Lower School cafeteria. If you are interested but unable to attend, please contact Jamie Carter, Dawn Rhodes or Shannon Williams.

So Many Ways to Help!

Every class teacher N-12th grade is currently seeking a Fall Fair Parent Liaison. The liaison will work with fellow parents to coordinate the decoration and staffing of the class’s assigned area.

Liaisons will also organize class volunteers for set-up day and fair day. Please contact your class teacher/advisor or Jamie Carter, Dawn Rhodes or Shannon Williams if you would be willing to volunteer for this.

Co- Chairs Jamie Carter and Dawn Rhodes

Silent Auction Set Up Volunteer Needed

Logistics Coordinator Laura Koffman

Clean Up Committee Coordinator Volunteer Needed

Décor Coordinator Volunteer Needed

Trip Raffle Coordinator Volunteer Needed

Volunteer Coordinator Volunteer Needed

Waldorf Play Materials Volunteer Needed

Silent Auction Acquisitions Volunteer Needed

For more information or to volunteer, please contact Shannon Williams.

Fa l l Fa i r 2 0 0 9

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Class Activities Grade Early Childhood First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth

Activity Activity to be Confirmed Beeswax Candle Sales Candle Dipping Pocket Person Jump Rope Making and Crafting Snack Stop and Caramel Apples Crystals Brown Bag Raffle Game Room General Volunteers General Volunteers General Volunteers General Volunteers

Craft Workshops Everything you ever wanted to know about Waldorf education and crafts but were afraid to ask can be learned in these workshops. They are a great way to meet fellow parents in a welcoming environment conducive to learning a new craft or improving your skill (even for those who think they are handcraft challenged) and to sharing thoughts and concerns.

Knitted Gifts Led by parent Kathleen Kearney Thursday Mornings 8:30am -10:30am Lower School Cafeteria Dolls Led by parent Paulina Otcasek and Susann Villanueva Friday mornings 8:30am -10:30am Lower School Cafeteria

Woodworking Led by Faculty Leader Renate Poliakine and parent Tony Edwards Wednesday evenings 7:00pm-9:00pm and Friday mornings 8:30am-10:00am Lower School Wood workshop Handcrafted Gifts Coordinator(s) still needed– if you have a special craft skill and you are willing to lead a workshop, please let us know!

Details such as start dates and additional workshops will be forthcoming in the early weeks of September. For questions, please contact Shannon Williams by email (swilliams@steiner.edu) or phone (212-535-2130 x206) .

REFLECTIONS ON FARM WEEK

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OUR CONNECTION TO HAWTHORNE VALLEY FARM JENNIFER ROSENSTEIN, 8TH GRADE TEACHER

“If children are given a sense for the living earth and their connection with it when they are young, they will develop into adults who are, on the one hand, more securely rooted in themselves, and on the other are more capable of acting as caring custodians of the natural world.” Rudolf Steiner, Lecture given in Torquay, August 14, 1924 Locally grown produce has become a popular topic of interest in the last couple of years.

Bestselling books have been written, daily articles are being published in newspapers and magazines, and interviews are being conducted on local public radio stations regarding what people can do to learn about farming in their own backyards and rooftops and supporting local farms. Farmer’s markets are experiencing an increasing demand for organic produce that has been grown close to their communities. We know that the food tastes better, but there is something else as well.

When there is a connection between you and the person who has been involved in bringing that food into the world, the exchange is meaningful and respectful. That connection is vital.

Over thirty-five years ago, a group of teachers from the Rudolf Steiner School, among them, Henry Barnes, saw the need for students to have as part of their education, knowledge of and experience with biodynamic farm work. Through that initiative, what is now known as Hawthorne Valley Farm was transformed from a small, ailing farm into a working one with the intention of offering farm education.

Hawthorne Valley Farm is located about 100 miles north of New York City in the bucolic, rolling hills of the Hudson Valley. The Visiting Students Program, run by Nick Franceschelli, a graduate of the Rudolf Steiner School, and fondly known as Farmer Nick, brings school classes into a unique, week-long farm experience. Each year over 500 children visit the farm. Students, teachers, and farmers live and work together. The rhythm of nature and life on the farm remove children from the classroom and the everyday course of hectic, modern life. Awakening to the environment, the children encounter the joy of learning and working together in a place where the daily toil is authentic, gratifying, and connected to something tangible.

