Kimberton Waldorf School
Education That Matters
Would you like to be part of an organic, farm-to-table lunch program at Kimberton Waldorf School? We are hiring! Seeking an individual who can assist with the clean-up effort including washing and putting away dishes, sanitizing sinks and surfaces, sweeping, mopping, and other kitchen duties as needed. Willing to train.
Part-time hourly position.
Hours: 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. every school day (September 2021 – June 2022)
Reports to the Kitchen Manager
Send interest to admin@kimberton.org
Seeking a holistic chef that is interested in preparing organic, farm-to-table food for the students and faculty at Kimberton Waldorf School. Primary duty includes cooking lunch for 150 people per day (with support from a team). Additional responsibilities may include prepping, serving, and picking up food as needed. The right person will be warm, friendly, helpful, budget and time conscious, a great chef, and a true team player. Willing to train the right person.
Part-time position.
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. every school day (September 2021 – June 2022)
Reports to the Kitchen Manager
Send interest to admin@kimberton.org
The Board of Trustees of Kimberton Waldorf School is honored and delighted to introduce our new Dean of School, Dr. Brad Kershner. Please join us in welcoming Dean Kershner, his wife Simone, and their daughter Maitreya—who will be joining our sixth grade. The whole family is very excited to become a part of the KWS community.
The Board of Trustees, in collaboration with the faculty and staff, worked diligently for the past few months in our search for a new Dean of School. The Dean Search Committee, comprised of five board members and five members of the faculty and staff, made a recommendation to offer the position of Dean of School to Dr. Kershner. The Board of Trustees then unanimously agreed to select Dr. Kershner, and he accepted with pleasure. He will be joining us on July 1.
Brad obtained his bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from John Carroll University, his Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from San Francisco State University, his master’s degree in Philosophy of Religions from the University of Chicago, and finally his Ph.D. from Boston College in Education in 2018.
Brad is an experienced educator and school leader who has served as the Primary School Director at Conservatory Lab School, as the Principal of Codman Academy, and most recently as Head of Early School at Carolina Friends School. Brad is also an accomplished write and scholar, with numerous articles, book chapters, and conference papers, as well as his recently published book, Understanding Educational Complexity: Integrative Practices and Perspectives for 21st Century Leadership.
Brad is looking forward to joining our school community as a leader who can help to nurture and honor what he describes as the “sacred legacy” of Waldorf education. In his words, he is “excited to join a close-knit community that nurtures, challenges, and supports young people through relationships of care and commitment,” and those of us who met Brad and his family during their visit to our campus are equally excited that they are joining us.
You will be hearing more from Brad soon. He is eager to meet everyone at KWS as soon as possible. Until then, we hope you will share in our sense of joy and excitement that Brad and his family will be a part of our future at Kimberton Waldorf School!
One can often walk through the class room buildings at KWS and see projects that the students have done in relation to their academic studies. It might be projects related to the history of Ancient Rome in 6th grade, or models of human shelters from the 3rd grade, or painted portraits of historical figures for 9th grade contemporary history.
An invaluable value of the education at KWS is the opportunity that our students have to learn through a variety of activities that engage their creativity, design, and problem solving skills. Imagine how designing and building your own ship or aqueduct makes Roman history come alive, but also allows you to use all of yourself in the learning process: head, heart, and hands. A number of years ago the Philadelphia Inquirer published an article on the benefits of art in education (Closing in on Proof of Art’s Value to Kids, Philadelphia Inquirer. March 23, 2014.) The article was about a study being done by a psychology professor at West Chester University. Her research was on the effects of art on reducing stress levels in young children and involved measuring cortisol levels (a hormone associated with stress) in children in learning environments that are arts-based as opposed to those that are not. Her findings point to an association between art classes and reduced levels of cortisol in the children in the study.
