First Grade Readiness Resources, Insights, and Tools for Waldorf Educators
Nancy Blanning, Editor
Editor: Nancy Blanning Cover Illustration: Barbara Klocek Graphic Design: Sheila Harrington Managing Editor: Lory Widmer Administrative Support: Melissa Lyons © Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America First English Edition, 2009 Published in the United States by the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America 285 Hungry Hollow Road Spring Valley, NY 10977 This publication is made possible through a grant from the Waldorf Curriculum Fund. Grateful acknowledgment is made to the publishers for granting permission to reprint previously published material: Floris Books for the excerpt “What are the signs that my child is ready for school?” from A Guide to Child Health (2004) Rudolf Steiner College Press for “School Entry” by Audrey McAllen, from Learning Difficulties: A Guide for Teachers (1999) “First Grade Readiness” by Joan Almon and “Some Guidelines for First Grade Readiness” by Nancy Foster previously appeared in The Developing Child: The First Seven Years (WECAN, 2004). “The Transition to Elementary School Learning” is excerpted from Developmental Signatures: Core Values and Practices in Waldorf Education for Children Ages 3–9 (WECAN/AWNSA, 2007) “School Readiness” by Bettina Lohn originally appeared in the UK journal Steiner Education. “The Development of Memory and the Transformation of Play” by Louise deForest, “Carrying the Transition to First Grade” by Janet Klaar, and “The Lowering of School Age and the Changes in Childhood: An Interim Report” originally appeared in Kindling, the UK journal for Steiner/Waldorf early childhood education. ISBN: 978-0-9816159-6-7 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher, except for brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and articles.
Contents Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iii Part One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Reflections on First Grade Readiness: A Perspective from a Therapeutic Support Teacher Nancy Blanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 First Grade Readiness Joan Almon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Some Guidelines for First Grade Readiness Nancy Foster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 School Readiness: A School Doctor’s Perspective Bettina Lohn, MSc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 What are the signs that my child is ready for school? Michaela Glöckler, MD and Wolfgang Goebel, MD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 The Transition to Elementary School Learning: When Is the right time? Rainer Patzlaff and Wolfgang Sassmannshausen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 School Entry and the Consolidation of Developmental Processes Audrey E. McAllen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 The Development of Memory and the Transformation of Play Louise deForest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Creating Partnerships with Parents in First Grade Readiness Decisions Ruth Ker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Carrying the Transition to First Grade Janet Klaar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 A Transition Group at the Edinburgh Steiner School Melissa Borden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Building the Bridge to the First Grade: How a Class Teacher Can Lead Children Gently Into the Grade School Kim Holscher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
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The Lowering of School Age and the Changes in Childhood: An Interim Report Claudia McKeen, MD; Rainer Patzlaff; Martyn Rawson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Part Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Developing Our Observation Skills for Understanding First Grade Readiness Ruth Ker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 ●
First Grade Readiness Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
The Red Queen: A First Grade Assessment Story Valerie Poplawski, Celia Riahi, and Randi Stein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 ●
First Grade Assessment Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
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The Red Queen Materials List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
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Reference List for The Red Queen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
A Therapeutic Educator’s Approach: Keeping It Imaginative and Playfully Objective Nancy Blanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 ●
First Grade Readiness Observation Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
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Equipment List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
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Activities to Support Healthy Sensory Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Observation Forms for the Documentation of Development and Learning International Working Group on the Transition from Kindergarten to School . . . . . . . . . . . 149 ●
Observation Form for Early Childhood Educators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Contributors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
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Foreword
Nancy Blanning I have lists and lists of things we are supposed to look for with first grade readiness. Of course, I have a “feel” for a first-grade-ready child, but I would like my observations to be much more conscious and directed. If only there were a book that broke these things down and explained what was important and why. That would really be a help!
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his conversation was the moment of conception for this book. Its birth was encouraged further with preparation of You’re Not the Boss of Me!—Understanding the Six/Seven-Year-Old Transformation (published by WECAN in 2007), in which a section on first grade readiness was originally going to be included. But upon reflection, it seemed a separate volume devoted only to this topic would be more useful. Everyone has a stack of papers—some handed around as the “lore” of school readiness from workshops and conferences, sometimes of unidentified origin—as well as articles published in Waldorf/ Steiner early childhood journals. One might also occasionally have happened upon a gem of information in an unexpected source. In a single volume these scattered riches could be collected into one place. Articles prepared for You’re Not the Boss of Me! could also be added into this body of resources, along with new research. Hence, you have this book in your hands. Determining school readiness can be a daunting task, as it is a destiny moment for a child. Furthermore, this whole question has become complicated by political pressures. Governments are creating expectations and legal requirements for children to begin formal schooling at ages younger than Waldorf pedagogy can support. Through our anthroposophical understanding of the human being, we recognize readiness as a
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developmental process, not something that can be fixed by declaring a legal school-entry age. These requirements are challenging Waldorf education world-wide. A positive outcome of this challenge is that new medical and pedagogical research has been formally undertaken in Europe. Doctors and educators are working to provide materials that validate Waldorf practices so we can protect and sustain what we understand to be best educationally for young children. A small taste of that work is described in the final article in this volume’s first section. A wealth of new resources will greet us when this research work becomes available to the English-speaking world. This book is one expression of our research efforts here on the American continent. The more we understand, the better we can articulate our practices to the wider world. The contents of this book are organized into two sections. The first focuses on the “what” and “why” of school readiness. Understanding what we are looking for in the children and why these details are important give us grounding in this pedagogical looking. Then there is the practical question of “how” to look. We need tools that are useful to the educator and appropriate to the consciousness and nature of the child. The second section of the book concentrates on this aspect, including three different examples of playful and imaginative approaches to observing readiness. Each example has grown out of the educators’ own research and experience with children. This book intends to provide no definitive answers or “recipes.” It is offered as a resource out of which we can each deepen our understanding of development and school readiness. May it be a guide to support and enrich our warm, interested consideration of each child. ✦
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Part One
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Reflections on
First Grade Readiness A Perspective from a Therapeutic Support Teacher
Nancy Blanning This opening article begins to present the threads that the following articles will weave into the tapestry of first grade readiness. Additionally, some other areas for observation—perception of the diagonal line, loss of teeth vs. eruption of the six-year molars—are discussed. An increasing challenge we face as educators is to discern whether an immaturity we see is something that will resolve itself in time or is a longer-term challenge that will require additional support.
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hat a happy situation it is when a child’s birthday fits clearly within the school’s guidelines for first grade eligibility and she or he shows the signs of readiness we hope to see. On the other hand, what an agony it can be if a child is in a questionable area, with a late spring or summer birthday and/or showing insufficient indicators of maturation. As Waldorf educators, we have tended to be conservative in our views. We know that a child who begins academic work prematurely before the birth of the etheric body will be calling upon forces to do academic tasks that should still be used for growth. This premature redirection of formative forces may ultimately show up as some deficit in the individual’s capacity for health and vitality later on. We have seen through the years that “better late than early” has benefited children in our care. But the educational and political climates are changing. There is increasing societal and political pressure to begin academics at earlier ages. Some European countries are lowering the required age for school entry, so children are being directed into the grades at younger ages. (See “The Lowering of School Age and the Changes in Childhood,” included in this section.) There is also a cultural attitude that if our children are not precocious and advanced at a young age they have somehow already failed. Parents are inclined to receive a statement that their child is not yet ready for first grade as a criticism, implying lack of ability. As 3
teachers, we need to be very clear in our understanding of what constitutes readiness in the widest sense. If our professional and pedagogical judgments conclude that a child would be best served by an additional year before first grade, we need to be able to say so out of our deep understanding of child development and well-founded observation. We must help parents experience that this arises from the sincere desire to make sure their child will flourish in the grades and enjoy the school experience all the way through. Luckily there is a useful body of guidelines within the Steiner/Waldorf movement which gives indicators of first-grade readiness. These indications give a concrete starting place. Both informal notes from conferences with prominent Waldorf educators and formally published material about first grade readiness suggest common areas for observation. These include: ●
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changes in physical development and coordination—changing of teeth and shifting body contour and proportion; ability to move with more coordination and intention emotional and social maturation—making friends, deferring personal wants to the needs of the group, having interest in and desire to work development of new language skills and awareness of words and sounds—rhyming, changing tempo of speech and song, being able to be directed by speech without needing a model to imitate new perceptual skills—ability to recognize and reproduce the diagonal and cross the vertical midline “grounding” of drawings with symmetry of right and left as well as of above and below awakening of inner picturing through imagination as opposed to fantasy play in which something in the environment stimulates and directs the play emergence of memory called forth at will—repeating a story upon request or actually answering, “What did you do at kindergarten today?” moving from imitation to authority—looking for and responding positively to the adult authority1 This is offered as a partial list to indicate some of the many factors one must consider in sensing the child’s readiness. More extensive descriptions are given in the articles in this section by Joan Almon and Nancy Foster.2 The contributions by Dr. Bettina Lohn and Dr. Michaela Glöckler offer the perspective of medical doctors in considering readiness determinations. Louise deForest’s contribution describes how the school-ready child’s memory and imaginative play evolve. Janet Klaar’s “Carrying the Transition to First Grade” extends our consideration to include how we picture the potential first grader responding to 1 2
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This list is a summary of commonly described indicators of readiness for grade school. Additional references with lists of indicators can be found in Ready to Learn by Martyn Rawson and Michael Rose and in Douglas Gabriel’s The Spirit of Childhood.
the expectations and new routines of first grade. The excerpt from Developmental Signatures, “The Transition to Elementary School Learning,” introduces the term “dissociation” to name the phenomenon we see when a child’s development is markedly uneven. The section by Audrey McAllen emphasizes that “consolidation” of skills is a marker of readiness. In this process, we also have to work with parents and support the upcoming first graders with transitional experiences once this determination is made. Ideas for these areas will be found in articles offered by Ruth Ker, Melissa Borden, and Kim Holscher. All of the above may be used as guides in evaluating readiness. The fully ready child will show progress to a visible degree in nearly all of these areas. Not meeting these milestones may mean the child is showing lack of first grade readiness. Or a second possibility is that the child has other challenges that will need extra help in first grade and possibly beyond, which an additional year in kindergarten will not remedy. Who does the readiness observations varies from school to school. In some settings it is the kindergarten teacher of each individual child who does so. That teacher alone may make the determination of placement for the following year. In other schools it may be the kindergarten teachers as a group, who may include another observer(s) who does not see the child every day. Another possibility is a working group within the school of the early childhood faculty and Care Group (including the therapeutic support The key is that the teacher) who considers all potential students and determines the composition child be approached of the class. Schools with an anthroposophic doctor in their communities are with sincere, warm privileged in being able to ask for the physician’s opinion of a child’s readiness. interest. It is essential that all involved hold a consistent picture of what denotes readiness. One year in our school we had a very instructive experience. The upcoming group for first grade was too large for a single person to process, so teams of teachers did the observations. We discovered, however, that we had widely differing views on what constituted readiness. When our frustration and eventual laughter at ourselves had passed, we realized we had to find another process. There are differing views on what form of observation and observer is most suited to the upcoming first grade child’s consciousness. Some prefer that the child only be observed in the context of the kindergarten class so the child does not feel singled out. To come to a different setting with someone other than one’s teacher may be found to be too “awakening” to the child. Some other schools have found a separate “games playing” session for each child valuable and have instituted this practice. When there are big questions standing about individual children, schools sometimes invite an outside consultant with experience in readiness determinations to visit with the children one-on-one. Each of these has advantages and drawbacks. Experience in participating in each of these contexts has shown that each can be appropriate and valuable. The key is that the child be approached with sincere, warm interest. If the approach is playful, imaginative, and lively, children are
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carried out of self-consciousness and flow along with the imagination. Each school needs to consider its resources and school culture to determine which approach best suits that community of children, parents, and teachers. In our school, we have embraced a combination of all of the above. Each potential first grader comes to play readiness games individually with the educational support teacher. A blessing in our setting is that the children get to know this teacher in a general way through supplemental movement imaginations she brings to the classes. When the time comes, the up-coming first graders are eager to play first-grade games, considering it a treat and privilege for only the older children. The observations focus on physical readiness indicators, movement and coordination, sensory systems of balance and self-movement, fine motor skills, verbal and auditory skills, and visual perceptual skills. The results of The Early Childhood the readiness observation are written up into a parent-friendly report that highlights the child’s strengths and any areas that may need extra support. Faculty meets with Suggestions are included with the report of specific activities that will help the Care Group and strengthen particular areas and encourage continued development. As well pictures each child. as for the parents, these reports are available to the new first grade teacher whenever she or he wants to see them. Each kindergarten teacher prepares her observations of the child, including the above areas, and describes social and emotional development as well. The early childhood faculty then meets with the Care Group (which includes the therapeutic support teacher) and pictures each child. Including an additional observer has potential advantages. She is not so familiar with the children and has a chance to see the child with fresh eyes. Waldorf educators can be so loving and accepting that we sometimes “fall asleep” to the children. Some painful experiences have occurred when a teacher was so accustomed to a child’s idiosyncrasies that signs of serious learning disability were missed. This is less likely to happen when a more objective observer is involved. An additional observer gets to see all the children of the upcoming class and can supplement the wealth of information and insight the kindergarten teacher provides. It is thus possible to gain an overview of the whole group and see how children compare to one another in terms of ages, maturity levels, capabilities, and possible developmental or future learning challenges. This arrangement has significant advantage for the therapeutic support teacher. In addition to readiness, it is also possible to look for signs of foundational sensory system weaknesses. One can see how well the child can hold balance, move with intention and coordination, link eye and hand movement together, for example. Sometimes the signs are clear that the child will benefit from extra developmental support, sometimes not. One cannot always tell whether something is due to a lack of maturity that will correct itself or whether a persistent
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See the list of suggested activities following “A Therapeutic Educator’s Approach” in Part Two.
challenge is announcing its presence for the child. One can always make suggestions for a child that will help strengthen immature systems.3 These are fun childhood activities that will be therapeutic for some and fun for all. This first grade readiness observation also creates a baseline to compare with future assessment. Later the Second Grade Developmental Observation will take place with each child. If developmental concerns have lingered, pointed support through supplemental movement, occupational therapy, therapeutic eurythmy, and Extra Lesson sessions can be implemented.4 The picture of readiness arises out of the collective picture of many factors. Some individuals find one or the other of these factors more telling. One of these is eruption of the six-year molars. It is a common observation that the change of teeth signals school readiness, but some anthroposophic doctors suggest that the molars are a more significant signal than losing a tooth.5 The loss of a tooth generally precedes eruption of the molars, and a good number of children who show readiness in other ways and are fully six years still do not show sign of the molars. So this is not “the magic sign.” What can be said, however, is that children who show firm consolidation of most readiness factors usually have the molars in as well. We once had two late spring birthday girls go on to first grade. Each had lost teeth but grown no molars. While they were happy to be in their class, the academic work was difficult and they lagged behind their classmates. One day the teacher remarked that the girls seemed to have taken a leap forward and were much more able with their work. On a hunch, we looked in the girls’ mouths and saw that the molars were coming in. Another point to observe is whether the child is able to perceive and copy diagonal lines. Margret Meyerkort6 described that while the child’s etheric body is still part of the cosmic ether, the child’s experience of space is two-dimensional. When the etheric is freed, she can then experience three-dimensionality. When we are trying to represent space on a flat surface, it is the diagonal line which brings in the third dimension of forward and back to join the other two spatial polarities—above and below, right and left. Whether a child can draw zig-zag lines, diagonals crossing inside a square or rectangle, clear triangles, and diamonds reveal much about the emerging sense of spatial orientation. When a child struggles with these forms, caution about readiness may speak if there are other factors that also suggest youngness. A third consideration has to do with how the child enters into the observation session. In my experience, children who are ready come in eagerly and are full of curiosity. They cannot wait to begin, want to know what is next, and are sad when the session is finished. They are eager to show their capabilities. The kindergarten world has become familiar and may feel a little confining. They are ready to stretch out to explore what the first grade will ask of them. 4 5 6
In some cases referring a preschool child for outside evaluation and professional support may be called for, not waiting for a Second Grade Developmental Observation. Dr. Johanna Steegmans refers to this in “The Birth of the Etheric” in You’re Not the Boss of Me! p. 21. Margret Meyerkort, from notes of her presentation on “Readiness for First Grade” presented at Rudolf Steiner College, March 1984.
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A child responding in a different way is worthy of note. If the child seems uninterested in the task, perhaps even getting up from the table and going to explore something else in the room, this creates a question. If the child asks, “Are we done yet?” readiness to hold attention for a reasonable time may be lacking. What about shyness, one might ask? Might not a very shy child be reluctant to do some tasks? To date, experience shows that even shy children who are school ready will do all the tasks. They may not speak much or engage in conversation, but the readiness in them, too, wants to declare itself. As well as all these factors, the therapeutic teacher would also look pointedly at the foundational senses of self-movement and balance, horizontal and vertical midlines, retained infantile reflexes, and full-body movement patterns and coordination—galloping, skipping, shuffling side-to-side, and crawling. There is a caution we must consider as we compile these readiness signs. American educators commonly report that children seem less uniformly ready than they did in previous decades. They have less solid development in the foundational senses of self-movement and balance, and may display attentional challenges and other immaturities. Educators in European countries and Britain make similar observations, as confirmed in the article authored by Dr. Claudia McKeen and others from the International Working Group on the Older Child, which ends this book’s first section. Sorting out how these factors contribute to or detract from school readiness adds an additional challenge to us in our observations.
American educators report that children seem less uniformly ready than they did in previous decades.
The compilations of readiness signs are an enormous help. These guide us in focusing our observations, directing attention to the many aspects of physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and will development. It is so fortunate when the various elements confirm a child’s maturity to begin grade school. But it is not always so clear. Discerning readiness is always an art of sensing. When we cannot pass a child on with full certainty, what do we do? There is a surprising range of opinions and recommendations even within our Waldorf circles. If readiness is in question, anthroposophic medicine, therapeutic eurythmy, and developmental movement support are all worthy recommendations, whether the child will go on to first grade or not. In general, teachers’ experiences support allowing the child in question to be older rather than younger when beginning first grade. Boys tend to be six months younger in development than their female peers, so they need special consideration. The Gesell Institute recommends that boys be a minimum of six years, six months before beginning grade school.
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Ultimately we have to let the being of the child speak to our sensing of his or her readiness and destiny. If we are guided by sustained, warm interest in the child, we will be guided well. Though we agonize if there are questions, these children of uncertain readiness may be the greatest gift to us. When the answer is not clear, we are forced to develop trust in “the ever present help of the spiritual world”7 because our own forces cannot penetrate to the truth for the child. The longer we are able to stay in the process, the more light-filled the final answer ✦ will become.
References Gabriel, Douglas J. The Spirit of Childhood (Trinosophia Press, 1995). Gesell Test of School Readiness (New Haven, CT: Gesell Institute of Human Development, 1980). Ker, Ruth, ed. You’re Not the Boss of Me!—Understanding the Six/Seven-Year-Old Transformation (Spring Valley, NY: WECAN Publications, 2007). Rawson, Martyn and Michael Rose. Ready to Learn (Stroud, UK: Hawthorn Press, 2002).
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From a meditative verse given by Rudolf Steiner on November 27, 1910.
9
First Grade
Readiness
Joan Almon This article, which previously appeared in The Developing Child: The First Seven Years (WECAN, 2004) was one of the first published in America to describe first grade readiness. (Much of the content was originally presented in a lecture at the International Waldorf Teachers’ Conference in Dornach, Switzerland in April 1996, and was also included in an article in Gateways). It is rich in its explanation and picturing of the “invisible” freed etheric and changes we can see in the behavior and consciousness of the child in emotional, social, and cognitive domains. This Waldorf classic provides a global picture of the child’s development at this culmination toward school readiness.
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hat does it mean when we say that a child shows the signs of first grade readiness, or as the Germans so wisely say, that a child is schulreif (ripe for school)? There are many changes in the child’s physical, emotional, social and mental life that one looks for, which can be listed and observed in a fairly objective manner. But there is also a qualitative difference that is more difficult to describe, yet very important to sense. The good gardener knows from one day to the next when a piece of fruit is ripe for picking, and when this process is translated into childhood, it relates to Rudolf Steiner’s statement that a whole new aspect of the individuality is born around the age of six or seven. This new birth is not as physical and clear-cut as the physical birth of the child, but it is an important time in the growth of the child. It is the underlying reality for the many changes that are visible around ages six to seven. To understand how such a birth can be part of the ongoing life of the child requires an image of human development that goes beyond linear growth and includes the image of transformative growth. Linear growth takes place along a continuum, and one can think of
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the line of growth as going on a steady incline upwards. Thus, one sees the child growing before one’s eyes and can plot the line of growth by measuring height and weight, for instance. Transformative growth, however, takes linear growth into account but goes a step further. It indicates that at certain critical points in an individual’s development, a transformation takes place analogous to the caterpillar spinning a cocoon and emerging as quite a new creature, a butterfly. There are points in life when we enter a cocoon-like womb, go through many changes and emerge with a new form. Now we can fly in areas where before we could only crawl. One of these transformative stages of growth takes place at around age seven. At this time, Steiner describes the birth of a new body, which he calls the life body or etheric body. He goes on to describe two more periods of birth in the growing individual. The next is around age fourteen when the body of feelings, called the astral body, is born. And then, at around age twenty-one, the Ego or individuality comes to birth. All of these are present in the human being from the embryological stage, but they are in protective sheaths in which they grow like the embryo in the womb until their time of birth is at hand. The etheric body, which is born at around age seven, parallels our physical body in many ways, but it is much subtler in nature. It is not visible to most human beings, but nevertheless plays a vital role in keeping the physical body alive and healthy. When the etheric body is weakened, as it so often is in modern human beings, we experience it as a weakening of the protective sheath which normally prevents illness from taking hold in the physical body. In this function, it bears a close relationship to the immune system. With this background in mind, it is easier to understand school readiness, for after the birth of the etheric, the child is quite different than she was before. She is ready to fly in new areas, or, better said, she stands upon the earth in a new way. She seems so ready to receive knowledge from a figure of loving authority, whereas before she took in life through imitation. She offered her love to parents and to teachers and wanted to imitate them in all that they did and all that they felt, but she did not look to them for knowledge in the way she now does. One sees that she has developed new capacities needed for learning and absorbing knowledge. In her feeling life and in her rhythmic system she shows new capacities, as well, and seeks out friends with whom she can have deeper, more long-lasting relationships. Imagination is born in her and wants to be fed with stories and pictures. Physically, too, many changes have occurred, and in the child’s movements, one sees a penetration into hands and feet that was not there before. The unique individuality of the child is still clearly recognized, but the body in which it is housed has gone through considerable change. In my experience, one usually sees these changes taking place over a period of about one year. It is a gradual process, but there comes a time when one looks at the child and senses that something really new has happened. In a lecture on first grade readiness given at a conference in Lexington, Massachusetts, Dr. Gerald Karnow of Spring Valley, New York spoke of the etheric body in relation to the phantom limb experience of the amputee. Often after a limb has been amputated, the 12
individual still “feels” the limb as if it were there. This is called the phantom limb. Unlike the physical limb, however, the phantom limb has some unusual characteristics. Amputees describe how they can contract the limb and make it very small or enlarge it. They can project it through walls, for it knows no physical barriers such as physical limbs know. Dr. Karnow reported that patients with leprosy describe the differences between limbs which had to be amputated because of infection and those which had atrophied and needed to be removed. They described the latter as having died and reported no phantom limb phenomena with those, suggesting that the life body of the limb had died along with the limb. An example was also given of a child whose phantom limb was “born” around age six. She had lost an arm as a young child and had no experience of a phantom limb until around age six when she “grew” one. She spoke of how she could now use it for counting on her fingers. The implication of these examples is that the etheric body is a real body, only not a densely physical one. It has its own nature and experience, its own birth and death. Rudolf Steiner speaks of the birth of the etheric as a necessary step before the child is introduced to academic subjects, for it is only with the birth of the etheric that memory is freed and the capacity for imagination is born. Both of these are needed for creative, healthy learning, and we will describe this process in more detail. Premature exposure to academic studies places a great strain on young children, as is finally being recognized by American educators and parents. Five-year-olds tend to be quite awake mentally, so it can seem that they are ready for some academic instruction. However, long-term studies indicate that they will not do as well in academic work or in other areas of life as those children who have been allowed to engage in healthy creative play until first grade readiness is established. One such study was done in Germany in the mid-1970s. At that time, the thrust for early academics in the state kindergartens was in full swing, and most kindergartens in Germany had switched to being academic-oriented. Fortunately some German professors decided to study the results of such programs while there were still play-oriented kindergartens left for comparison. A study was done of fifty kindergarten classes that were play-oriented and fifty that were academic-oriented. Thus, about one thousand children from each type of kindergarten were studied. Their progress was followed through fourth grade, and it was found that the children from the play-oriented kindergartens excelled over the children from the academic-oriented kindergartens in every area studied—in physical development, emotional and social development, as well as in mental development. The results of the
1
“The Kindergarten Year,” in Der Spiegel, Number 20, 89-90.
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study were so impressive that the German kindergartens switched back to being playoriented.1 Unfortunately, a comparable large-scale study was never done in North America, and early academics continued for nearly twenty years until the obvious stress in the children and their failure to succeed over the long-run convinced educators that academic kindergartens were a mistake. Although most American educators are now convinced that play-oriented kindergartens are very important for children, the prevalence of academics in the public kindergartens continues, for it takes many years for new ideas to filter down into the classrooms and drive the old practices out. James Uphoff and June Gilmore have reported on other studies that indicate the difficulty of children starting school too soon. They used age cut-off as their criteria and found that “summer birthday” children who started kindergarten under the age of five years three months or first grade under six years three months tended to have greater difficulties than the older children in the classes. The problems manifested in a number of areas. The younger children tended not to do as well in their grades or on their scores on standardized tests. They tended to repeat a grade more often than did the older children, and they showed signs of learning disabilities more frequently. The academic problems of the younger children often lasted right into adolescence and even into adulthood. The most disturbing part of the article by Uphoff and Gilmore was a report on a pilot study that they did on adolescents and young adults who committed suicide in their county in one year. Looking back at their schooling patterns, they found that a disproportionate number of them had started first grade under six years three months. This was especially true of the girls who had committed suicide, leading one to wonder if the boys found more ways to act out their frustrations in school, whereas the girls were more apt to bottle it up inside. At any rate, the findings of Uphoff and Gilmore lend a serious weight to considerations of first grade readiness. This is not simply an academic question of when a child should begin first grade, but is a decision that strongly influences the life of the youngster during the school years and beyond. A few examples may help flesh out these findings. During a discussion about first grade readiness, a kindergarten teacher spoke of her own son who had started first grade long before she and her husband knew of Waldorf education. For the first few months of school, he came home each day in tears, obviously exhausted by the experience. His parents were unsure of what to do, but gradually he seemed better able to cope, and from second grade on, he seemed to be doing all right. Once the son was in twelfth grade, his father remarked one day that he must be happy to be graduating and going to college. Quite spontaneously, the young man answered, “No, I wish I had another year of school.” The parents were stunned to realize that, although the boy had seemed to adjust to school, he had never felt completely at home with his placement there and should probably have waited another year before entering first grade. When we asked how the boy was doing now in adulthood, his mother went on to say that at age nineteen he was in a serious accident and nearly lost his life. Tragic as it was, it had the positive effect of helping him to find his rightful place within
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himself, and he seemed much better synchronized within himself after the accident. David Elkind, in his books, points out that children who have been hurried in life often need to take a year off after high school to catch up with themselves. This is one way to help overcome the stresses of too much academics too soon in life. But, Elkind points out that some of those who have been “mis-educated” have experienced stress at such a deep level that additional help is needed. In Waldorf education, we see that one source of this help is through artistic outlets or therapeutic eurythmy. The arts, when presented in a healthy, living manner, help to promote healing. Another example illustrates the relationship between readiness and learning disabilities. It involves a little girl who had been a borderline case as far as readiness was concerned. Both her teacher and her parents were undecided if she was ready for first grade, but at last decided she was and sent her on to a Waldorf first grade. She soon showed signs of difficulty and could not keep up with her class. Whereas some children might have acted out and misbehaved in these circumstances, her response was to become excessively dreamy. By winter, she seemed so unfocused in her work that her teacher grew concerned that the child had a learning problem and recommended testing. The testing service diagnosed serious learning disabilities and recommended she attend a special school for learning disabled children. They did not feel a Waldorf school could meet her needs, even with tutoring. They also recommended a quieter, more rhythmic lifestyle for the child, and in order to provide this, the parents decided to move to a smaller town with a Waldorf school for their younger child and a special school for their older child. Meanwhile, as she was gaining so little from her first grade experience, she returned to the kindergarten for the spring term and happily played for a few months. In the summer, the family moved and after much debate as to what would be best, decided to try the child again in the Waldorf school before enrolling her in the special school. They placed her in first grade again to see whether she could possibly manage. It was soon apparent that the child showed no signs of learning disability at all. She mastered the first grade curriculum with ease and continued as an attentive, active student who is now in the fifth grade. Her only “learning problem” was that she had been placed in a first grade too soon.
It is painful to think of children who have suffered because of poor judgments regarding their schooling.
It is painful to think of all the children who have unnecessarily suffered academically or personally simply because adults made poor judgments regarding their schooling. This has been a problem for some of the children in our Waldorf schools who entered first grade too soon, and it is not too late to help these children. By repeating a grade, they can sometimes be placed in the right situation. When parents and adults carry the responsibility for the “mistaken placement,” the burden is removed from the child who need not feel any sense of failure. While not every child with school difficulties needs this solution, it is worth considering in some instances.
