The Homeschool Journey

Christopherus Curriculum: Update

I wrote the following for the February issue of our e-mail newsletter and realized that it would be good to share this information on the blog too! This is a progress report concerning the new Christopherus Curriculum.

Second and Third Grade

We’re right on schedule with the new second and third grade curriculums. I am so pleased with them I could burst – and I really think that if you like our other materials you will be thrilled with them: they are deeper; contain more step-by step instructions for artistic work; and are more user-friendly, more doable and more complete than anything we’ve produced yet! I have just finished our two third grade Native American blocks. I have given full lesson material so that you can share beautiful living pictures of the People of the Desert, People of Snow and Ice, People of the Woodlands, People of the Swamps, People of the Rice, People of the Plains and People of Water and Mist with your child. The theme for third grade is Practical Work – and the main thrust of the Native American main lessons is how the people lived – how they lived in harmony with their environments and how the different ways the different people hunted, farmed and built their homes was/is an expression of this. Thus part of the Building theme for third grade finds expression in an exploration of how different Native American peoples lived/live and built their homes.

Building is also picked up again in two Practical Work main lessons where I suggest a host of practical building projects. Measuring, the main topic for third grade math, is presented and then picked up again through practical building work. And creating a Three Sisters Garden comes out of the Native American main lessons and is a large part of the practical work in the latter part of third grade.

Weather is the main science topic for third grade (see here for more on how we have developed our Christopherus science curriculum for all 8 grades) and is woven into a number of lessons as well as its own mini main lessons.

So you can see how the third grade curriculum in particular is really one integrated whole (there’s more than I have mentioned here as well). This is one reason why we have only made one component of the third grade curriculum available separately (Old Testament Stories) as opposed to three in second grade (Animal Legends, Saints & Heroes, Second Grade Math).

Please see here for a simple overview of our second and third grade curriculums and here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the new curriculum).

Fourth and Fifth Grade

The fourth grade curriculum lends itself more easily to being split into components and we will probably have at least two main lessons available separately (Fourth Grade Math at the end of the summer or early fall and then Man & Animal at some later point.) We also plan to have a fifth grade Ancient Myths book available (perhaps early 2009) to join the fifth grade Botany which is already available.

At some point after the third and second grade curriculums are available, we will have a page up on our website to help homeschoolers bridge the current gaps in our curriculum. This will be a How to Put Together Fourth Grade page similar to the current How to Put Together Second Grade page. Parents of 2008/09 fourth graders will have our fifth grade curriculum ready for them when they need it! And then the intention is to start producing the middle years curriculum.

Sixth through Eighth Grade

At the moment my thoughts on that are to put together 6th – 8th grade books by subject so that parents can customize, depending on the needs of their middle years children. In other words, we will, most likely, have Middle Years Math, Middle Years Science and Middle Years Language Arts books (this latter volume being the second in the series of Living Language Language Arts books, the grades 1 through 5 already available).. These will be joined by a selection of various main lesson books (like the current Roman History and Middle Ages unit studies) so that there is a lot of flexibility in how one sequences the work. In our Waldorf Curriculum Overview I discuss how the middle years curriculum is much more fluid than the earlier years curriculum and how one can work with that at home. Anyway…. more on this later next year!

Old Testament Materials Now !

They're finished!! They're - well, they're not quite ready... they're at the printers (mid January) but will be back and orders will be sent out the last week of January or the first week of February.

 

So.... here is a link so you can read more and also place an order!

 

More Details of Our New Curriculum

Well, I've been faithfully writing up a storm these last months, pulling together the new Christopherus second and third grade curricula so that they'll be ready for you late spring/early summer. I have been enjoying myself immensely and have learned an enormous amount.

 

One of the things which is especially important to us as we create this curriculum is that it hangs together and makes up an integrated whole as befits anything which calls itself Waldorf. As I have been thinking through the various lessons I am always asking myself "what will they do with this subject next year? And in years to come? How does this subject develop over a number of years?"

 

To that end we now have details on our website not only of what will be in both the second and third grade curriculum but we also have a plan detailing both our Handwork and Crafts vertical curriculum from grades one through eight as well as our vertical Science curriculum for grades one through eight.