In contrast, I am reminded of a friend of mine who had a child in a school that was putting the students through a battery of standardized tests. This friend shared with me how stressed her child was because of the testing. She commented that it wasn’t just the children who were stressed. Everyone seemed to be, teachers and students. More and more, children in school settings are expected to perform academically through high-stakes testing in younger and younger grades. Play is no longer a part of kindergarten programs in many schools. The arts and movement are secondary, and often cut from programs. Recess is reduced or eliminated. Students do not spend time in nature during their school day. Is it any wonder that children are stressed and anxiety is on the rise in children? According to the study noted stress impacts cortisol levels which in term impact learning: “Chronic elevations of cortisol impair cognitive and emotional functioning, as well as physical health. Cortisol is closely related to the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in learning and memory, and scientists believe that higher cortisol interferes with both.”
Why are we doing this to children? In large part it has to do with educational systems that are no longer based on an understanding of healthy child and human development, but rather are driven by standards set by bureaucrats focused on test scores rather than healthy childhood development. Adam Winsler, a psychology professor at George Mason University who edits the Early Childhood Research Bulletin and is quoted in the Inquirer article says,“These days people are trying to do reading, science, and math a lot earlier, and a lot of developmentally inappropriate things are happening . . .the arts may prepare youngsters for math, reading, and science better than a pure math, science, and reading curriculum would.”
I believe that there are many invaluable values of Waldorf education and the education provided at KWS, including an education that is firmly rooted in an understanding of healthy child and human development, and an education that makes art and the using of one’s hands and imagination an integral part of the academic learning experience. A number of years ago a graduate of Kimberton and Brown University gave an evening presentation for our community on the business that he started in Kenya after he graduated from college. At the end of the talk he was asked by someone in the audience about his perspective on the value of his Waldorf education at KWS. He spoke about the importance of art in helping him develop creative capacities. Later, in a card he sent to me thanking me for introducing him at his presentation he said, “Remember, it’s all about the art.”
Sources:
https://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development
https://www.learningliftoff.com/10-reasons-arts-in-education-important-kids/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190312123720.htm
https://www.arts.gov/stories/video/new-research-arts-early-childhood-symposium
A few years ago I attended a symposium on small independent schools. There were a number of points from the symposium that are worth sharing. The panel of speakers at this symposium included the CEO of a local corporation and the director of admissions for Muhlenberg College.
The perspectives of the panel members and the keynote speaker on the needs for education in the future and what they are seeing in young people today were interesting. They noted that 38% of college students flunk or drop out. They said that when we educate to the test, we are essentially educating robots to be good at tests, but we don’t educate students for life. One of the things they focused on was the inability of young people to work with other people. They noted that the single biggest reason people get fired from their jobs is because they can’t get along with their colleagues.
They stressed the need for education that helps students develop self-awareness, the ability to be flexible and to work with others, and a sense for language. In order to be successful in our world students need to be able to frame and express ideas. They said that as employers they are looking for young people who are able to grow, learn, and develop. They observed that as a society we are educating young people to be paper pushers, but not craftsman or entrepreneurs. We are not educating students to make things. They see that the ability to make something as well as to administrate are skills critical to success in the world today.
A number of times they touched on how young people today have a sense of entitlement, equating effort with success (I worked hard on this, why is it not an “A”?). They expect to be promoted quickly in their jobs. A disconnect exists between where they are and what they have to do to get to where they want to be. They are not equipped to deal with failure. The speakers felt this was caused in part by well meaning parents who limit their children’s autonomy and attempt to clear the way for their children so that they are always successful and never experience set backs or failure. They spoke of how parents today will even intervene in their children’s education at the college or university level, complaining to professors or administrators about grades their children are given.
Of course, my reaction to much of what they were saying was, “I wish they knew about Waldorf Education!” Education for life is central to the Waldorf pedagogical philosophy. Waldorf education is an education that provides students with the opportunities on a daily basis to develop the capacities of self-awareness, the ability to collaborate with others, an intrinsic love of learning that is not grade or test score driven, skill with written and spoken expression, and the experience and satisfaction of making something with one’s hands. It is also an education that focuses on the development of the will, or the ability to apply oneself and follow through on projects. This is accomplished through a project-based approach to academics where students often work on projects related to the topic and make their own books as a record of what they have learned, and a fine and practical arts program and gardening program where students experience first hand the necessity of perseverance, practice, and follow-through.