Third grade is farm year in every Waldorf School all over the world. It is during this year that third graders will not only experience as much gardening and house building as their surroundings will allow, but many of them from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, will spend a week at Hawthorne Valley Farm. Students from our school visit the farm in third grade, and return in fourth, fifth, sixth and now seventh grades, and again in tenth grade. Each year, the focus shifts to complement the curriculum.

From the eyes of a class teacher I can attest to a palpable change in the demeanor of the students from the moment they step off of the bus. The air is filled with the smell of cow manure, and the

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first thing one often hears from the children is a resounding, “EW, Gross!� But before anyone can turn back to hide among the seats of the bus, we are greeted by an enthusiastic Farmer Nick, flanked by Tessa, Matt and a lively bunch of fresh and eager farm interns ready to teach us all about life on the farm. We are promptly put to work unloading the bus in a firebrigade fashion.

The children happily join in and our time at the farm has begun. By evening meal, the air seems remarkably fresh, the playground is rose-colored in the setting sun and somehow, watching the black and white dairy cows pass by on their way to the barn seems common place.

Each day the children and I are given the opportunity to feel what it is like to rise before the sun, to work all day with our hands and bodies, and to come to rest when the sun sets. There are no distractions in our days like television or ipods, jackhammers or honking horns. The day is filled with farm activities such as stacking wood, feeding the animals, collecting eggs, cleaning the barns, tending the garden, baking bread, making yogurt, bringing in the cows, setting the tables for meals.

The list of farm chores is endless. Soon, the faces of the children become rosy and their eyes sparkle. By the end of our stay on the farm, many children, even those who might have been homesick at first, experience a longing to stay.

To round off their studies in ecology, tenth graders return to Hawthorne Valley Farm. It is at this point that our students are introduced to various farm techniques and given lectures about sustainable farming practices with a focus on biodynamic farming. While there, they work on the farm by being given more responsibilities than in younger years and are instructed about farm to market economies. They visit other local farms as well so that they are exposed to the interconnectedness of small farmers throughout the region.

Going to the farm is a new and different experience for the students with each changing year, but what remains constant is their relationship to the land, the animals and the people who help bring them into this deep and meaningful experience. Spending a week at the farm gives us the opportunity to settle into what it feels like to wake and rest with the sun, to expand and contract according to the elements and the needs of the animals, and to breathe into a pace that is more in tune with the earth. As human beings, we meet ourselves and each other in new ways through working together cleaning the barn or baking bread while also discovering the life sustaining forces of the biodynamic farm, often eating food that was picked that day from the field just outside or eating an egg that was given to us by a hen we fed that morning. In the early grades, the children will not be able to intellectualize the experience, and in fact, we wouldn’t want them to, but you can be certain that the authenticity that they have experienced through their hands and their bodies will develop a keen sense of responsibility and respect for the earth as they mature into adulthood, adults who will have been given this knowledge that is as important today as it has ever been.

Te a c h e r Tr ave l s

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A PERFECT FIT: BRINGING WALDORF EDUCATION TO KENYA FRANCA BOMBIERI AND MYRA FRIEDMAN; EARLY CHILDHOOD LEAD TEACHERS

After flying for an hour from Nairobi in a four-seater airplane we landed on a dirt airstrip in Northeastern Kenya. The moment we looked out the window we spied a family of Giraffe happily eating the leaves off some trees. It had been 24 hours of travel and we had finally arrived! We were struck by the vast expanse of land. As far as the eye could see there were hills and valleys, an entirely uninterrupted view on all sides to the horizon. The sky was immense, it seemed to surround us completely, as if we were in a large circle of land and sky. Listening to the wind we heard a quiet we had never heard before.

Our host family, who has been operating a safari lodge and not-for-profit trust for the local tribe, welcomed us. Our mission was to weave together Waldorf principles and the culture of the local Samburu tribe into a basic educational system.

The Samburu are a nomadic tribe, similar to the Masai, in Northeastern Kenya. The Samburu live in huts made of dung, mud and sticks and wear bright colored cloths tied around waists and necks. Their necks and wrists are adorned with bright beaded necklaces and bracelets. Nomadic in nature, they live off the animals they herd, i.e. sheep, goats and cows. To be in a Samburu home is to experience a different time and a different pace of life, influenced by an incredible purity of spirit and tremendous kindness.

