Donna Simmons' curriculum materials are so clear and accessible.
I often recommend them, both as a starting point for new parents who are just beginning to study Waldorf Ed., and to more seasoned homeschoolers looking for curriculum ideas. Donna's words are like an offer of a reassuring hand, to make me feel: 'I can do it' and to help me relax and know that my instincts are right.
She deeply understands developmental readiness, and her encouraging words have often helped me to observe my child with a fresh perspective, and to relax, knowing that I don't need to push the learning process ... Having Donna's books to refer to is like having a wry and witty best friend, just an arm's length away, ready to share her wisdom and encouragement. Thea Bodger,
homeschooler and Waldorf early years teacher We received our books this morning. They are absolutely fantastic.
We feel blessed to have come across your website under Waldorf homeschooling. Have always wanted to incorporate Steiner into our lives, but had no access to the school itself and found some Steiner books over my head/ hard to read. Everything in the books I have skimmed through rings so true and feels so right. They incorporate humor and give me all the ideas and info that I have been seeking in this technocratic world! Thank you so very much for these books.
Anneke and Craig I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your work.
I'm finding the whole homeschool thing very challenging, and one downfall of all this waldorf stuff for me is that I now have such high standards of how I want things to be. When things get hard, and I yell at the children, act like a child myself and totally lose it,(which is daily) I come back to your books, your audios and this forum [Waldorf at Home]. And now, as I read the books, I can sort of hear your voice and your intonations. I really like your sense of humour, and combination of common sense and yet strong opinions. Anyway, I just wanted you to know. Thank you.
Carla
Australia Thank you SO much for your follow-up!
I did receive both the order and the audio download. I was so impressed with each and every item that I ordered and am anxious to listen to the audio download. In fact, I am going to use the Christopherus Curriculum with my daughter! What I have read, so far, answers a multitude of questions and fills so many gaps that I am experiencing with [another homeschool] curriculum. Many, many thanks for providing such creative, thoughtful, fulfilling and practical ways to connect and teach my daughter! These resources truly exceed my expectations! (I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the schedule provided with each block, as well as the blocks, themselves.) THANK YOU!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Moore You make homeschooling do-able.
Reflecting back on all the wonderful Christopherus works that I own, Joyful Movement, the overview, the nature book, form drawing, the Kindergarten book, the drawing book, several of your second grade materials (animal legends and the math book), and now Living Language, I just wanted to send another big thank you to Donna and the entire Christopherus gang.
Two years ago we started our homeschooling journey with Enki and I was overwhelmed! I loved the story materials, but the guidance was very lacking. Without Donna's materials I would have never figured out how to use the wonderful Enki stories. (and I'm a self-educated, intelligent gal! I just didn't have the time to wade through all those binders and binders of resources and read through the vast amount of theory. And I lacked the teaching experience to be able to turn all that theory into something useable and do-able).
I find Donna's take on Waldorf, homeschooling, and unschooling echoes my own very closely, and so I find comfort in her practical, down-to-earth guidance. She has helped me to be able to navigate our own course on our homeschooling journey. I just want to make sure she knows how much I appreciate these materials, and the heart and soul that she and her entire family have poured into them. Thank you so very much.
Chris
Ohio, USA I just placed an order.
I was trying to get along without ordering Saints and Heroes and 2nd Grade Mathematics, using the many other resources that I have, but I was realizing that I was missing your voice, conciseness and direction. I constantly struggle with the balance of unschooling and getting in the Waldorf framework. Your books make me feel like I can check off certain Waldorf principles balancing it with our natural family rhythms and my interests.
Ellen I found Christopherus a couple of weeks ago and it has been such a blessing.
I think I read nearly every word on your website in the first few days! I've listened to several of your audio downloads. Your voice is so calming and reassuring, to say nothing of the helpful content. All I can say is that I feel inspired and empowered, in a word, nurtured, in my role as a mother and as a woman. I felt myself exhale. I hadn't realized I was holding my breath! It was like 'oh my god, somebody out there gets me. Somebody out there knows what I'm trying to do better than I do and she's done it, AND she's willing to share her insight and wisdom!'
Thank you! Thank you!
Most sincerely,
Areatha I can't tell you what your work has meant in my life, and I can't imagine my life without the many gifts of Christopherus.
The Overview, especially, has been my guide since the day I first held it in my hands, and although we drift off to this and that, it's the backbone of what I do here at the Egan Family Homeschool. How can I ever thank you?
I listened to the therapeutic talk yesterday and it was so interesting, and then, at the end, you said a sentence that knocked me off my feet and made me remember why I chose Waldorf and why it's healing "powers" are so important in this day and age. My youngest daughter is "gifted" (whatever that means) and is nowhere near appropriately incarnated into her body. That's what happens when you let in-laws and "experts" and fear lead you astray from what you know is truth. Thank goodness for your voice of reason Donna. You help me in more ways than I can ever express.
And as to the Overview, when I'm feeling a little overwhelmed I often just flop it open and pick a phrase or sentence that will inspire me in that moment. This trick has *never* failed me. Never.
As you know, I love to buy your books - for myself, as gifts, and for any reason I can think of! I will continue to support Christopherus this way as long as I can. I couldn't do it without you.
