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A slight change of plans and a realization
So a couple of months ago when I announced we are going to homeschool Ike I said that I was going to use the Oak Meadow Curriculum.
I changed my mind.
I figured out that it is Waldorf based, started reading about Waldorf, realized that it could be more "Waldorfy" and found a different curriculum I like MUCH better. (Melisa Nielsen's A Journey Though Waldorf, combined with extras from Kristie Burns' Earthschooling if anyone is interested in knowing.) One of the things I like best about Waldorf Education is the fact that it is very art heavy. Academics are introduced in an artistic fashion. (Check out some of these Main Lesson Book Pages). Lots of drawing, painting, modeling and handwork.
Anyway I've been listening to different MP3's put out by them and others (Donna Simmons over at Christopherus, Eugene Schwartz over at Millennial Child) and they keep using the word Holistic to describe Waldorf Education. Makes sense. You are taking a look at the whole child to before presenting subjects to make sure they are ready or even if its something they need. You aren't just looking at some published by the school district benchmarks to determine the academic path.
Many have decried our current public school system as being too...um. Left Brained. Works on developing linear and logical reasoning to the detriment to everything else. Which is one of the things I hate about it. I hate the fact that art is no longer being taught, nor is music, PE. The kids are being taught to the test. They aren't being taught how to think or to love learning. I think a lot of teachers want to, but the Test constrains them.
While reading "Drawing on the right side of the brain" today* I found a chart that gives a comparison between the functions of the Left and the Right side of the brain. The very last word on the Right side is "Holistic: Seeing whole things all at once." Then it hit me.
A Waldorf Education literally teaches kids to use their entire brains. How cool is that?
I may be slow...but I still wanted to write this down.
*Man![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mollygm must be hating this post! Too many linkies
I changed my mind.
I figured out that it is Waldorf based, started reading about Waldorf, realized that it could be more "Waldorfy" and found a different curriculum I like MUCH better. (Melisa Nielsen's A Journey Though Waldorf, combined with extras from Kristie Burns' Earthschooling if anyone is interested in knowing.) One of the things I like best about Waldorf Education is the fact that it is very art heavy. Academics are introduced in an artistic fashion. (Check out some of these Main Lesson Book Pages). Lots of drawing, painting, modeling and handwork.
Anyway I've been listening to different MP3's put out by them and others (Donna Simmons over at Christopherus, Eugene Schwartz over at Millennial Child) and they keep using the word Holistic to describe Waldorf Education. Makes sense. You are taking a look at the whole child to before presenting subjects to make sure they are ready or even if its something they need. You aren't just looking at some published by the school district benchmarks to determine the academic path.
Many have decried our current public school system as being too...um. Left Brained. Works on developing linear and logical reasoning to the detriment to everything else. Which is one of the things I hate about it. I hate the fact that art is no longer being taught, nor is music, PE. The kids are being taught to the test. They aren't being taught how to think or to love learning. I think a lot of teachers want to, but the Test constrains them.
While reading "Drawing on the right side of the brain" today* I found a chart that gives a comparison between the functions of the Left and the Right side of the brain. The very last word on the Right side is "Holistic: Seeing whole things all at once." Then it hit me.
A Waldorf Education literally teaches kids to use their entire brains. How cool is that?
I may be slow...but I still wanted to write this down.
*Man
mollygm must be hating this post! Too many linkies