There has been an increasing amount of information on the health benefits of spending time in nature. These benefits include improvement of emotional and physical health, and benefits for learning for children. Now, a new study in JAMA Ophthalmology and reported by the New York Times points to the benefits of being in nature on healthy development of the eye and eyesight in children, and the negative impact of not enough time spent outdoors in natural sunlight.
The Times article notes that there has been a significant increase in myopia in children since the 1970s, and the research reported in the JAMA study points to behavioral changes in children and lack one time spent outdoors in natural light as a factor.
“The growing incidence of myopia is related to changes in children’s behavior, especially how little time they spend outdoors, often staring at screens indoors instead of enjoying activities illuminated by daylight.” (1)
The article does say that genes and family heredity play a role in myopia, however the rapid increase in myopia is likely not just genetic: “Given that genes don’t change that quickly, environmental factors, especially children’s decreased exposure to outdoor light, are the likely cause of this rise in myopia, experts believe. Consider, for example, factors that keep modern children indoors: an emphasis on academic studies and their accompanying homework, the irresistible attraction of electronic devices and safety concerns that demand adult supervision during outdoor play. All of these things drastically limit the time youngsters now spend outside in daylight, to the likely detriment of the clarity of their distance vision.” (1)
While this study points to the lack of sunlight as the main cause of myopia in children, there have also been studies that indicate a correlation between myopia and sustained near-work activity: “Both genetics and environmental factors play a role in the development and progression of myopia. Near-work is activity performed at a short working distance, such as reading and use of electronic devices. Near-work activity is one of the environmental factors that has been considered to be a potential cause of myopia.However, other studies do not support this claim.” (2)
This recent research on the importance of sunlight on the development of the eye and eyesight is another example in a growing list of evidence supporting the benefits of spending time outdoors in nature. Since children spend a significant amount of their time during daylight hours at school, it makes sense that school programs that incorporate time outdoors in nature will support the healthy development of their students. Additionally, school programs that provide a balance of near-work activity with activities that allow for my distance and varied focusing will also support healthy eye development.
(2) https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/2734218?resultClick=1
What is happening in your mind’s eye when you hear a story? More than likely, you make pictures of what is being told to you. And the pictures that you create are your own, unique pictures. If you are in the company of other people when you hear a story each of you is making your own pictures. If you could compare the inner pictures that you all created there would be similarities, but there would also be differences, as each of you are involved in an inner generative process. The activity is taking place inside of you, in your mind. Now in contrast, if you were to see a movie or a video of the same story there would be no need for an inner generative picture making process in your mind. The picture would be given to you from outside. Nothing of an inner generative activity would have been necessary. The information would be coming from outside into you, and you would simply remember it, or not.
Some years ago a boy enrolled in our high school. After his first biology course here at Kimberton, in which he studied marine zoology on the coast of Maine studying marine organisms in tide pools and along the beach, his mother, who was a biologist by profession wrote to us and said that in his previous high school his experience of biology had been memorizing power point presentations, in order to prepare him for tests, and she was so happy that at Kimberton he was practicing science and not just memorizing information.
One approach to education is an information based education, and it assumes that students of any age are information processors. The primary method of learning is rote memorization of information or concepts. I call this the movie approach to education. Everyone gets the same information and an inner generative process is not necessary. “The success or failure of this form of education is measured by the student’s ability to give information back on high stakes tests, that do not assess depth of understanding, meaningful application of knowledge, or original thinking.” (Olfman. 2003) It has become the dominant educational model in the United States over the past 30 years through such programs as No Child Left Behind.