Penny I'm absolutely thrilled with the books that I've purchased from you!
We are into our Language Arts block, and Madison, my six year old, is loving every minute of the Prince's adventure with the Wise Woman. I am too. This is the most creative and fun way to learn! Maddie asked me today on her way down the hall......."Mom how does a "j" go again?"......and then before she turned the corner.....in the most satisfied voice she said, " never mind, I know, ....like the jester." My husband is in school full time right now, and very busy with his studies. Maddie can't wait to show him, when he comes home, her latest pictures in her main lesson book. She's so proud of what she's learned and of her artwork. It feels so rewarding to watch her shine like this. As I've shared with you before, we are new to the Waldorf approach, and I am continually grateful that we've found it, and you. What a difference your books have brought to our home. We love circle time so much more now that we've been using the Joyful Movement book. My two year old son and four year old daughter join in singing and clapping.
Many, many thanks for all your hard work!
Mary G. |
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 The goal in 8th grade, Rudolf Steiner made clear, is to bring the child up to the modern age in terms of knowledge of history, science and human culture. A tall order in Steiner's day – and almost impossible in ours!
How exactly to fit all this in and how to structure your child’s 8th grade year at home depends largely on two factors: 1) what kind of schooling he will receive from 9th grade on and 2) what his interests are.
If your child is continuing at home into high school, then you can relax a bit and not worry about spilling over into 9th grade with, for instance, science. But if he's going to school, you also need to be mindful of requirements that he needs to fulfill for high school. If, for instance, he has never had any formal grammar lessons at home, English at school could be a real shock. It is up to you and your child to plan and discuss 8th grade in the light of both the usual Waldorf curriculum and your child’s educational future.
And I'll say "usual Waldorf curriculum" with a grain of salt. Please bear in mind that there is no usual Waldorf curriculum for 8th grade. Most of 8th grade is taken up by working on Platonic solids; fund-raising for the class trip; taking the class trip; a class play (often Shakespeare); and independent projects! Many schools (on top of this) also have classes preparing children for the various high schools they might attend – i.e. classes in "how to take tests" and so on.
Translate this to the homeschool situation and one can easily see the enormous variations which can exist from one homeschool to the next!
Here is a list of our Eighth Grade materials:
Further information about the Christopherus Curriculum
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Why a Rough Guide Instead of a Syllabus At age 12, in 6th grade, things change dramatically and this is seen clearly in Waldorf schools. The demands of the curriculum are more challenging and the variations from one school to the next far greater. There certainly is a clear curriculum, based, like the rest of the curriculum, on Steiner’s indications and on the traditions of Waldorf schools over the years, but exactly what is taught, in which grade it is taught, and how it is taught vary considerable. One even gets the situation, as in the US, where certain Waldorf schools are examining the possibility of establishing Waldorf middle schools, separate from grades 1-5.
At home the situation is even more dramatic. Children between 12 and 14 need to come into the world more and their homeschooling experience must include lessons taught by people other than their parents. To successfully homeschool children of this age - to truly meet their developmental needs - one must utilize the resources in one’s community and expand beyond the home. And this necessarily means using curriculum materials in a looser and more individualized way.
In light of the need for more flexibility and individualization in the middle school years, instead of a formal 8th grade syllabus, we are offering a range of materials and guidance on how to put together 8th grade lessons.
Putting it all Together
Although both the Waldorf Curriculum Overview and From Nature Stories to Natural Science are invaluable guides to Waldorf education throughout the 8 years of elementary school, it could well be that you feel it is unnecessary to purchase these if you are only homeschooling an 8th grader. However, we cannot deny that both these guides do have very useful information in them!
If you did not cover electricity and magnetism in 7th grade, we recommend Rudolf Graf's cheerful guide Safe and Simple Electrical Experiments this year.
Master Waldorf science teacher Manfred von Mackensen provides us with a wonderful series of lessons for an 8th grade lesson on human biology in his book Uprightness, Weight and Balance. Another text to use for 8th grade human biology is Charles Kovacs' Muscles and Bones.
History lessons bring the 8th grader all the way into modern times, and biography is the means by which the struggles and achievements of human beings in different historical periods come to life. We are pleased to offer Biographies for Eighth Grade History to you. The Age of Revolution by Charles Kovacs will provide the narrative for many of your history lessons year.
For language arts this year, we recommend Gabriel Arquilevich's Writing for 100 Days. If you did not use Dorit Winter's The Art and Science of Teaching Compossition last year, we recommend you do so this year. We also recommend that you choose a suitable volume from Vocabulary from Classical Roots. (I have used volumes B and C with 9th and 10th graders.)
Our basic math text for 8th grade is John Blackwood's Mathematics in Nature, Space and Time,. Your child will need practice work books and we recommend you choose from Key To's excellent booklets. We also recommend you consider L. George Saad's Developmental Mathematics books if your child is weak or has gaps in her basic math. We used Level 16 for both our sons to ensure they had covered all the required material before going to high school. View our guide to Key To workbooks.
Two other vital components of your child's 8th grade education are Learning about the World through Modeling and Painting in Waldorf Education. These are as important for 8th grade as they were for all the preceding grades!
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