Book Tittle: Waldorf Education – A Family Guide

Edited By: Pamela Johnson Fenner and Karen L. Rivers

Waldorf Education – A family Guide, is a great easy read for parents, explaining the history, philosophy, curriculum, and traditions of the unique Waldorf education. The book is divided into six main chapters: An Overview of Waldorf Education, Moving Through the Grades, What About…..?, Family Life and Waldorf Education and Celebrating Through the Year.

This reader particularly enjoyed the chapter, Moving Through the Grades. It describes the nature of each classroom’s experience, as a child moves from Kindergarten to the upper Primary and beyond. As you read you will discover the weaving of an amazing tapestry of integrated academic skills, each building on the one before.

The Family Life and Waldorf Education chapter, offers many suggestions on how parents might bridge school and home life. Thus further enhancing a child’s Waldorf experience.

Celebrations Through the Year, is a fascinating chapter explaining the history of festivals and the way Waldorf schools incorporate some of these.

“These festivals, which have come down to us from the past, had their source in an ancient wisdom, a spiritual knowledge of man and nature. In the modern world they have, to a far reaching extent, lost their substance. They have become matters of tradition, habit, economics, at best mere sentimentality; but rightly understood, rightly celebrated the festivals can become a source of healing for the individual and society, a harmonizing, community building power.”

“Through living with the festivals and seasons we can learn to sense the breath and pulse of the cosmos. We can learn to experience ourselves in the world, the world in us.”

(Page 144 – J. F. Wornal. Waldorf Education – A Family Guide)

Overall, this reader would recommend Waldorf Education – A family Guide, as it is a good foundation source not just for new families but also a great refresher, for those more familiar with Waldorf education.