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Serious as misplacement can be in a Waldorf school, these children were at least not being asked to do academic work before first grade. When one considers all of the American public school children who have been asked to do first grade work while in kindergarten during the past twenty years, one feels deep concern for the problems these children may suffer in their lifetimes. Already one hears of much greater stress among preschoolers, of burn-out among elementary children, and of high school students who seem unable to think creatively. In addition, many problems of adolescence have increased radically during the past twenty years, such as drug and alcohol use, teen pregnancies, teenage suicide, eating disorders and other forms of mental diseases. It is easy to imagine that unreasonable demands in schooling at young ages lead to stress which continues to escalate throughout the school years, leading to serious problems in adolescence, that most vulnerable of times. Of course, other problems such as family disturbances and excessive exposure to media also contribute to childhood stress, but the one area which the schools can more or less control is their own curriculum, and that is where immediate change is needed. While contemporary research points out the difficulties of introducing academic work too soon to children, other research, such as that done by Sara Smilansky, shows the positive gains in academic and social areas among children who are strong in creative, fantasy play in their kindergarten years. One hopes that a more enlightened attitude will prevail in America and other countries in the coming years and that parents and educators will insist on academics being removed from the kindergarten and put back in the first grade where they belong. This “push down” of curriculum took place after the Sputnik scare of the 1950s. Now that the Cold War is over, surely this vestige of it in American education can be removed. If a healthy division between kindergarten and elementary education can be reinstated, focus can then turn to the fundamental question of when is a child ready to enter elementary school. What are the signs of first grade readiness? In the physical realm, as in other realms, one sees many signs of change. Generally, there is a kindergarten “look” in contrast to a first grade “look,” and this look has much to do with body proportion, for the limbs now stretch in relation to the body and head. There is also a loss of baby fat, and greater definition occurs in the face, which usually accompanies the loss of baby teeth. As the six-year-old molars come in, as well as the permanent teeth in the front, the jaw begins to grow to make more room for the molars and the second teeth. At this time, the chin becomes more pronounced, and the face takes on a more “down to earth” look. All in all, one sees less of a dreamy kindergartner and more of a focused first grader. One cannot see the changes as clearly in children who have thinned down at an earlier age and whose faces look “old” even in kindergarten, as one can in children with the classic round look of the kindergarten child. However, even in the thin, wiry child close observation will show some changes. Sometimes one sees a child in first grade who still has the classic look of a kindergarten child. It is well worth considering if this child has been misplaced. In one school, I was asked to observe a first grade where the teacher thought that one or two children belonged in 16
the kindergarten. Simple observation showed that there were two girls who still had the “look” of kindergarten children. After further study of them, it was decided that one girl was well placed, but that the other should return to the kindergarten. Even though she was able to keep up with her class, it was noted that she could do so only by pushing herself to a great extent, and it was felt that this would take its toll over time. Another aspect of her development could be seen in her drawings. Her people and houses were well formed and looked like first grade ready pictures, but the people were not yet standing on the earth. Rather, they hovered in the air, about an inch above the grass line. We shall speak of children’s drawings further on. The child’s parents were concerned that she might feel she had “failed” first grade, but when she was told she would return to the kindergarten, her immediate response was, “Oh good, can I go back for Advent?” She reentered the kindergarten happily and is now in sixth grade and doing very well. In the emotional realm, one feels how the emotional or soul life of the child is developing. While young children often show strong emotions, their emotional outbursts are like squalls that arise quickly and pass quickly. One moment the child expresses tremendous anger, saying how much he hates the adult and wishes he were dead, and in the next moment all is forgotten and the child is happily at play. Regrettably, adults tend to take such outbursts rather seriously and attribute more meaning to them than they should. Young children have strong feelings, but on a rather surface level. As the child approaches first grade readiness, however, the feelings begin to deepen. Now children complain of “hurt feelings” and will sit sadly for a while nursing these bruised feelings. In general, it is as if a hidden chamber has been found, where the feeling life dwells. There feelings of all kinds live, and these feelings have longer life and more depth than those of the younger child. The children sense that this chamber is a hidden room and more private, and a hidden side of the child begins to manifest. They love secrets and frequently will whisper them to one another. They like to play tricks and be sly and cunning in their behavior. They also become more aware of dreams and connect more fully with stories and artistic activities. This new emotional life shows itself in social situations as well. The very young child engages in parallel play where he plays next to another child, but is not very involved with the child. The three- and four-year-olds play with “playmates” and engage actively with them during play situations, but tend not to think much about them otherwise. A common exception to this is with children whose families are close friends or where the children carpool together. Sometimes, too, what looks like an early friendship is simply a dependent relationship formed because a child is shy and needs a cohort for strength. Generally, however, three- and four-year-old children who find one another in the kindergarten have a lighter, short-term relationship with each other that we can call the playmate stage. The child getting ready for first grade, however, begins to form friendships that go deeper than these earlier stages. A friend is someone you think about even when you’re not with the person. You care about them and feel loyalty towards them.
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Children at this stage begin exploring friendship. They love to invite children over or be invited to the homes of others. Parents joke that they need to keep social calendars for their children at this stage. Usually, one needs to establish some healthy limits on socializing of outside school, for, if left to the child, she may want to get together with other children four or five afternoons a week plus weekends. Such a busy social life would wear her out, to say nothing of her poor parents who have to chauffeur her about. In the mental realm, several very important changes take place. One is the birth of memory, which Rudolf Steiner often refers to in relationship to the birth of the etheric body. This can be a confusing point, for parents are often amazed at how strong the memory of a young child can be. It is different, however, from the “freed” memory of the school child. The difference can be described in this way. If you ask a four-year-old if he remembers Grandma’s birthday last year, he will probably look quite blank. A young child’s But if you are baking a cake for the birthday party, and it is the same cake you memory is different baked last year, the sight of it may trigger the child’s memory, and he will tell from the “freed” you about the party in remarkable detail. Or you may ask this child what he memory of the school did in school and receive as the answer, “Nothing, we just played.” While you’re child. cooking dinner, one of the foods may trigger his memory of kindergarten snack, and suddenly you’ll hear all about the kindergarten morning. Or you may ask what songs were sung at circle time and receive a perplexed look from the young child. Later, while he’s at play, a melody goes through his mind, and suddenly he is singing and reciting the whole of the morning circle. Memory exists in the young child, but the child does not have free access to it. It takes something from the outside such as a sight or smell or a rhythmic verse from within to trigger memory that then comes pouring out in rich detail. When memory is freed at around age six or seven, however, the child can freely enter in and find the memory he is looking for. The process reminds me of going into a large library and finding just the book one is searching for. A nine-year-old demonstrated this search to me when I saw him in a supermarket one day and asked if he remembered Acorn Hill, the Waldorf kindergarten he had attended. He clapped his hand on his forehead, closed his eyes and had a look of extreme concentration. After a minute or two, his brow cleared and he described a birthday celebration and a eurythmy class at Acorn Hill. He apologized for taking so long to remember his kindergarten but explained in great seriousness that he had gone to two public schools since then. I had a strong impression of his going into the library of his mind and going past the first shelves which contained his most recent school memories, past the next shelves which held his last school, and finally arriving at the Acorn Hill shelves. Another aspect of mental change is in the realm of imagination, which is different from the fantasy of the kindergarten child. A characteristic of fantasy play is that the child needs props to carry out the play. It can be the very simplest of props such as children use in the Waldorf kindergarten, such as using corn cobs or small logs for baby bottles or stones and nuts for food, but it is hard for the four-year-old to feed her “baby” without some sort of prop at hand. When imagination is born, however, one often sees children play without objects. 18
They can now “see” their play situation in their mind’s eye and do not need the physical toys. I recall as a school child playing ongoing “soap operas” where we used no props at all, but the characters were fully alive in our minds. Bronja Zahlingen, a much-loved Waldorf kindergarten teacher from Vienna, describes her transition to imaginative play from fantasy play in this way: As a child she loved to play with small objects—people, houses, animals, etc.—on a deep window seat in her bedroom. She would create a scene and play with it by the hour. One day, when she had turned six, she set up a scene, as usual, but then closed her eyes and played the whole scene out in her mind. This is the birth of imagination. Sometimes a child will voice this change by saying something like, “I can see Grandpa whenever I want. I just have to close my eyes.” On a subtler level, one also sees this change to imagination at story time in the kindergarten. The younger children will usually listen to a fairy tale with their mouths open, literally drinking in the tale, tasting the sounds and feeling the rhythm of the words. The six-year-olds will often close their mouths while listening, and one can almost see the images of the story flow across their foreheads. They are clearly living into the tales in a whole new way. This aspect, coupled with the newly born memory forces, allows the school-ready children to go home and repeat in great detail the stories they heard in the kindergarten. When teaching academics, these qualities of free memory and imagination are all important. The Waldorf first grade teacher may begin with props such as counting stones and stories about the shepherd who loses some of his sheep, but she expects the children to be able to remember what they learned yesterday and be able to add new information to the picture day after day. They need to picture their lessons inwardly and pull them out of memory as they need them. All academic learning requires these capacities, but if they are not born yet, what is the child to do? The child struggles to compensate as much as possible. Some educators say that in compensating the children learn with the cortex or covering of the brain, rather than with the deeper parts of the brain where such learning should take place. Another suggestion is made by Jane Healy in her book, Endangered Minds, where she surveys current brain research and suggests that more advanced learning requires nerves which are coated with a fatty substance called myelin, which serves as an insulator and transmitter of learning. The myelinization of the sheaths, as the process is called, takes place slowly, and is not completed until early adulthood. Its rate of progress places certain organic boundaries on what can be effectively learned at different times. She says, “The relatively fixed order of myelinization in different brain areas may provide a real biological basis for ‘readiness’ for certain types of learning.”2 Jane Healy’s concern is that the quality of thinking is seriously deteriorating as a result of early learning, exposure to media and other factors.
2
Jane Healy, Endangered Minds, 70.
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Another aspect of the mental development of first grade ready children is that they usually become interested in language arts and mathematics. This can manifest in a number of ways. Children at this stage love to play with words, make rhymes, or change the words in the songs and verses which the teacher presents in the kindergarten, and the teacher needs to find some fun materials that keep their tongues busy. They are not quite ready for tongue twisters, but verses with humor such as “My Household” in the Grimms’ collection, fill them with delight. They also love learning a little bit of a foreign language, and after learning a single song or verse, will proudly go home and announce that they can speak the language in question. This is a playful door opener for the Waldorf student who will begin studying foreign languages in first grade. A challenging aspect of this time period is that the children become interested in written language and want to be able to write their names and an assortment of words such as Mommy, Daddy, to, from, love and other greetings which are added to the pictures they draw for family and friends. Most children I know master ten or fifteen such words during the time before first grade and feel satisfied that they can now “read and write.” In other words, at this age a little bit goes a long way. Unfortunately, often parents and educators see this budding interest and take it to mean that the child is now ready for formal instruction in written language. I have rarely seen a child who, left to his own devices, was interested in learning written language for more than a few weeks at this stage. The same is true of mathematics. The children love to play mental arithmetic with one another and will set one another challenging tasks, but one sees little interest in wanting regular practice with mathematical processes. Rather, they are at the point of “playing” with numbers and letters, and as long as they set the pace they are quite happy with it all. Only a few children I have known have actually wanted more than this playful approach, and these children taught themselves to read even though neither their parents nor their teachers wanted them to read yet. This convinced me that when the desire is strong enough, the child will overcome all barriers and learn to read, but, unfortunately, in each case it was a child who already lagged behind in social skills, and one felt that reading was going to make socializing even more difficult. It is easy for such children to place books at the center of their lives rather than human relationships. Another aspect of mathematical thinking that awakens in many children is a interest in “infinity.” One hears elaborate kindergarten conversations about this elusive concept, and one which especially struck me was between two girls, one five and one six. The five-year-old announced proudly that infinity was 6,248. The six-year-old looked scornfully at her and said, “That’s not what infinity means. Infinity means keep going.” As a philosophy of life, it seemed admirable, and indeed during this period, the children become little philosophers. They often talk about God, creation and how the world works. Life interests them tremendously, and they are prepared to think about anything, be it cosmic or microscopic. They are far less interested in our answers than in their own, and usually are very happy if we respond to their questions by asking them what they think. They are almost always prepared to answer, and their answers are incredibly rich and full of insight. 20
The transition to first grade readiness is also marked by the child’s leaving the world of imitation, which so characterizes early childhood, and entering the world of authority. The young child generally feels that anything the adult can do, she can do as well and is eager to participate. The school child looks at the adult as one who “knows,” and views the adult as a loving authority who will dispense knowledge to the receptive child. When I assisted in a Waldorf kindergarten in Vienna, I remember a six-year-old boy who would follow me around in hopes that I would “drop” an English word on him, which I frequently did. It was clear that he looked upon me as an authority and not merely one who was to be imitated. While the children go through this important transition from imitation to authority, they frequently travel through a no-man’s land where they have no sense of how to learn. They feel cut off from the learning process and express this state of being by saying, “I’m bored.” This period usually lasts for a month or two, until the new phase of learning is established. During this period, one can sometimes make suggestions for play, which the children usually reject, but then replace with their own ideas. Another approach is to give the child some practical work to do. This is quite satisfying to them, and they may remain with the work for an extended period or, from the work, become inspired with a new idea for play. There was a time when children’s drawings served as a strong indicator of first grade readiness, and they still do for some children. The problem is that many children seem uncomfortable with the process of drawing and are not able to produce the archetypal pictures so closely related to the child’s own growth forces. As children grow more precociously awake, it is difficult for them to draw the traditional, archetypal pictures. They are replaced with pictures of cars, ships, cartoon figures, etc. In her book, Understanding Children’s Drawings, Michaela Strauss says: A comparison of the drawings that originated before the last war with the most recent ones shows that, compared with nowadays, the children at that time drew their messages more clearly. The phenomena of child development have remained the same, but the child’s unconscious perception of the laws of development of his own being—which are mirrored in his drawings— appears to have become weaker. Should this fact be seen in connection with the nervousness and overstimulation of today? 3 For children who are in touch with the archetypal forms of drawing, the signs of readiness include drawings of people whose heads, bodies and limbs are in reasonable proportion and whose feet are standing on the earth. The houses usually have square bottoms and triangle roofs, generally with an upright chimney and often with smoke emerging from it. There is usually symmetry in the picture, so if a flower appears on one side of the house, another flower will be on the other side, indicating that an awareness of the body’s own symmetry has been born in the child.
3
Michaela Strauss, Understanding Children’s Drawings, 10.
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An additional area of change in the school-ready children is a greater degree of sexual awareness. This is the age for “playing doctor,” and children show an interest in exploring one another’s bodies, especially the bodies of the opposite sex. Every parent and teacher needs to consider what message they want to impart—verbally and non-verbally—around this delicate area. Most of us do not want to impart a sense of guilt or shame around sexual exploration, but we do need to consider what the healthy boundaries are. In the kindergarten, nudity and sexual exploration in play seem inappropriate, even when they take place in play that is not sexually oriented such as when a six-year-old was “powdering” her baby by sprinkling earth and pebbles all over the four-year-old child’s bare bottom. In the home, too, parents need to be clear about these boundaries when their children are playing with other children. When all of these characteristics of change are put together, including the awakening of sexual interest, the stretching of the limbs, the awakening of the social life and of mental capacity, one finds many similarities to the changes of a youngster going into puberty and adolescence. I remember once describing the signs of first grade readiness to a group of class teachers, and the seventh grade teacher was astounded and said, “This sounds just like my class!” We call this period from around age six “the first adolescence,” and it carries with it the wonder of that time of change and growth, as well as some of the pitfalls. One characteristic of adolescence is that so many changes are happening at once that it is hard for the youngster to maintain balance. They can easily become extreme, either becoming social butterflies, for example, or hermits. The same is true of children going through this first adolescence. Some want social contact all the time, some become preoccupied with the opposite sex, and some want only mental activities. The art of guiding children through this stage is to help them blossom in all areas, so that no one area becomes too lopsided. When all of the changes are thoughtfully considered, one usually feels strongly that a child is either ready for first grade or needs to wait another year. Sometimes, however, the situation is less clear, and in such cases, my rule of thumb has been that if I am not certain, it is better to let the child wait, simply because when a child is ready it is so evident. Occasionally, though, one also needs to consider the relationship of the child to his classmates who are going on to first grade, or the relationship of the child to the first grade teacher. There can be the rare exception where the child is not quite ready to go on, but life circumstances dictate that it is best for the child to move forward. Many teachers from new Waldorf initiatives which do not have grades have asked about our experience at Acorn Hill, where a number of our children have gone out to public schools at the kindergarten or first grade level. Over the years, we have seen that our students do very well when entering at the first grade level and by Christmas time have usually caught up with their classmates who have been introduced to academic subjects in kindergarten or before.
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We have learned that most first grade teachers need to review what the children learned in kindergarten, for at this age a great deal is forgotten over the summer. Our children enter at first grade, learn from the review period and are so fresh and ready to learn that they take in very quickly what it took the others much longer to learn at a younger age. This process was beautifully described by a five-year-old in my kindergarten Why trouble children with academics at the who was preparing to enter a public school kindergarten the following fall. Her sister also had been with me and had left for public kindergarten, a process kindergarten level I do not recommend for reasons so aptly described by this child. She was when it does not help? playing with some friends and said in a very serious tone, “Public kindergarten is really hard. It’s really hard,” she repeated with much emphasis. The others began looking nervous as this was clearly not what they had been told by their parents. “Yes,” she went on, “it’s really, really hard. I know because my sister told me.” She paused, and in a much lighter tone added, “But first grade is easy, because you just do all the same things again!” The obvious question is: Why trouble children with academics at the kindergarten level, when it does not help and does hinder the long-term learning processes? As a practical point, when Waldorf children do need to enter non-Waldorf first grades, we have found it helpful to give a brief written description of our Waldorf kindergarten approach to the parent to pass on to the first grade teacher. We found that when the teacher realized the child had not yet been introduced to academics she viewed the child quite differently than if she assumed the child had been introduced to academics, but had retained very little. We also encouraged parents to be relaxed and supportive of the child as she went through the transition stage during the first few months of school. Children learn best if they feel this is a normal transition process and that they will soon catch on to what the teacher is asking of them. The quiet confidence of the parent is a great help. To facilitate decisions about first grade readiness, school systems create age cut-offs. Waldorf schools also use birth dates, but generally as a guideline rather than as a strict rule. Traditionally, school systems in America used December 31 as their cut off so children under six were admitted to first grade. Many school systems have cut back to September 1 or October 1, and at least one now uses July 1. Waldorf schools have generally found that they need to cut further back than this, and many now use June 1, and a few use March 1. Classes now being formed in Waldorf schools are usually three to six months older than classes formed ten years ago, and we have heard from a number of class teachers taking a second or third class through how wonderful it is to have these older groups. They report that from the first day of school the children are ready to learn.
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Questions of first grade readiness are major issues in countries that admit children into first grade at age six. In countries such as those in Scandinavia, which use age seven as the normal age for first grade, readiness is not a major issue, for nearly all seven-year-olds are ready. Where age six is used, however, the likelihood of unreadiness is so great, and the price paid by the child so enormous, that one needs to be well versed about first grade readiness in order to make the best decision for the child. Even when we consider all of changes described in this article, in the final analysis, it is knowing the child at the deepest levels that guides parents and teachers towards the right decision for that child. One hopes that the ✦ child’s angel is whispering in our ear and that we are listening carefully.
References and Suggested Reading Elkind, David. The Hurried Child and Miseducation (New York: Alfred Knopf, 1987). Gesell Institute publications on child development. “The Kindergarten Year.” Der Spiegel (Number 20, 1977). Glöckler, Michaela and Wolfgang Goebel. A Guide to Child Health (Edinburgh: Floris Books, 1990). Healy, Jane. Endangered Minds (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990). Smilansky, Sara. “Sociodramatic Play” in Children’s Play and Learning (New York: Teachers College Press, 1990). Lievegoed, Bernard. Phases of Childhood (Edinburgh: Floris Books, 1987). Strauss, Michaela. Understanding Children’s Drawings (London: Rudolf Steiner Press, 1978). Uphoff, James and June Gilmore. Summer Children (Middletown, Ohio: J & J Publishing, 1986). Uphoff, James and June Gilmore. “Pupil Age at School Entrance,” Educational Leadership. The many titles available by Louise Bates Ames and Frances L. Ilg are also recommended.
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Some Guidelines for
First Grade Readiness
Nancy Foster Nancy Foster here acts as a guide to “wake up” the educator’s observational eyes. She describes the global picture of readiness and then directs our attention to the individual details that announce “school ready.” In classic Waldorf fashion, she takes us from the whole to the parts. This article also previously appeared in The Developing Child: The First Seven Years (WECAN, 2004).
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ore and more often, it seems, the question of first grade readiness arises as a deep concern. The responsibility for making decisions or recommendations in this delicate area weighs heavily on many of us. As Waldorf teachers, we find that the longer we immerse ourselves in Rudolf Steiner’s philosophy and the principles of Waldorf education, the better we will be able to reach wise decisions. This holds true in all aspects of our work, and earnest striving becomes an essential part of our lives. In considering first grade readiness, we must place the child at the center of our thoughts. Guidelines for observation can be a great help, and those that follow, arranged in a somewhat rough-and-ready form, are offered in this light. No set of guidelines should be regarded as a sort of “score sheet”: if a child receives eight out of ten, “Yes, on to grade one!” On the contrary, nothing can replace the teacher’s and the parents’ knowledge of the individual child. It is a rare child who shows every characteristic of readiness at a given time; indeed, readiness is actually a process rather than a static point. This, of course, is where the elements of observation and experience enter in. The parent-teacher discussion regarding readiness is an important event. In my experience, an effective approach has been first of all to focus—teacher and parent together—on the child’s needs rather than on a set of pre-conceived notions based on what “everyone else” 25
is doing. The teacher’s ability to share concrete, accurate observations of the child is a key factor here in gaining the parents’ confidence. If the child’s readiness is in question, it may be helpful to point out that results of a too-early placement in first grade may not show up for several years, and also that unready children do not “catch up” later on in grade school. It is useful to have some age guidelines in mind. For example, if June 1 is the cut-off date for entry into first grade, May birthdays should be looked at carefully, and in the case of boys (who generally lag about six months behind girls developmentally), even April birthdays may be questionable. One question frequently raised by parents is that of intellectual readiness: “My child is so eager to learn letters and numbers. Shouldn’t he go on to first grade?” Parents fear that if instruction does not begin, the child might be frustrated or the interest atrophy. A child, however, may show interest in letters and numbers quite early—even at age four or five— and may want to copy letters, or may ask how to spell words, etc. This interest may arise naturally out of imitation of the parents or older children. In itself, it is not necessarily a sign of intellectual readiness, and often dies away before reawakening when the child is really ready for first grade. In any case, a child who is truly ready to read will learn to do so, one way or another, even without instruction. Intellectual and emotional readiness may develop at different rates, and intellectual readiness alone is not an adequate reason for placement in first grade. In talking with parents of a child whose readiness is in doubt, it is useful if the teacher is able to describe what that particular child would gain from another year in kindergarten. Parents may wonder whether the year would simply be a repetition, and Intellectual readiness the teacher can explain that a child takes from an experience what she is ready for—that watercolor painting, for example, will be alone is not an experienced very differently by a four-year-old and a six-year-old. It adequate reason is especially important, however, that the parents be helped to feel for placement in first confident that the teacher will not simply repeat the same activities grade. and stories year after year, but that, instead, the program will be planned according to the needs of a particular group of children. The teacher will keep in mind the needs of the older, almost-ready-for-first-grade children, and make sure that they are offered experiences to challenge them and help them grow— still without pushing. The teacher can also help the parents consider their child’s readiness by asking them to picture the child in a first grade setting (always realizing, of course, that several months are yet to pass) and with the children who will be in the first grade group. There is some risk in keeping a child in kindergarten too long, if the child has really reached the stage at which first grade activities are appropriate. Such a situation might arise, for example, in a school where there is not yet a first grade, and the parent wishes the child to remain in kindergarten one more year until a first grade is begun. Or it might arise if the teacher or parent is overly cautious. In this case, the needs of the child will not be met, and
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unhappiness or discipline problems may arise. It seems fairly clear, however, that there is more likelihood of error on the side of too-early placement than too-late, and many teachers feel: “When in doubt—wait!” Particularly in today’s society, with its emphasis on acceleration in education, we must counteract the pressures to move children ahead too soon. There may also be a situation in which it must be determined whether a child needs another year of kindergarten even though he or she is chronologically ready, or whether there may be a developmental problem that needs to be addressed. A teacher need not feel ashamed to be unsure about a child’s placement. It is best to be open with the parents, and to share with them those areas in question which they can observe for themselves. In this way the parents will feel comfortable about expressing their own questions openly and honestly, and a mutually helpful dialogue can take place. Parents will appreciate feeling that they have shared in the thinking process that leads to a recommendation. Teachers and parents need to be clear about who it is that makes the final placement decision in questionable cases. Depending on the particular school, this will vary: Is it the faculty chair? The College of Teachers? The incoming first grade teacher? The school doctor? The kindergarten teacher? The parents? It is a good idea to establish this clearly, as well as the procedures and timetable for reaching a decision. This will be especially helpful in cases when the kindergarten teacher and parents may not see eye-to-eye or there is a communication difficulty. Ideally, there will be mutual trust and confidence, but unfortunately this cannot always be the case, and then parents and teachers—like their children—need firm guidelines! The following guidelines obviously are not to be brought to the attention of the children in question! They are based on information gained from various sources, including Margret Meyerkort, Elisabeth Moore-Haas, Bronja Zahlingen, and the Waldorf Institute (now Sunbridge College), as well as my own and colleagues’ observations. Since some of the information is “secondhand,” and it has not been possible to check it all with its sources, teachers should be aware that there is the possibility of error or misinterpretation in spite of well-meant efforts to be accurate. In addition, this is certainly not presented as a complete, definitive list and, once again, it is not to be used as a checklist or score sheet, but rather as an aid to observation. For this reason, the guidelines include, in some parts, more than simply readiness characteristics, but also indicate preliminary stages, which may help give a broader perspective. With these reservations and qualifications, the guidelines are offered in the hope that they will help kindergarten teachers to know their children better.
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Physical Development 1. Bodily proportions and characteristics: Individual differences due to body type must be considered. In general, the head:body ratio changes from about 1:4 in infancy, to 1:6 at age seven, to 1:8 in the adult. These numbers mean that the head of the adult is 1/8 of the total body length, including the head. (See Lievegoed, Phases of Childhood.) Loss of baby fat and the “pot belly” should occur toward the end of the fifth year. The “first stretching” (growth of the legs) should occur toward the end of the sixth year. A school-ready child should have developed: a. Ability to touch top of ear by reaching over top of head with opposite arm. b. Waist and neck incisions in the trunk, indicating that the rhythmic system is maturing and becoming ready for first grade instruction c. Visible joints (knuckles) and kneecaps instead of dimples d. Arch in foot e. Individualized facial features instead of baby features (child who has not been able to undergo childhood illnesses may be hindered in this development) f.
S-curve in spine
2. Second dentition: Usually a first-grade-ready child should have at least a loose tooth. If one or both parents, however, were slow in reaching second dentition, this factor should not be weighed as heavily for the particular child. The appearance of the 6-year molars is also a factor to be observed. 3. Physical abilities: The school-ready child should be able to do many or most of the following, as observed in spontaneous play (a child should not be “tested” on these items!): a. Walk a beam, log, (or line) forward b. Catch and throw a large ball c. Hop on either foot d. Bunny hop (both feet together) e. Habitually walk in cross pattern (i.e. swing opposite arm when stepping out with one foot) f.
Climb stairs with alternating feet on each stair
g. Tie knots or, sometimes, bows; button; zip own clothing h. Use fingers dexterously (sew, finger knit, play finger games, etc.) i.
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Have established dominance (eye/hand dominance most important)—though this may in some cases not be firmly established until age nine
j.
Not be unduly restless or lethargic
k. Shake hands with thumb separated from fingers, rather than offering the whole hand
Social and Emotional Development 1. The following stages can be observed in play: a. Age two–three: not really social; wants to possess and try out; reactive, transitory feelings b. Ages three–four: begins a bit to discover the “other,” but still self-centered; beginning of fantasy stage (transforms objects to meet own needs); activity for its own sake, not goal-oriented; or, transitory, quickly-changing goals (play with wood pieces may result in a house, which then becomes a campfire, etc., all without planning ahead) c. Age five: real need for social experience; beginning of give-and-take, sharing; some beginnings of planning in play d. School-ready child: develops feeling for others’ needs—social awareness, doing things for others; goal-oriented play—planning, thinking things out; does not need objects in play (can now “visualize” play rather than needing to collect many items as younger children did; this shows separation of concept/inner world from percept/outer world); begins more long-term friendships; play of horses and dogs (shows readiness for authority of first grade, obeying a “master”) 2. Other social/emotional abilities of the school-ready child: a. Ability to join in offered activities b. Ability to look after own eating, drinking, washing, toileting needs c. Ability to share teacher’s or parent’s attention and wait for a turn d. Ability to follow instructions and carry through with a task or activity e. Not be unduly dependent on a “security item” (thumb, blanket, etc.) f.
Not be regularly the aggressor or victim; be accepted by most other children
Drawing and Painting (Don’t wait for all aspects to appear for any one child.) 1. Development of the will—shown in stages similar to those in play: a. Activity for its own sake Drawing: Child is involved in the movement, gesture of the activity. Spirals, zig-zags. Painting: Process is paramount; stage of water, “mud,” and possible scratches from vigorous gesture.
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b. Fantasy stage Drawing: Child’s fantasy is caught up by the activity; child’s identification of an object in his drawing seems to arise out of the activity (“Oh, and here is a bear!” rather than “Now I’ll draw a bear.”) Painting: unconscious, flowing beauty of colors. c. School-ready child Drawing: conscious goal in drawing picture. Painting: Child becomes goal-conscious, attempts forms or “special effects” such as dots; paintings become stiffer, less beautiful for a time, but may then free up again later as child consciously discovers how to mix and blend colors and develops designs or forms appropriate to the medium; symmetrical designs, similar to crayon drawings, may appear. 2. Content of pictures (primarily in drawing): a. Evolution of human form: circle; then circle with eyes; then circle with appendages; then trunk is developed. Most mature form of trunk is triangular. Addition of fingers and other details. b. Change in emphasis from line (youngest children) to surface and color (older children want to color in objects, perhaps give people patterned clothing, etc.) c. School-ready child: 1. Two-fold symmetry, indicating that the two-fold function of the brain has come about: symmetrical houses, often with a tree or flower on each side; or symmetrical designs in which the paper is divided into halves or quarters, often diagonally 2. Symmetrical color arrangements. 3. “Change-of-teeth” pictures, containing horizontal repetitions such as birds flying, rows of mountains, etc., reminiscent of rows of teeth. 4. Strip of sky and earth, showing child’s awareness of “above and below” rather than the younger child’s feeling of wholeness. 5. Use of the diagonal (related to brain development). Frequently seen in triangle form of roof or in drawing of stairs. 6. People and houses resting on grass at bottom of page.
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Soul Life (Thinking, Feeling, Willing) 1. Signs of first grade readiness in the will: a. Conscious goals appear in play, drawing, painting, handwork; consciousness of self as creator results in awareness of the distinction between inner (desire) and outer (result). At “first puberty” this leads to the characteristic feelings of loneliness and inability (which may be expressed as “I’m bored”). This is an important stage, as it leads to the basis for natural respect which is to be found in the grade school years—the realization by the child that there are some things he can’t yet do as well as the adult. b. Use of limbs is vigorous, active; the child likes to move furniture and heavy stumps, and use all available play cloths. c. The child likes to run errands (again, goal consciousness). 2. Signs of first grade readiness in the feeling life: a. Stormy period of first puberty proceeding to more calm; can handle feelings better; needs less adult intervention. b. Wrapping of objects as gifts (child “wraps himself around” the object). c. Loves humor, limericks, rhymes, play on words, silly words. d. May say verse faster than rest of group, or hold note longer at end of song (is beginning to grow aware in the realm of rhythm). e. Likes to whisper, have secrets (distinction between inner and outer). f.
May like to tell of dreams (soul has made a step inward); awareness of inner and outer life. (Be careful this isn’t imitation of adults or just telling a story; and don’t question children about dreams.)