The movie version of education, the information centered approach to education is based on a “model of the human mind as a kind of computer, and a view of students as information processors. However, in sharp contrast to a computer, a developing young person possesses a Self which imbues that young person with the desire to give his or her life meaning, purpose, and a moral compass. Children and young people are naturally motivated to learn by the desire to be a part of their community and the natural order, but at the same time to express their individuality and to place their own personal stamp on the world. A young person’s thinking is infused with emotion, sensory and bodily experience, artistry, imagination, and an inner life. It is through this uniquely human prism that a young person processes information; a far cry from a computer. When mere information is what we seek to instill or elicit from students, real psychological growth”, and the development of the whole human being is impaired. (Olfman)
There is another approach to education that we practice in Waldorf schools, that I would call an inner, generative approach, where students are guided to discover concepts rather than being fed concepts. I once walked into our chemistry lab before school started and I found our chemistry teacher and a visiting science teacher from another Waldorf school preparing a demonstration for a 9th grade chemistry class. They were carefully arranging a flame from a bunsen burner so that the students could observe them placing an unlit wooden match into the flame in such a way that the match would be in the flame, but would not ignite. There was a concept that the teachers wanted the students to learn that has to do with various zones within a flame and the ability for combustion to happen within those zones. Now, if their educational goal had been to simply give the students the already formed concept that there is a zone in a flame that does not have enough oxygen for combustion to take place, if their goal was to simply give the students that information, to be tested on, there would be no need for the demonstration. The students could just look that information up on a computer. But, if their goal is to educate in such a way that students have the opportunity to train their inner generative powers of thinking then that demonstration is key, because it is the first step in the process of providing a situation for the students to move from experience to concept; to discover the concept for themselves rather than being given a pre-formed concept. It begins with an experience, with perception, and through questioning and discussion the students discover the concept.
If we simply give the students the concept we rob them of the opportunity to practice the thinking that leads to the concept; we rob them of the opportunity to develop the capacity for independent, self-driven thought. This is a serious concern in the world of education today, especially higher education. College and university professors have complained in recent years that young people today can’t think for themselves, they just want to know what is going to be on the test.
In the Waldorf high school we practice the thinking of various disciplines: the thinking of the scientist, the thinking of the historian, the thinking of the mathematician, the thinking of the writer or the philosopher. Our approach is to give students the opportunity to develop their own thinking capacities through experiences, discussions, questions, projects, essays and other written assignments and artistic presentations. I have given you an example in the sciences. In English or Humanities our students will explore through readings, discussions, projects and essays the nature of truth, or evil, or what it means to be a human being. Our teachers don’t give them the answers to those topics. They lead them through a process of discovery. In History our students might interview someone who lived during a particular period of our nation’s history for example, research primary and secondary sources, and write essays to support conclusions they have reached about historical events. Our focus is not teaching students to get the one right answer on a test, but to test their own inner developing capacity of thought. That’s not to say that we don’t ever give our students tests. We do. But for us, tests are not the be-all-and-end-all of how we assess our students. We provide our students with many avenues for demonstrating what they have learned such as essays, projects, and artistic presentations.
Our goal in the Waldorf school is to provide for our students an education that guides them to be caring, ethical human beings who can consciously engage their inner generative capacities of thought and creativity, and it starts with stories. In our pre-school and our early grades much of the curriculum is built around stories that enrich our student’s imaginations and engage the inner generative process of picture making that will later develop into an inner generative process of thinking as the students get older. At each age our students have many opportunities to exercise their own inner generative capacities in a developmentally appropriate manner.
