A compilation of material on the Arithmetic curriculum for Waldorf teachers and teachers working with special needs children.

From the introductory lecture by Hans Christoph Valentien, "How does arithmetic work upon the child? One of the first things we are meant to learn as Waldorf teachers is the following: In every subject we bring to our classes we must distinguish between ‘conventional’ knowledge on the one hand, and on the other hand knowledge which is based on the understanding of man’s being, spiritual and physical. Conventional knowledge as Rudolf Steiner broadly defines it, is founded upon human convention. Our alphabet is a convention. Conventional knowledge works only upon the head-nature of man, whereas knowledge of man, of his spiritual nature, links us to the spiritual world...

Can you already see the role arithmetic can play if it is handled rightly? Everything artistic works upon the will-nature and involves the whole being of man. The conventional works on his head nature only..." Conferences 1 and 2