3. Signs of first grade readiness in the thinking/cognitive realm: a. Development of causal thinking (“if,” “because,” “therefore;” for example, “If I tie these strings together, they will reach that play stand,” and also in the wish to tie things together with yarn, “tying” thoughts together in causal thinking). b. Correct use of verb tenses (“I stood,” not “I standed.”) c. Enjoys cunning, planning, and scheming. d. Enjoys humor and making up or repeating simple riddles, (typical for this age mentality is, “Why was the cook mean?” “Because he beat the eggs and whipped the cream.”) It is best that the teacher not introduce real riddles at this stage; they are appropriate for older children. e. Memory becomes conscious; child can, at will or upon request, repeat stories and songs with accuracy 31
f.
Speaks fluently and clearly and can express ideas easily and fully.
g. Can concentrate on a chosen task for ten to fifteen minutes. h. Image-formation: is no longer dependent on objects in play, but can visualize (e.g. may build a house and then, instead of collecting dishes, food, etc., may simply “talk through” the play). Conversations and discussions among the children become important to them. i.
Appearance of “real” questions (not the typical younger child’s constant “why,” or questions for the sake of asking).
Factors in Borderline Cases 1. Boys are generally about six months behind girls in level of maturity at this age. 2. Unreadiness for first grade may manifest itself in the early grades as lack of stamina and concentration, and difficulty in keeping up with the rhythmical work, or with games and handwork. 3. Younger children may be left behind socially; this usually becomes apparent toward the end of third grade, and may become more marked during the change at age twelve. 4. If there is any academic difficulty, it will be exacerbated if the child enters first grade as a younger child, and reading problems may become severe. On the other hand, if the child is held back, he may later excel. 5. If a child is always youngest in the class, he may never have the opportunity to become a leader. (“Leader” here means not “the boss,” but one who has the inner strength and security to be an example to others and bring out the best in them.) 6. The composition of the first grade group should be considered: How will this child fit in, both socially and chronologically? Is it a “young” class or an “old” one, for example?
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A School Doctor’s Perspective
Bettina Lohn, MSc Dr. Lohn gives a comprehensive view of the many factors to consider in determining readiness and offers guiding questions in putting what we see in context. Is the child’s development ageappropriate? Are there any particular problems or areas of concern? If there are concerns, are they development-related or can they be expected to accompany the child into the school years and beyond? Is the child delayed in one developmental area, which may need to be specifically addressed but not necessarily require a whole further year in the kindergarten? However the questions are answered, she reminds us that every decision is individual and requires our detailed, devoted observation.
S
tarting school is an important and life-changing event for most children. It therefore warrants careful consideration and attention.
The concept of “school readiness” is not generally accepted and recognized in mainstream education in the UK. Children commonly start school according to their chronological age, usually between four and five, with the legal “school duty” starting at age five. In other European countries, especially in Scandinavia, school entry is later, between the ages of six and seven years. Contrary to what is often assumed, this does not lead to lesser achievements, as comparative studies have shown. Nevertheless, the current European trend is to favor a younger school entry age, and in many cases, more formal studies are introduced into the kindergarten. Several European countries, like Germany and Switzerland, will reduce their school entry age in the near future. This poses particular challenges for Steiner/Waldorf schools.
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Learning “Learning” is often associated with the more formalized approach that begins in school. But
of course, children don’t just start learning when they enter school—they start the minute they are born, if not before. So the question is not only when but how children should learn, appropriate to their age.
At birth, the process of familiarization with yourself, especially your body, and your immediate family and environment begins, initially requiring great care and support. Gradually the acquired abilities enable you to become increasingly The question is not independent. This process is ongoing throughout childhood and continues at least until adolescence. only when but how
children should learn, appropriate to their age.
When the child starts to attend nursery and kindergarten, his horizon expands. Social interactions and challenges, including separation from home, gain increasing importance in his life. At this time the creative activity of play, involving a multitude of skills and the tool of imitation, is his method of learning. It is interesting to notice that play is no longer something every child is able to do. Some children require instructions about how to play. Skills which children used to pick up “by osmosis” now need to be “taught” directly. This tendency of requiring direct teaching seems to apply to an increasingly younger age and to all areas of life, including social and emotional skills.
Ready for school? The question of whether a child is ready for school is the question of whether a child is
developmentally mature enough, ideally on all levels, to face the challenges presented by school—in relation to behavior, social interactions and learning. If one would strictly apply this criterion, every child would have her or his own school starting date. This would present schools with an impossible task and would also have a disruptive effect on the social fabric of a group or class. However, the fact that there is usually only one first grade starting time per year can pose problems. In Waldorf schools the start of formal learning is delayed until the age of six to seven years. And even then the introduction is gradual, taking the pictorial and play-orientated nature of the child’s method of learning into account. The reasons for this are found in specific developmental changes around the age of six to seven, according to the concept of child development within Anthroposophy. In the first seven years of a child’s life the emphasis lies on growth and development of the body. We never again grow as fast as in the first few years. The physical and ether/life body are especially involved in this, under the guidance of the astral/soul body and ego organisation. When approaching the age of seven years the intense interaction between
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physical and ether/life body, leading to the establishment of life functions and organ maturation, is reduced. One part of the ether/life body activity continues to be involved in life functions, while another becomes available, “freed up” for other tasks. The availability of these “free” ether/life forces is what enables a child to be “ready” for school. These formative forces, initially engaged in body growth and organ differentiation, transform to become the forces we use for our thinking. Although this is a gradual process it reaches a decisive point at the age of six or seven, when the child is able to access thought processes more consciously and independently. With thinking the memory also becomes more available. The child is, as it were, no longer thinking at the cost of its bodily development. Although we are not able to observe these transformations directly, one example is the formation and emergence of the second teeth. Having been formed invisibly in the gums during the first seven years of life they then start to emerge—every tooth the evidence of a completed process. The above-mentioned transformation of etheric/life forces, when taken seriously, puts a new slant on the prevention of health issues. Starting school at the right time, that is, being able to cope with the challenges one is exposed to, can contribute to future health in the broadest sense.
Areas of observation When asking about developmental maturation, the following areas should be considered: ●
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●
●
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Social situation: social skills and interactions; relationships within the group (e.g. leader/ follower); family situation, including the position of the child in the family Emotional: maturity and independence, self-confidence and self-esteem, presence of an emerging inner space Behavior: levels of concentration, attention, perception and listening Movement: gross and fine movement skills; co-ordination (including hand/eye-coordination), balance, spatial awareness and relationship to the three dimensions, “mastering” of the body, pencil grip, finger games Speech and language : development of speech sounds and clarity, understanding of language, ability of expression in language (This is in my experience of great importance in view of the emphasis of oral teaching in Waldorf schools) Cognitive ability : difficulties and special abilities (e.g. gifted children) Drawings: representational drawing of a person, orientation on the paper/proportions, awareness of and ability to copy certain shapes (e.g. square/diamond) Gender: the experience is that the difference of maturation between boys and girls is around six months, with the girls usually ahead. This can make a crucial difference, especially when considering children for school entry who are born between May and August
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●
Health: any known medical issues (e.g. asthma), vision and hearing, stamina (managing regular kindergarten attendance?), energy levels, constitution, sleeping and eating habits, relationship to rhythms. Age-appropriate bodily changes including the start of the change of teeth, lengthening of the limbs in proportion to the trunk and the emerging S-shape of the spine. Also the general roundness of the body shape recedes, the toddler tummy disappears, the knuckles become more prominent, the facial features more distinct, and so on. Of course these areas overlap and are only crutches to understand the complexity of a child, but in my experience detailed observations are essential to enable an appropriate individual decision. The following questions are helpful: 1. Is the child’s development age-appropriate? 2. Are there any particular problems or areas of concern? If these two questions have been answered and concerns have arisen, one can then ask how these concerns relate to the question of school readiness. Are the concerns developmentrelated or can they be expected to accompany the child into the school years and beyond? Is the child delayed in one developmental area, which may need to be specifically addressed but not necessarily require a whole further year in the kindergarten? Or is the child globally delayed in her/his development and a further year in the kindergarten would give time and opportunity, maybe including additional help, for the necessary developmental steps to take place? Issues could relate to health problems, constitutional challenges or social/emotional struggles. A combination is often the case in reality. These questions also highlight the importance of observation and expression of concerns throughout the early years and kindergarten. Although every child should be given the opportunity to develop in her or his own way and time, sometimes encouragement and specific help are needed. The timing of these can be crucial for the child’s further development and life fulfilment. (Please see also Steiner Education, Spring 2005 issue.) Of course there are also potential difficulties to be considered when a child’s school entry is “delayed,” i.e. entering school aged just seven years old. One is the likelihood of an earlier puberty in comparison to their peers; another is the relatively late completion of school with its consequences for further education. On the other hand there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence about children who have started school too early. They often cope in the first two grades, although frequently showing difficulties with their learning, but struggle when reaching grades four and five. This can at times lead to a transfer into the class below—the one they would have joined would they have repeated a year in kindergarten.
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A challenging decision The challenge is the absence of a decisive and foolproof “school readiness test.” No criterion
should be taken in isolation. The process of decision-making is always a joint effort between kindergarten teachers, the school and the parent(s), with the advice, if available, of the school doctor or other professionals (e.g. eurythmy therapist). It is usually assumed that a child will move up to first grade if he or she will be six years old by April in the same year unless particular concerns arise. Children who will be six years old between May and August in the year of school entry will be carefully assessed and considered. Waldorf schools vary in their approaches to this, especially in situations with joint classes. The decision is always an individual one. Although the decision about school readiness is straightforward for the majority of children, with some children it is challenging. A difference of opinion between school and parents may arise. On those occasions it is in my experience frequently the parents who feel the child is ready to start school, but the teachers recommend a further year in the kindergarten or transition group. In those situations it is important to have clarity beforehand about who makes the final decision. As far as I am aware this always rests with the school. Of course every effort will be undertaken to enable a joint decision, assuming good communication between parents and teachers. Clarity and awareness of the decision making process in advance, transparency throughout the whole process, and good communication are essential to reach a satisfactory and individually appropriate decision and do justice to every child. I am very aware of the complexity of this theme and that this contribution is far from comprehensive. Nevertheless I hope that it will evoke questions as the expressed concepts and the wealth of people’s experiences ask for further research and exploration. ✦
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What are the signs that
my child is ready for school?
Michaela Glöckler, MD and Wolfgang Goebel, MD Here the physician describes changes in physical structure and appearance that correlate with school readiness, giving specific detail to guide observation. How the child’s thinking and memory, social awareness, dexterity, and verbal expression transform is also characterized. The explanation of what the hardening and forming of the permanent teeth signal in the child’s development is enlightening. Excerpted by permission from A Guide to Child Health (Floris Books, 2004, 276-279).
I
n most countries, the mandatory school-entry age falls somewhere between five and seven years. Certain signs of maturity, however, suggest that it is best to send children to school only at age seven whenever possible.
Change of physique The physique of a toddler is very different from that of a school-age child. A toddler’s head
is very large in proportion to his torso and limbs. His entire figure is rounded, his limbs are short, and until age two he may be physiologically bow-legged. His fingers are short and well padded with fat deposits. His torso has no waist, the angle of his ribs above the stomach is broad, and his belly sticks out as if there were no room for it in his torso yet. A schoolage child looks completely different. His arms and legs have elongated, and he can reach over the top of his head and touch his ear with the fingers of the opposite hand. He has a definite waist between his ribs and his pelvis, and his ribs form an acute angle above his stomach, which is now flat. His head, torso, and limbs are on their way to achieving the adult proportions that will appear at the next major change of physique in adolescence.
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Beginning of the second dentition The emergence of the first permanent molar or incisor indicates that the enamel of the
permanent teeth—the hardest substance in the body— is fully formed and that the organism’s tooth-forming activity is drawing to a close. Educators generally pay little attention to this phenomenon. We have already discussed the anthroposophical spiritualscientific concept of what happens to organ-forming activities after the respective organ or substance in the body completes its development. Some of these forces are still used for regeneration and organ maintenance, but the rest become available to shape our thoughts (see A Guide to Child Health, Section 15.4). This is not exactly what happens with tooth enamel, however, because it does not regenerate (as we all know from painful visits to the dentist). All of the formative forces that originally served the development of dental enamel become available to the I for the purposes of thinking. And because these formative forces are not responsible for regeneration, they are totally liberated from the physical body and available for “abstract” (from the Latin “to draw off”) activity. Thus pure abstraction (the basis of the concepts and clearly defined mental images that children learn to manipulate in school) becomes possible only once the teeth are fully developed.
School-age thinking In the section on learning to think (A Guide to Child Health, Section 15.4), we saw that a small
child depends heavily on repetitious language and habitual activities to support his local memory. This type of memory serves as the foundation for developing fully internalized memory, which allows the child to activate the process of remembering without outside prompting. Because it is freed from the constraints of sense-perceptible reality, this later type of memory indicates that the child is beginning to be able to think abstractly. The eagerness to learn that is typical of this age shows that these forces have only recently become available. The child is now able to call up memories in response to This latter type of direct questioning, independent of concrete situations. As a result, memory indicates that he is able to repeat a story he heard in kindergarten several days ago.
the child is beginning to be able to think abstractly.
Typically, a child’s ability to imitate, which used to indicate that he was best able to ”understand” an event by repeating its actions, begins to recede at this age. Let’s consider young children’s imitation in somewhat greater detail. It is a complex process that becomes fully understandable only when we see thinking as a metamorphosis of the activity of growth. The more a child’s forces of growth are still involved in differentiating and shaping the organs of the body, the better he can imitate, because the body’s ability to grasp a process directly (through sensory perception) and immediately reproduce it is an accomplishment of intelligence that is still acting through the body. Having to imitate many events that are senseless or chaotic or experiencing frequently interrupted or unrelated actions has
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consequences for a child’s bodily development (see A Guide to Child Health, Section 15.5) because each organ develops and matures properly only if appropriate demands are placed on it. This extremely impressionable and malleable phase comes to an end when the capacity for imitation declines as the child becomes ready for school. The beginning of the change of teeth indicates a significant step in the transformation of growth forces into thought forces. The learning that formerly occurred unconsciously, through imitation, must now make the transition to conscious processes.
Social readiness A child who is ready to take his place in the relatively large community of a school class
is socially ready to go to school. This type of readiness involves learning to align his own interests with those of others (with the teacher’s help) and to be “all ears,” that is, to deliberately suppress the activity of his arms and legs. At his stage, listening to what the teacher says must supplant the urge to imitate as the primary stimulus for independent activity. In other word’s the child’s intentions are increasingly receptive to being guided by the spoken words of adults as instinctive imitative activity recedes. In general, social readiness appears later than intellectual readiness and is usually fully acquired only around age seven to eight.
Dexterity and verbal expression Often these skills are not adequately developed, either because of differences in individual
developmental timelines or because they have not been sufficiently stimulated by early education. As a general rule, however, children of school age can sing, pronounce all of the speech sounds, retell stories in complete sentences, and express what they want to say in conversation in a variety of different ways. With regard to physical dexterity, school-age children are often able to throw a ball into the air with one hand and catch it with two. They can stand on one leg and hop sideways, forward, and backward. They can stand and walk on tiptoe. Their fine-motor skills are sufficiently developed for stringing beads, or finger knitting. They have mastered the most important household chores such as setting the table, washing and drying dishes, and the like. They can also dress and undress themselves, tie their shoes, and button a shirt. The decision to delay sending a child to school is certainly never based on the absence of any single sign of readiness. In case of doubt, parents should discuss their child’s overall state of mind and body with a physician or school psychologist and arrive at a decision together. Social perspectives should also be considered; the experiences of the youngest and oldest children in any class are very different. If at all possible, children with handicapping conditions or developmental delays in specific areas should enter school with children of the same age.
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We advise parents never to coach their children before school-readiness interviews. Children who have been coached often develop mental blocks when they meet with the teacher or physician who is supposed to determine whether they are ready for school. School readiness should also never depend totally on the results of so-called IQ tests, which reveal only a portion of the full spectrum of abilities that truly expresses the child and his possibilities. It is the school’s job to continue to develop all of these abilities and to identify and address ✦ special needs in a timely manner.
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The Transition to
Elementary School Learning:
When is the right time?
Rainer Patzlaff and Wolfgang Sassmannshausen This section, translated from pedagogical research done in Germany, describes the increasingly frequent phenomenon of “dissociation.” Here different aspects of the child’s development are strikingly out-of-step with one another. For example, precocious intellectual development may stand in contrast to immaturities in coordination, sensory development, and emotional/social life. Understanding the first seven-year cycle of the child’s life can give us a new “developmental gauge.” Honoring this rhythm in our pedagogy allows the child the chance to harmonize and consolidate development before the school years begin. This is an excerpt from Developmental Signatures: Core Values and Practices in Waldorf Education for Children Ages 3–9 (WECAN and AWSNA Publications, 2007, 39-48).
Play and Social Behavior of the Six-Year-Old
F
our-year-old children generally find the theme for their play activities spontaneously, born in the moment, prompted by an activity or an object they encounter in their romp through the apartment or through the kindergarten. Six-year-olds, in contrast, do not necessarily require such prompting from the outside, but they can develop their play idea based on a memory of a previous experience. They try to recreate what they saw or experienced at a previous time. In this activity they prove to be most determined and persistent, as when they, for example, comb through all the rooms of their home to collect all suitable furnishings for making a railway train and gather together everything that seems useful to them for that task. There is also a great difference in how they proceed from here, in comparison to younger children. A four-year-old is already satisfied when a few chairs
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are arranged in a row—one behind the other—making a train car and “riding” in it for a while. Six-year-old children, however, will set great store in providing the train with all the details they can remember, and they will also reenact the railroad journey as realistically as possible. Moreover, it is important for them that they play together with other children, mostly the same age, and governed by rules and rank which they determine themselves. While they may like it when younger children join in, the six-year-olds are the ones who direct the play and assign roles to the younger children. Here we see a new stage in the development of the child. The six-year-old can form an exact notion of how his play idea should be actualized because he can set a goal for himself, independent from outer promptings. A new faculty is emerging which will, in later years, become very important: the faculty to form a precise mental image of a future course of action, in other words, anticipation. The six-year-old already commands a respectable amount of overview capabilities and uses them to organize his play into meaningful action sequences. On the other hand he is still child enough to spontaneously integrate new elements that emerge during play and flexible enough to incorporate them into the play process. The awakening of social competency counts among the striking attributes of six-year-old children in kindergarten. They like to take the initiative in free play, for example, involve the younger children, show them how to do it right, and volunteer for tasks like setting the table. They are enthusiastic if they are given the privilege of substituting for the kindergarten helper if she should be out. They are the knowledgeable ones among the kindergarten crowd, the “kings and queens,” and they delight in being recognized as such. Experience teaches that this status can hardly be achieved before the sixth or seventh year, not least because only now the motor skills have been developed sufficiently to be able to fulfill tasks independently. It also takes children between two and three years to gain experience in their kindergarten before they can direct the younger children with circumspection and prudence. These successes foster their self-esteem, generating a developmental surge that strengthens their ability to meet the challenges in elementary school. Often we can observe how especially the boys gain from being granted the benefit of increased status in their last year of kindergarten.
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Today more and more children can gain little experience in relating naturally with younger or older siblings at home because they are the only child. For them, the mixedage kindergarten group is like an “extended family” that offers them important practical experiences which culminate in being allowed to help a younger child from the position of being the older one, to be responsible for the younger one. The homogenous age group of the grade school class does not offer this opportunity. Children sent to grade school too early will miss this experience. The presumed “loss” of time is more than compensated for by the strength the child gains in the last kindergarten year for his further development. This does not preclude any special circumstances which may lead to a different decision, but allowing the young child to reap the fruits of his or her kindergarten time in tranquility is an essential consideration.
Intellectual Precocity and Dissociation Linking the beginning of elementary school to a child’s chronological age is a longstanding
tradition and today is more and more put to question. “School maturity” is a developmental stage that is expected to occur around the sixth birthday, or the seventh year of life. However, in times past, a specific assessment by a school physician was performed to ascertain if the six-year-old was truly mature enough to begin elementary school, which sometimes resulted in postponement of the start of school for that child. Physical criteria were of importance, such as the change of teeth or maturity of appearance and motor and sensory development. Such assessments are no part of the decision when, of late, laws are passed that set the time for starting school earlier and earlier, giving parents the possibility to enroll their children in grade school when they are only three or four years old. This trend is supported by the opinion, borne in business circles and often adopted by politicians, that the intellectual potential of today’s children is lying idle for too long in kindergarten and should be fostered and challenged much earlier in order to prepare the children in a timely manner for the challenges of their later work lives (careers). If we follow this line of reasoning, the child’s “school maturity” would indeed occur many years earlier than so far assumed. In some of today’s children we can indeed observe a remarkable intellectual awareness and achievement readiness before they reach the traditional age for starting school. But if we examine such children more closely, we find quite frequently an acute discrepancy, gaps between the various levels of their development. Perhaps they are in one way, intellectually, ready for school, but that is not at all true in regard to their physical, soul and social development. We can also find other forms of dissociation, such as when intellectual development is not in step with physical maturity, and so forth. In each case, such dissociation can be seen as a sign of a lack of stability in the foundations of development, which would not be able to meet the manifold challenges of school in the long run.
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We need to take the long-range perspective into account. We should not be hoodwinked by the early successes of a child in the first grades. We generally cannot see the true elasticity and resilience of the foundations in body and soul, which are built in childhood, until the upper classes are reached—where the soul’s resilience will be challenged to a much greater degree to deal with the inevitable crises. The scientific studies we have available to date document that children who start school too early show a conspicuous setback in the higher grades, and often have to repeat one or more classes1 which then has the additional effect of weakening their self esteem. Taking intellectual precocity as a benchmark for the start of academic learning is to disregard the requirements for healthy development as outlined above. The young human being needs a full measure of coherence and resilience for mastering his later life-tasks; to develop such resilience and coherence, he must be afforded sufficient opportunity for permeating the organization of body and soul with his individuality and shaping them into a full-fledged instrument for his personality. The cognitive and intellectual capacities can only unfold in a healthy manner when they go hand in hand with creativity and social competency—not at their expense. But for that, the child needs time. In Waldorf education we strive to give the children this time, to base school readiness not on mindless philanthropic impulses but motivated by a therapeutic challenge. We must make sure that the developmental foundations which they need in order be able to live in accordance with their own “nature and purpose” are not compromised by pulling the rug out from under the children’s individuality.
The Seven-Year Rhythm—A Health-Generating Principle The problem of dissociation is not limited to preschool times. We observe a widening chasm in the various levels of development also during their school years, manifested particularly by an earlier onset of puberty. At that time the development of the physical body forms in glaring contrast to the child’s soul-life, which still appears childlike. This phenomenon differs from precocious intellectual faculties which are ahead of sensori-motor and social development in the preschool years; the problems in puberty are created by the unsupported one-sided acceleration of physical maturity.
It is not productive to simply deplore such phenomena. They are expressions of the overall acceleration which characterizes our modern, hectic lifestyle. But how do we meet this enormous challenge of our future? The wider the gaps between developmental processes, the more urgently we must act pedagogically, to even them out and harmonize them in the interest of the healthy development of our children.
1
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See Gabriele Bellenberg, Individuelle Schulliaufbahnen.
In Waldorf education an awareness of the seven-year rhythm affords us the opportunity to employ such harmonizing and compensating pedagogy. We can therapeutically adjust to meet the developmental processes appropriately. It is often assumed that we are dealing with a natural rhythm that occurs by itself, following the same laws as many other biological rhythms in our organism. But this is not the case. The seven-year rhythm is not set by nature, just like the year is not “naturally” divided into seven-day weeks. However, we are not dealing just with mystical number games. No, the seven-year rhythm has The seven year rhythm salutogenetic relevance when it is considered as a developmental gauge in pedagogy. This rhythm marks a timeframe, like a has salutogenetic benchmark, which is necessary to help stabilize the complex relevance. structures in a young person’s physical, soul and mental/spiritual organization on a certain stage of development by either gently slowing down a too-rapid advancement or aggressively nurturing those processes that are developing too slowly. If allowed to align with this health-generating rhythm, the child receives a strong foundation for its entire life.2 An education that allows young children and youths to take their time from one seven-year period to the next has beneficial effects, as pedagogical practice shows. An artisticallyinspired approach to education helps the children overcome the problem of dissociation as it brings all faculties of body and soul into balance. Under such guidance, slower-maturing faculties come to blossom, which would never have unfolded under the pressures of a school system focused on achievement and accelerated learning. If we understand the seven-year rhythm within this paradigm as a pedagogic-therapeutic benchmark to strive for, it takes on an important role in fostering health in a time when developmental problems in childhood are increasing.
The Metamorphosis of the Forces Shaping the Body One of Rudolf Steiner’s most profound discoveries was the concept that the forces needed by
the young child in his first phase of development for building and structuring his physical organization are the same forces that help him in the second phase in building the forces for the powers of imagination and memory.3 During the first phase, the child unconsciously works on schooling his sensory faculties and mastering his musculature by developing both his gross- and fine-motor skills. His inner organs unfold into full functioning, and ever more complex neuron processes are created in the brain. Generally after about seven years, a first stage of maturity is reached in the physical development, and part of the building forces and faculties are by nature no longer needed for growing and building the inner organs. This part does not just disappear, but is fully available for other tasks, for example, to grow and support the powers of the soul and mind in developing the imaginative faculties, memory and the ability for academic learning.
2 3
See studies by Hildebrandt et al. and Schad, cited in the reference list. See Rudolf Steiner, The Education of the Child, and additional lectures from 1921 and 1922; also Ernst-Michael Kranich, Anthropologische Grundlagen der Waldorfpädagogik.
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Steiner pointed to the consequences that occur when these forces are prematurely harnessed to academic learning. When they are diverted from the uncompleted task of building the physical structure, then the hampering of a healthy, resistant physical constitution may result, even if at first very subtle, almost imperceptible. While comprehensive empirical proof is still pending, numerous experiences in practical education appear to validate this hypothesis. Meanwhile scientific long-term studies have not been able to prove conclusively any lasting advantages that very early enrollment brings for young children. On the contrary, the probability of having to repeat a class is significantly higher for this group than for children who enter school at the traditional point in time.4 Therefore it is of utmost importance for optimum health and achievement in later life to wait with beginning school-learning until the forces building the physical body are fully transformed into the forces that develop the imagination and until the learning process can be released from its earlier ties directly to the senses. Whenever we force a developmental stage (in this case, by too early a start of academic learning), there is a danger that we interrupt the comprehensive, differentiated maturation process of the physical organization and thus potentially weaken the foundation of the child’s health. Every adult can validate, from the personal experience of being weakened by fever, the close connection between forces building the physical organism and those building the imagination. During such a time the body needs all vital forces to maintain its life functions and to regain health, and it is more difficult to have concentrated, focused images and thoughts.
The Launch of the Faculty of Imagination The physician can determine from a variety of physical symptoms when the imaginative
faculty is ready for development (change of teeth, shape, mature sensori-motor skills, and so forth). But he can see only the outer aspect of the phenomenon. On an inner level, the release of these powers is connected to a profound change of soul life. The child steps out from the confinement of the senses and now gains command of independent soul faculties, which he employs consciously on the inner planes.
The earlier stage is well illustrated in this example: a four-year-old who, on hearing the word S-Bahn, inquired what the people in this tram were eating. [S-Bahn, meaning “tramway” is pronounced “Ess-Bahn,” and ess in German means eat!—trans.] In contrast to imagining things in a concrete, literal way, the child who is ready to enter school commands a faculty of imagination that functions independently of concrete sensory impressions. Memory too grows free from the link to physical, concrete presence of place (local memory, as in the example above) and becomes autonomous. It can happen that a child of that age
4
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Gabriele Bellenberg, Individuelle Schulliaufbahnen.
is surprised to discover that she can visualize a person who is far away in full detail and whenever she wishes to do so. Memory becomes available, independent of presence in space and time; inner images can be formed and now spark thinking processes, just as they were previously sparked by sensory perceptions. An experiment conducted by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget illustrates this transition. Two identical glass vessels were filled each with the same amount of water in the presence of four- to five-year-olds. When questioned, the children found the amounts of water in A and B to be the same. Then, in full view, a third vessel C, this vessel being much taller and narrower than the other two, was filled with the same amount of water. When asked again, most of the children thought that there was more water in vessel C because the water level was higher, and some thought there was less water in vessel C because it was narrower. Children who were ready to enter school, however, stated correctly that the amounts in all three vessels were the same. This experiment is not undisputed because it could lead to the false conclusion that younger children are stupid. Actually they are in no way stupid; they just experience the world differently based on the object-oriented intensity of their perceptions. The experiment points to an important fact: What we see here is not a quantitative transition from a less bright to a bright child. No, it is a qualitative leap that brings with it a transformation of the child’s overall relationship to perception. The younger children are still guided by outer sense impressions and answer based on an object’s visually prominent attributes (width and height), whereas the older children use as a resource their memory-image, which tells them that the amount of water stayed unchanged by pouring it into different vessels. They can evaluate and conclude that the amount must be the same, in spite of the taller water column or the narrowness of the vessel. Their freed forces, powers of memory and imagination are available to them for the mental processing of perception beyond the visual image. Only when this transformation has occurred should the child be exposed to academic learning in school. As outlined above, it is only now that the child can safely employ the formative powers which were formerly needed to build the body structure. Only now he can use these powers to form inner images and thoughts without jeopardizing his healthy physical development. Often the children themselves discover this new faculty of dealing with inner images when they begin to take great pleasure in solving poetic puzzles which challenge their vivid powers of imagination. ✦
5
Jean Piaget and B. Inhelder, Die Psychologie des Kindes.
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References Bellenberg, Gabriele. Individuelle Schulliaufbahnen: Eine empirische Untersuchung über Bildungsverläufe von der Einschulung bis zum Abschluss [Individual School Careers: An Empirical Study of Education from the Start of School to Graduation] (Weinheim: 1999). Hildebrandt, Gunther, Maximilian Moser and Michael Lehofer. Chronobiologie und Chronomedizin. Biologische Rhythmen—Medizinische Konsequenzen [Chronobiology and Chronomedicine. Biological Rhythms—Medical Consequences] (Stuttgart: 1998). Kranich, Ernst-Michael. Anthropologische Grundlagen der Waldorfpädagogik [Anthropological Foundations of Waldorf Pedagogy] (Stuttgart: 1999). Piaget, Jean and B. Inhelder. Die Psychologie des Kindes [Child Psychology] (Olten: 1973). Schad, Wolfgang.“Die Idee der Evolution in der Pädagogik” [The Idea of Evolution in Pedagogy] in Erziehungskunst (Number 9, 2004, p. 931–942). Steiner, Rudolf. Die Erziehung des Kindes vom Gesichtspunkte der Geisteswissenschaft [Education of the Child in the Light of Spiritual Science] originally published 1907 (Dornach: 2003). ___________. “Erziehungs-, Unterrichts- und praktische Lebensfragen vom Gesichtspunkt anthroposophischer Geisteswissenschaft” [“Issues in Education, Teaching and Practical Life”], Lecture from 1921, in Rudolf Steiner’s collected works Vol. 297a (Dornach: 1998). ___________. Die gesunde Entwicklung des Menschenwesens. Eine Einführung in die anthroposophische Pädagogik und Didaktik [The Healthy Development of the Human Being: An Introduction to Anthroposophical Pedagogy and Didactics], Sixteen lectures given in 1922 (Dornach: 4th edition, 1987).