Olfman, Sharna (2003) All Work and No Play
http://www.waldorflibrary.org/images/stories/articles/RB12_2howard.pdf
KWS is in search of a Part time Middle School and High School Spanish teacher for the 2021/22 school year. Strong language skills and native-like fluency required. Send resume and cover letter to admin@kimberton.org
One of the unique aspects of Waldorf Education is that teachers stay with classes or groups of children over a period of years. The benefit of this model is that it provides stability and a sense of security for students. In Grades 1-8 the class teacher will typically stay with his or her class for all or most of those eight years. In some school systems, middle school students are separated from the rest of the student population. Middle school can be a very challenging developmental period for young people and some studies are showing that students in the middle school grades benefit from being in a safe a familiar environment. Read more here from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
In recent years there has been a push to introduce academics into Kindergarten and pre-Kindergarten. This is a trend that has alarmed developmental psychologists and educators because it is not grounded in an understanding of child development and how children learn. The young child, before the age of six, learns by doing and by imitation. They are not developmentally ready for didactic instruction and using their memory for abstract learning. Calling on these faculties before they are ready to be called upon can be damaging to children’s development and blunt their natural love of learning if they are forced into abstract learning at too young an age. Before the age of six children should be exercising and preparing their capacities through imaginative play, socialization, and imitation. Through play, children learn to interact with their peers and to engage in developmentally appropriate problem solving. The songs and games of the early childhood classroom lay the groundwork for the development of reading and writing in the grades. Through imitation of activities that are necessary in the life of the classroom such as baking bread for snack time, or raking leaves in the play yard children learn skills without the need for didactic, abstract instruction. Young children take joy in all of these activities. Read more about the importance of developmentally appropriate early childhood education from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
We learn through making mistakes, missteps and failures. A supportive educational environment provides a safe place for students to make mistakes and learn from them. For example, all of our students participate in fine arts and courses that we call practical arts such as woodworking or handwork (where students learn to knit and sew amongst other skills). In all artistic endeavors, students are faced with artistic or technical problems or challenges that they need to overcome. Often the process of completing a project in any of these disciplines will involved mistakes that result in a new problem or challenge that the student will have to address. This is the nature of working with visual or practical arts and it exercises the students ability to try, make mistakes, adjust, and move on. In academic work, our teachers strive to create an environment and culture in the classroom where students can make mistakes as part of normal learning process, instead of feeling shame. One of our parents remarked that when they visited one of our classrooms as a prospective parent they observed a math class and students were asked to share their answers to a problem and he was impressed with how many students eagerly offered to share their answers—there was no sense of fear about potentially being wrong. We also don’t give letter grades until high school. We believe that this helps to foster a love of learning for learning’s sake in our students and helps them to learn to see making mistakes not as an end but as part of a process of learning. Read more about the value of making mistakes in learning from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
Kimberton Waldorf School is blessed with a beautiful organic school garden, and to be surrounded by an organic and biodynamic dairy farm and CSA. Through direct experience and courses and through the environment of stewardship that is created by these activities that surround and imbue our school our students develop a deep appreciation for the earth and what it takes to grow good, healthful food. Our youngest children often take walks to the school garden or to the farm to see the work that is being done there. In 3rd grade our students study farming and have a “farm week” when they spend an overnight and get up early to help the farmers milk the cows. In 3rd grade our students also being having gardening classes which will continue into high school. They learn how to plant and harvest vegetables, to prune fruit trees, and to preserve foods. They will even eat some of the fruits of their labors in our organic hot lunch program which we call Food For Thought. Apples from our apple trees are made into applesauce. Vegetables go into our salads or soups. Why is this important for students? We believe that it is important for young people to understand what is involved in growing healthful food and to understand what stewardship for the earth means. In the future, they will be the people making decisions about food stewardship and food production and those decision need to be grounded in experience. In addition, the students are have an enriching experience in nature which has many benefits for their own health and development. Read more here about the benefits of farming in education from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