 

You'll see that the science curriculum especially is a little different from what one might expect to find in a Waldorf school - and that's because we encourage parents to not try to late schools but to capitalize on the uniqueness of the home situation! Thus gardening and cooking feature strongly in our work as these are subjects which lend themselves easily to home learning - and are also both excellent subjects to not only tie together a large part of the overall science curriculum, but to also underline the ecological consciousness which permeates our work.

 

I have also worked in a geography plan into this as geography in Waldorf education is much more to do with how the land expresses itself across the globe than with a "what is the major export of Peru" kind of approach. I have also shifted the geography curriculum slightly, moving local geography of one's country into fourth grade and Our Neighbors - in the case of the US this is Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean - into fifth grade. Children are more awake now to a global relationship to the world and I think this is a good thing to work with at this age. My plan also allows the geography of all five continents to be explored by eighth grade, something which often doesn't happen in Waldorf schools. There are also weather blocks in the early grades, a block on biomes in sixth and one on sustainable technology and agriculture in eighth which again bring the child into a healthy relationship to the earth.

 

I teach zoology at our local Waldorf-flavored high school and have been appalled at the students' lack of knowledge of the animal kingdom. I have therefore decided to add a zoology block to the eighth grade science plan.

 

We have also added a new Waldorf homeschooling FAQ on our website which should help people navigate the decisions they need to make as they embark on their Waldorf homeschooling journey.

 

We have also added a section for the Do It Yourself homeschooler who has no wish to use a full curriculum!

 

Find all of these things here!

Old Testament Stories

As many of you know, we are putting out a full curriculum starting with second and third grades, this summer. And because we are as committed to serving those who want to create their own curricula and use either general resources from us (like the Curriculum Overview) or specific unit studies like Roman History or Botany, we will have a number of volumes available each year which can be purchased either as part of their corresponding curriculum or on their own. Our next addition to the growing list is Old Testament Stories, available January 2008.

 

Writing this book has been an enormous challenge for me! I have worked hard to be mindful of the needs of people from differing cultural and religious backgrounds whilst simultaneously working from the conviction that these stories really are magnificent pictures of the change in consciousness that the 9 year old child of whatever cultural or religious background is going through. And, as I have sat like a talmudic scholar, surrounded by my books, carefully considering the language I used as I wrote out the stories, often consulting with my husband who has some knowledge of Hebrew, checking the Hebrew text against King James and the New English Bible, I was humbled by the task I had set myself. And equally amazed as Paul and I debated the relevant merits of this word over that word how people can actually think "this is what it says in the Bible - end of story." Even just a cursory knowledge of Hebrew reveals so many nuanced shades of meaning.

 

And then of course there is the anthroposophical understanding, based on Steiner's lectures on Biblical themes, that one can bring to all of this. I had for quite a while debated on whether to simply recommend that third grade parents use Jakob Streit's books but have felt that the anthroposophy as well as the use of stories from the midrash is rather startling for some people (but would encourage those who relate to either the deep anthroposophy or to the midrash to use it in their families). I wanted something simple and open, something which can be read on whatever level a parent feels is right, whether as a good story that is an important part of Western culture or as a meaningful part of their religious life. I wanted God to be there and the full spiritual glory of the Old Testament stories to be apparent - but also non threatening to those who are challenged by these stories.

 

And they can be very challenging! Whether it's Lot's wife being turned into a block of salt or Cain's murder of Able or Abraham raising the knife to sacrifice Isaac, many people have a tough time with these stories. And that, for me, is where anthroposophy can be helpful. I have gained an enormous amount in my own grasping to understand the Old Testament by reading passages such as this one from Roy Wilkinson's Commentary on Old Testament Stories, an important book used by many Waldorf teachers as part of their own inner preparation for teaching this main lesson:

 

With his pre-Fall consciousness, Cain has no understanding of good or evil. The Lord tells him that he must learn self-control but for the moment he does not realize what is meant. Anger clouds his mind and in that state he kills Abel. He does it without compunction and when challenged by the Lord, he rejects responsibility....Now Cain is made aware that what he has done is a crime. He must expiate it. The time of self-responsibility has come. He must develop earthly consciousness - "the ground shall henceforth not yield thee her strength." Being a fugitive and a vagabond means to seek experience of the world and of the inner self.