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School Entry and the
Consolidation of
Developmental Processes Audrey E. McAllen
This short section looks at readiness as a “consolidation” of skills. From Ms. McAllen’s perspective, the child has the best chance for success and enjoyment in school if readiness signs are solidly established, not just beginning to emerge. She also emphasizes how the child’s person-housetree drawing is an important tool in indicating readiness. Reprinted by permission from Learning Difficulties: A Guide for Teachers, edited by Mary Ellen Wilby (Rudolf Steiner College Press, 1999, 41-45).
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hen should a child enter first grade? Spiritual science says that when the formative forces have completed their work in the building up of the organs of the physical body, they are free to be used for memory and the first pictorial thinking. This building process completes itself about the time the child reaches the age of seven. School entry at this age presented no problems on the European continent, but in the United Kingdom—and its associates New Zealand and Australia—and in North America, Waldorf schools have had to struggle against the accepted educational norm of starting formal learning as early as five years of age. Considerable tact and talk over the last fifty years have been required to persuade parents that it is better to wait until their child is at least six years old before starting school! This parental and societal pressure has meant that the Waldorf/Steiner school movement has had to compromise on this important issue. Gradually, the recognition of the significance and signs of the decisive step between the kindergarten stage of childhood and the school child has been eroded.
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The morning verse in Waldorf school classes says that we come to school that we may “love to work and learn.” What has happened to this will to work and learn? Over the last decades, a decisive point being the 60s, the formative forces of the young child have gradually been sapped by our modern lifestyle. The child’s senses have been overstimulated, and the will has not been sufficiently activated through play, the result being that the body does not produce its inherent faculties in the spontaneous way it did thirty, forty years ago. The crucial time for the child’s body to complete its development and so produce the required skills, is the five to seven years phase when the final spurt of growth for the period from birth to age seven takes place. The proportions of the body attain their threefold structure of head, rhythmic system and limbs. Coupled with this is the vital phase of imprinting this structural form into the etheric body1 of the child through the sensory organization being activated via the senses of balance and self-movement and by manual skills. If this outer imprinting is weak or even lacking, the formative forces working from within outwards, that is from the ego into the astral body and etheric body, have no foothold in the physical body. The structural physical body is therefore not reflected back into the etheric body and inserted into the processes of the formative forces. It is this imprinting of the picture of threefold man from both sides—the outer and the inner—which gives the basis for the self-identity necessary for passing harmoniously through the nine-year change and the repetitive stages which follow.3 It is not necessary to go into further details. Rather, it would be better for schools to look at the birthday dates in their classes and see where they cluster. Are there more birthdays from around September to April (so that the children were six and a half by the time school began)? Are there children whose birthdays fall in the summer, so that they were six years and five months to only six years old when they started first grade in the autumn?4 Having done this, look at the attainments of these latter children in their classes during the class teaching period and beyond. There are three criteria for school entry which have to be considered: the medical, the social, and individual circumstances. They all play into the decision process. Medically, the body and its organs may be mature—this is often the case. But, the kindergarten teacher may be well aware that socially the child is not ready, and school entry will affect the child’s further progress. This is the first area of “conflict.” Then comes the pressure from the parents to start school; the question of the karma of the group adds further complications. This is a well known sequence of factors which arises year after year. 1
2 3 4
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Rudolf Steiner, The East in the Light of the West. See also Audrey E. McAllen, “On the Imprinting of Man’s Structural Physical Body’s Spiritual Archetype into the Etheric Body of the Earth” in Section I of Learning Difficulties. Ernst Marti, The Four Ethers regarding the differences and connections between the etheric body, the four ethers and the formative forces. See James A. Dyson, “The Nine-Year Change” in Section IV of Learning Difficulties. J. Gilmore, J. Uphoff, R. Huber, Summer Children—Ready or Not for School; The Rape of Childhood—No Time to Be a Kid.
Consolidation Where can we find some kind of fulcrum for this situation? The writer thinks there has not
been sufficient attention given to the need for the consolidation of developmental processes. The necessity for this consolidation the writer learned over the years by watching the progress of children through the school and from the observations of children’s drawings. In these drawings, one can witness, inscribed graphically, the whole process of the growth and development of the first seven years.5 What is so striking is the principle that when a new stage is reached, a “regression” to earlier motifs takes place in the drawings; from there, all phases are repeated until the recent attainment is consolidated, and another new step is made. In effect, we are seeing the same process that Rudolf Steiner describes in the chapter on “World Evolution” in An Outline of Esoteric Science when every Drawings inscribe stage of development is recapitulated before the new one can take graphically the whole place; therefore, when it appears from a medical constitutional process of the growth point of view that all is in order, that the child is “bright” and would be able to cope, although by age he would be less than six and a and development of half years old on school entry, we have to give greater regard to the first seven years. what the kindergarten teacher says about his social and individual development, as well as to the need for the body to consolidate its development phase. Far, far too many times the writer has seen how, when these children enter first grade from kindergarten, this change-over halts the activity of the formative forces in their bodily work, and the final imprinting of the threefold picture of man into the ethereal body is not fulfilled. This has its repercussions in poor self-identity at the nine-year change and soul weakness as the eleven-year-old stage. What is serious is that this inner picture of the form of the body is seldom “made up” during school life.6 It is of the greatest importance for the future of our pupils that the five to seven year stage of development is consolidated. At this stage, the capacity of creative play begins to wane because the formative forces have changed their activity and are now engaged in the overall growth of the body, bringing its threefold harmonious structure to completion. The children now want to exercise their limbs in work and in gaining bodily skills. They need activities which absorb and direct their energy into their bodies. They should not have this stage of their development arrested by entry into school and by being faced with learning, however ideal and artistic it may be. This puts a heavy responsibility on our Waldorf kindergartens to provide the older age group with the right facilities, as without them the children become rambunctious, a sign that has often been mistakenly attributed to “school readiness.” This may be disputed, but one has to be aware that many educators are also making these observations. Fortunately, early play learning groups are the “in thing,” and there is an influential body of educational research that delineates the three stages of development of 5 6
Michaela Strauss, Understanding Children’s Drawings, 83-91; “Notes of the Study of Man” by Wolfgang Schad. A.E. McAllen, Two-Year Research Project on Children with Learning Problems in Waldorf Schools.
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the pre-school child; this research recognizes that academic work before children are seven years of age is detrimental to their later progress.7 Brain growth at age seven is one of the biggest spurts. Remember that the child’s matrix is shifting from environment to knowledge of the world. This is the time when child development specialists who base their theories on Piaget’s work, such as Pearce, Hymes, and Elkind, believe it is appropriate to introduce formal academic instruction, and not before.8 A wider area of research on scholastic attainment has found that children with summer birthdays (May to September) who start school in the autumn, lag behind their classmates for all of their school time. This has an effect on their picture of themselves and on their potential as adults.9 So, again there is empirical research confirming spiritual scientific facts; teachers in Waldorf schools could eventually be in danger of being told they are not carrying out their own principles.
The Four Seasons and the Archangels In the last lecture (October 13, 1923) of the cycle The Four Seasons and the Archangels, we gain an insight as to why this consolidation from age five to seven is so intimately bound up with the activity of the formative forces. At the end of this lecture, Rudolf Steiner says that the souls about to incarnate during the next year enter the gate of the moon between Christmas and Easter. Every spring the Easter moon gives nature its “push” for growth. Man’s life forces are interwoven with those of the Earth, never more so than in the first seven years of life. Therefore teachers could take as their criterion that every child should have experienced the “life-push” of seven Easter moons before entering first grade. This would help to recognize the “variables” which teachers meet in a group of children, as some will have had their birthdays before Easter in the year of their birth and some afterwards. In the year 1991, for example, Easter was in March, and therefore all April-born children should be ready for first grade in September, 1997. In contrast, out of those who were born in 1992 when Easter was April 17, only some of the April-born children will have had this push of life forces towards maturity for September, 1998. Needless to say, one should not become dogmatic, as other factors are always at work, but the above fact can be one which gives us insight into the choice of birth by the incarnating individuality and can be the pivot around which other considerations may be viewed. (See the interesting work of David A. Phillips, PhD, author of ✦ Secrets of the Inner Self.)
8 9 7
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Diablo Valley Directors. Growing Up: A Plea for Development Readiness. Gilmore et al., ibid. J. Gilmore, et al. Summer Children.
References Diablo Valley Directors, Growing Up: A Plea for Development Readiness. Gilmore, June E., Rosemarie Huber, & Jacque L. Cross. The Rape of Childhood: No Time to Be a Kid (Middletown, OH: J&J Pub. Co., 1990). __________. Summer Children—Ready or Not for School (Middletown, OH: J&J Pub. Co., 1987). Marti, Ernst. The Four Ethers: Contributions to Rudolf Steiner’s Science of the Ethers, Elements— Ethers—Formative Forces (Roselle, IL: Schaumberg, 1984). McAllen, Audrey E. Two-Year Research Project on Children with Learning Problems in Waldorf Schools, available from Remedial Education Program Director at Rudolf Steiner College. Schad, Wolfgang. Notes on the Study of Man. In Michaela Strauss, Understanding Children’s Drawings: Tracing the Path of Incarnation. (Forest Row, England: Rudolf Steiner Press, 2007). Steiner, Rudolf. The East in the Light of the West: The Children of Lucifer and the Brothers of Christ (Blauvelt, NY: Spiritual Science Library/Garber Communications, 1986.) ____________. The Four Seasons and the Archangels: Experience of the Course of the Year in Four Cosmic Imaginations (London: Rudolf Steiner Press, 1996). Strauss, Michaela. Understanding Children’s Drawings (London: Rudolf Steiner Press, 1978). Willby, Mary Ellen, ed. Learning Difficulties: A Guide for Teachers—Waldorf Insights and Practial Approaches (Fair Oaks, CA: Rudolf Steiner College Press, 1999, 2nd edition).
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The Development of Memory and the
Transformation of
Play
Louise deForest The school-ready child begins to show a different capacity for memory than the kindergartener. Louise deForest gives a rich picturing of memory development from preschool “fantasy” to schoolready “imagination.” How we can observe this change is reflected in the child’s play. Through this description, she expands upon development as a tool for our observation.
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t is increasingly apparent to those of us working in the educational realm that the age at which a child enters first grade can be very significant in terms of academic and social success throughout the entirety of the educational process and beyond. A child who is too young for first grade, although many first grade readiness signs are already apparent, may spend his or her grade school years working very hard to keep up, never feeling that he or she fits into the social or academic world of his or her classmates. For some, this feeling of having to pedal very fast to stay on a par with others continues into adulthood, where they always have the sense that they don’t quite “get it.” Others may feel that there is still something unfinished in their growing up years. Early in my teaching career, I had the great good fortune to work with a very experienced and inspiring early childhood teacher. When I asked her, what in her life had led her to teaching kindergarten, she answered in all seriousness, “I went to first grade when I was five.” For those children who enter first grade older than the optimal age there are also dangers and long-term repercussions; as we know, our curriculum is based on Rudolf Steiner’s understanding of human development and the content of the main lessons of each grade is geared to meet the needs of that particular stage of development. A child who is too
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old has the disadvantage of passing through thresholds of development without the accompaniment of his classmates or of the curriculum, leaving that child feeling isolated and different. Many of these children, not being met by the curriculum and not feeling integrated into the social world of the class, quickly lose interest in school and studies and can become under-achievers and never quite shake the feeling of being different. In many of our schools, however, there is no educational consultant and the teachers often do not have the experience, knowledge or confidence to evaluate readiness. Signs of readiness are often confusing and contradictory; is it the losing of the teeth or the growth of the molars that is one signal of possible readiness? To make it even more complicated, each child develops according to his or her own individual timetable; one might be showing all the signs of physical readiness while still being socially immature, while another may be “awake” enough for first grade but still need more physical development. Too often we rely only on the birth date to move a child forward into the grades. But children are always revealing to us their needs, gifts and challenges, if only we know how to read the signs. Everything they do, be it walking, playing, eating, even how they get sick, reveals something unique about them and their stage of development. They want to be seen by us, and it is up to us to develop the capacity to observe them objectively, with no preconceived ideas or judgments, and to put our observations into the context of human development. In this training—for that’s what it is—I have found Rudolf Steiner’s lecture “Practical Training in Thought” (Karlsruhe, January 18, 1909)1 very helpful, for it gives very specific exercises to develop both our thinking and our capacity to observe. In his book The First Three Years of the Child,2 building on Rudolf Steiner’s insights, Karl König speaks about the three phases of memory development over the first seven years. Every human being experiences these three types of memory (indeed, all humanity has passed through this evolution of memory), and if we’re observant we can actually see the transformation from one to the next. The first and earliest type of memory, which began in Atlantean development, is called Localized or Spatial Memory and is often confused with the more mature Time Memory. This Localized Memory, however, is completely dependent on outer stimulation, and a memory only comes to mind because something in the environment of the child has reminded that child of something. A child can be going for a drive with her parents, for example, and suddenly begin to describe Grandma’s house, complete with all the details. Parents often remark on what a developed and precocious memory their children have but what has really happened is that the child saw something—
1 2
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This lecture is available in Rudolf Steiner, Anthroposophy in Everyday Life. Karl König, The First Three Years of the Child, chapter 3.
a tree, flowers, a house of the same color—and through that object, “memories” of grandma’s house streamed forth. The same child would not be able to describe what Grandma’s house looks like if asked to do so by her parents, but once the memory is sparked, so to speak, all the details flood through. This stage lasts up to the second to third year of life. In the play of toddlers, we can also observe that the inner activity of imagination and creativity do not play a big role; instead, it is curiosity, the instinctive drive for varied physical movements and the need to understand the world that propels the child through his or her day. The favorite play of the very young child, as we parents all know, is banging pots and pans, climbing onto and into every available spot, pouring, fitting one thing into another, etc. A walk is often an excruciating experience for the adult who is trying to get somewhere, as the toddler needs to touch, taste, observe and interact with everything that crosses his path. I remember with some shame and regret, how exasperated I would get from the near constant dropping of objects—food, spoons, cups—from the tray of my children’s high chair, and I couldn’t help but think they were doing it out of mischief and joy in seeing their mother so frustrated. But if we truly observe what they are doing, we will come to understand that they are really trying to discover the laws of nature, things we as adults feel are self-evident. The material world is very new to our young ones and they spend their first years discovering how it works: gravity will pull an object, any object, down, no matter how many times you drop it; what goes up does come down, and so on. I remember one of my children sitting in the bathtub as the water ran from the faucet; for The material world is weeks he would repeatedly and with intense concentration try to grab the water coming from the tap. Finally he repeated it enough still very new to our times to learn an essential lesson about the fluid nature of water young ones and they and happily went back to splashing and pouring.
spend their first years discovering how it works.
Somewhere between two and three, we begin to notice a change in both how memory works and in the play of the child. Steiner talks about this time as the birth of the I, when a child recognizes that he or she is a separate, independent being. My youngest son, Ry, then two-and-a-half, woke up one morning and, as if drunk, ran around the house saying/singing, “I am Ry. Ry am I. I, Ry.” This rapture lasted the whole day and, while he continued to be the ever-active, rambunctious boy he has always been, he was also different from that day onward. In play, too, we begin to see that “pretend” has entered. Now they cook, take care of babies, go off to work (if they have Waldorf teachers as parents, they go to meetings), and are Mommies, Daddies, and babies. At first they play house-related play, imitating what they see in their own homes. They are not so much playing together as they are playing the same kind of play, side by side. Slowly, over the next few years, the pretend becomes more elaborate and veers from the home-centered play to imitating and playing the activities in the world around them. Suddenly we have carpenters, doctors, snow shovelers and teachers and,
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instead of the side-by-side play, children are playing together. Play is enormously creative and imaginative at this time, between three and five-and-a-half, and is constantly in the process of becoming; a truck becomes a space ship which becomes a restaurant which becomes… . It’s a bit like the water streaming from the faucet that my son tried so hard to hold—totally fluid and unpredictable and in constant movement. As Rudolf Steiner puts it, “Imagination in children represents the very [etheric] forces that have just liberated themselves from performing similar creative work within the physical formation of the brain.”3 A healthy child will completely invest him- or herself in the role that he or she is playing and the objects become what the imagination makes of them. Children are often indignant when we adults call this “pretending.” We can learn much about children, watching them play at this time in their lives when we can see how creativity feeds creativity and play is a form of nourishment. In the lecture titled “Self Education in the Light of Spiritual Science” (GA61), Rudolf Steiner says, “Where do we find what works on the child as a higher Self, and which belongs to the child, but doesn’t enter his consciousness? Astonishing but true: it is children’s play, the meaningful, well carried out play of all children, that the higher Self works on.” And later, “…a child educates himself for life, simply through play.”4 Memory also changes; what was once sparked by an outer object has now moved more inwards, relying on rhythm to put an event into the stream of time and space. König calls it Rhythmical Memory (as did Steiner) and the basis of this kind of memory is repetition. We Early Childhood teachers experience this type of memory after two or three weeks of school when our new nursery or kindergarten children, seeing the big bowl on the table and the grinders standing ready, know it is Bread Day—Localized Memory—which means that tomorrow is (for example) Painting Day—Rhythmic Memory. As parents, we see this in the daily rhythms we have put into place around our children; when it is bedtime, for example, once the regular routine is started, the Rhythmic Memory leads the child from bath to pajamas to brushing teeth to story to bed and good night. And so we draw near to the six-year change, that developmental threshold when the etheric forces are freed from their formative work on the physical body and released into the capacity for thinking and independent picture-making ability, essential skills for the academic work that lies ahead. Almost overnight the child now can, at will, recall experiences or people she knows and create clear inner pictures of real or imagined things. A friend of mine in Finland described a conversation she had with a six-year-old in her class: they were harvesting autumn fruits and vegetables and this child asked her where the watermelon tree was so he could pick watermelons. She answered that watermelons were too heavy to grow on trees so they grew on long vines on the good earth. The child looked very puzzled and
3 4
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Rudolf Steiner, Soul Economy and Waldorf Education, 114. Rudolf Steiner, “Self Education in the Light of Spiritual Science,” 10-11.
finally said, “But how can that be, when I can see a watermelon tree so clearly in my head?” Dr. Claudia McKeen, an anthroposophic doctor in Germany and a leading researcher on the question of first grade readiness, tells of a child who went on vacation in the Swiss Alps one summer; months later, having breakfast with his mother, he looked dreamily out the window for several minutes and then said, “I am walking up the path and I can turn around and see the village below. Now I am at the foot of the mountain and I can see the path we will climb.” Several minutes later he said, “And now I am at the top of the mountain and everything below looks so small. Mom, can you see things in your head, too?” König calls this type of memory Time Memory, when we can produce an inner picture out of our own forces and the released forces of the ether body can begin to work in the soul realm of mental images. In children’s play, too, we see a change. On the one hand, the wellspring of creativity seems to have dried up and we hear, “I’m bored!” or “There’s never anything to do!”—quite a change from the ever-active and ever-inventive child of only a few months ago. They mope around the class or the house, they are out-of-sorts most of the time, and the rest of the time, little rebels. They no longer give themselves over to the artistic activity, be it drawing, painting or beeswax, but seem to struggle with technique and achieving the look they want, which often results in frustration and discontentment. But once they become engaged in play, one immediately notices a different quality to their play. Now the child enters the classroom with a fixed and clear idea of what he is going to play that day and spends the rest of his time gathering the materials he will need to realize the idea he has. As I mentioned above, frustration comes easily, because it is now important that the outer object (a painting or a drawing, the rocket ship or boat) match the inner picture. No longer do the materials in the classroom determine the play; instead, they serve to enable the child to recreate his or her inner picture. One can notice that the child has left behind the physical active soul— fantasy forces and true inner imagination begins to develop. There is also a new social quality to the play; in the past, the roles of each child evolved as the play progressed, gender appropriateness was basically irrelevant (boys could be mothers, girls could be big brothers) and it seemed that the children were carried by the play. Now, with older kindergarteners, the children carry the play and individual roles are assigned right from the beginning of play. There are rules now, more prescribed ways of playing the roles, and there is a strong impulse towards community building. Very often the play of the older child tends to encompass most, if not all, the class. Postman, Santa Claus, restaurant are a few of the many plays that tend towards inclusiveness and almost always they are carried by the older children. Six-year-olds are social geniuses!
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It is vitally important for the future health of the individual that children be allowed to build this healthy foundation for thinking with no interference from well-meaning adults. “Accomplishments that come with forces that are available later on should never be forced into an earlier stage, unless we are prepared to ruin the physical organism.”5 While we adults often think that fantasy takes us away from reality and we have an obligation to bring children into the real world, “fantasy is the continuous joy that the child experiences on his waking to the earthly world.”6 As teachers, it is our obligation and responsibility to safeguard ✦ this sacred time.
References Karl König, The First Three Years of the Child (Spring Valley, NY: Anthropsophic Press, 1984). Rudolf Steiner, Anthroposophy in Everyday Life (Hudson, NY: Anthroposophic Press, 1999). ____________. Self-Education in the Light of Spiritual Science (Spring Valley, NY: Mercury Press, 1995). (GA61). ____________. Soul Economy and Waldorf Education (Great Barrington, MA: Anthroposophic Press, 2003).
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Steiner, Soul Economy and Waldorf Education, 116. König, The First Three Years of the Child, 64.
Creating
Partnerships with Parents
in First Grade
Readiness Decisions Ruth Ker The decision of when to begin first grade is a big one for parents as well as the child. The suggestion of another kindergarten year can be a shock to parents and seem a criticism and judgment of the child. Honest, warm, and compassionate conversation with parents must be started well in advance to prepare the way for this decision time. Ruth Ker shares many helpful suggestions to guide this process so that parents experience that we truly care about their child.
I
n my first years of teaching in a mixed-age kindergarten class I felt anxious about the challenge of making decisions around first grade readiness. Witnessing the grandness of the change that the six-year-olds experience on all levels left me confused as to what criteria I should consider when making decisions about their future placement. The ability to understand what I was observing was not living in me yet, and I relied heavily on my instincts and untrained observations. Many times I simply fell back upon the school’s cut-off date for grade school entrance and hoped that the parents would support this. Then I began to meet more and more mystery children whose development and future placement posed even larger questions to me and also more and more parents who wanted to know what was behind my recommendations. Many times I felt inadequate to meet the important questions of the parents. How I longed for skilled and informed local companions to accompany me in making these decisions! Some Waldorf schools are fortunate to have school doctors, readiness committees, or remedial or curative teachers to assist them when it comes time to consider whether it’s appropriate for a child to enter first grade, but in many schools the kindergarten teachers are on their own when determining whether the child is ripe for school. Results from the 63
last extensive WECAN survey on “The Older Child in the Kindergarten” show a variety of ways that schools in North America cope with the decision about first grade placement. Most established schools stated a definite procedure for shepherding the children into first grade—some more elaborate than others. Many kindergarten teachers reported using the cut-off date as the sole determinant. One school relayed that their assessment process and the subsequent report had become so stressful for the parents, children and faculty that they were questioning its benefits. This same teacher commented that she was going back to observing the children in their natural classroom setting rather than setting up separate out-of-class screening appointments. However, the majority of schools reported being at varying stages of establishing clear, effective assessment procedures and are still revising these practices. Many schools also stated that there is uneasiness about who gets to make the decision when the parents and the kindergarten teachers disagree about first grade placement. This survey also showed that even in schools that had extra professional support there seemed to be different understandings as to who should be responsible for this decision. Here are some aspects of the question: ●
●
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Is it the responsibility of the remedial teacher or the child’s kindergarten teachers or a care committee (comprised of the child’s kindergarten teachers, the remedial teacher, grade school representatives, a member of the College of Teachers and/or an admissions person)? The answer to this question seemed to vary according to the personnel resources that the particular schools had. There was also the underlying question of whether it is best for the kindergarten teachers who have observed the child regularly to develop the skills of carrying the first grade readiness assessment, or are these teachers already too subjective? Another part of this question is of the issue of how it affects the children’s response to the assessment if they are taken out of a familiar environment to interact with someone, perhaps a remedial teacher or other school representative, who is unknown to them. One school reported that their remedial teacher had regular weekly contact with the kindergarten classes and teachers and this made it easier for her to do the assessments in consultation with the children’s kindergarten teachers.
So we can see that there are a variety of perspectives and opinions on how to achieve recommendations for first grade placement. One more observation that arose from the Older Child in the Kindergarten survey was that “Although the cut-off dates ranged from April to December, the majority (seventy-five percent) of the survey responses listed a May 31/June 1 cut-off date. Some schools said they
1
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Ruth Ker, “Transition into the Grade School.” In “The Older Child in the Kindergarten” survey, 9.
also take a close look at March to June birthdays, especially those of boys.”1 Susan Howard, the chairperson of WECAN and someone who pays many mentor visits to schools in North America, comments: “Schools with cut-off dates that are flexible, and who use June for their cut-off date, as a general rule, seem to do well. Schools who hold children back longer (cutoff deadline in April or May) may have problems keeping the seven-year-olds involved in the kindergarten and may also have problems down the road when these truly older children go into the nine-year-change or into puberty before their classmates do. I have seen this happen in a few cases where it became really problematic later on. Schools who send children on to grade one who are just barely six (cut-off dates in September or later) may have different problems—a class not completely ready for full-day first grade. I also experience that there is confusion around developmental readiness/ripeness for first grade as opposed to developmental difficulties, including learning problems, emotional and family distress, health problems, etc. I wonder whether we are sometimes keeping troubled children back in the kindergarten who really need to go on with their peers and have their difficulties worked with along the way.”2 So, we see that there is much to consider when we are establishing the future placement of our kindergarten children. If the readiness question is one of your deliberations, I would encourage you to procure “ The Older Child in the Kindergarten survey” from WECAN publications. There are very many helpful suggestions and ideas from our North American colleagues within its pages. At our school in British Columbia, Canada we do not have a curative or remedial teacher, a care group, or a readiness committee, and our first grade teacher often does not arrive until the summer before the next school year starts. Out of necessity, I have had to labor diligently to hone my observation skills and to develop my own process for determining the placement of the kindergarten children in the next first grade class. When I feel stumped I consult with my colleagues in the kindergarten and the grade school. Sometimes I consult with remedial teachers in other schools. I owe much gratitude to a colleague who, through her own studies, began to share some of the ways in which she was beginning to gain fresh eyes in which to see the children. This opened doors to me and I began to realize that, through research and observation, I too could find ways to understand and look for developmental milestones. I began to determine what the common phenomena are that most children display at the transition between kindergarten and first grade. Some of these manifestations of the six-year change can be witnessed in the regular indoor and outdoor play of the children and are described in the book You’re Not the Boss of Me!—Understanding the Six/Seven-Year-Old Transformation (WECAN, 2007).
2
Susan Howard, “How do you deal with readiness questions on the part of colleagues or parents?” In “The Older Child in the Kindergarten” survey, 10.
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As time progressed, I also began to realize that some of the children’s changes could not be witnessed easily by me while the children were engaged in their normal daily interactions with their peers. I began to wish for opportunities to be alone with the children in order to look more closely at other developments that are necessary for success in the first grade year. Memory, fine motor dexterity, fine balancing, crossing the midline, dominance, awareness of body geography, language development, stamina, and the child’s ability to follow directions are just a few of the things that could not be easily observed while the distractions and needs of the group were ongoing. This is when I decided to begin a procedure of spending time alone with each one of the children who are candidates for the future first grade class, a time I refer to as “the first grade readiness games.” (The children themselves do not know that this time has anything to do with first grade readiness. They only see that they have a chance to play games with their teacher.) This decision has served the children, the parents, and myself very well. For more about the games, which involve an objective process including a checklist with criteria for observation, please see “Developing Our Observation Skills for Understanding First Grade Readiness” in Part Two. As time has progressed, my initial clumsy observations have been replaced with a deepening of interest and understanding. Witnessing similar responses from the children as they played the games helped me to pinpoint the important milestones demonstrated before me. By repeating these experiences with different children over and over again I have been able to hone my own powers of observation and find my way into recognizing various nuances in the signs of readiness. The value of developing some concrete criteria that can be used year after year cannot be overestimated. There is an old adage that goes, ”The journey of a thousand miles begins with one single step.” I would encourage kindergarten teachers to take their initial steps upon this rewarding journey. Childhood and the six-year-old transformation came alive for me in a different way when I included the first grade readiness games in my yearly plan. There has also been an added dimension of joyful interaction as I witness the enthusiasm with which the children look forward to the opportunity to play games with their teacher. Another bonus is the respectful response of the parents for the first grade readiness recommendations when they discover that it has a definite procedure and a set of observations behind it. More importantly, these games have given me a venue in which I can make a deeper connection, a soul-spiritual link with the child and parent. I can’t say enough about the value of this. There have been times when I have felt stumped by the placement of a child and, after playing the first grade readiness games with the children and consulting with the parents, I have known what my recommendations would be. I regard this time that I spend
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with the individual children as a time that supports a depth of observation so poignant that, in the evening when I carry the question of the child’s placement into my sleep, I am able to present a truer picture of the child to his/her angel. Then I think that the child’s angel, the parents’ angels, and my own angel are able to find each other, draw closer, collaborate and inspire us all with the right decision. Although my intent in this article is to share some ideas about being in this decision-making process with the parents, it seemed necessary for me to explain beforehand the benefit of having a first grade readiness assessment process that engenders the necessary respect from the parents, who have the potential to be some of our greatest allies and helpers. Below are some considerations that I implement in my work with the people who are most familiar with the children and tend to know them very well: their parents. A very valuable piece of advice was given to our teacher training class by Joan Almon: “Before you begin to advise the parents, find a way to love them. When you strive to do this, then you will eventually be able to say what you need to say to them.” Each year I take this up as my mantra right from the very beginning of my encounters with the children’s parents. Here are some ways that I develop this loving relationship through time: ●
●
●
●
●
●
When I first meet a family I take interest in the parents as well as the child. What are the parents’ hobbies, activities, and viewpoints? What are their concerns about their child? What was their childhood like? This initial openness paves the way for a strong future connection. If there is a child that I sense may be in the position of needing another year in the kindergarten then I work very hard at creating this connection with their parents. I want trust, respect, and warmth to exist between myself and the parents when, later on, I know I will be advocating another year in the kindergarten for their child. At the initial interview when I meet the family I am very clear about stating our cut-off date for first grade readiness. If the child falls within this time then I explain the benefits of another year in the kindergarten. Engaging the parents in warm conversation by phone or taking them aside at drop-off or pick-up times is very helpful. Involving the parents in some kindergarten tasks can engage their interest and make the kindergarten year(s) more meaningful for them. Sometimes, I also incorporate the parents in my evening meditation by accurately seeing them in my mind’s eye. When I sense that an issue is brewing in the parent group, newsletters can be an effective and neutral way to build group trust by addressing the issue and sharing living stories that are part of the kindergarten day. Sometimes it’s easier to speak about an issue to
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the whole group, as if the topic just occurred to me, than it is to risk defensiveness or offending someone by approaching them directly. Reading a newsletter gives them the opportunity to read the idea and ruminate on it in freedom. ●
Creating a vessel for the parents to get together and talk while I am present also paves the way for open discussion about parents’ observations and questions. I host a monthly Parent Discussion and Craft Circle.