The benefits for children’s learning and development from spending time outdoors has been well researched over recent years. At KWS, helping our students to develop an appreciation for the natural world has always been one of our key values, and outdoor education has been a long standing component of our curriculum and program. Children in our Early Childhood program spend a good part of their day outdoors engaged in creative play and exploration of nature. In grades 1-8 our students are able to have experiential nature study by spending time in our woods and along our creeks, learning how to grow good healthful food in our organic school garden and learning about farming on our organic dairy farm. They also have two outdoor recess periods per day on our green campus. When it snows, they get to sled on “Shouting Hill” which is adjacent to one of our outdoor recess areas. Many of our grades classes start taking camping trips and will often take a weeklong trip with one of the outdoor education guiding companies that we partner with. In high school the experiential study of the life sciences are often supplemented with trips to locations like Hermit Island on the coast of Maine to study marine biology, or backpacking on trails in the Appalachians in connection with geology. In addition to the health giving benefits of being in nature, these experiences help our students develop a love and appreciation for the natural world and foster a sense of stewardship. Read more here about the importance of outdoor education from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
Our students at KWS have the benefit of learning a foreign language. We start teaching languages in 1st grade and our students in grades 1-6 learn two languages: Spanish and German. I grade 7 our students choose one of those languages to focus on through grade 12. We offer an international exchange program in high school were our students can study for a semester at a Waldorf school in a German or Spanish speaking country. Language study helps our students become more flexible in their thinking and it exposes them to other cultures, helping them to feel that they are a global citizen. Read more here about the importance of learning a second language from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
Adolescents are in a special and unique place in their development. They are leaving childhood and on the verge on entering adulthood when they will engage with the world. With the burgeoning of critical and analytical thinking in high school and powerful emotions adolescents have strong ideals and need to feel that they can have an impact. In recent years social justice has become an important part of our national conversation and educators across the spectrum are looking at incorporating social justice in their school curriculum, and our high school teachers at Kimberton are doing the same through service projects, courses, and special events. Read more here about high school students and social advocacy from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
Community Service is an important aspect of the education at KWS. We think it is important for our students to have experiences to give back to their local community and to learn the value of volunteering. Our older middle school students and high school students have a variety of opportunities for community service, including practicum weeks in high school, required community service hours in high school, and a day of service in honor of Martin Luther King Day. Read here to learn more about the value of community service for students from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
An important feature of the education at Kimberton Waldorf School is our emphasis on experiential education. Experiential education has become a bit of a buzzword in the educational world, but at KWS we really live it. Our approach to academic subjects is to start with experience and then through discussion and questions, to help the students discover concepts. We teach them to think like a scientist, an historian, a mathematician. We also have built into our curriculum an incredibly rich experiential program that includes many hands on courses such as handwork, woodwork, metalwork, and gardening. In the our high school our students have practicum courses each year that get them outside of school and learning in the community around us. Our high schoolers also take week long class trips each year that are connected to particular academic subjects in the sciences and humanities. Read more here about experiential education in Waldorf schools from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
Students at Kimberton Waldorf School are fortunate to experience and education that fosters their creativity through artistic coursework but also through an approach to academics that focuses on providing experiences and discussions for students so that they can discover concepts rather than being spoon-fed concepts. Both of these elements of Waldorf Education help our students to be independent thinkers and exercises their creative capacities. In a survey of CEOs of top US Corporations, creativity was considered the number one capacity needed for future leaders. Read more here about creativity and divergent thinking in education from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
Kimberton Waldorf School is committed to promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in our curriculum and our school. The Board of Trustees and our Governing Team have supported a Diversity Committee and our teachers have been working to address systemic racism in our curriculum. In on-going conversation in our faculty meetings and in our inservice meetings our faculty and staff have been discussing ways to incorporate more diversity and inclusion in our curriculum and teaching practices. Some of our faculty and staff have attended workshops and courses and have been sharing the fruits of what they learned. We are incorporating more diversity in our library collection. We have also formed reading groups on recent publications about strengthening anti-racism. This is ongoing, challenging, and important work for all schools including KWS. Read more here about DEI in Waldorf schools from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
