Description:

“The primary task of a Waldorf teacher is to understand the human being in body, soul, and spirit. From this understanding will grow the approach, the curriculum, and the methods of an education capable of addressing the whole child.” —Roberto Trostli

Waldorf education, an established and growing independent school movement, continues to be shaped and inspired by Rudolf Steiner's numerous lectures on education.

In Rhythms of Learning, key lectures on children and education have been thoughtfully chosen from the vast amount of material by Steiner and presented in a context that makes them approachable and accessible. In his many discussions and lectures, Steiner shared his vision of an education that considers the spirit, soul, and physiology in children as they grow.

Roberto Trostli, an experienced Waldorf teacher, has selected the works that best illustrate the fundamentals of this unique approach. In each chapter, Trostli explains Steiner's concepts and describes how they work in the contemporary Waldorf classroom. We learn how the teacher-child relationship and the Waldorf school curriculum changes as the students progress from kindergarten through high-school.

This book will serve as an excellent resource for parents who want to understand how their child is learning. Parents will be better prepared to discuss their child's education with teachers, and teachers will find it a valuable reference source and communication tool.

Available from Amazon  and Steiner Books

Contents

• Sources
• Foreword
• Preface to the Revised Edition
• Introduction: A Seed for the Future

1. The Foundations of Waldorf Education
   The Education of the Child in the Light of Spiritual Science
2. Teacher and Child
   The Four Temperaments
   Understanding Children’s Temperaments
   Gratitude, Love, and Duty
3. The Waldorf Kindergarten
   The World of the Young Child
   Walking, Speaking, Thinking
4. The First School Years
   From Whole to Part
   Children from the Seventh to Tenth Years
   Teaching Children to Write
   Teaching Arithmetic
5. The Middle Elementary School Years
   Self and World
   Zoology and Botany in the Elementary School
   Nature Study in the Elementary School
   Teaching Geography
6. The Upper Elementary School Years
   Cause and Consequence
   The Child at Twelve
   Teaching in the Upper Grades
   Teaching History
7. The High School Years
   Adolescence—the Quest for Self
   Working with Adolescents
8. The Arts in Waldorf Education
   The Jewels in the Crown
   Education through Art
   An Introduction to Eurythmy