During the school year there are several meetings with the parents. At each one of these events, the six/seven-year-old transformation and first grade readiness are mentioned, sometimes briefly and other times in greater detail (depending on what developmental manifestations we are witnessing in the older kindergarten children). Explaining common behaviors that can be witnessed at this age helps the parents to see the reason for their child’s upheaval as being pertinent to the six/seven-year change and not the “fault” of the kindergarten. As the year progresses and the children show more signs of the change, I speak directly to individual parents about it again. “Have you noticed Sarah’s giggling and that she’s racing around more lately? Have you noticed that Johnny has increased his appetite and is going through a growth spurt? Is Allison questioning your authority at home? Do you notice Nathaniel’s fascination with teenagers lately?” By comparing observations the parents tend to be put at ease and feel more fellowship and support when their children are going through these changes. This can be a confusing time for parents and teachers alike. If this atmosphere of warmth, mutual respect and trust has been built and the Explaining common parents have been properly informed beforehand, then it can be welcome behaviors that can be news when the teacher recommends that a child have another year in the witnessed at this age kindergarten.
helps the parents to see the reason for their child’s upheaval.
The cut-off date for our school is June 1, although we often give May birthday children (especially boys) the opportunity to attend kindergarten for another year. As I look back over the past five years I see that we have been blessed with some March and April boys and girls turning seven during the end of their kindergarten year. Through time I have discovered some important ways to bring this possibility to the parents. The following suggestions are helpful when parents question the teacher’s recommendation and are determined that they want their child to go on into first grade.
First, rather than using the language that the child is “staying back” (the connotation being that he or she is missing something), it works better to place the emphasis on the benefits of another year. The language I use is, “Let’s give Sally the opportunity to have another year in the kindergarten.”
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Here are some of the benefits that can be mentioned to the parents: ●
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Rather than having to struggle to keep up with his peers, the child who has more time can have the opportunity to develop the self-esteem that comes with being fully ready to take on tasks with ease. A child who is the youngest in his or her family can have the opportunity to practice being an older “brother or sister” in the kindergarten. An only child or a youngest child in the family constellation can have an opportunity to nurture younger children, because in her second year in the kindergarten she will be in the position to be a helpful older child. If the child has just begun to show signs of the six/seven-year change then it can be helpful for him to have some consolidation time through more movement opportunities rather than sitting at a first grade school desk for longer periods of the day. It’s often helpful to ask the parents if they can imagine their child managing her impulses and sitting contentedly for long periods of time. Having an extra year in the kindergarten can help a child who would have been the youngest in first grade to be one of the oldest in the kindergarten. Cultivating leadership qualities prepares the child for a successful future.
As well as discussing the benefits with the parents, there are also a few helpful strategies that can assist the decision. ●
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By far the most helpful strategy that I have found is to make a list, in order of age—oldest to youngest—of the children who will be going on into first grade, and then, in the same manner, a list of the children who will be staying back in the kindergarten. Then, with the parents present, plot where their child would be situated on these lists age-wise. Often when parents see that their child would be the very youngest in the first grade class and, as it often turns out, not even the oldest in next year’s kindergarten class, they understand what that could mean for their child. Sometimes a decision can be assisted by the teacher saying “If I can let go of Johnny being in kindergarten next year, can you let go of him being in first grade next year and we’ll just give this decision some more contemplation time?” If the parents agree, I ask them if we can keep this conversation open to future sharing of our observations. Then I often tell the parents about the importance of the child going on with his or her own peer group. I tell them that I will document daily whom the child plays with. Sometimes the parents invite over an older child and a younger child to their home (on separate occasions) and they can then witness how their child’s play changes depending on the age of the playmate. It’s important to keep in mind here that often the younger child becomes the slave of the older child, fetching things and so on. When we sensitively observe their play we can see that the younger child is not really playing as an equal with the older one. 69
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Handouts from parents expressing successful results from giving their child the opportunity for another year in the kindergarten are very helpful. Members of the parent body who struggled with this decision of first grade placement and whose children are in the grade school now can be a rich resource if they are willing to accept phone calls from a current questioning parent. Hosting a parent evening where the first grade readiness games are explained (after the games have been played with the children) eases the parents’ concern that this decision be made by qualified professionals.
The warm bond that we make with the child’s parents is essential for a healthy year in the kindergarten. The efforts we make to insure that the social fabric we weave together is abundant with the golden threads of love, trust, and respect are well-justified, forming a ✦ foundational garment that can be carried forward into the future.
References Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America. “The Older Child in the Kindergarten: 2002 Survey of Established Waldorf Early Childhood Programs.” Available by request from WECAN.
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Carrying
the Transition
to
First Grade
Janet Klaar Physical indicators are important guides for gauging readiness, but there is much more to consider. While the child may be very settled and accomplished in activities and expectations of the kindergarten world, there is also the question of how well he or she will meet the expectations of the upper school. Janet Klaar clearly describes what some of these expectations are and indicates areas to consider—stamina, concentration, flexibility, and enjoyment of new things and people, to name a few—in sensing a child’s readiness.
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here are two ways of looking at the subject of first grade readiness. The first is to observe the child and assess whether he has made the necessary developmental changes in order for the birth of the etheric to take place. The second way is to see what will be required of the child once he enters first grade and how able he is to take on that major life change. It is therefore of prime importance that the adults around him be able to communicate well with each other in sharing their observations of his development and well-being, so that they can all be assured that the best decision is made on his behalf. The young child has had to develop an amazing amount of physical skills from birth onward. She has changed from a helpless baby to an active six-year-old, able to run, walk, climb, dance, model, draw, speak fluently, sing, ride a bicycle, and much else. Her social awareness will have changed from that of a self-centred baby to a young, enquiring child beginning to be aware of her place in the world in relation to friends and the adults she meets. Her body will be strong; she has progressed from drinking solely milk, to being able to eat and enjoy a wide variety of foods and textures. Her heartbeat and internal organs will be in greater harmony with each other, and their own rhythms much more clearly established than at birth. Her second dentition will usually have begun by her sixth birthday, and her pride at the 71
gap in her mouth is obvious to all she meets. Her newly-mastered independence may show in the way in which she takes initiative, for example mopping up a spill without coming first to a teacher. The adults around the child in the kindergarten will have noticed the changes that he has made, and will be aware of his struggles and joys. Parents, teachers, assistants and others will have rejoiced with him as he achieved the many milestones on his way. At times there may have been questions about whether or not he should be helped to achieve the next stage, or whether he should be left to achieve it in his own time. For these So what does first grade expect from the questions the school doctor is an invaluable asset. Many kindergartens now use a clear assessment form, which serves as a memory jogger for the teacher child? as to when certain milestones were passed, and can also be a personal record of each child’s achievements. These, valuable as they are, are only a guide, and merely enhance the observations made by each teacher, assistant, eurythmist, school doctor, class teacher, learning support team and above all the child’s parents, in creating a clear picture of whether he is ready to make the step into the main school. So what does first grade expect from the child, in order to be able to fully engage in what the class teacher will prepare for her? She needs to be able to attend school regularly and to cope with the normal number of sessions. A child who is not able to be present in the school, barring the usual illnesses, will not be able to engage in the continuity demanded by a main lesson. Is the child happy to meet other adults? Has she become acquainted in kindergarten with the adults who will become part of her daily pattern in first grade? There will be language teachers, handwork teachers, eurythmists, teachers on playground duty, and more. Is she familiar with their faces and does she delight in meeting and knowing them? Her security in the next step will be enhanced if these adults are not strangers to her and if she is known to them. There will be a wide variety of activities, which in some cases will require sitting at a desk and not have the variety of choices available in the kindergarten. Is the child ready to accept the authority of a class teacher and to be part of the group of children who will make up his class? Has he reached independence in being able to deal with all his personal needs? Can he hold his own in the time when the children are out at play? Is he aware of the geography of the school and can he find his way safely about with a friend? The development of conscious and unconscious skills is part of the work of the kindergarten in this pre-school age. Can the child hold a brush and crayon correctly? She will need to be able to look at the blackboard, and then transfer the drawing or writing into her book. The foundations for this are all prepared in the kindergarten without it being taught as a skill. Stamina is also very important. Can the child enjoy and follow through with something, 72
for example a craft activity that can take many days, or even weeks, to complete, and can she also put herself into a physical task which demands real effort, both physically and mentally? Is she willing and able to use her initiative in situations? These are just some of the expectations that will be had of her in first grade. It is important that opportunities are available in each kindergarten for a child to experience these skills. The child’s desire to do this is signaled by the request: Please can I have another job to do? One of the most important stages to witness is when the five- or six-year-old appears suddenly to have lost his fantasy. For a few days he will hang around proclaiming himself to be bored. It is very tempting at this point to give him things to do and thus “mop up” his time, and to some extent this has to be done. But he also needs to be ignored, so that he can work through the internal process himself and transform the wonderful fantasies of his earlier kindergarten years into a conscious imagination. Then he will begin to organize others to join in with him, and there will be a great deal of planning done for a game which is often not even started by tidy-up time, and which may continue for a number of days. The planning will be very detailed, and the children will learn when they can lead and when they can follow for the good of the game. I firmly believe that this is one of the most important phases in the child’s development and one that we hinder at great peril to the development of the individual’s feeling of self. The kindergarten staff will be observing the children discreetly all the time—not with the aim of creating a first grader, but to see when each individual is ready to make the step for him- or herself. For some another year in the kindergarten may be necessary. For a child who finds changes difficult anyway and would not be helped by the delay, he may need to gain confidence in himself and to be shown in many ways that he can do things. All these concerns are shared with the parents and adults around the school, and together the best can be found for the child. It is so important that at this time the child is unaware of these processes. She must never feel that there is any atmosphere of “pass” or “fail,” merely that she will move on to first grade when it is her turn. Our kindergarten children can be very secure in the knowledge that their turn will come.
Elmfield’s Transition Group At Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School in Stourbridge, England, we expect that by the summer
term all of the children who will be entering first grade are able to be present in the kindergarten for the same amount of time that will be expected of them in the first grade. We feel that the bodily rhythm is important to establish at this time in the kindergarten. The child will meet many changes in first grade, and if this rhythm can be established now it will help him to engage more easily with the requirements of school. If a child is not able to do this, then it would become a question of whether or not he is ready.
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Transition sessions are held for this group of children. Here they learn to settle down as a group together to do or make something. They also experience that when there is an activity of this nature, they may not do something else. This only lasts for about twenty minutes, but it is the introduction to the group being taught together. These sessions are held in the afternoon after morning kindergarten. The transition children bring their packed lunches, and eat their lunch together with the kindergarten teachers. They then tidy up and fetch some soft mats to lie on, while a story is read to them for about half an hour. They then can go out into the garden and play for forty minutes, before coming in and having a group session together. During these sessions we have had creative play sessions, weaving, sewing, seasonal crafts, practicing fine finger control, and circuses!—that is, movement practice. Sadly, we are finding that many of the children are unable to be as free in their bodies as they have been, even in the recent past. Parents are increasingly driving their children to school, and at home they do not play outside very much, so we try to create opportunities for as many movement skills as possible. It is not unusual for us now to find that we have among our transition children some who are unable to move fluently both up and down stairs. We are very fortunate in having a trained Bothmer gymnast amongst our kindergarten staff and we are able now to support the physical development of the children much more. The transition group has proven over the years to be very successful. The older children love it, and it recognizes their particular needs. ✦
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A Transition Group
Edinburgh Steiner School
at the
Melissa Borden When the new first graders have been identified, providing the group with a transitional step toward their next year can be very beneficial. Melissa Borden describes how the Edinburgh Steiner School kindergarten classes have designed such a weekly experience to build a bridge from kindergarten toward first grade.
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uring the final weeks of the kindergarten year, teachers often observe in the six- and seven-year-old children a developmental change that may forecast an end of one phase of childhood and the beginning of another. There is a new look about these children as their limbs lengthen and their proportions alter. Six- and seven-year-old children at this stage often become less harmonious in the dreamy atmosphere of the kindergarten. More strongly than ever, they are drawn to playmates of their own age and, often, to those of their own gender. A new curiosity emerges about the world and the people who live in it. Within children of this age group there can be born a fresh desire to learn and the transition from kindergarten to first grade is surely foreshadowed. Throughout the course of the summer term (early May to early July) at the Edinburgh Steiner School, the kindergarten children who will be entering first grade the following autumn are brought together once a week to form a Transition Group. Drawn from the school’s four kindergarten classes, the children in the Transition Group are offered their first opportunity to experience themselves as a social entity. To give one of the teachers a free morning to lead the Transition Group work, the younger children from that teacher’s class spend the morning with one of the other three kindergartens. The structure of the Transition Group may vary
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from year to year, depending on the teachers’ assessment of the children’s particular needs. A consistent goal from year to year, however, is to cultivate healthy social relationships between the children and to offer an opportunity for them to experience themselves as a group before entering first grade. The current Transition Group at the Edinburgh Steiner School has nineteen children. The teachers began planning the Transition Group by observing individual children and attempting to get an overall impression of the character of the group. After consideration and consultation with the full kindergarten faculty, a plan was made for this year’s summer term. It was agreed that the group would particularly benefit from a morning that emphasized gross motor skill development and vigorous physical activity. The morning was arranged thus: 8:30–9:15 9:15–10:00 10:00–11:00 11:15–11:45 11:45–12:00 12:00–12:20 12:20–12:45
The Transition Group children started the day with their own kindergarten groups. These children gathered in the play yard for an outdoor ring time that emphasized vigorous movement and gross motor exercise. The group took a long morning walk with several stops at the park for games, rope skipping, a snack and playtime. The children returned to the kindergarten for a mid-morning meal. The children participated in kitchen chores. The children integrated back into the kindergarten during outside playtime. The Transition Group children ended the day with their own classes.
The outdoor ring time gave the children an opportunity, for the first time, to experience themselves as a group and to explore movement in a new way. Because we were working outdoors, we could be much more active and expansive than when working indoors. There was plenty of room and it was easy to jump, skip and roll on the ground without bumping into furniture and walls. The children seemed enthusiastic throughout and the mood was both playful and relaxed. The morning walk allowed the children multiple opportunities to practice physical skills and to engage the lower senses. The teachers were able to track skill development and to incorporate specific activities viewed as beneficial to first grade readiness. It was felt that the rhythmic nature of walking contributed to a social harmony amongst the children. There were few, if any, complaints about the walk and many of the children expressed a satisfied sense of achievement when the group returned to the kindergarten. Throughout the morning, the teachers experienced few discipline problems in the Transition Group and found that the children were calmly and joyfully able to rejoin their own kindergarten classes at the end of the day.1 1
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Editor’s note: Please refer to Laurie Clark’s “The Six-Year-Old in a Mixed-Age Kindergarten” in You’re Not the Boss of Me! (WECAN, 2007) for another example of transitional activities for the upcoming first graders.
Building the Bridge to the First Grade:
How a Class Teacher Can
Lead Children Gently
into the Grade School
Kim Holscher Class teacher Kim Holscher describes how she has eased the transition for her new first graders by carrying over familiar rhythms and activities from the kindergarten into their new grade school routine. Supported and reassured by what they already knew, other new things were easy to embrace. She recommends a strong cooperation between the first grade teacher and the kindergarten colleagues who have prepared the children for this step into the grade school.
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hen I planned the first few weeks of both of my first grades, in 1992 and 2002, I pondered how best to build on the children’s kindergarten experience. Our Seattle Waldorf School kindergarten teachers had done a wonderful job in guiding their classes in healthy play inside and outside, preparing wholesome snacks, and in creating a rhythmic daily experience of nature, creative play, and practical activities. I resolved to continue some of the familiar elements of the kindergarten day. I wanted to add the introduction of main lesson skills to their kindergarten experience rather than abruptly start a completely different rhythm in first grade, which is often done. I kept some kindergarten rhythms for only a few weeks, while some continued for the full first grade year, depending on the needs of the group. We began every morning with a walk. The children from our three different kindergartens were accustomed to this morning routine from the year before. Our walk, however, started at a playground five blocks away and involved climbing a steep hill with our lunch-filled backpacks. Then we had our main lesson, which ended with the snack we had prepared ourselves during the previous afternoon—bread, soup and cooked grains. The lovely manners of using napkins and washing our own dishes all continued seamlessly as well.
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When we got back to school, parent helpers in school aprons took the role of the kindergarten assistant and helped with dishwashing and overseeing outside play while small groups of children came inside to paint, draw forms, make crafts and learn Spanish or Japanese. After Michaelmas, the specialty lessons began formally and involved the whole class, but I felt that the gradual introduction allowed the children to maintain good habits and practice in smaller groups. We called our groups Oats, Peas, and Beans, and they each had nine of the twenty-seven students in the class. Just like in the kindergarten, lunch was brought from home and we ended the day by feasting together. For the children who stayed later, a rest time followed. After rest, they were then responsible for tidying the room including washing and ironing the napkins and preparing the next day’s snack. The afternoon ended with a craft and outside play. These hours were overseen by the first grade assistant, which allowed me to go home and rest. All teachers of large classes should be so lucky! For both of my first grade classes, the children’s attendance and health were noticeably strong. I attribute this directly to the daily walk and organic snack we enjoyed all through the year. The children had few of the stomachaches or other signs of adjustment stress that are common during the months of October and November. I would recommend the following to all first grade teachers: ●
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If at all possible, visit the kindergartens for at least one whole morning to experience the mood and see how the teachers use nonverbal authority. Class teachers can learn a lot from the exquisite planning of each activity that kindergarten teachers do to assure a smooth flow through the morning! Ask the kindergarten teachers what daily and weekly rhythms the children are used to, and incorporate all workable ones into the first weeks of first grade. This includes the timing of outside play, cooking snack, cleaning activities and painting habits. Begin grade school rhythms when the children are ready. However, one never really outgrows the need for a hot snack, so keep that reminder of kindergarten as long as you possibly can!
I would also encourage all kindergarten teachers to spend time discussing these steps for building the bridge to grade school with their incoming first grade teachers. Grade school teachers are usually well trained in main lesson activities and are eager to begin implementing what they have learned when they begin teaching their own class. However, we discovered through conversation in our school that, while we all felt that healthy movement was important for young children, our definition of what constituted such movement varied greatly between the kindergarten and the grade school teachers. It’s important that these communications take place so that the children can transition smoothly. The best way to build the bridge into the grade school is to strive to understand where the children are coming from in kindergarten and to lead them gently into the exciting learning activities of main lessons and specialty subjects. If only this conversation takes place between the new first grade teacher and the kindergarten teacher then I am sure that the ✦ children will have an easier transition into the new world of the grade school.
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The Lowering of
School Age and the Changes in Childhood: An Interim Report
Claudia McKeen, MD; Rainer Patzlaff; Martyn Rawson The following study is summarized and excerpted from research work being done in Germany about school entry. European and British schools are facing legal requirements to lower grade school entry age. This is not something American schools are presently facing, but pressure for earlier and earlier academics is clear. This article is included to provide a picture of what other Waldorf educators are confronting. Ongoing research has begun to validate Waldorf practice and to guide in creating new models and responses that protect the child’s development, yet meet legal requirements. This research work will benefit the entire Waldorf/Steiner school movement. Additionally, observations from German early childhood educators and grades teachers are included about the changes they see in children. It is striking that German children are showing the same kinds of challenges in health, vitality, and restless behavior that we see on our continent. The calm, settled, robust school-ready child of twenty years ago may now be the nervous, distractible, pale yet school-ready child of today. We are challenged to hone our observation skills to see if adjusted guidelines for readiness need to be developed for the children coming to us today. This translation of the German report (which appeared in Erziehungskunst in 2004) is a somewhat condensed version of that previously published in Kindling, the UK journal for Steiner/ Waldorf early childhood education.
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n article in the December 2003 issue of the German magazine, Erziehungskunst (The Art of Education) described a research initiative on school readiness. The impetus for the project was given by the impending lowering of the school age in various states in Germany. Both school doctors and Waldorf teachers are concerned because the anthroposophical view of the human being is quite specific in this matter. Academic 81
learning is not to be started at an arbitrary point; when one starts too early, growth forces are used up which should still be used to form the physical constitution. Starting earlier is done at the expense of these vital forces and thus jeopardizes the further development of the child. With the health of many modern children being taxed enough as it is, a further threat could be formed by the additional stress of lowering the elementary school age by a full year. Therefore an initiative group consisting of physicians, people working out of Waldorf pedagogy, and scientists set itself the task to do scientific research on young children to investigate the connection between the development of a healthy constitution and the development of learning.
Should School Age Also Be Lowered in Waldorf Schools? I n the autumn of 2003 a relatively wide-ranging questionnaire was sent out to gain an idea
of the views kindergarten teachers and lower grade colleagues in different areas of Germany hold with regard to the present-day pedagogical situation. We wanted to know what their experience told them concerning the question of children starting school earlier and what long-term changes they have noticed in child development.
It became obvious that these questions have consequences for the future position of the Waldorf schools and Waldorf kindergartens, consequences which also extend into the area of politics. For in several states in Germany preparations are How will it be when the underway to start elementary school earlier in state schools. And not only that—it will also no longer be possible to put children group of oldest back; until recently, children could be put back a year but this children will no longer will be forbidden in the near future, with very few exceptions. be in the kindergarten? It is already quite common that parents are given the option to send their five-year-old to school earlier if they wish to do so (the so-called “Kann-Kinder” [able children]); in cases where parents avail themselves of that opportunity, there is no way back. Even though the Waldorf schools are not obliged by law to join in lowering the elementary school age, they would still have to comply with the ban on sending children back a grade. This raises the question of how Waldorf schools can still attract students in the future, when they stick to the traditional school age and refuse to take children a year earlier. This also brings up the question of how life in the kindergarten will be affected. How will it be when the group of oldest children will no longer be in the kindergarten because they have already gone on to elementary school? Wouldn’t it be much better pedagogically to continue to carry this age in the kindergarten, but in a form specifically tailored to them? Might this be a “Class 0” or some other transitional form that meets the state requirements? 82
With respect to the discussion concerning these issues, a discussion which has already started, the research group would like to stress that it does not consider it its task to find the right organizational form. Every institution will have to decide these matters for itself, taking into account the local conditions and individual possibilities. The research group should work together with the colleagues involved to tackle the question of how to pedagogically shape the transition from early childhood into elementary school age. How do we safeguard the developmental demands of the child when we shape a healthy and sensible transition, independent from the organizational form in which it takes place? Hence it was of great importance for us to begin by getting the input from colleagues who are actually working with children between ages three and nine, and to find out how they judge the present-day situation from a pedagogical point of view. The first results of our questionnaire give the following picture:
An Assessment of the Situation in the Kindergarten A summary of the most frequent responses to the 2004 questionnaire are listed below. Striking was the strong response to the question “Have you noticed changes in child development during the past ten years?”
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There is a noticeable decrease in children’s ability to imitate and to play, and in the power of imagination. Children’s health is weaker, they are more nervous and fearful, and there is an increase in allergies and infections. In motor movement, there is less dexterity, a slowing in development, and more feebleness.
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Children play differently; they are louder and wilder.
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Children talk a lot, are slow to get going, and have a hard time listening.
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Today’s children are very individual, strongly developed intellectually, and awake in their heads. They often have no sense of boundaries and are very much oriented towards adults; their capacity for devotion is less. Social skills and thoughtfulness can be counted on less.
It is noticeable that the enumeration of weaknesses and deficits predominates. The number of children having deficits such as the ones listed above is estimated to be very high (between fifty and seventy percent). A comparable list of new capacities, which can be valued positively, is generally absent. Are there none, or did the questionnaire not elicit these explicitly enough?
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Likewise, early childhood educators gave very differentiated answers to the question: “What would happen if children aged five-and-a-half to seven would be missing from the group, because they would be attending a preparatory class or would be in elementary school?” The tenor of the answers was usually as follows: ●
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Younger children would miss the example of the older ones. Much would be missing in the way of child culture, stimulus for playing, and richness of ideas. Forming habits in the rhythm of the day and the course of the seasons, including also the carrying out of practical activities such as washing hands and dressing, would be much more difficult without the older children who remember how to do that. The grown-ups would have to demonstrate much more, or explain. It would only be beneficial for many children to have a third year in the kindergarten and thus remain longer in the activity of playing. It would increase the number of younger children in every group, which would mean a significant change in the structure of the groups; groups would be much more difficult to manage. A different opinion: there would be more peace and quiet in the kindergarten and the little ones would be able to play more in an age-appropriate way. Something would be taken away from the older children, and this would especially affect the great number who are only children. They would be missing out on the social practice of learning with and from the little children in sharing responsibility and developing care and empathy. They would not be able to feel pride about their own abilities, nor would the resulting strengthening of self-confidence be able to unfold. On the other hand, when the older children would be more in a group by themselves, they wouldn’t have to put up with waiting times. Special challenges could be arranged for them and they could be occupied with age-appropriate activities (something which often is presently taking place in cases where special days or programs are arranged for the older children).
Early childhood educators in Waldorf kindergarten are predominantly of the opinion that the concept for the kindergarten as it existed up to now would come into question when kindergarten no longer incorporates the five and six-year-olds. This age group is seen as an essential part of the culture of the kindergarten, and its absence would mean disadvantages for all children.
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How Do Things Stand in Elementary Schools? Elementary school teachers were also asked, “Do you perceive general changes in child development during the past five years?” Frequent observations were: ●
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There are still many “round,” healthy children, but the number of “unhealthy” children is increasing. Children have less dexterity than used to be the case. Coordination and fine- and grossmotor movements are developed less strongly (for example when children hop or stand on one leg). Illnesses are more frequent; children suffer pains, are pale, tired or have indefinite bellyaches or headaches. The powers of imitation have waned. Even simple instructions are hard to follow for many children.
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The power of imagination has definitely become weaker.
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Concentration is bad; children have a hard time listening, and their memories are weak.
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Children are restless, they cannot sit still.
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The sense of rhythm is often weakly developed.
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The development of speech is often retarded (for example a smaller vocabulary, use of shorter sentences, uncertainties in grammar, retelling stories is becoming harder).
Not only deficits were noticed by teachers; a number of quite different, remarkable changes were registered as well: ●
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A much more individual approach has become necessary already in the lower grades. There is a stronger need for personal attention, often connected with a lack of boundaries and a decrease in perception of social needs. The difference between boys and girls has become much more noticeable (ninety percent of the difficult children are boys). When entering the school, many more children than before know their letters and can even read. Children show strong practical abilities, they want to be outside and want to have more time for play. Children are more spontaneous and open in their contact with the world. They are often sensitive, delicate, very awake, also critical at this early age. They have a strong longing for spiritual matters and are often very spiritually oriented. They are more independent than they used to be, don’t want guidance, yet look for orientation. The nine-year change, through which the child feels more lonely and distanced from the world, occurs earlier, as can be seen from the distance they show towards the teacher. 85
As in the case of the questionnaire for the early childhood educators, the teachers were likewise asked to consider how the lowering of the school age would affect their schools. What follows are typical answers given to the question “What, in your opinion, would the effect be for your school of lowering school entry to age five?” ●
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We find no positive aspects to the projected change and cannot assess how we would deal with it. We would be forced to establish a class 0 (a preschool or entry-level class). We would not be able to get around accepting five-year-olds. It would be necessary to collaborate more closely with the kindergarten. The traditional Waldorf kindergarten would have to be rethought and tackled in a different way. The curriculum we have used up to now would not apply to the school anymore, and it would be necessary to think of different educational concepts. The existing architectural layout of the school would no longer be functional and a complete remodeling would be necessary. It would be necessary to work with smaller classes and more therapeutic assistance would likewise be needed. Parental involvement would have to be intensified.
There was general unanimity in the conclusion teachers came to: we will not be able to get around establishing preschool classes. It will entail new pedagogical concepts, however; the necessary research will have to be done both by local school communities and also on a regional level.
Preliminary Conclusions of the Questionnaire I t is clear that Waldorf schools are facing a new task: the transition from kindergarten to
elementary school will have to be thoroughly rethought and shaped anew. On the surface, the point seems to be to find an organizational form which can meet the changed political requirements. Much more important, however, are the clearly stated grounds to turn our full energy towards this task for reasons which have nothing to do with political pressure. Again and again we are facing a host of well-known symptoms which are being reported in kindergartens and schools. All of them point to the fact that the constitution of present-day children has changed considerably. Children are different both in body and soul, and this is certainly to be connected with the changed circumstances created by adults, which the questionnaire did not address. Children bring completely new conditions, demands and problems into schools than was the case ten or twenty years ago, and therefore they need to be met pedagogically in a new way in order to do justice to our present time.
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But how do we get there? Colleagues see three things which would be needed: 1. Collaboration between free-standing kindergartens [of which there are many in Germany not attached to schools] and elementary schools must be much more intensive. 2. We must work at pedagogical concepts, basing ourselves in proper research which takes into account how the human being develops and incorporates pedagogical and medical/therapeutic viewpoints. 3. Parents and teachers must work together more strongly.
Project 1: Pedagogical Model for Education between Age Three and Nine T hese preliminary results strengthened the research group’s intention to work with schools
and kindergartens to create a new pedagogical model that does not follow the traditional division between kindergarten and elementary school. Instead, the development of the child from kindergarten entry at age three up to nine is seen as an ongoing process of formation and education. In creating such a model, we have several targets in mind. On the one hand it should offer colleagues, who are working with this age group, workable criteria based on real insight into child development to use in shaping the transition from kindergarten into elementary school. On the other hand it should offer parents criteria that clarify viewpoints coming out of Waldorf pedagogy, in order to help them make up their minds when they want to send the child to elementary school (insofar as they will still have the political freedom to choose in this matter). The third aim is that this research should make our viewpoints clear to the outside world. Several regions of Germany are currently preparing educational models for early childhood education that will soon become anchored in the law. Therefore Waldorf kindergartens will see themselves faced with the necessity to also formulate pedagogical models which are in harmony with their practice. This formulation of pedagogical aims will only be acceptable to the public when it is based on the latest scientific research. More specifically, they should take a stand in the current discussions in educational circles concerning a suitable educational concept for early childhood. Teaching colleagues have affirmed that such work cannot be accomplished by kindergartens on their own and calls for a larger task force.
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Project 2: Standardized Criteria For School Entry A second area of research is to investigate whether it is possible to show scientifically whether there is a connection between the point at which a child enters school and the subsequent medical and educational history of that child. If so, is this demonstrable and can any conclusions be drawn from it?
The prerequisite for the validity of the data is that the research be carried out according to standardized criteria, something new for German Waldorf schools. In order to accomplish this, Dr. Claudia McKeen created a standardized research form placed this at the disposal of German Waldorf schools as a pilot project. Those items were selected especially which appeared to us to indicate strongly whether the vital forces shaping the body have become free or not. [These criteria await translation into English.] We are also planning a retrospective study, which will investigate the development and health of the youngest and oldest children in a given class. This project will have to incorporate data from as many classes as possible and spanning as many years as possible.