At Kimberton Waldorf School students in grades 1-5 typically participate in a subject that is unique to Waldorf schools: Form Drawing. Form drawing can be described as freehand drawing of patterns (often repeating forms) that introduces form and movement to our students. The practice of form drawing helps the students integrate developmental reflexes, develops fine and gross motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and control of movement. Form drawing also lays the groundwork for the study of geometry and geometric drawing which is introduced in 6th grade. Learn more about form drawing in Waldorf schools here from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
Kimberton Waldorf School prides itself on being a strong and close-knit community. Our curriculum and our teachers help our students develop empathy and the ability to appreciate others, and to work together in teams. Learning to sing in a chorus, play a musical instrument in an ensemble, produce a play with classmates, work on a group project for a class assignment, or cook meals together on a class camping trip all help our students to develop these important social skills. Learn more about the role of empathy in education here from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
At Kimberton Waldorf School the arts are integrated into the whole curriculum and often are part of the experiential approach to academic subjects as well. Research has shown that artistic activity develops important capacities such as problem-solving. Read more about the role of the arts in Waldorf Education here from the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America:
KWS is searching for Early Childhood Assistants for the 2021/22 school year. Experience with young children required. Send resume and cover letter to admin@kimberton.org
KWS is looking for part-time, hourly substitute teachers for early childhood and grades 1-12. Ideal candidates will have experience teaching in a Waldorf school, flexibility, good classroom management and rapport with students. Send resume and cover letter to admin@kimberton.org
The Class of 2020 has had wonderful college news arriving in mailboxes and inboxes! We are so proud of them.
A list of all acceptances to date follows. A number of students applied Early Decision and so were admitted to their top choice and did not apply elsewhere. Seniors had until June 1 to commit to the college of their choice. Some students are still considering a gap year, a national trend. They received nearly $600,000 in merit awards per year. Congratulations to our accomplished seniors!
Please join us on Wednesday, July 22nd at 7:30 pm for an evening full of wisdom and insight into the Waldorf curriculum led by Gerald LoDolce, seasoned Waldorf teacher who has taught over four cycles of classes at our very own Kimberton Waldorf School. Gerry will also explore how the curriculum offers to explore other cultures and has adaptability to embrace & educate within the context of today’s cultural challenges, mindfully following up on last week’s invigorating talk by Torin Finser. There will be time for a question and answers at the end. (this info is also posted on the KWS School Calendar)
books for adults, resources & instagram accounts to follow
young adult/high school books
books for middle school children
storybooks for young children
KWSPA hosted Torin M. Finser on July 9th
Torin has over 60 years of experience in Waldorf education as a student and learner, parent, teacher, teacher of teachers, author, Ph.D., and leader in the international Waldorf community.
“Waldorf Education for Social Justice” is his passion and the focus of much of his current work. He emphasizes the need for schools to connect with the current issues dividing our society: political polarization, racism, income inequality, immigration, nationalism, and religious fundamentalism to name a few. Focus on these problems at the educational level can be transformative and put power in the hands of the community to address their immediate concerns, seek out new ways for the field to change and adapt in the future. But external advocacy needs to be balanced with opportunities for introspection as well, which Waldorf education also beautifully teaches our children.
Please take a moment to become familiar with Torin and his work. His extensive bio and the books he has authored are linked below. We’ve also attached a link to recent and powerful articles to read in preparation. There will be a small window for discussion and a few questions. Please take advantage of this tremendous opportunity to engage with change.
Bio https://www.antioch.edu/new-england/faculty/torin-finser/
Books https://www.amazon.com/Books-Torin-Finser/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ATorin+Finser
The Future of Waldorf Education: Beyond 100 https://www.waldorftoday.com/2019/09/the-future-of-waldorf-education-beyond-100/
Beyond 100: A return to the social justice roots of Waldorf Education https://www.antioch.edu/new-england/2019/04/19/beyond-100-a-return-to-the-social-justice-roots-of-waldorf-education/
Thurs, Jun 25, 7:30p (see community email for link)
We would like to thank all those who participated on June 25 in the first of a series of Social Justice discussions through the KWS Parent Association. Many thanks to Mari Avicolli for hosting. We’re proud to say it was our largest Parent Association gathering thus far! This anti-racist self-reflection work is not easy or comfortable, and we acknowledge the courage it takes each individual to look within for evidence of racism or bias. This is the only way forward to a peaceful and socially just world, which is one of the core principles of our school.