I have not brought such material into the stories themselves but have included it for adults to ponder if they choose. For me as an adult, I find inspiration from such writing, but the children need only receive the simplicity of the power of the stories as they are. We adults can contemplate the meaning and power - and share the stories with our children as a means to help them as they struggle through their own Fall from Innocence, their separation from Paradise, their first true experiences of their own sense of Self and their relationship to the Law. Gone is the atavistic clairvoyance of Joseph - and in its place is the Law which Moses brings. Gone is the child's unconscious connection to the spiritual worlds from where he came - and in its place are the laws of human society. As adults we have gone beyond legalisitc thinking as we seek true freedom - the child,as he grows toward adulthood will also experience this development. But for now, to meet him where his soul is, these challenging Old Testament stories are rich and nourishing food.

 

And again, they are for all of us. I have real concerns about the fairly recent trend in Waldorf schools (and Waldorf homeschooling circles) to identify these stories so closely with Judaism that third grade becomes the "Jewish year." This seems very odd to me. These stories are certainly central to Judaism - but they are a vital part of two other major religions, too - Islam and Christianity! Though the stories in the Muslim tradition are often quite different, nevertheless, they trace their roots to the same major figures from these stories. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses - all are revered as prophets in Islam. And the link to Christianity is of course obvious!

 

And because there is meant to be a clear lack of religious teaching in Waldorf schools, I worry a little about this "Jewish year". Of course at home, one is free to do as one pleases - and a Jewish year might be a really important way to bring an understanding of a major religion to ones children (and of course if one is Jewish - well - it's just part of life!!). But... I don't like it when such things become the norm when they're not founded on solid pedagogical ground. For me, I see a study of Judaism and Christianity in 6th grade, during the Roman history block. And then, during the Middle Ages, one must have a good look at Islam in order to understand anything of the cultural development of a rather vast part of the globe during this time!

 

Back to my point.... the Old Testament stories in any case are not a study of religion! This is not a religion main lesson! It is a "Stories of Humanity" kind of block - just like the animal legends in second grade, just like the Norse myths in fourth grade. And again, when one studies the Myths of India in 5th grade, this is not a religion block about Hinduism per se!

 

Our book will, as I said, be available in January. The stories span the Creation through the arrival at the Promised Land. To my mind, this is the period that most clearly mirrors the changes in the 9 year old's soul. The stories change quite dramatically after that and are better, I feel, suited to 4th grade. I was most gratified to learn from my priest, Richard Dancy, of the Christian Community (founded on indications and inspiration by Rudolf Steiner) that he also feels that this is the case. So look toward the fourth grade story collection to find some of the great stories from the second part of the Old Testament.

 

The book is based on 1 six week OT main lesson. There are lots of paintings in it for you to use as inspiration for painting with your child (including full instructions) as well as a puppet play including script and how-to suggestions. There are also other suggestion for a main lesson book and other craft activities.

 

In the next couple of months we will have a section on our website devoted to our new curriculum where you can read about various aspects of the work. Keep an eye open for it! And more detials on this book to come!

 

Help with Second Grade

We are currently working on a full Waldorf-inspired homeschool curriculum for second grade: this will be available Summer 2008 (along with the third grade curriculum). So what to do if you've got a second grader in your family now?!

Many of you who used our First Grade Syllabus last year or who are keen to transfer over to using the Christopherus Curriculum might need a bit of help figuring out second grade. This year (2007) is our transition year as we develop and implement our new curriculum. We will have enough ready for use this year that those of you with second graders will be able to feel that you have much of the material you need.

At the beginning of September 2007 we will publish the math component of the 2nd grade curriculum, along with one of the language arts blocks (Animal Legends). We already have available another 2nd grade language arts block: Saints and Heroes.

The math book covers all main lessons and practice sessions in 2nd grade.

Then ...

If you have our First Grade Syllabus, you can use it as a foundation for second grade. If you have not used the First Grade Syllabus last year, we strongly suggest you consider purchasing it as it will give you a framework for transitioning to our new materials. Our second grade math book (available first week of September 2007) builds on what was presented for first grade though we should stress that we have written it to be usable by those who didn't work with our First Grade Syllabus.

You can use the First Grade Syllabus as the basis for science, recorder, crafts and handwork. Second grade is very similar to first grade - the real change comes in third grade. Use it for lessons you might have missed in first grade and for ideas for further work. Read further books listed in the First Grade Syllabus for second grade nature stories and do similar activities as those suggested. Knit a second lamb as a gift or knit it in a different color to be a companion for the first lamb.