Project 3: Salutogenetic Research T he third project area aims to do long-term research in order to investigate the connection
between the development of a healthy constitution and the educational process. First contacts are being made with experts in the field of epidemiology and study leaders who have experience with scientific studies of this kind. In addition we are presently in touch with researchers of rhythm, who have developed new instruments and methods in order to observe heartbeat-breath ratios, which could possibly recognize subtle influences which affect children in school and detect how definite, clearly definable activities, educational content or methods work to strengthen or weaken health. In contrast to the kind of longterm research which can only show a general correlation between health and educational methods, styles etc., and are questionable in their methodology, in this case the possibility would offer itself to point out a direct and measurable correlation between a quite definite detail of education or of the instructional process and a strengthening or weakening of the health of the child. We hope to get going in the next months with a concrete plan in this ✦ direction.
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Part Two
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Introduction
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he first part of this book was dedicated to describing first grade readiness indicators that can guide us in observing a child’s development. The first section was the “what.” This second section offers practical examples of “how.” Three different interactive models are described here. One is that of the kindergarten teacher spending some special time with each potential first grader individually in the classroom. Another model involves two children going through the imagination of a special journey. A third blends aspects of them both, as a therapeutic teacher meets with each child. These are offered as examples for each teacher to draw from, as each is found to be useful and appropriate to the child and to the culture of the school. These different approaches give ideas of how to collect our observations by guiding the child into activity with playful imaginations. Included as well is the Observation Form developed by the International Working Group. This gives an example of how we can keep a record of our observations and organize them to picture the whole child in terms of physical, emotional, social, and cognitive domains. The only goal before us is that each child be observed with warmth and true interest. In some settings that may be best accomplished by kindergarten teachers watching their children only in the context of the class. That might be served by having small groups of children play readiness games while the teacher observes and records. Interacting with a child one-on-one may be best in another setting. Any combination of these may be an answer as well. No single approach is recommended or endorsed above any other. Whatever helps us to look with attention and honors the individuality and consciousness of the upcoming first grader will be a right answer. The recording forms included here are a guide, to help with the questions of what observations to focus on and how to record them. May they prove helpful resources as we work to develop our own individual approaches to serve the children.
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Developing our
Observation Skills for Understanding First Grade Readiness Ruth Ker Determining which children are ready to begin first grade can be a daunting responsibility. We are called upon to collect the details of the child’s readiness and put it into a whole picture. We need to find tools and activities, which we blend into a playful experience, that reveal the child’s developmental story. In this article a dedicated and pioneering kindergarten educator describes her journey in creating “first grade games” that are both practical and artistic.
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n “Creating Partnerships with Parents in First Grade Readiness Decisions” in Part One of this book, I described some of the different ways that Waldorf schools in North America cope with these decisions, and how after some years of struggle and confusion I came to create a procedure for our school, one which included spending individual time with each child. Research and consultation with other teachers and doctors resulted in the development of an objective process including a checklist with criteria for observations of the children. Because I do not feel comfortable with the word “assessment,” I refer to the time I spend with the children as “the first grade readiness games,” though, as previously mentioned, the children themselves do not know the time has anything to do with readiness. So each year I “play games” with the children in the kindergarten, individually, for one hour at a time. I realize as I spend the time with each child that this time together is only a snapshot of his or her development. I know I have to be careful not to judge or generalize what I see. This conviction was brought home to me this spring when I was completing the games with a child and, as she made her Person, House, Tree drawing, she drew a figure with no arms. Instantly I began to wonder, why? Later that same day she drew figures with arms during our classroom drawing time. This was a reminder to me that when I observe something from 93
a child during our first grade readiness games I must remember that this is only a moment in time and I must continually recheck my observations. Another case in point came when I was with a little boy who seemed to use his right hand for drawing all throughout our games time but, during the following weeks, I saw him several times changing the paint brush and crayons back and forth between his two hands. These grade one readiness games are only a tool for honing our observation skills as teachers. They are not meant to conjure up judgments that freeze the child’s development in time. They are a snapshot of a small moment in time and they can give us more security in making the decision about the child’s placement for the following year. When it comes time to begin the first grade readiness games, my colleague and I discuss when we should begin this process and whether there is need to call in a substitute to assist her on the playground while I am inside with each individual child. Sometimes we use this time as an opportunity for the two kindergarten classes to mingle by combining the two groups together at outdoor time. This leaves the two groups of children supervised by three adults. In this way, I and one of the other kindergarten teachers take turns doing assessments on different days. This combined playtime can build relationships between the two kindergarten groups that will continue on into first grade.
Starting the Process In the morning, our kindergarten group spends the first hour of the morning in outdoor play and on their morning walk. Near the middle or end of January, depending on how many children are candidates for first grade that year, I arrive on the playground and quietly tell one of the children that it is his or her turn to play games with me. Most often the children become very excited when they hear this and others ask when they can have a turn. Deciding when the children have their turn can be part of the process too. Generally, only one child plays games with me daily. If there are children who are taking their time in their development then I will save their “games time” until the end of the assessment months. Also, paying attention to the child’s state of health is important. If he or she has been ill or has had a late night the evening before then waiting for healthier timing will allow for more stamina in the games. My goal is to have finished all of the assessments before we have our March parent/teacher interviews, so I can feel more sure of the recommendation I have for the parents then.
By this time of year I know some of the interests, ideas and imaginations of the children so after I warmly greet them in the classroom, I can say, “Today, let’s pretend that we’re at the circus” (or “on a farm” or ”at the princess’ castle”). Then the games are organized around this theme. At each assessment, the same games are played with each child but the imaginations may differ from child to child. The form that follows this explanation is organized according to categories (physical, social, emotional, and so on) and is not in chronological order. Because I am familiar with the form, I often change the order of the activities depending on how the child is responding to the games. 94
When the child comes into the kindergarten, the games begin right away as he takes off his outdoor clothes and puts them away. “The circus performers always make sure their coats are zippered properly. Can you show me how you do that? How about the buttons on your sweater?” Then I give the child several instructions all at once and see if he is able to remember them and follow through. “Mr. Ringmaster, please put your boots by your cubby, your gloves in the laundry hamper, your coat on the hook and bring your slippers back to me.” Following a number of instructions in a row is something that a child approaching readiness for first grade is able to do.
Let the Fun Begin A fter the outdoor clothes are put away, the child then comes to help me unpack my magic
basket. I ask the child to unpack it with only one hand and the basket is situated on a table directly in front of the child’s torso (on the midline). Inside this basket are a number of things that we use for the games. These items are listed below: ●
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Three balls—A soft felt ball (with a bell inside it) for throwing and then putting to the ear to listen for what’s inside it; A hard cork ball for kicking between 2 goal posts or under the playstands etc.; A medium-size bouncing ball for bouncing on the floor and catching with one or two hands One bean bag for tossing from one hand to the other and spatial orientation (see form) One tone bar for making the tone and holding up a finger when it can no longer be heard A kaleidoscope for putting to the eye, looking at the end for eye tracking and for using to draw circles in the air
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Two seashells for listening into
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A drum for repeating rhythms
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Scissors and paper for cutting around a circle that I draw on the paper. Often the children will call the circle a sun, moon or an apple when I ask them if they know what it is
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A rope for tying knots
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Needle and thread
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Stick crayons for the drawing part of the games
Much can be understood by watching how the child unpacks the basket. Is she able to pick up things with only one hand? Is the midline able to be crossed? Is the child interested in new things? What about her stamina, ability to converse, understanding of new things, willingness to try, and so on? Often the child will use this time to tell me things that she wants me to know. Many tender and precious conversations have occurred.
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What follows is a series of imaginative requests as we progress through the list of criteria on the first grade readiness form. We use all of the things in the basket and do other activities as well. I often ask the child to choose which item we use first when we are playing with the items from the basket. It’s interesting to see if they are more captivated by the balls, crayons, objects from nature, or the musical things. As we progress through the games I model some activities first for the child and sometimes I am just the viewer. “Let’s walk the tightrope.” “When the bareback riders ride on the horses they balance on one foot with their eyes closed.” “The elephant riders sometimes put their arms up over their ears. Let’s do that.” “I once saw a clown hopping on one foot. Let’s do that.” For the hour that we are playing these games, everything is done in the spirit of fun and adventure. If something seems too “tricky” for a child then we quickly go on to the next thing. Some children may say “I can’t” and I may say, “Yes, I know. It’s a little hard, isn’t it.” However, some children need a little gentle encouragement because this might be something new for them and they feel uncertain about it. They feel good about themselves if they are able to try it out and often, after the assessment is over, they will practice this for months to come. Jeffrey comes to mind. During Jeffrey’s games time we flipped over one of our long benches which doubles as a balance board. Jeffrey was sure that the fisherman could not walk along the edge of the deck of the boat. So, instead, I took one of our long fingerknitted ropes and lay it down on the floor. Then the fisherman (Jeffrey) walked with careful balance along the long fishing line. After that day and for months to come, Jeffrey incorporated into his daily play laying ropes down on the floor and walking along them. The ropes were highways, docks, tightropes. Eventually one day weeks later, Jeffrey must have felt accomplished in his practice and now he was able to take the next step. He flipped over the long bench and he made his epic journey along the balance board. While we are playing these games there are four key questions that I ask the child. If the imaginations of the games are so vivid that it would be an intrusion to ask them in the first part of our time together then I save the questions until the drawing time at the end. The four questions are (1)“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to your house. Everything is done in What does your bedroom look like now?” (2)“What do you like to do in the kindergarten?” (3)“What story did we hear yesterday?” and (4)“Suppose you the spirit of fun and woke up one morning and there was a beautiful fairy on your bed. And she adventure. said to you, Sam, you have been such a helpful boy that you can have any three wishes you want. What would your wishes be?” The answers to the first three questions tell me a lot about the child’s memory capacity. Has the ability to retrieve memories arrived? I often see the children looking out and away as if they see the picture in their mind’s eye of what they are describing. These are all signals of changes in memory and picturing ability that arrive at the time of the change-of-teeth.
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The fourth question about the three wishes is a precious one because it allows me to see if the child is gaining more access to the feeling life that is stirring within her. Can she also describe the ideas and pictures she is seeing? Tears and gratitude often occur when I later share the children’s answers (particularly about their wishes) with their parents.
Endings The last movement-oriented thing that we do is a series of clapping and jumping movements. Audrey McAllen mentions these in her book The Extra Lesson as being important before doing drawing exercises, particularly before the Person, House, Tree drawing.
Then I sit to the right of the child and there are a variety of drawing exercises that we do together. My role is a passive one for most of this last part of the games time. At this point the child has experienced a kind of a “tune-up” because of the various exercises that have addressed his whole physical body. Now he is ready to sit down and concentrate in a different way. Next I give the children a large piece of paper and ask them to make a person, a house and a tree. “You can make it as beautiful as possible.” As I wait quietly and the child becomes absorbed in her drawing I have often felt that this is, for me, the most informative time of the whole assessment. So much streams into our time together as I sit there quietly “doing my teacher’s work” and looking on. Some children will talk while they are drawing, some are very quiet, but whatever is the nature of the child as she approaches a new task tends to present itself then. Is the child cautious, full of self-doubt, confident, so verbal that the task is not being initiated, calm, pensive, happy to let the drawing unfold? Does she need encouragement? The Person, House, Tree drawings have been tremendously helpful to me throughout the years. If the parents and I are carrying doubt about whether the child is ready to go into grade one, often the PHT drawing helps with this decision. Frank comes to mind when I think about this. Frank was taking his time with his development. Even though he had been in our kindergarten for two years and would be fully six and three quarters by September of his grade one year there were many milestones that he had not embraced. He also seemed to be playing with the younger children in the kindergarten, not the older ones. When Frank made his PHT drawing what revealed itself on the paper were some vague forms hovering on the top of the page. The person, house and tree were not apparent. After considering all the variables, not just the PHT drawing, we made a decision to keep Frank for another year in the kindergarten. As a result, Frank turned seven in November of his last kindergarten year and, in the early spring when he made his PHT drawing, lo and behold, there appeared three
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very clear forms of a person, house and tree. Frank is in sixth grade now. He still is taking his time with his development and he is accepted and helped along in school by his peers and his teachers. This story brings home something worth emphasizing, the whole point of this assessment. Working with a more involved assessment process gives us the tools and the inspired moments which inform us about the proper placement of the children. There have been very few children like Frank who have needed to spend so long in the kindergarten, but I shudder to think what it would have been like for him if he was in a class that was a whole year ahead of him. As teachers, we also have to be careful about keeping children back in the kindergarten who really need to move on and develop along with their proper peer groups. When these difficult decisions need to be made, parents tend to be more willing to trust and to place their confidence more easily in teachers when they have some concrete assessment tools to offer.
Other Drawing Fun On letter-size paper, and using imaginations we have built up during our time together, I ask
the child to make a circle, square and triangle (sun, box, teepee?). Then, on another piece of paper, we experiment with making straight and wavy lines. For the straight line (going from left to right and then back again from right to left) I use the imagination of walking to town and buying groceries and then walking back home with the groceries. For the wavy line, I use the imagination of packing up some of the groceries into a picnic lunch and going on a boat ride, stopping on an island to eat lunch, and then coming home again. First I draw the two straight lines and then the child copies. The same happens with the wavy line. One of the primary things this shows me is if the child is able to follow instructions. Can she cross her midline? What hand does she use to draw? How does he hold the crayon? Does he switch crayons to another hand when he crosses the midline? Then, on another paper, I begin to draw the four petals of a flower but I do not finish the picture. I ask the child what he thinks it is. Some children say “a butterfly” or “a four leaf clover.” The main thing is that the child is able to complete the picture out of her own imagination. I then ask the child to finish the picture for me. The next task is to ask, “Please make a blue moon and a red sun.” Do the children hear the whole request? Is the moon on the left side and the sun on the right side? What do the sun and moon look like? Audrey McAllen in The Extra Lesson gives indications for the Blue Moon, Red Sun exercise on page 55. Joep Eikenboom also speaks about this in his article, “Foundations of the Extra Lesson.”
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Some Things to Look For Following this article is the most current revision of a First Grade Readiness form that I have
developed over the years. Please feel free to adapt this as a tool for your own use. I think it will continue to be a work in progress for me. This year I will be meeting with a group of teachers and doctors in Sweden and we will be working further into these ideas so there is a good chance that the form will change again. When I first began to work with someone else’s first grade readiness form there were many criteria that I didn’t understand. (Perhaps this is your experience too.) I also knew that I wouldn’t be experienced in the detailed understandings that remedial teachers and doctors have. Nevertheless, I knew that I just needed to begin. So I just set aside the time to be individually with the children and I began to observe them. At first, I wasn’t quite sure what I was seeing. Instead of worrying about doing everything perfectly I did what I am going to recommend to you. Take joy in the time you spend with the individual children. Even if you aren’t feeling ready to understand everything you see, much will still come from just being in the moment with the children in a gesture of love and joy. Depth of perception and observation skills will develop over time. Each year I emphasize to the parents that they mustn’t tell their children about the games. It’s important that the child, the parent and the teacher do not make this an over-serious event. It’s a playful time that brings fresh understandings at an important transition time in the child’s life! The children are not used to being with me when I am relating to them in this more direct way during the games time. When the games are over our relationship easily slips back into the usual kindergarten way of being together. However, I always feel that something special has happened in our bonding process and much has been revealed to me that I never would have known if I hadn’t taken these moments to be alone with them. Sometimes ideas arise about helpful things that I can be doing during the rest of the kindergarten year to assist the child in his or her development. If I hadn’t taken the time to be present individually with this child I might not have seen this.
The Form Having said all this I would like to make a few comments about the form itself. It is divided into several categories—physical, social/emotional, soul life, and drawing. Some of the form can be filled in by the teacher when the child is not present; the research happens while viewing the child’s interactions in the kindergarten (e.g. longer-term friendships, able to wait for turns). Other parts of the form are filled in while the games time is happening. I make sure to tell the child that I have to do some teacher work while we are playing games and then, every once in a while, I write down the child’s responses to the activity or the questions while he or she is repeating an activity that I’ve already witnessed.
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The “Physical” part of the form is fairly straightforward and the “Drawing” section includes several “Extra Lesson” exercises from Audrey McAllen’s book. As I’ve already mentioned, reading her explanations about these exercises can be very helpful. When using the form, I do not go through it in the chronological way that it is written. Once I familiarized myself with all of the games then they could unfold as they fit into the particular imagination that was unfolding with the child. Many people reading this article may have developed an assessment process already. If so, I hope that this article and the grade one readiness form are of assistance to you. If you do not have a process already perhaps some of the criteria will appeal to you. There is one last word of caution that I offer. Please remember that these games and this form are not diagnostic tools! Please use them to hone and deepen your own observation skills and enjoy the deeper connection to the child that they will foster. The games are intended to help you come to an understanding of the child’s readiness that is not based solely on the date of birth. What is most important is that we learn how to recognize the sixyear-old transformation and meet it with the kind of self-assurance that makes this transition time understandable and more comfortable for the parents and the children.
References and Suggested Reading Almon, Joan. “First Grade Readiness,” in The Developing Child: The First Seven Years, edited by Susan Howard (Spring Valley, NY: WECAN, 2004). Bates Ames, Louise and Frances Ilg. Your Six Year Old (New York: Delacorte Press, 1981). Glöckler, Michaela. “Forces of Growth and Forces of Fantasy: Understanding the Dream Consciousness of the Young Child” in The Developing Child: The First Seven Years, edited by Susan Howard (Spring Valley, NY: WECAN, 2004). McAllen, Audrey. The Extra Lesson (Fair Oaks, CA: Rudolf Steiner College Press, 1998). _____________. Reading Children’s Drawings (Fair Oaks, CA: Rudolf Steiner College Press, 2004). Additional information gathered through consultation with Dr. Claudia McKeen and Kyle Morton and reference to earlier out-of-print articles by Nancy Foster and Margaret Meyerkort.
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First Grade Readiness Form Developed by Ruth Ker, Sunrise Waldorf School, Duncan, BC
Today’s Date _________________________________________________________________ Child’s Name_________________________________________________________________ Child’s Birth Date _______________________ Kindergarten __________________________ Teacher _______________________________ Years in Kindergarten ___________________ Family situation ______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Warmly welcome the child into the space and then give the child 4 to 5 directions at the same time (e.g. “Please take off your outdoor clothes and hang them in your cubby, put on your shoes and come to see my magic basket”). Child unpacks basket with one hand.
Physical 1. Lost teeth # ________________________ Six-year molars coming in? _______________ 2. Limbs: elongated? ___________________ Touch ear with opposite arm extending over the head (keep the head straight when this is done) ______________________________ 3. Handshake: is thumb separating from fingers ___________________________________ 3-point grip ________________________ Cross over midline ______________________ 4. Disappearance of “baby fat”: Facial features defined ________________ Neck ______________________________ Fingers slimmed ____________________ Waist indentation____________________ Arch of foot ________________________
Skin (pale, ruddy) ______________________ Wrist _________________________________ Knuckles showing (dimples gone) _________ Visible joints (kneecaps, wrist bones etc.) ___
5. Ability to hold posture: Stand upright, slouch? __________________________________ Stand still briefly? ____________________ Sit down quietly? _______________________ Sit with stillness (brief or long time?) __________________________________________ 6. Walks with cross-pattern (opposite arm and leg)? ________________________________ 7. Hopping: 1 foot (which one?) __________ 2 feet _____________________________ Forward/backward _____________________ 8. Climb and descend stairs with alternating feet __________________________________ 101
9. Jump rope with consecutive jumps: Self-propelled ______________________ Turned by teachers _____________________ 10. Walk beam, log or line without falling: _________________________________________ Confident? _________________________ Graceful? _____________________________ Too fast? ___________________________ Too concentrated?______________________ 11. Balancing on one foot, counting to 10: Eyes open __________________________ Eyes closed ___________________________ 12. Ties knots __________________________ Ties bows ____________________________ Buttons ____________________________ Zippers _______________________________ Strings beads _______________________ Threads needles _______________________ Thumb says hello to all fingers _________ 13. Use of scissors: ______________________ Left, right? ____________________________ What does child call the circle? _______________________________________________ (Child puts own name on the circle drawn by the teacher that he has cut out) Printed name? ____________________________________________________________ 14. Finger dexterity (sewing, beeswax, finger games): _______________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 15. Sensory processing: (Have the child close his/her eyes and then touch him or her on the arm. Then have the child point to the place where he/she was touched) _____________ ________________________________________________________________________ 16. Playing catch: Catch with both hands _______________ One hand ____________________________ Moves to the ball ____________________ Waits for it to arrive _____________________ Eyes (open/closed?) __________________ Throwing the ball: With one hand? _____________________ Both hands? ___________________________ On target? _________________________ Bouncing the ball and catching it with one hand_________________________________ Both hands _________________________ 17. Tossing the bean bag from one hand to another across midline ____________________ Tossing the ball into a basket: Right hand? Left hand? _________________________ On target? ____________________________
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18. Spatial orientation: putting the bean bag in front of you __________________________ behind ____________________________ beside _______________________________ on top _____________________________ under you ____________________________ all around you ______________________ (It’s surprising how many children are confused about how to cross the midline when passing the bean bag all around them. It’s important to just say the directions at first without showing the child how to do it. Also, often the children will put the bean bag on the tummy or crotch area for the request to put it under them.) 19. Dominance: Eye (kaleidoscope) R ______ L _______ Eye tracking ___________________________ (Child focuses on end of kaleidoscope and follows with eyes, not moving head) Hand (catch, etc.)
R ______ L _______
Foot (leading foot) R ______ L _______ (Child kicks a ball between two sides of a playstand, also watch on which foot he/she balances) Ear (seashell) R ______ L _______ (Put seashell in front and center of the child.) R hand to R ear ______________________ R hand to L ear_________________________ L hand to R ear _____________________ L hand to L ear _________________________ Listening for tone: echo tone and pitch (singing) __________ echo rhythm (drum) ____________________ 20. Body Geography: touch your head, belly, ankles, knees, neck, chin etc. (Many children are not yet in touch with their ankles and heels or their waist) ________________________________________________________________________ 21. Crossing the midline: touch both of your elbows_________________________________ Touch opposite shoulders _____________ knees ________________________________ ankles ____________________________ Make O’s in the air ______________________ (Ask the children to do these tasks; do not demonstrate. For making O’s, teacher may stand facing the child and make a circle in the air if s/he does not understand that request. The child may not be able to replicate this without turning sideways if he/she is not comfortable with crossing the vertical midline) 22. Language development: use of words? variety? ________________ clarity of speech _______________________ sounds difficult to pronounce __________ say (4-5x): animal ______________________ hospital ___________________________ spaghetti _____________________________ 103
23. Anything else? (appetite increase, increase in mobility, interest in others’ bodies) ________________________________________________________________________ 24. How well is the child able to: Jump as high as possible 3 or 4 times __________________________________________ Clap: in front and behind 10x __________ Above and below 10x ___________________ Above and in front 10x _______________ Above, behind, in front counting to 12 ______ Repeat this sequence while clapping, counting and jumping _______________________ (This is done near the end of games time just before the drawing time)
Drawing 1. Person, House, Tree (done right after the clapping and jumping sequence) 2. Lines: Straight ______________________ Wavy ________________________________ 3. Flower: __________________________________________________________________ 4. Blue Moon and Red Sun: ____________________________________________________ Eye color affinity is usually established between 6 and 7 years (p. 55 of The Extra Lesson, Audrey McAllen) 5. Draw Circle ________________________ Square _______________________________ Triangle____________________________
Memory 1. What does your bedroom look like?
2. What do you like to do in the kindergarten?
3. What story did we hear yesterday?
4. If you could have three wishes, what would they be?
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Social/Emotional (These are things that can be observed and recorded out of everyday play experiences) 1. Feeling for the needs of others 2. Longer term friendships 3. Able to join in offered activities: circle, handwork, snack, etc. 4. Able to share teacher’s attention and wait for a turn 5. Able to follow instructions and carry through with task In sequence ________________________ Begins impulsively______________________ Can wait to listen ____________________ 6. Unduly dependent on “security item” (thumb, dolly) 7. Shows tendency to outwardness or inwardness? 8. Describe the child’s play. Vitality in play? Stationary or active? Watching, solitary, parallel or group co-operative play mostly? 9. Can the child visualise the play without the props? 10. Has child become bored in play, listless or stuck in repetitive play scenarios?
Soul Life 1. Willing: Has the child developed goal consciousness (sets tasks for self, plans with purpose, puts things right, able to complete)? 2. Feeling: Can child handle feelings with less adult intervention? Care for others? 3. Thinking: Beginning of causal thinking (if…then, because) Making up rhymes? 4. Ability to imitate? Do opposite? 5. Enjoys humor? Attempts jokes?
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6. Speaks fluently and can express ideas clearly 7. Ability to concentrate on a chosen task for 10–15 minutes 8. Listens to story with keen interest 9. Is memory becoming conscious and retrievable? Anything else?
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The Red Queen:
A First Grade
Assessment Story
Story and Movement Instructions prepared by Valerie Poplawski, Celia Riahi, and Randi Stein In this deeply researched, thoughtful assessment imagination, children are led through a journey to help the Red Queen, bringing to her the water of life. This journey shows how we can protect the children from feeling observed by wrapping them in the cloak of story pictures. The commentary describing each task provides explanations of what is being looked for and what difficulty with an activity might suggest to us. This observation can help us not only look for readiness but also begin to develop “therapeutic looking.”
M
y experience in early childhood education spans more than 30 years, in both Waldorf-inspired home program settings and as kindergarten teacher in both the Rudolf Steiner School in New York and the Hartsbrook Waldorf School in Hadley, Massachussetts. While I was teaching in a school setting, I was always drawn to the older child in the kindergarten. When should these children stay in kindergarten and when should they move on to first grade? The grade teachers at the Hartsbrook School had questions about our decisions, wondering why we sent a certain child on or why we even accepted another. In considering these questions, we kindergarten teachers wanted to be confident of an informed decision which would ensure a smooth transition for the child, parents, and teachers into the first grade. We had already begun to send children from our early childhood classes to both the public school system and private therapists for evaluation for a number of reasons. One of our questions was whether a child was ready to go on to first grade. As we researched what others did and began to ask for help, we came up with “The Red Queen” assessment. Beyond myself, our team included kindergarten colleague, Valerie Poplawski, who is also a trained eurythmist; and Randi Stein, our school’s remedial teacher, who joined us for
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all the assessment. We developed a keen interest in the Primary Reflexes and how they were an indicator in the development of the child. We were also able to speak with a local practitioner of Body Mind Centering a number of times about the reflexes, which were her specialty. We read Sally Goddard Blythe’s book on the reflexes as well. From our research we would change, add, or remove activities from the assessment as we saw fit. I had been lucky enough to take courses with both Audrey McAllen, founder of the Extra Lesson, and Ingun Schneider, a remedial teacher with both anthroposophic and mainstream special education background. This information helped inform our work as well. We tried many different methods and ways of observing the children, both in the group setting of the classroom and in individual assessments of the children going on to first grade. My colleagues and I were eventually inspired to transform a story I had from an unknown teacher into “The Red Queen.” We constantly asked ourselves if this was the correct way to work with these kindergarten children. Was it too individual, too awakening? Seeing the children two at a time and asking them to follow directions “on demand” helped us determine who was ready, who needed an outside evaluation, and who would benefit from another kindergarten year. This mode of assessment provided a preview of how the children would respond to doing work “on demand” in first grade. By doing exactly the same assessment with each child, we were able to notice things that might have escaped our attention in the classroom. During these sessions we always had two children at a time, after lunch, with two kindergarten teachers and our remedial teacher. One teacher was telling the story as she moved with and guided the children. The second teacher, along with the remedial teacher, was observing the children. If there is no remedial teacher in your school, perhaps the eurythmist can help instead. All supplies were in good order and kept ready for the assessments. If a child was not feeling well, we postponed the session. For a child who applied to the first grade from outside our kindergartens, we always paired him or her with a “dependable” child so he or she would not have to do the journey alone. It was also very helpful to have the same three or four people do all the assessments. As the same eyes were always observing, we were better able to compare notes in a consistent context. We hope you find this helpful and urge you all to do your own research. Try out “The Red Queen” but make it your own. Over the years many children have visited “The Red Queen.” It has always been a deeply moving experience to see what each child was able to bring to the session. —Celia Riahi
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he room is set up as though for an “obstacle course” or “movement journey.” Two (or more) teachers are present: one is at a small table taking notes (the Red Queen); the second teacher leads the children in all of the movements. The table is covered with a red cloth; the Red Queen teacher might wear a red cloak. Two children do the assessment together. It lasts 45 to 60 minutes. The children wear eurythmy or soft-soled shoes. The girls would be more comfortable wearing pants. Hair should be tied back. When it is time to draw, be sure that the children are sitting far enough apart that they do not copy from one another. The assessments and drawings are filed in each child’s file when all the assessments and parent conferences are over. The notes on the form are to aid the teachers in making decisions; the information gets shared with the parents but not the completed form. The movement teacher greets the children and invites them to sit on the two chairs that have been readied for them. 1. Handshake: The teacher holds out her hand to receive a handshake from each child and says a few words of welcome.
Purpose: This is the first opportunity for general observation. How does this child approach me? With eagerness, shyness, discomfort, directness? Does the child have warm, hot, cool or cold hands? Think about warmth as a quality of the etheric body and how warmth affects the ability to learn. 2. Listening to Story: The teacher begins to tell the story and note is taken of the manner in which the children listen to the story. Once upon a time, in a far away kingdom, there lived a queen. She ruled over her kingdom wisely and well, and all the people were happy. One day a spell was cast upon the kingdom, and all the rivers ran dry, the streams ran dry, the wells ran dry, and even the Red Queen’s well ran dry. There was not a drop of water left in the kingdom. The queen called the people to her and asked, “Who will find the water of life, that this spell might be broken?” “I will!” said a faithful servant, “And I have two children who can help me.” (Teacher gestures to herself and the two children.) “Good!” said the Red Queen. “Do they have clever eyes and clever ears?” “Oh, yes!” “Do they have clever fingers, strong arms and strong legs?” “Oh, yes!” “Good! Then have them find me the Water of Life!”
Purpose: Can the child focus and pay attention? Is there curiosity, interest? The teacher then does various activities, always encouraging the children, speaking positively, and working within the context of the story. The children generally take turns doing each task. 3. Dominance: A large seashell and kaleidoscope are used to test for dominance of eye, ear, and hand. The teacher places the shell on the floor directly in front of the child and asks the child to pick it up and to listen for the sound of the ocean. The child is given the
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kaleidoscope, directly at the midline, to look through, and is asked which color she sees first. Notice is taken of which hand the child reaches with, which ear the shell is put to, and which eye looks through the kaleidoscope. Repeat this two or three times.
Purpose: If there is mixed dominance, particularly where hand and eye are not the same, the child may have difficulties. When a child is doing any task, if the body parts that have to carry out the task are not organized in the same way, there may be a slowing down of automaticity in initiating and completing tasks. Spatial orientation is often affected resulting in physical awkwardness, fatigue and challenging social behaviors. How free is the child in her body? We need the child to be free, so that she can easily sit still at her desk. If she is not in balance in first grade she will compensate for this lack of balance, by moving at her desk in ways that may be distracting to others. 4. Ball: The teacher tosses a large soft ball to the child, throwing and catching with both hands. If the child can do this easily, the teacher throws a smaller soft ball, first throwing and catching with both hands, and then throwing with one hand and catching with two hands. The throw is always underhand. Note is taken of the ease in which the child moves and throws, and which hand he uses. The teacher then rolls the ball to the child who in turn kicks the ball gently back. Note is taken of which leg does the kicking.