During the early days, we learned of a little boy who went to the market to sell a goat so his family could buy food. His mother told him how many shillings he should expect for the goat. He found a buyer, told him the cost of the goat and accepted money in exchange. When he arrived back home, his mother discovered the man had given him far too little money and since the boy could not count he was unaware.

This resulted in the family not having enough to eat. It is basic skills, such as counting, writing, and hygiene (washing hands and face to prevent disease) that the school intends to bring to the children while maintaining and incorporating the Samburu culture. As we walked to school each day we saw little bits of dust in the air, dust the children kicked up as they ran to school. School consisted of two classes with 20 children each. The younger class included children aged 2 1/2 to about 6. The older class consisted of children from 6 to around 8. The teachers were the warriors of the tribe, men in their 20’s. We had brought some materials for them and also used what was found in the immediate environment, such as rocks for counting. As they only had rudimentary writing materials, crayons were essential. Other items brought along included paints, paintbrushes, yarn and a few play materials for the young children. We found rocks by the river for them to play with and to count with. The mothers beaded bowls for the supplies. The most important educational tools were all the stories and songs of the Samburu people. The first couple days were spent observing. The teachers clearly needed guidance and both teachers and children alike were enthusiastic and eager to learn. In a few days additional teachers joined us from the very northern region of Kenya. All together we worked with eight teachers. Mornings were spent in the classroom with the teachers and the children. Afternoons were spent working with the teachers on a curriculum. We painted with watercolors, helped the teachers draw letters and pictures with crayons, a skill they loved, and taught various artistic activities such as knitting. As some of the teachers from the north did not have any knitting needles, they carved needles from branches. Despite having received only limited education themselves, the teachers soon became proficient in all we had to offer. They were very excited because for the first time a school was being taught in Samburu with all the Samburu stories and songs! Waldorf education was a perfect fit.

As northern Kenya is experiencing a severe drought right now many of the children had not been washed in weeks. The only food they received was the one meal they were served in school. We had a joyous washing day where all the children and their cloths were washed. After a few weeks, this little school with no rhythm and classes, where the children learned counting and letters by rote was barely recognizable. It had become a vibrant, happy, learning environment with both children and teachers loving every moment.

Insights THE MYTH

OF

BEING SMART

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GRADUATION 2009

MARISHA PLOTNIK PHYSICS & MATH TEACHER

“He’s really bright, he just doesn’t do his work.”

“I’m not that smart, I just work really hard.”

How often do we think these kinds of thoughts?

Thoughts that make a sharp line between how smart we are, our intelligence, and how hard we work, our effort. Current work in cognitive science, however, shows that no such divide exists. On the contrary, work makes us smarter. It’s just that simple.

Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford University, is a leader in a growing crowd of researchers all examining how effective effort makes us smarter. I see this as a tremendously hopeful sign that cognitive science is emerging from some bad mistakes in its past.

Consider the problems wrought on education by early notions of “IQ”. For years, your Intelligence Quotient was seen as describing your inborn allotment of “smarts”, an amount of ability that would accompany you, unchanging, throughout your life. Moreover, this single number was thought to describe the smartest you could ever be: your intellectual ceiling.

Psychologists now recognize that any IQ test can at best describe what your skills are at this present moment. Moreover, any one of those skills can be improved with a sufficient amount of the right kind of practice. The careful reader will realize that much lies in those qualifiers “sufficient amount” and “right kind”; hours and hours of ineffective work aren’t going to help you one jot.

As Waldorf teachers, we are in the educational vanguard with two basic proposals. First, earlier practice is not always better; consider our approach to teaching reading. Secondly, the right kind of practice for developing one skill, like clear thinking, might be something else entirely, like knitting. Neuroscience is slowly catching up to these thoughts, recognizing, for example, that active hands develop the brain.

So the next time you think, “I just don’t have the smarts for math”, think again. And take your skipping rope to the park.

Marisha Plotnik welcomes your questions and comments about math, science, and knitting.