Mari Avicolli is an alumna who returned to KWS to teach in 2015. Prior to that, she earned her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State with a focus in cross-cultural communication. From 2017-2019 she served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia. While there, she led diversity trainings for PCVs and host country nationals in an effort to help everyone be seen and feel playing in the orchestra for the musical, assisting on the Odyssey, or roasting coffee and talking about Ethopia with the 7th and 8th grades.
We are grateful to Mari for initiating the conversation about anti-racism with our community, and during this discussion she will share an overview of…
white fragility – cultural appropriation – how to raise anti-racist children – intersectionality
Some KWS high school students have participated in BLM protests in Philadelphia, Phoenixville, and West Chester. Pictured above at 38th and Market Street.
Kimberton Waldorf School is deeply saddened by recent tragic events of racial injustice. We support work in the world that aims to break down systemic forms of racism. We wish to express our sorrow for all people of color who are and have been subjected to injustice and racial discrimination. Diversity and inclusion are important values of our school community, and we honor the inherent dignity of all human beings.
Bryan Stevenson on the Frustration Behind the George Floyd Protests
21st century skills are more important now than ever as employers seek diverse thinkers who are knowledgeable in a wide range of fields and who are able to creatively solve problems.
Competencies commonly associated with 21st century skills include critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, innovation, perseverance, self-direction, collaboration and teamwork. The rapidly changing world requires students to be equipped with cross-disciplinary skills in order to be successful in furthering their education and to meet the challenges in the workplace.
For almost 80 years, Kimberton Waldorf School has been providing a multimodality, integrated education with a curriculum based on the developmental needs of the child, validated in scientific research. Our unique approach to education utilizes movement, music, arts, and handwork to strengthen academics and help develop motor skills, focus, perseverance, creativity, and critical thinking.
Emphasis on the breadth of skills and opportunities that we value in childhood and in adulthood provides a reminder that education needs to be designed to produce holistically developed learners who are well-equipped to navigate the challenges of life in the 21st century.
Studies demonstrate that the arts develop neural systems that produce a broad spectrum of benefits ranging from fine motor skills to creativity and improved emotional balance – the driving force behind all other learning.
Creativity is nurtured as students learn to approach tasks from different perspectives and to think “outside the box.” Artistic creations are the result of problem solving. Students’ typically ask themselves: How do I form this clay into a sculpture? How do I step into my role in the play? How will my character react in this situation? How am I going to learn this piece of music?
Movement activities in younger grades, such as circle time, handwork, string games, or playing on a balance board may appear as simple play in the classroom are actually promoting growth toward skills acquisition. The same regions of the brain responsible for movement are also involved in higher level thinking such as problem solving, creating, designing, and anticipating outcomes.
Observational learning is another key component in skills acquisition. When students contemplate a phenomenon with deep curiosity, they are able to hypothesize potential outcomes before testing for the actual answer. Divergent, creative thinking occurs, which is essential for innovation and solving problems.
The goal of Waldorf education and the curriculum at KWS is to provide students with opportunities and training to become autonomous, creative thinkers with the ability to accelerate their ideas into actions. An education that asks students to develop the capacities for collaboration and teamwork, creativity and imagination, critical thinking, and problem solving is an education that prepares students for what lies ahead.
Read more in our article Equipping Students with Skills for Lifelong Success
“Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children. Despite the benefits derived from play for both children and parents, time for free play has been markedly reduced.”
Jeffrey Goldstein, Ph.D., author and research associate at Utrecht University also says, “Play seems to have some immediate benefits, such as aerobic conditioning and fine-tuning motor skills, as well as long-term benefits that include preparing the young for the unexpected, and giving them a sense of morality. How? Learning to play successfully with others requires ‘emotional intelligence,’ the ability to understand another’s emotions and intentions.”
Click Here to Read More in “Play in Children’s Health, Development and Wellbeing.”