Purpose: Checking for dominance, for ease with which the child does this, and for retained reflexes. 5. Beanbag: Teacher and child throw a bag underhand to one another, throwing with one hand, catching with both hands. Again, note is taken of the ease with which this is done and which hand is used. Teacher and child each hold a beanbag in their own hand and begin to toss the bag from one hand to the other. The teacher continues the story: “We will come to a lake. In the lake lies a sea serpent. If she wakes up and rises, we must put her back to sleep. This is how we do it.” The teacher shows the child the movements, while giving verbal instructions and the child imitates the movement: ●
●
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Passing the beanbag from one hand to the other, around the body in a circular movement, front to back, in a clockwise direction. Passing the beanbag from one hand to the other above the head and down, in a clockwise, roundabout direction. Passing the beanbag from one hand to the other through the legs, in a lemniscate from the right, through the middle, around and under the left.
Purpose: Look for ease of leg lift, indicating an integrated horizontal midline—or does the child’s hand get “stuck” under the leg? If so horizontal midline may be retained.
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6. Tracking: The teacher takes an object (a pencil, a jewel, or a wand) and moves it in different directions. The child follows the directions moving only the eyes, not the head or the body. The eyes move up, down, right, left, and diagonally, as shown on the sheet.
Observe: Can the eyes cross the midline without strain? Without excessive watering of the eyes or excessive blinking? We want the child to be able to move all parts of the body independently of the others. The ease with which the eyes cross the midline may affect reading later. 7. Body Geography: The teacher verbally instructs the children to touch different parts of the body: head, shoulders, waist, elbows, knees, toes, knees, waist, elbows, shoulders, head, face! Particular note is taken of how the child touches her elbows.
Observe: Knowledge of body geography affects orientation in space, which is essential for all movement activities, including reading and writing as well as eurythmy and other activities. If the child cannot touch both elbows this may be another indicator of midline retention. 8. The Queen’s Salute: “Dear children, when we reach the Red Queen we must give her a very special salute—the Queen’s salute!” With feet together we reach one arm straight up, high into the sky, and then bring it over the head to touch the opposite ear; first the right arm, then the left. “These children are good and ready! Dear children, we will go on a journey to find the Water of Life. We will know that we are close to the Red Queen’s castle for we shall see her flag flying high. It is a red flag with a blue bird on it. A red flag with a blue bird on it. Now let’s go!”
Purpose: The memory test. This is a verbal clue given to the children—they will later be asked to describe the queen’s flag. The teacher demonstrates the next exercises and the children follow in turn. We are looking for balance, levity, gravity, rhythm and freedom of movement. 9. Bridge: “First we must walk over the golden bridge, and then the silver bridge. Look straight forward, try not to look down. Hold your arms out like this, and walk slowly.” Walking over a long narrow plank on the floor, and then a thin rope. The teacher leads and demonstrates, walking slowly as the children follow. The head is held high and the arms are outstretched to the sides, walking in a “queenly” manner. Does the child use her arms to balance? How quickly does she walk? Speed can compensate for lack of balance. 10. One Foot Balance: “We are coming to the land of the Wood Elf. If we meet him this is his salute.” Teacher stands on one leg, bending the other leg behind. Cross the arms over the chest. The teacher asks the child a simple question, for example, “What did you have for lunch today?” and the child answers. The child then does the exercise with eyes closed.
Purpose: What is the effort required to bring the body into such balance? Can the child balance while speaking? 111
11. Jumping: “This is the Wood Elf’s pond.” (Teacher gestures to a small cloth on the ground.) “He likes to jump in it, but now it is all dried up, so instead he jumps over it, just like this!” Jump, with feet together, forward over the cloth, two times or have two ponds ready.
Purpose: Look out for one foot lagging. Look for degree of levity and gravity. 12. Bunny Hop: “Here come two bunnies through the wood! Hop, dear children, like bunnies.” The teacher sings a “bunny song” whilst the children hop with two feet together, like bunnies, around the room.
Purpose: Look for levity, balance and gravity. 13. Hopping: “The bunnies have led us into the fairy meadow. Through the meadows we will hop… .” The teacher sings and the children hop around the room, on one foot and then the other.
Purpose: Look for levity, balance, dominance and gravity. 14. Skipping: The same song, but now skipping.
Purpose: Look for levity, balance and gravity. 15. Crawling: And now crawling.
Purpose: Look for cross-lateral crawling. Does the child drag the knees, is he or she moving homolaterally, are palms down? 16. Jumping Rope: “Here we need the Red Queen’s help!” The two teachers turn the rope whilst one child at a time jumps. Be positive and encouraging, as some children may not have had much practice.
Purpose: The sense of rhythm, levity, balance. 17a. The Lion: Symmetric Tonic Neck Reflex: “Above the meadows is a hillside, and in the hillside is a Lion’s Cave. Watch carefully to see if he comes out. His great head moves this way and that.” The teacher demonstrates the movements: she is on her hands and knees in “table position.” Only the head moves, no other part of the body, first looking to the right, then to the left, then down and through the legs, and finally up to the ceiling. The teacher then kneels in front of the child whilst he does it. It is important that the teacher only helps the child verbally to begin in the correct position.
Observe: Can the child move the head independently of the trunk? In first grade, the child begins the process of the head becoming the thinking pole; previous to this time the head acts as a limb. In order for the child to be free for thinking, the head needs to be somewhat free of the movements of the body and the body free from the effects of the head’s movement. Also note any bending of the arms or legs as this is a soft sign of retained reflexes. 112
17b. The Eagle: Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex: “Above the lion’s cave flies an eagle. This is how he looks.” Again the teacher demonstrates and then kneels in front of the child while the child does it. Lie outstretched on the floor, belly down, feet together, arms outstretched. Bend the arms in and bring the hands to the shoulders. Raise the legs, head, arms, and chest off the floor. Remain in this position for the count of twenty.
Observe: Is lifting a great effort? Note any bending of the arms or legs as this is a soft sign of retained reflexes. 18. Walking up and down steps, stools, or benches: “The eagle flies through the sky and leads us to the mountains. Up the mountain, down the mountain, and through the valley below.” Repeat. The child walks up and down stairs, over a child’s play bridge, or up and down benches or stools.
Purpose: Check for balance, dominance, ability to judge distance, overall effort required to accomplish this task. 19. Memory Check (red flag with a blue bird): “Children, over the mountains and beyond the lake stands the Red Queen’s Castle. I can see her flag flying in the wind. Whisper in my ear and tell me what it looks like.” Each child tells the teacher what she remembers of the flag. The teacher responds in such a way that makes it clear if the child remembered correctly: “Ah! Yes indeed!” or “Mmmm!” 20. Sea Serpent (beanbag second time): “Now we must cross the lake, but ah! The water is all dried up. The sea serpent is crawling around. Children we must put her to sleep.” The children each stand on a bench and repeat the three beanbag exercises. “Now she is asleep! Let’s cross over the lake, but be sure not to waken the serpent.” The children follow the teacher around the room. “Children, if you see water anywhere, tell me.” 21. Carrying and Pouring Water: The children invariably see the two bowls of water that have been placed in the corner of the room waiting to be discovered. “That’s it, children! The Water of Life! You have found the Water of Life. Let’s take them to the Red Queen.” Each child lifts one bowl and carries it carefully to the Red Queen’s table. “Dear Queen, these children have found the Water of Life and now the spell will be broken forever.” The Red Queen replies: “Thank you, my children. Please pour the water into my well.” (A larger, empty bowl stands waiting.) Each child pours the water into the larger bowl.
Purpose: Check for spatial orientation, sense of self-movement, the appropriateness of the muscle response to the required movement task. Do they kneel or bend? Spill or not? 22. The Queen’s Salute: “I salute you, children.” The children and the Queen salute one another two times (arm over the head touching the ear.) “Red Queen, may we enter your Gallery and draw some pictures for you?”
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23. Bowing: “Enter through the magic doors!” The teacher holds out a eurythmy rod or a wooden wand and asks the child to go under each of the three doors. The teacher lowers the rod each time. Most children bend at the waist and go under head first; others have different ways to move under.
Purpose: This is an extra check for the horizontal midline. The children are then led to their places at the table. Each child is given a thick pencil, a basket of block crayons, and a basket of stick crayons. All the colors are available, including black, white, brown and pink. 24. Does the child know: a. Colors. b. Subtraction: “Please take out your red, yellow, and blue crayons. Now take out two more crayons, any color. How many crayons do you have?” (Five.) The teacher takes away two. “How many do you have now?” (Three.) “And how many did I take away?” (Two.) Be sure that the children are sitting far enough away from each other so as not to copy from one another. For the subtraction the same applies and you should choose another problem for the second child, for example, take away three or four.
Purpose: Is the child able to see the whole picture? Notice how they sit on their chairs. 25. Pencil Grip and Name Writing: The child takes the pencil and is told to write her name, or any of the letters in her name if she cannot write it. Note is taken of the way in which the child holds the pencil. “How many letters are in your name?” 26a. The Blue Square and the Red Diamond: A sheet is held up before the children, showing a drawing of a blue square over a red diamond. The children are asked to copy it exactly, using the blue and red stick crayons. They can turn to look at the teacher’s drawing. “These two shapes are on the Red Queen’s favorite shield. Please try to draw these two shapes just like they are on this piece of paper.”
Purpose: This is a drawing that reflects the child’s inner sense of self in space. Has the child mastered the diagonal? 26b. The Lemniscate: The teacher takes a sheet of paper and draws a vertical line straight down, dividing the page into two unequal parts. The child is asked to point to the larger side. The teacher draws the pattern on the left side of this line and asks the child to draw the exact same pattern on the other side. “The Queen loves maps. This is the map that she follows when she goes for a walk. I am going to draw a map here and I want you to try to copy it exactly on that side. Here is the castle,” (Teacher draws a dot two inches from the top of the page,) “and here is the pond.” (Teacher draws a dot two inches from the bottom of the page.) “The Queen begins here” (above the top dot, moving to the right). “She goes around her castle, through the middle of her garden, around the pond, back through the middle of the garden, to the place where she began.” (A lemniscate has been completed.) “Very good, children. Before we do our last drawing for the queen, let’s do a jumping game.”
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27. The Jumping Sequence: Teacher and children go through the following sequence: ●
Three big leaps into the air. Then standing do the following:
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Clap alternately in front and behind the back while counting aloud up to 10 (one number per clap), Clap alternately above the head and behind the back while counting aloud to 10 (one number per clap), Clap alternately above the head and in front of the body, counting aloud up to 10 (one number per clap), Clap above the head, behind the back, then in front of the body, in this order, counting up to 12 (one number per clap); Repeat the four steps of this sequence while counting aloud, clapping and jumping at the same time.
Purpose: To precede the drawing, in order that we do not get an “imaginative or thinking” picture but an imprint of the child’s relationship to his body and to space around him, we ask him to do the jumping exercise. 28. The Drawing of a Person, a House, and a Tree: “Please draw a picture of a person, a house, and a tree, and anything else that you want to put in to make it look beautiful. And do your best work.” Repeat the instructions again reversing the order of tree, house, person. The children draw their pictures and the teachers take note of the sequence of drawing. “Now let’s take these to the Red Queen!”
Observe: Are heads or mouths moving? How is the child sitting? Is she making noises? This drawing gives us much information about a child’s sense of self. What order did the child draw in? Is there a ground and a sky? A sun in the sky? Does the person have hands and feet? What shape and color is the house and where is it placed? Are there windows? Light in the windows? Curtains? A chimney? Smoke? Does the tree have roots? Branches? Fruit? Leaves? How large is the figure and where is it placed? What is the overall soul mood? The Red Queen speaks words of praise and thanks. She asks if the child has lost any teeth or has any wiggly ones. The children are then led back to the chairs from which they began to change shoes and say goodbye. “Take my hand, children. Close your eyes and count to three. 1,2,3. Open them! Now we will be where we shall be! Let’s go back to your classroom. Thank you so much for coming.” Teacher shakes each child’s hand, and leads them away.
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29. Comments and Review: The teachers complete the sheet and review all that happened, writing down any notes that need to be remembered. The kindergarten teachers share relevant information from the assessment with each child’s parents during a Parent-Teacher Conference. If necessary, they also share it with the Educational Support Group and/or the wider circle of faculty.
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First Grade Assessment Form Developed for use with the Red Queen assessment story by Valerie Poplawski, Celia Riahi, and Randi Stein, Hartsbrook Waldorf School, Hadley, MA (January 2007) ✓ = yes X = no Today’s Date _________________________________________________________________ Child’s Name_________________________________________________________________ Child’s Birth Date _____________________________________________________________ Interviewing Teachers _________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Other Child __________________________________________________________________ Dominance Hand L _______ Ear L _______ Eye L _______ Leg L _______ 1. 2. 3. 4.
R R R R
_______ _______ _______ _______
Handshake (warm? cold?):___________________________________________________ Listening to Story (attentive, restless, fidgety, dreamy, other): ______________________ Dominance: see chart above Ball: Large Heavy Ball Large Felt Ball Small Ball 2 Hands-Toss _____________ 2 Hands-Toss ______________ 2 Hands-Toss___________ Catch ___________________ Catch ____________________ Catch_________________ Other Hand _______________ Other Hand ___________ Kick _____________________
5. Bean Bag: (gross motor, proprioception) Toss _____________________ Catch ____________________ Hand-to-hand _________ Above/below ____________ Around body ______________ Under/over leg ________ Balance on head __________ 6. Tracking: (crosses midline) Pauses __________________ Jerks ____________________ Loses Object______________
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7. Body Geography: (midline) Touch: Head ______________ Shoulders _________________ Waist _________________ Knees _____________ Toes _____________________ Elbows _______________ 8. Queen’s Salute: Hand to opposite ear _________________________________________ 9. Bridge: (balance) Walking over plank (Golden Bridge) _____ then rope (Silver Bridge) ________________ 10. One Foot Balance: Eyes open L _______ R _______ Eyes closed L _______ R _______ Speaking L _______ R _______ arms crossed 11. Jumping: Together forward ____________________ One foot lags __________________________ 12. Bunny Hop: ______________________________________________________________ 13. Hopping on One Foot: (gravity, balance, limb independence) L _________ R _________ 14. Skipping: (levity, rhythm) Rhythmical _______________ Off the ground _____________ Forward ______________ 15. Crawling: Contralateral _______________________ Homolateral ___________________________ Drags legs__________________________ Other ________________________________ 16. Jumping Rope: (levity, rhythm) _______________________________________________ 17. Primitive Reflexes: show them the position and give verbal instruction only—we are not teaching how to do movement Lion: Symmetric Tonic Neck Reflex: (do arms or legs bend when they turn head? Is there freedom of movement?) ________________________________________________________________________ Eagle: Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex: (can they get off the ground, legs bent, hold to count of…?) ________________________________________________________________________
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18. Walking up and down steps, benches or stool (dominant foot first?): ________________________________________________________________________ 19. Memory: (red flag with blue bird) (etheric) ______________________________________ 20. Sea Serpent: (bean bag second time) Above/below _____________ Around body ______________ Under/over leg _________ 21. Water: (spatial orientation, proprioception) Carrying _________________ Pouring ___________________ Noticing ______________ 22. Queen’s salute: ____________________________________________________________ 23. Bowing: (horizontal midline) Bending from knees: _________________ or bowing from waist: ___________________ 24. Does the child know: Colors ___________________________________________________________________ Subtraction (e.g. 5–2=3) ____________________________________________________ 25. Pencil grip: (fine motor) _____________________________________________________ How to write his or her name ________________________________________________ How many letters in name __________________________________________________ 26. Could he or she copy: a. b. Show direction of drawing __________________________________________________ 27. Jump, Clap, Speak: _________________________________________________________ 28. Drawing: House ___________________ Tree ______________________ Person ________________ (order: 1, 2, 3)
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29. Comments: General Appearance/Proportion, Health _______________________________________ Dentition ________________________________________________________________ Quality of Movement _______________________________________________________ Speech __________________________________________________________________ Following Instructions ______________________________________________________ Cooperation _____________________________________________________________ Attention ________________________________________________________________ “W” Sitting on Floor (soft sign of retained reflexes) _______________________________ Other Comments __________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
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The Red Queen Materials List We keep a box labeled and put away just for the Red Queen assessments: ●
3 beanbags
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1 large felt ball
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1 small felt ball
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Large jump rope for the 2 adults to turn
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2 planks for the Golden Bridge
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1 finger knitted rope for the Silver Bridge
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1 large shell
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1 or 2 kaleidoscopes or telescopes
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Small star wand for tracking
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3 bowls for the pouring of water into the queen’s well
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Eurythmy rod or a stick for the Magic Doorway
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Cloths for the Wood Elf’s pond, the Red Queen’s tablecloth
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2 complete sets of both block and stick crayons—all colors including black, brown, white and pink
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2 fat, colored pencils
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Drawing paper—cut to standard size as to make it easier for filing in the child’s file
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Drawing mats
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Reference List for The Red Queen In preparation
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A Therapeutic
Educator’s Approach— Keeping It Imaginative
and
Playfully Objective
Nancy Blanning Described here is an observational approach used by a therapeutic educator. Using the same readiness guides as the other models from this section, the observer is also trying to sense if questions about therapeutic support are called for. Many children are showing uneven development in different domains. As educators, we are challenged to discriminate between “ripening” or time issues and those calling for therapeutic attention that another year in the kindergarten will not resolve.
D
uring a readiness observation children are carried along by the playful imaginations that guide and even entice them to display their developmental maturation. We want this to be as gentle as possible and not so awakening to self-consciousness that the child might feel exposed. Yet the step into first grade is also a threshold, a passageway into a whole new phase of school life. Not everything will be imaginative. There will be simple requests and directions given in an objective way in their new class. So it can be helpful to also offer some tasks that have more of this flavor to fill out the observations about the child. The following readiness observation format strives to strike this balance. The observation session is composed of two parts—table tasks, with which we usually begin—and full-body movement with the guiding imagination of “playing in the meadow” and then going on a little journey to the mountain wildflower field and playing games along the way. The children are invited one at a time to play six-year-old games. We are careful to not say “first grade” games in case a child is too young developmentally to go on to the grade school. The “six-year” or “almost six” designation applies accurately to all. We usually
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begin with the table tasks, to give the child a chance to look about and settle in, unless it is sensed that the child is agitated and may feel more at ease in moving first. While what is described below is a typical order, there is always the possibility of adjusting it according to the needs of the moment. We might sit a little, move a little, return to the table, or begin right away with movement as the child’s needs are sensed. Most of the children are feeling quite big and capable and love to have that pointed out. “Children who are six (or almost six) have grown so much and can do many new things. One thing that happens is that their teeth wiggle. Do you have any wiggly teeth? Are new big teeth growing in the back of your mouth?” If none are observed then the child is assured that “this will happen soon.” Continuing observations are made in this spirit. If we continue at the table, the child opens a zippered bag containing all the things we will need to check dominance and fine motor skills (listed in the equipment list on page 145). This is a good place to start, as the three telescopes/kaleidoscopes in the bag are intriguing, giving amusing or beautiful new views of the world. These are placed on the table directly in the center of the child’s torso so as to favor neither side of the body. Which hand and eye the child uses is noted on the recording form. This is also the case for the shells and ears. The shells are arranged horizontally first. If the child uses left hand and left ear on that side and then switches to right hand and right ear, the shells are then lined up vertically as the telescopes had been. With the switch of hands and ears, the child might be demonstrating a reluctance to cross the vertical midline. To check this, the vertical arrangement of shells is neutral and lets the dominant side reveal itself more clearly. If there is still variation, a wrist watch can be set down neutrally in front of the child to be listened to. In a conversational and casual way, the child is further invited to tie a bow, unbutton a pouch which holds a “sparkle bead” to roll between fingers, and finally cut with scissors. Two finger puppets are waiting in the bag to come out to play. These figure prominently in the imaginations to follow. One is Niggles, the mouse, and the other her companion Rascal Red Bird (Rodney Rooster or Peter Parrot also make appearances). The children are often intrigued by Niggles, who opens the way for drawing tasks with her story. Two yellow-orange dots are drawn horizontally (to check vertical midline maturation) on a paper. The story tells how “Niggles is looking for food and creeps out of her mouse hole to see which piece is bigger.” She runs “crissing and crossing” around the pieces (horizontal lemniscate is drawn) until “she gets so dizzy that she just stops and has to rest.” That paper is withdrawn and dots drawn on another piece. The story continues, “Niggles comes out again to decide which piece of cheese to take. She has to be quick because the cat may be coming. Now you take a crayon and draw how Niggles ran crissing and crossing this time.” One observes whether the curving lines cross or circle around in loops instead.
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Rascal Red Bird comes to check eye tracking. The children are told: “Red Bird thinks he is very beautiful with his fine feathers. He actually thinks that when he is in the room he should receive all the attention. He is going to fly around (scanning side-to-side about ten sweeps) and up and down. Keep your eyes on him wherever he goes.” One looks for jerkiness, erratic movement, or over-shooting of the eyes where the eyes jump ahead and have to pull back to re-find the target. The story continues: “Red Bird also likes to play teasing games and make you look cross-eyed. That is what he is going to do now. Keep your eyes right on the tip of his beak.” The finger puppet comes in toward the nose to a distance of three to six inches away, and eye movement is observed. Red Bird continues to insist that we play more bird games, such as “Birdie flies to the tree. . .” to look for finger dexterity. He rescues Niggles the mouse (as explained below) and needs more admiration for his good deed. Red Bird The shapes are guides the posture and movements to check for retained reflexes (see “The Red Queen” for a description of how this is done). He also guides us to the zoo presented in a little where we must see the birds and practice being a sleeping flamingo. story about a family
in “the old days” when people traveled by wagon.
As part of the drawing tasks, the Niggles lemniscate and several geometric shapes from the Gesell Test of School Readiness are always included, along with one or two others described on the form. The shapes are presented in a little story about a family in “the old days” when people traveled by wagon. They were looking for land in the open country to build a new farm. They needed to find a pond (circle) to provide them with water. They came to cross-roads (equilateral cross) where many wagons had gone before them. Following along one road, they came to a village of native people who all lived in teepee-like shelters (triangle). Not wanting to disturb them, the family drove on and found just the right place to build the square bottom of their new house (square). Mother had a treasure box (horizontal rectangle with perpendicular lines touching the sides of the figure and dividing it into equal quarters, and then diagonal lines drawn from corner to corner, all lines intersecting in the center of the figure). But she had a surprise one day when she opened it and found a spider in the box with his legs stretched out. She whooshed the spider out into the grass outside. Then she took out her first jewel (vertical diamond) and then the second (horizontal diamond). The child is invited to draw each shape as it is presented. These drawings give another picture of the child’s relationship to the diagonal line.1
Before we leave the table, most of the auditory/listening/speaking games are played. The “animal naming” comes also from the Gesell Test of School Readiness. It has been useful in showing the child’s recall and word-finding abilities. If a stop-watch is used, it is called “the animal clock” that likes to listen to animal names. It tells the teacher when to say “please
1
Please refer to “Reflections on First Grade Readiness” in Part One of this volume for Margret Meyerkort’s observations about the diagonal.
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start” and when it has heard enough names. Most children are intrigued and are eager to whiz through the names they know. In the many years this has been part of the games, only one child has declined to do this game. That was useful information in itself, and we just moved on to the next thing. If all the table activities are done at once, we may be seated at the table for almost half an hour. This is intentionally a long stretch for the child. It gives a good picture of how long the child can sustain attention and stay engaged. We switch between many activities so there is much variety and playful newness. But if a child shows that this is too much, it is broken up into smaller segments and interspersed with more active movement. When we get up to move, an imagination is given of children running out to the spring meadow to play. They are so happy they skip. They feel the ground tremble and see a huge black horse galloping toward them. Like the horse, Midnight, they gallop. To avoid the horse’s huge energy, they shuffle sideways around the meadow and back. Then they notice that the grass is rustling; something is crawling through. Now down crawling on hands and knees, they follow and discover Niggles again looking for food. But Niggles does not know that the cat is following him (now creeping with forearms down on the floor). Just as the cat is readying to pounce, there is a squawk heard. Red Bird has come to save Niggles. Now that he has done such a good deed, he would like to be thanked by having more attention. He flies around again and practices being an eagle, a bird he most admires (reflex testing). It is such a lovely day that the children proceed on their walk. They cross a bridge (balance beam) to a meadow where they pick wildflowers. To get water to keep the flowers from wilting, they pump water like a windmill by moving their arms in big circles right in front of their bodies. They stop to play games—touching game (“with both hands touch your head, tummy, elbows”), catching and tossing a playground ball and bean bag, hop-scotch using either foot, kicking a stone (bean bag) in the road, visiting the zoo and the flamingo birds, and so on. Other parts of the observation not described here are woven in through light, playful suggestions, sometimes spontaneously as the particular session and child suggest. The last activity to be specifically described is “Peter Rabbit’s Garden,” which we usually encounter after visiting the flamingos. Five rods or ribbons are laid out parallel on the floor, about two feet apart, creating the “path to Peter’s garden.” The story explains that Peter decided never to return to Mr. McGregor’s garden. He has planted his own and loves to have children come visit. But they must jump in on bunny feet. This imagination guides the children into a proprioceptive task that looks at stamina, muscle control of lower limbs and feet, levity, rhythmic movement, and ability to initiate and arrest forward body movement with control. The story further explains that Peter has gone off to play and his mother is waiting for a helper to bring her vegetables from the garden. The child then jumps in and out of the garden five times to fetch different vegetables.
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The child is usually tired out by this jumping, so we follow it with the auditory game of listening to, remembering, and performing three directions in a row.2 This allows the child to catch her breath, and then we finish with jumping rope. In doing observations such as these, one of the challenging practical questions is how to record what one sees. The following recording form has evolved over many years. To be able to circle or check which descriptors apply is a big help, especially in the beginning. The descriptions include common ways children have been seen to perform these tasks over the years and can guide the teacher in what things to look for. In time, experience deepens our observation skills through practice and such an exhaustive list can be condensed or replaced by our own shorthand. And how do we begin to understand all these things we have observed? What are the children showing to us? What is the importance of whether midlines are present? How does balance/vestibular sense and self-movement/proprioception figure into a child’s readiness for the grade school? This is a huge topic that remedial/therapeutic study works with deeply, so what follow are only some indications that can guide us in putting our observations together into a whole picture. When the horizontal midline, separating the body into above and below, and vertical midline, dividing right and left sides, are still present, the child is essentially divided into “quarters.” Each area might be imagined as a little kingdom that may not have much awareness of the others. The goal is to have all parts unified into a wholeness that follows the intention of the individuality inhabiting the body. The horizontal midline integrates usually at about four years of age. When it is integrated, the child will bend over at the waist and let the head drop below shoulder level, rather than squat down to pick something up off the floor, holding the back and head erect. The vertical midline becomes integrated over time. It is common to see some remnant of the midline in a six- to seven-year-old child these days. However, if the child shows very strong signs of vertical midline retention, this would be significant to note. Signs of the midline maturing externally convey news that things are maturing neurologically as well, with the two hemispheres of the brain coming into a supportive relationship of communication and cooperation. In jumping/proprioceptive tasks, we are looking to see how well the body is controlled all together, as well as the individual limbs. It is through proprioception that we have a sense of body geography and awareness of where the limbs are in relation to one another. Through this awareness, we are able to direct the limbs and fingers to where we want them to go. We look at how far proprioception has descended into the periphery of the body when we look at fine motor development. In jumping tasks, levity and rhythmic movement are signs 2
One can do research into this by adding a fourth direction to the series. Information given at a workshop on first grade readiness by developmental pediatrician Dr. Susan Johnson reports that a six-and-a-half year old can recall four directions in a row.
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that the etheric forces are birthed from the lower limbs, the final one-third of the body.3 We can see that the child’s control of the body and intention for movement have descended all the way down through the feet. This, too, is a developing system and is far from complete with the six-year-old, so we do not expect mastery. However, observations of difficulty in managing fairly even bunny hops, feet widely splaying, excessive heaviness in jumping, and/ or tumbling forward through unrestrained momentum all call for attention. The balance/vestibular system is of immense importance to a sense of stability and security in standing on the earth. This is the master sensory system through which other sensory systems funnel, including vision. Secure physical balance allows us to find stillness and is also the physical foundation for emotional stability and security. Children who are wiggly and in constant motion often have an inefficient balance system. They require frequent, if not continuous, movement to give sensory stimulus to the balance The balance/vestibular apparatus of the semi-circular canals in the inner ear. Fidgeting, system is of immense rocking, and squirming are filling a physical sensory need for importance to a sense continuous stimulus so the inner “gyroscope” will4 register where one is. This is a system under threat in our times.
of stability and security in standing on the earth.
We see balance maturity displayed in many ways. Hopping on one foot requires balance. Can the child do so without having to quickly put the other foot down? Walking across a balance beam slowly with gaze straight ahead rather than looking down at the feet gives another picture of vestibular development. If the child tips wildly across the beam or steps off, balance is likely compromised. When we ask a child to stand on one foot with eyes closed, a first grade ready child used to be able to hold this stably to a count of ten. This is less commonly seen today. Holding balance without touching down with the other foot to a count of six to eight is more commonly seen, with some modest wobbling possible as well. Notable would be obvious difficulty in standing on one foot; quickly touching down with the lifted foot; and/or dramatic wobbling, swaying, or scootching of the standing foot across the floor. The indicators described for both the proprioceptive and vestibular systems may well suggest immaturity in these systems. It used to be that we would see a generally consistent maturation of physical body, foundational senses, and movement coordination across the board. It is increasingly common to find inconsistencies and disproportionate development now. Children showing clear readiness in other areas may show immature proprioceptive and/or vestibular development. This information has to be factored into the whole picture of the child. We are seeing more and more children who are chronologically well within the age band we
3 4
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See “The Birth of the Etheric” in You’re Not the Boss of Me! 21. There are many environmental influences interfering with healthy vestibular development. Ear infections and their treatment may affect vestibular development. The decreasing opportunities for children to freely move, climb, and balance restrict the chance for this system to have enough “practice” to develop well.
picture as going on to first grade, yet with weaknesses in these areas. We may be seeing not insufficient readiness but something the child will carry along with him- or herself irrespective of age. If a child shows some difficulties here, youngness in other areas, and is one of the younger ones considered with a late spring or summer birthday (if the guideline extends beyond June 1), an additional year in kindergarten would be an option to consider. But, if we decide that another ripening year is best for a child who has some of the challenges described above, we cannot assume that time alone will solve the difficulties. We must be very attentive to the child’s development and provide movement activities that support and encourage continued development.5 If fine motor skills are the question, then enticing the child to draw and do simple handcrafts, especially if the child avoids them because they are difficult, is our pedagogical responsibility. This would apply both at school and at home. As Waldorf early childhood educators, we are attempting a remarkable task. We need to be objectively and even scientifically knowledgeable about the foundational sensory systems. We need to know the physical signs that announce the birth of the etheric forces for grade school tasks. We factor these together with chronological age and a “global” impression of the child. We look for discontinuity in development and seek insight into what this says about the child. And we do this with openness and warmth of heart, striving only to serve the child’s individual welfare and destiny. This requires both objective observing and artistic sensing. What a task and what a deed this is to devote such interest to another human ✦ being.