As we say goodbye to those easy, playful days of summer let's remind ourselves of the vitality of a Steiner education. Below please find excerpts of student graduation speeches from the Class of 2009. If you would like a copy of the entire speech, please contact, Shannon Williams.

I believe that at Steiner we have developed an open-mindedness with which we might look at a problem or phenomenon holistically. We have studied with such an interdisciplinary approach here that we cannot look at a subject from only one vantage point. The historian is asked to also be a painter. The sculptor is asked to be a biologist as well. As we are thus encouraged to stretch beyond our primary inclination, we can see at once with the multiple eyes of the historian, artist, biologist, and so on. We certainly do not all master each subject. We still have our strengths and weaknesses, and we will focus on one area above another. But we have, I think, seen something of many worlds, and in such a way that we know that each world overlaps with the next and is inseparable from it.

-- Joseph Goodale ‘09 …We are taught here to retain our sense of wonderment, to keep discovering beauty even as we grew older....

The artist is a sort of translator. She does not dwell on the divine frontier, spewing prophecy from high, but is the most valuable part of any society as a being who has the ability to transmit and uncover beauty and truth. ....The way we begin every day of our Waldorf education is with a morning verse. We acknowledge the entire world from the stones to the beasts, to the undefined creator. Hopefully, as every-day artists we can help to translate what we find in our mortal quest, be it the enchanting mystery of a supernova, the enticing lyricism of an angry homeless rant heard in a rattling, cramped subway car, or the essential beauty of a slimy earthworm. ....As I move out into the world I am going to try to use that artistic curiosity to shine the light of insight and truth to help us see our way to making the world a better, and more beautiful place.

-- Emma Weinstein ‘09

CROSSINGS: IN MEMORIUM

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THOUGHTS FOR PETER MUI BY

DALE BENNETT

Some would have referred to you as magnanimous, "Great-Souled" in Latin. You did have a nobility of heart and certainly of stature. When you moved through a room, you left substance behind you. It was not difficult to recall your presence, largely-framed, swell-chested, wearing a spandex shirt with wild and vivid graphics of the music industry that your children wouldn't be permitted to wear to school. Your voice boomed through a room, and your brand of laughter was explosive, released through a strong jaw that well-defined a row of bottom teeth. The sound lingers.

Your list of priorities was clear. Family was at the top. Your eldest daughter's accomplishments as a singer and performer were a topic on any day. You would ask, "Did you hear that song? See that movie?" And if we hadn't, we would be pinned in the moment for a full description. Your deep connection to Jenny was enhanced by Chloe and Sacha, already fairly independent, but, no doubt, influenced by your fatherly vigilance. The next sequence was a long one. On the way to school you would take a diversion in the Park, Ethan straddled around your torso in a Snugli, Mickey squirming under one of your arms, and Trevor and Tigre following, twin-like, a scaled down likeness of you and each other, but with profound differences and destinies. Father and sons in the morning march to school...

Your family was hailed warmly in our school. With Jenny, your generous assistance and care for the well-being of all the students were more than appreciated. At fund-raisers, you bid aggressively, especially if the item was made by one of your children's classes. The school's profit was reason enough, but underneath the philanthropy was a fierce, but always playful, pursuit of the prize. The theatre of the rising price tag was thrilling, and it spoke to your successes as a businessman.

Jenny and your children have not returned to New York without you. The School will not commence without you. Your substance has not left a vacuum. In fact, your help and guidance will be needed still, and many of us will be calling to you now and in the future.

A Verse by Rudolf Steiner Feel how our loving gaze Is lifted to the heights That have called you away for other tasks.

Offer friends left behind Your strength from out of spiritual lands.

Hear the plea of our souls Sent after you in trust; We here need for our earthly work Strong power from spirit lands, For which we thank departed friends.

DANILLA JEAN PATRICK RETTIG MARCH 17, 1932—JULY 16, 2009

Denny Rettig came to the Rudolf Steiner School in the mid-1950s. During her years here she served in many ways including as a class teacher and as a eurythmy teacher. She left the school in the early 1970s and returned again in the late 1980s before permanently settling in California. Denny is remembered as a beloved and gifted teacher. At the 75th anniversary of the school in 2004 Denny was recognized as one of the 17 faculty members who were leading lights in the development of the Rudolf Steiner School.