The suggestions for word families can form the basis of much of your language arts work with your child. And use Saints and Heroes and the upcoming Animal Legends language arts books for further lessons. In Saints and Heroes there are ideas for additional language arts blocks.

In addition to the First Grade Syllabus, don't forget Joyful Movement and Form Drawing for Beginners! Use the former as the basis for your child's movement times and the latter covers the second grade form drawing syllabus.

Remember that the sections in the First Grade Syllabus on teaching, storytelling and painting as well as planning and making schedules largely hold true for second grade.

Other useful publications for second grade:

From Nature Stories to Natural Science
The Waldorf Curriculum Overview
Living Language
Drawing with Your 4 to 11 Year Old
Our three plays

And our audio download on second grade will give you a good overview of the entire year, including questions around parenting the 8 year old.

The complete Second Grade Curriculum will be available Summer 2008.

The complete Third Grade Curriculum will also be available Summer 2008.

If you are at all confused about putting together Christopherus publications for second grade, please do get in touch with Donna: donna@christopherushomeschool.org

Christopherus Full Gr 1 - 8 Curriculum

Announcement!

 

Arising from the spirit of flexibility and practicality which characterizes Christopherus Homeschool Resources, our new full curriculum will be designed to suit both the homeschooler who wants a complete curriculum as well as those who wish to purchase pieces separately.

 

Our experience as homeschoolers, Donna's lifelong involvement with Waldorf education, our therapeutic experience and our commitment to anthroposophy enables us to bring you a rich, inspiring and doable curriculum. As Donna has taught at the pre-k, grades and high school level at several Waldorf schools as well as having homeschooled her now 14 and 16 year old sons, she is in the unique position to guide parents through the Waldorf curriculum and Waldorf pedagogy, explaining and translating the school experience to the home experience.

 

As with our other materials, our curriculum will have a lively and warm "voice", helping you feel that Donna is talking directly to you, encouraging and supporting you as you create the right homeschool for your particular family situation.

 

Each year's curriculum will be a full curriculum - not a guide and not simply focused on main lessons. There will be full lessons for all the language arts, math, science, history/mythology main lessons plus a full year's worth of specific lessons and ideas for handwork, crafts, painting, drawing, modeling, form drawing, music, movement and games, cooking and other lessons as appropriate. In the grades where it is appropriate, there will also be "practise lessons" in math and language arts.

 

There will be an emphasis on art, with full color drawings and paintings in all volumes which will include "pictures in steps" - drawings and paintings in stages and with instructions so that people can understand how they were created. We are determined that this curriculum will not be intimidating and many alternatives, compromises and gentle possibilities will also be explored so that no parent feels inadequate when trying to work with our materials!

 

As with our other publications, there will be plenty of discussion of teaching strategies; goals and expectations; how to cater to slower or faster children; alternatives to main lesson books; discussion of the deeper aspects of the curriculum so parents can understand why something is done; and always, always, practical advise designed from a homeschooler to homeschoolers so parents can use these materials around, despite, with and because of whatever family situation arises!

 

For each grade several sections of the curriculum will be available for purchase separately. These will be books like our Unit Studies - Main Lessons at Home Series. For those purchasing the full curriculum, further instructions on how to use these books will appear and a larger plan of how to integrate them into the flow of the year will be explained. And so, for instance, in second grade, two language arts books will be available (one is already available - Saints & Heroes). The full curriculum will contain not only the other two language arts books  but will also give complete instructions for those wishing to build up a sequential LA plan for the year. This will include reference to LA work in non LA main lessons such as science (nature stories in second grade).

 

Our Plan:

 

September 2007

Second Grade math book (for all second gr math main lessons plus practise lessons - ie Circle Time for this grade)

Animal Legends (language arts book)

(Saints & Heroes, second grade language arts already available from our Bookstore)

 

Winter 2007

Third Grade Old Testament stories book

 

Spring/Summer 2008

Full Second Grade curriculum

Full third grade curriculum

 

We will proceed from there with some individual books released as we progress through the grades. Our plan is to have full 4th and 5th grade curriculums available by 2009. Then we will progress with the Middle School Years which are rather more involved.

 

At some point we will also create high school materials as Donna teaches at a Waldorf high school and is keen to put these together!