References Blythe, Sally Goddard. The Well-Balanced Child (Stroud, UK: Hawthorn Press, 2004). Gesell Test of School Readiness (New Haven, CT: Gesell Institute of Human Development, 1980). Johnson, Dr. Susan. Informal handouts shared at a First Grade Readiness workshop, Rudolf Steiner College, February 2009. Ker, Ruth, ed. You’re Not the Boss of Me!—Understanding the Six/Seven-Year-Old Transformation (Spring Valley, NY: WECAN Publications, 2007). Kranowitz, Carol. The Out-of-Sync Child (NY: Berkley Publishing Group, 1998). _____________. The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun (NY: Berkley Publishing Group, 2003).
5
See “Activities to Support Healthy Development” list which follows this article. Further description of the proprioceptive and vestibular systems are found in The Out-of-Sync Child and ideas for activities in The Out-ofSync Child Has Fun by Carol Kranowitz.
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First Grade Readiness Observation
Complied by Nancy Blanning in collaboration with teachers of Denver Waldorf School (revised March 2009) Today’s Date _________________________________________________________________ Child’s Name_________________________________________________________________ Child’s Birth Date _____________________________________________________________ Kindergarten Teacher/Class _____________________________________________________ General Observation/Impression: Large headed? ______________________ Small headed? _________________________ Cosmic? ___________________________ Earthly? ______________________________ Fantasy rich?________________________ Fantasy poor? _________________________
Enters the session (circle appropriate descriptor) Confidently, eagerly? Shyly, reluctantly? Relaxes and becomes more animated through session?
Physical Indicators: 1. Appearance of 6 year molars? 2. Loosening or loss of baby teeth? 3. Hand reaches over head to other ear? 4. Visible waist indentation? 5. Elongation of neck? 6. Visible joints (knuckles and kneecaps)? 7. Arch in foot? 8. Individualized facial features?
Yes
No
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Comments
Movement: Please note—In all of the following movements, note whether the movement seems spontaneous or has to be throughtfully preplanned. In the “comment” section, please note any preplanned movement with a /P/. 1. Handshake—separate thumb from fingers? Offer correct hand (R to R)? Reach out confidently? Extend hand shyly, uncertainly?
____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____
2. Hop on either foot? Right stronger, hopped first? Left stronger, hopped first?
____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____
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Yes
No
3. Walk in cross pattern (opposite arm, leg)
____
____
4. Climb and descend stairs with alternating feet?
____
____
5. Can jump rope? Stand in center and have rope turned? Can jump to 10? Jumps on two feet? Has small hop between jumps? Levity in jump?
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
6. Can gallop? Which foot leads?
____ L
____ R
7. Can skip? Smooth rhythm or choppy? (circle) Upper and lower body both involved? Cross-lateral movement of upper and lower?
____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____
8. Can shuffle sideways? More able to one side than the other? More able side?
____ ____ L
____ ____ R
9. Crawls in cross-crawl pattern? Note any irregularities: Palms held off floor, hands fisted? Choppy? Homolateral / “Bear” crawl?
____
____
____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____
10. Crawls with forearms on floor? Maintains cross-crawl pattern? Lapses into homolateral crawl?
____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____
11. Toss and throw a playground ball? Tosses overhand? Tosses underhand? Bounces ball once between self and adult? Fearful of ball? Poor aim in return? Weak return throw?
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
12. Kicking—which foot kicks ball?
L
R
Comments
Yes
No
Comments
Sensory Integration 1. Vestibular— Balancing on one foot, eyes open How long (slow count to 10)? Balancing on one foot, eyes closed How long (slow count to 10)? Standing on both feet, close together, Arms extended in front, Eyes closed (slow count to 10) Stands steadily? Loses balance, tips?
____ ____ ____________ ____ ____ ____________
____ ____
____ ____
2. Beam walking steady and balanced? Wobbly, tippy, walking insecure? Steps off beam? Walks too fast?
____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____
3. Proprioception—hold feet tog. in bunny hops? Jumps through “ladder” on floor? Jumps and forward motion controlled? Cannot stop forward motion at end? Jumps a fluid series? Jumps heavy and separated? Feet splay or jumps irregular? (circle)
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
[For teachers knowledgable in reflexes observation] 4. Reflexes—are any evidenced? ATNR ____ TNR ____ TLR ____
____ ____ ____
5. Horizontal midline—bends over at waist? Bends knees, squats? Bends to step through hula hoop?
____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____
6. Vertical midline—arms cross midline of body? Arm circles in front of body—arms cross? Passes object across midline of body? Passes objects hand-to-hand at midline? Rotates torso instead of crossing midline? Touches elbows in touching game? Bends forearms up and back, looks down at elbows perplexedly?
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____
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Yes
No
Comments
7. Eye movement—Eyes track smoothly? ____ ____ ____ Eyes evidence jerkiness? ____ ____ Eyes overshoot? ____ Circle appropriate descriptors: Jerky eye movement Watery eyes Excessive blinking Moves head instead of eyes Compaints of strain or tiredness Convergence—eyes pull together to follow target coming close to the nose? (allowing 10 trials of bringing puppet to within 3 in. of the nose) ____ ____ ____ Eyes do not pull together? ____ ____ One eye non-converging? ____ Which eye? L R Number of successful trials? ____ /10 8. Gaze Looks directly outward, eyes focused forward, head held upright? ____ Head tipped down, looks out from under brows? ____ Avoidance of gaze of the other? ____
____ ____ ____
Dominance and Directionality 1. Hand—which hand writes and draws? Throws beanbag? Catches? Grasp in catching—open and stiff? Open and shut? Circle appropriate descriptors: Skilled throw, confident Controlled throw Stiff Clumsy Hesitant Backs up Arms loose Estimates distance to catch accurately Wild throw Does not aim Throws too forcefully 136
L L L ____ ____
R R R ____ ____
Yes
No
Comments
2. Eye—which eye views through telescope arranged vertically? (3 trials) Hand Eye L/R L/R L/R L/R L/R L/R Which eye sights through hole in card? L R 3. Ear—which ear used to listen to sea shells? (3 trials) Horizontal: Hand: L/R L/R L/R Ear: L/R L/R L/R If vertical midline retention is suggested, test again in vertical position: Vertical: Hand Ear L/R L/R L/R L/R L/R L/R To which ear is a watch lifted to listen for ticking? L R Which ear is turned to the table to listen for knocking? L R 4. Foot—which used for hopping? Which foot for kicking? Which foot leads downstairs? Which foot is pivot when turning in a circle?
L L L
R R R
L
R
5. Can follow a sequence of movements, imitating the teacher’s gestures: Touch top of head ____ ____ ____ R hand across to L shoulder ____ ____ R hand on R hip ____ ____ L hand on R ear ____ ____ L hand on R hip ____ ____ Touch knees ____ ____ Touch toes ____ Can the child follow consistently, ____ whether mirroring or reversing? ____ ____ Mirrors movements? ____ Reverses movements?
____
____
Directionality: Does the child demonstrate knowledge of R and L sides?
____
____
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7. Knows R hand? Answers the question “How do you know?”
Yes
No
____ ____
____ ____
____ L
____ R
Comments
Dexterity 1. Oppose thumb with each finger individually. Birdie flies to the tree, Lands in the nest so quietly. Can do with dominant hand? Which fingers can? With non-dominant hand? Which fingers can? Better with which hand?
index middle ring little ____ ____ L R index middle ring little L R
2. Can rotate a “raspberry” bead or marble between thumb and index finger? between thumb and other fingers? 3. Can open and shut a zipper? 4. Can button? 5. Can cut with scissors along circle? Describe anything notable:
____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____ ____
6. Can tie a knot or bow (circle which)?
____
____
Eye-Hand [Note: Many drawing imaginations are described below. Select 3–4 as seems appropriate. The first and second are always included in this assessment.] 1. Lemniscate: Teacher draws two dots on a piece of paper, placed horizontally, and draws a continual figure 8 around the dots for several times. Teacher then draws two new dots on a large paper and asks the child to draw the same. Take teacher’s example away and see if child can draw from memory. If not, offer the example to copy. Draws easily without model? Needs model but successful? Does not cross lines in drawing? Draws loops instead of crossing?
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____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____
Yes
No
Comments
2. Geometric shapes: Have child copy these shapes onto own piece of paper, with the model shapes viewed on the table (same plane as the child’s paper). circle
cross
square
triangle
Rectangle with perpendicular cross and crossing diagonal lines inside Diamond—vertical
Diamond—horizontal
3. Divide horizontally placed piece of paper unevenly, with a vertical line making one side larger than the other. Ask the child to choose the larger part for her/himself. Correct?
____
____
On teacher’s side, draw the following form on the smaller side, first with your finger and then with crayon, with the following imagination. “I am walking away. I turn around and come to a little lake. I walk around it and then come back to the path and keep walking. And I can make a fish in the lake.” Now ask the child, “Can you go into your field and down the path, too? Show me first with your finger and then draw with your crayon.” [from notes on First Grade Readiness from Dr. Michaela Glöckler.] Correct?
____
____
4. Form drawing on the blackboard: Have the child imitate these forms on paper at the table, copying from teacher’s example on the chalkboard. Forms can include saw-tooth (mountains), circle (sun), straight vertical lines symmetrically arranged on either side of the circle. Can accurately follow sequence? Correct placement? Adds embellishments? Draws from own imagination?
____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____
[Note: These additional drawing imaginations are from Audrey McAllen’s The Extra Lesson and are quoted by kind permission of Rudolf Steiner College Press.] 5. Drawing straight and wavy horizontal lines: On a large piece of paper (approximately 18–22” x 8“) placed horizontally and centered in front of the child, ask him to draw a line across the paper from left to right. Then ask him to draw a line underneath going in the opposite direction. Does the child freely cross the vertical midline? Twist or turn sideways? Move paper to avoid crossing?
____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ 139
Yes
No
Comments
Now ask the child to draw a wavy line from left to right, then another wavy line going from right to left. Is the hand skilled? Wrist moves freely?
____ ____
____ ____
6. Four-Petalled Flower: The teacher draws the empty form of a four-petalled flower and asks the child what it is. Drawing on the concept sense and ability to inwardly visualize, most children will answer that it is a flower, a four-leaf clover, or a butterfly. Then ask the child to finish the drawing. Limited embellishment and detail? Rich detail provided?
____ ____
____ ____
Listening and Speaking Speak the following phrases to the child and have him repeat as spoken. Circle any omitted words or incorrect articulations: The fat cat in the tree / ran to the top / and then hopped on a wall. / From there/ the cat leapt to the ground to go home. / On the way, / the cat fell in the well. / Ding, dong, dell. Pussy’s in the well. Child could repeat each phrase? 2. Are there speech immaturities? /th/ lisp? /r/ lisp? sound substitutions? List:
____
____
____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____
3. Can the child repeat clapping rhythms? Offer 5–10 patterns of increasing complexity. Accurate always? ____ ____ ____ Correct rhythm but not number? ____ ____ Successful on easy patterns? ____ ____ Loses pattern or sequence on hard? ____ 4. Can follow a sequence of oral directions—teacher gives all three directions in a row before the child can begin. Child can wait to listen? Begins impulsively?
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____ ____
____ ____
Yes
No
Hop to the door Run back to me Touch your head
____
____
Turn around once Stamp your foot Wink one eye
____
____
Stand on a chair Rub your tummy Say your name
____
____
Comments
5. Animal naming: [Gesell item from Stanford Binet] Say to the child: “I bet you know the names of many animals. Let’s see how many you can name. I’ll tell you when to stop.” Teacher can casually time one minute on wrist watch or on a stop watch introduced as the “animal clock” that likes to hear children say animal names. [6-year-olds are ususally intrigued by the stop watch; if the child seems intimidated by this request, it is omitted] Record all the responses and note how long the child sustained the responses, up to one minute. 6. Have the child hum or sing “Twinkle, twinkle…” Melody correct? ____ Pitch high or low (circle)? ____ Monotone? ____
____ ____ ____
7. Ask the child to sing another song, preferably one from the kindergarten. If unable to think of one, suggest a well known tune, such as “Happy Birthday.” Sings without prompting? Melody correct? Remembers words, right order?
____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____
Memory 1. Ask the child, “What are some things you do in the kindergarten?” 2. Story retelling—“What was the last story your teacher told you” or “Tell me a story you remember hearing in kindergarten.” [Note: It is recommended to have 2–3 stories you know the child has heard to suggest if there is no spontaneous response.]
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Child selects a story from his memory? Child tells story without much prompting? With prompting? Retold with rich detail, accurate sequence? Retold accurately but little elaboration? Trouble finding precise words to describe? Cannot remember any story?
Yes
No
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Comments
Person-House-Tree Drawing: Take child through the clapping and clapping/jumping exercise from The Extra Lesson. ____
____
Position of feet and posture while drawing? Flat on floor? Crossed? Ankles wrapped around chair legs? Mouth moving while drawing?
____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____
Does child rotate paper or wrist to draw?
____
____
____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____
Can child imitate/follow order? Description notes of child’s drawing: Order of elements drawn Crayon grip Thumb plus 2 fingers Thumb plus 3 fingers Thumb plus 4 fingers Fisted grip Other? Describe.
Additional Notes Interaction: Child appropriately conversational? Quiet but answered appropriately? Child talked excessively, off topic?
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Yes
No
Attention and focus: Did the child Appropriately respond to requests? Ask to have directions repeated?
____ ____
____ ____
Sustain attention? Sustain energy, vitality? Tire easily? Move about impulsively?
____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____ ____ ____
Was the child Distracted by objects in the environment? Distracted by sounds?
____ ____
____ ____
Comments
Additional Observations and Impressions:
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Equipment List For table tasks Zippered “treasure” bag to hold all the objects listed below: ●
Three telescopes or kaleidoscopes
●
Three large seashells
●
Ribbon for bow tying
●
Small pouch with button closure
●
“Raspberry” bead or marble that rests in the pouch
●
Mouse finger puppet—or equivalent according to the imagination used
●
Bird finger puppet
●
Scissors, child-sized for use with either hand
Copy forms—on individual cards shown one at a time ●
Circle, cross, square, triangle, “spider in the box” rectangle
●
Vertical diamond, horizontal diamond
Small blackboard (if this drawing task is included) Paper for drawing Stick crayons in wide array of colors, including black Optional: stop watch for the “animal clock”
For large movements Balance beam Rods or ribbons (5) to jump over in a series as the bunny garden path Long jump rope for teacher to turn, tied to chair or door handle Playground size ball Beanbag Optional: hula hoop to check horizontal midline
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Activities to Support Healthy Sensory Development Compiled by Nancy Blanning Spinning activities and spinning around in place Going in a circle, as in circle games Rocking side to side Partner swings for older children Bending over forward to look back between our legs Walking on tiptoe Skipping around the circle Twirling in place Follow these activities with proprioceptive jumping, hopping, clapping, etc. to provide grounding for the vestibular stimulation that can carry the children “out.” Additional proprioceptive activities we can include in our movement imaginations are: Stretching upward on tiptoes (really stretching) Wheelbarrow walking Push-pull movements in partners Walking with weighted bean bag on the head On the playground we can encourage the children toward: Tire swing Swings Merry-go-round Slides Hand-over-hand bars Balance logs Cargo ropes Fireman’s pole Sled riding Scooter riding Tree climbing Somersaulting 147
We can create a journey with the children in the morning first thing where we can Roll down a hill Jump rope Leap from place to place Balance on rocks, stumps, logs, and other uneven surfaces For a classroom obstacle course we can: Crawl under play stands and tables Jump over a rod Bounce on a trampoline and then off to the floor Walk over tipping river stones in sock or slippered feet Walk up and/or down an elevated beam Walk over a rocker board In the classroom we offer: Sanding Sawing Hammering Mashing Cutting Kneading Grinding grain Walking balance beam Carrying heavy objects Stirring heavy dough or batter The tactile/touch sense is cultivated by Sandbox (both inside and outside the classroom) Felting Kneading dough Water play—washing dishes, clothes
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Observation Form
for the Documentation
of Development and Learning
International Working Group on the Transition from Kindergarten to School
T
his observation form is offered as a resource to indicate aspects we might consider to picture readiness. European and British schools are under new legal requirements to document and validate how school entry is determined in Steiner/Waldorf schools. This form was one response to that requirement and does not stand as an official statement from the Working Group or any single country. It is a working draft offered for use in our own research. Much further work has been done since this was published, which awaits translation into English. The Working Group on the Transition from Kindergarten to School has developed the following survey forms. They are offered as working instruments to serve the documentation of observations, development and learning in children in Waldorf early childhood programs and in the first years of Waldorf school. The observation form, to be filled out by early childhood educators, kindergarten teachers, and school teachers, focuses on questions of development in children ages three to seven. For parents, there is also a questionnaire for describing the health of the child and the child’s everyday life at home. The Working Group can send you this form if you request it. To the extent that parental permission has been given, the information on these forms can also be used as a basis for conversations and exchange between parents and colleagues in kindergartens, as well as the circle responsible for admission in the future school. If used in this way, regulations regarding confidentiality must be carefully followed. Additional questions that seem relevant may be added to these observation forms, at the discretion of the user. These documents do not in any way replace the deepening activity 149
and observation of children (e.g. bodily constitution) as they can be undertaken out of Waldorf education and the insights of an anthroposophical view of the human being, in order to achieve an understanding of the being and individuality of the children. For teachers, a form is included for systematic individual interpretation and evaluation. This tool is currently under development. The Working Group would be pleased to receive input and comments regarding its usefulness and understandability, as well as your additions and experiences. For the Working Group, Margarete Kaiser Stuttgart, December 14, 2006 Members of the Working Group: Margarete Kaiser, Claudia McKeen, Martyn Rawson, Konrad Schmidt
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Observation Form for Early Childhood Educators International Working Group on the Transition from Kindergarten to School Name of kindergarten or childcare program _______________________________________ (Attach official seal) Address _____________________________________________________________________ Form completed by ___________________________________________________________ Child’s Name_________________________________________________________________ Child’s Birth Date _____________ Child’s Current Age _________ (years) ________ (months) Length of Observations: From _____________________________ To ___________________ How long has this child attended this kindergarten or institution’s programs? ____________ How many programs outside the home has this child already attended? ________________ How many such observation processes has this child experienced? ____________________ Date of last observation ________________________________________________________ I am aware of confidentiality regulations. __________________________________________ Date _________________________________ Signature _____________________________
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Applies
Mostly applies
Applies somewhat
Does not apply
Imitation
____________________________________________________________________________ The child acquires new phrases and vocabulary words ____________________________________________________________________________ The child sings ____________________________________________________________________________ The child imitates gestures and movements in circle/rhythmic games ____________________________________________________________________________ The child’s play reflects puppet plays, festival celebrations, and work activities the child has been exposed to ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can imitate sequences (setting the table, cleaning up) that have been demonstrated ____________________________________________________________________________ Further relevant observations and comments:
____________________________________________________________________________ I experience this child in the realm of “imitation,” relative to his/her age, on a scale of one (younger) to ten (older) — please circle: 1 2 younger
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3
4
5 6 age appropriate
7
8
9
10 older
Applies
Mostly applies
Applies somewhat
Does not apply
Play Behavior
____________________________________________________________________________ The child orients him- or herself to the adult or to other children ____________________________________________________________________________ The child’s play is stimulated through objects in the room ____________________________________________________________________________ The child takes on a role in group creative play ____________________________________________________________________________ The child creates and builds play landscapes ____________________________________________________________________________ The child comes into the group with ideas for creative play (sometimes from themes played on previous days) ____________________________________________________________________________ The child’s play extends over a period of several days ____________________________________________________________________________ The child indicates a need to play out quite accurately his/her idea of things he/she has experienced ____________________________________________________________________________ Other typical aspects of the child’s play, or other observations:
____________________________________________________________________________ I experience this child in the realm of “play behavior,” relative to his/her age, on a scale of one (younger) to ten (older) — please circle: 1 2 younger
3
4
5 6 age appropriate
7
8
9
10 older
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Applies
Mostly applies
Applies somewhat
Does not apply
Movement
____________________________________________________________________________ The child sits securely in his or her place ____________________________________________________________________________ The child moves freely and confidently in the room ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can walk easily up and down stairs ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can hop on one leg ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can walk backwards ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can balance freely ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is learning to jump rope ____________________________________________________________________________ The child climbs (trees, on stone walls, etc.) ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can lift, move and carry objects with ease ____________________________________________________________________________ The child has mastered the use of knife and scissors ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can set and clear the table well ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can pour tea into cups ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can easily put on his or her own shoes ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can tie his or her shoelaces ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can button buttons or use a zipper on a jacket easily ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is confident using pencil and paintbrush ____________________________________________________________________________
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Applies
Mostly applies
Applies somewhat
Does not apply
The child can thread a needle ____________________________________________________________________________ Further relevant comments and observations:
____________________________________________________________________________ I experience this child in the realm of “movement,” relative to his/her age, on a scale of one (younger) to ten (older) — please circle: 1 2 younger
3
4
5 6 age appropriate
7
8
9
10 older
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Applies
Mostly applies
Applies somewhat
Does not apply
Speech Behavior
____________________________________________________________________________ The child’s articulation is clear ____________________________________________________________________________ The child’s vocabulary is age-appropriate ____________________________________________________________________________ The child uses grammar and syntax age-appropriately ____________________________________________________________________________ The child understands the meaning of what has been said ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is able to perceive well acoustically ____________________________________________________________________________ The child takes initiative in speaking with others ____________________________________________________________________________ The child enjoys re-telling stories he or she has heard ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is able to verbalize feelings ____________________________________________________________________________ Further relevant observations and comments:
____________________________________________________________________________ I experience this child in the realm of “speech behavior,” relative to his/her age, on a scale of one (younger) to ten (older) — please circle: 1 2 younger
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3
4
5 6 age appropriate
7
8
9
10 older
Applies
Mostly applies
Applies somewhat
Does not apply
Attention, Perseverance, and Memory
____________________________________________________________________________ The child is able to listen ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can stay with an activity over a period of time ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can take on and carry out tasks ____________________________________________________________________________ The child follows with interest logically related sequences of activity ____________________________________________________________________________ The child’s drawings are recognizably representative/figurative ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can remember rhythmically recurring events ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can remember at will ____________________________________________________________________________ The child can order experiences in time ____________________________________________________________________________ Further relevant observations and comments:
____________________________________________________________________________ I experience this child in the realm of “attention, perseverance, and memory,” relative to his/ her age, on a scale of one (younger) to ten (older) — please circle: 1 2 younger
3
4
5 6 age appropriate
7
8
9
10 older
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Applies Mostly Applies Does not Any change applies somewhat apply since last year/last observation? YES
Any change since last year/last observation? NO
General Health and Well-Being of the Child ____________________________________________________________________________ The child enjoys coming to the kindergarten ____________________________________________________________________________ The child separates easily from the parents ____________________________________________________________________________ The child appears well-rested in the mornings ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is happy to participate in group activities ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is bored ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is happy ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is tired and “floppy” ____________________________________________________________________________ The child seems stressed ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is badtempered ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is full of drive and initiative ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is unsettled, out of balance ____________________________________________________________________________ 158
Applies Mostly Applies Does not Any change applies somewhat apply since last year/last observation? YES
Any change since last year/last observation? NO
The child is pale ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is nervous and “wiggly” ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is fearful ____________________________________________________________________________ The child has little appetite ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is satisfied ____________________________________________________________________________ The child is aggressive ____________________________________________________________________________ The child seems to feel well within his or her skin ____________________________________________________________________________ In terms of “general well-being,” I experience this child as — please circle: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Feels well Does not feel well ____________________________________________________________________________ In terms of “health,” I experience this child as — please circle: 1 2 3 4 Healthy/balanced
5
6
7
8 9 10 Something is not right
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Summary and Further Action Observation number __________________________________________________________ Results of observations in various categories: ____________________________________________________________________________ Imitation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ____________________________________________________________________________ Play Behavior 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ____________________________________________________________________________ Movement 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ____________________________________________________________________________ Speech Behavior 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ____________________________________________________________________________ Attention, Memory 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 and Perseverance ____________________________________________________________________________ Well-being 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ____________________________________________________________________________ Health 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ____________________________________________________________________________ Summary in your own words:
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No special measures are needed:
Recommended next steps: (e.g. parent meeting, medical exam, therapy, etc.)
Parent conference on (date): ____________________________________________________ Participants in the conversation: (teacher, doctor, therapist, etc.)
What needs to be achieved:
Next recommended observation or renewed consultation date ________________________ Date _______________________ Signed _________________________________________ Child’s Name_________________________________________________________________ Current Age ___________________________ years__________________________ months
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Contributors
Joan Almon Joan Almon is the Coordinator of the U.S. branch of the Alliance for Childhood, and former chair of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America. She is internationally recognized as a consultant to Waldorf educators and training programs and the author of numerous articles on Waldorf Education. Ms. Almon is former editor of the Waldorf Kindergarten Newsletter and a board member of the International Waldorf Kindergarten Association.
Nancy Blanning Nancy has taught within Waldorf education for twenty-five years as a lead kindergarten teacher and presently serves as a therapeutic and remedial teacher at the Denver Waldorf School. Her special focus is on developing movement enrichment for young children. With her colleague, Laurie Clark, she has co-authored the book Movement Journeys and Circle Adventures. She also does consulting work with Waldorf schools in North America, teacher training and mentoring. She is a member of the WECAN board. She was also a member of the WECAN Working Group on the Older Child in the Kindergarten and a contributor to the book You’re Not the Boss of Me!
Melissa Borden Melissa Borden is a kindergarten teacher at the Seattle Waldorf School, where she has taught for twenty years. She had a sabbatical year experience at the Edinburgh Steiner School.
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Louise deForest Louise has been a Waldorf kindergarten teacher for many years and is now the Pedagogical Director of the Early Childhood program at the Rudolf Steiner Waldorf School in Manhattan. Louise has taught classes at Sunbridge College for many years, as well as offering workshops, support to homeschooling families, parent consultations and traveling to mentor and evaluate teachers and early childhood programs nationally and internationally. Louise is a WECAN board member, a regional representative of WECAN in Mexico, one of the representatives from North America to IASWECE and leader of the Waldorf early childhood teacher training in Cuernavaca, Mexico. She was also a member of the WECAN Working Group on the Older Child in the Kindergarten and a contributor to the book You’re Not the Boss of Me!
Nancy Foster Nancy Foster has been a Waldorf kindergarten teacher since 1973 at Acorn Hill Waldorf Kindergarten and Nursery in Silver Spring, Maryland, where she now works with parents and teachers in parent-child groups. She also lectures, gives workshops for teachers, serves as a mentor for new teachers, and is on the visiting faculty of Sunbridge College in Spring Valley, New York. She is the author/editor of Let Us Form a Ring and Dancing as We Sing, two collections of seasonal music and verse, and the author of In a Nutshell: Dialogues with Parents at Acorn Hill, a Waldorf Kindergarten.
Michaela Glöckler, MD Dr. Michaela Glöckler has been Leader of the Medical Section at the Goetheanum, the School of Spiritual Science in Dornach, Switzerland since 1988. Until 1988 she was a colleague in the children’s outpatient clinic at the Community Hospital in Herdecke and served as school doctor for the Rudolf Steiner School in Witten, Germany. Michaela has many publications in German. Her publications in English include Medicine at the Threshold, A Healing Education, Developmental Insights, and A Guide to Child Health.
Wolfgang Goebel, MD Together with Dr. Michaela Glöckler, Dr. Goebel is co-author of A Guide to Child Health, the classic anthroposophical reference book for parents and teachers.
Kim Holscher Kim is a class teacher at the Seattle Waldorf School. She is nearing the end of the eight-year cycle with her second class. She is noteworthy for how she has worked sensitively with both children and parents as they have made the transition from the kindergarten into the grade school.
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Ruth Ker Ruth has been a teacher of early childhood education for over thirty years, first in mainstream education and then at Sunrise Waldorf School in British Columbia, Canada. Ruth is presently in the mixed-age kindergarten classroom with her beloved six-year-olds, is a member of the WECAN board, and a teacher trainer and mentor for the early childhood teacher training program of the West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy. Ruth was also a facilitator for the retreats attended by the WECAN Working Group on the Older Child in the Kindergarten, and editor of the resulting book You’re Not the Boss of Me!—Understanding the Six/Seven-Year-Old Transformation.
Janet Klaar After working in mainstream education and bringing up three children, parenting them through Steiner education, Janet joined the Early Years team in 1988 at Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School, Stourbridge, England. She was an active member of the Steiner Waldorf Early Years Group and later became an Early Years adviser. For a number of years she was a member of the international birth-to-three group, the World Wide Initiative for Early Childhood Care. She now works part-time for the Plymouth University Steiner/Waldorf early childhood training, holds a parent and child group once a week locally, and is a trustee of Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School.
Bettina Lohn, MD Dr. Bettina Lohn is an Anthroposophic pediatrician and a school doctor for schools in Stourbridge and the West Midlands, UK.
Audrey McAllen Audrey McAllen began her work in Waldorf education in 1942 as a class teacher at Michael Hall in England. She is well known for her work as a remedial teacher and for the Extra Lesson exercises she developed from Rudolf Steiner’s indications. She has also taught in the Kindergarten Training Course at Wynstones and lectured internationally. Of her many published books, the most recent one guides teachers in understanding person-house-tree drawings.
Claudia McKeen, MD Claudia McKeen, MD worked as the school physician for the Uhlandshöhe Waldorf school in Stuttgart and presently works at the Institute For Pedagogy, Ecology of the Senses and Media Studies (IPSUM) in Stuttgart.
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Rainer Patzlaff Dr. Rainer Patzlaff worked for a long time as a Waldorf teacher, media researcher and publicist. Since 2001 he leads the Institute For Pedagogy, Ecology of the Senses and Media Studies (IPSUM) in Stuttgart, which he founded.
Valerie Poplawski TK
Martyn Rawson worked for over 25 years as class teacher, speech teacher and high school teacher in Great Britain and Germany. Since 2003 he teaches at the Freie Hochschule Stuttgart (Free College in Stuttgart), the seminar for Waldorf pedagogy, and at the pedagogical research department of the Association for Waldorf schools in Stuttgart.
Celia Riahi TK
Wolfgang Sassmannshausen Along with Dr. Patzlaff, Dr. Sassmannshausen was the principal author of the first part of a study on the education of the young child commissioned by the German Association of Waldorf Schools and the International Association of Waldorf Kindergartens. The first two parts of the study are available in English from AWSNA as Developmental Signatures: Core Values and Practices in Waldorf Education for Children Ages 3–9.
Randi Stein Randi Stein is a dance/movement therapist and Waldorf Remedial Educator. She co-authored “The Red Queen” at the Hartsbrook Waldorf School, where she has been Educational Support Coordinator for the past four years. Additionally Randi consults with Waldorf schools in New England, offering developmental assessments, therapeutic movement programs for learning challenged children, and faculty workshops on these topics.
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