Madrona School Alphabet (E)

As we continue to celebrate what makes a Madrona School education unique through the alphabet, we have reached the letter 'E' ... and Eurythmy!

We just wrapped up a six-week block with visiting eurythmist, Audun Smit. Mr. Smit offered classes to our kindergartens and our grade school, as well as weekly opportunities for adults and at the opening of our faculty meetings. It was a true gift to our community!

Eurthymy is an art form from Rudolf Steiner based on movement, and making music and tone visible through that movement. Beautiful to watch and to do, it has elements of dance, sculpture and creative expression. Here at Madrona School, we offer eurythmy in blocks as we are able, providing some exposure for our students to this essential aspect of the Waldorf curriculum.

Movement in all its forms is so essential to learning, and Waldorf education emphasizes it throughout the curriculum. When we move, we learn -- coordination, problem solving, working effectively with others, etc. In our early childhood programs, children practice integration of movement, both gross and fine motor, in order to prepare themselves for their academic journeys ahead. And in grade school, movement continues to be critical for a greater integration of academic material, as well as practice for those all important social skills.  

And eurythmy is movement like nothing else we offer, with live piano accompaniment and uplifting verse. Truly a gift for each child, even as they work on spatial awareness and social integration, expressing themselves from the inside out. 

-- edited in part from the school newsletter, November 19, 2013

Images From The Season

At Madrona School, we mark the darkest time of the year with opportunities to remember and celebrate the light that shines within all of us. Enjoy this selection of recent images from the life of our school -- and Happy Solstice and holiday season!

Madrona School Alphabet (D)

What makes a Madrona School education unique and special?
During the 2013-2014 school year, we celebrated what a Waldorf education offers both our children and our community as we strive to graduate creative and eager lifelong learners. Using the alphabet gave us 26 aspects to celebrate! 

D is for Drama! We enjoy good drama (of a certain kind!) at Madrona School. In our early childhood programs, we nurture imaginative play acting each and every day. And, each grade school class puts on a play every year.  From the simplest beginnings in 1st grade, to full blown productions in 7th and 8th, our students learn to be comfortable performing on a stage. They memorize lines, work together on sets and staging, speak clearly and with passion, sing and make music. Drama enhances literacy, creativity, self-confidence, flexibility -- and it's fun!

-- edited from our school newsletter on October 1, 2013

Making Sense of the News

Monday, November 16, 2015

Dear parents,
While we work hard not to overwhelm you with extra e-traffic, I feel compelled by the tragic events in Paris on Friday to reach out to you today.

How do we respond to this horrible news?  And how do we relay the facts of it to our children in a way that sets a healthy tone within our families and our school community?

One of the key precepts of Waldorf education is that during the precious first seven years of life we are actively cultivating an image of the world as good and beautiful for our children.  We want these children to be happy that they have arrived here to live their lives now.  Of course, as they grow older they will become aware of all of the difficulties this world holds for them and for human kind.  But for a brief interval, we work to keep suffering at bay as best we can.

I ask that you join me in protecting the innocence of the youngest members of our school community.  Children of kindergarten age or younger, as well as those in the lower school grades, should be protected as much as possible from knowledge of an event such as the tragedy in Paris. Please ask your older children not to discuss their knowledge of the situation at school, to protect the youngest and those who don’t yet know. If your younger children do hear about it, then they should be spared the details if at all possible. If you are in a family with only very young children, this should be possible at home by eliminating any media use around the children, and by not leaving newspapers or magazines where they can be seen casually.

If your child asks you about the event, the first thing is to stay calm. Ask them what they know about it, rather than telling them more. Don’t focus on trying to answer “why”, but listen to their feelings, and provide reassurance that they will be safe.  Please give only age-appropriate information, without belaboring the details.  Even older students do not need to know all of the grisly details.

Thank you for being conscious of your own speaking: be aware of what you are saying and who might be nearby listening.   Meanwhile, make sure to take care of your own feelings of grief, anger, frustration, despair by gathering with other adults to seek comfort and companionship as needed.

By upholding the principle of tending to the needs of our youngest students first, we can collectively bring healing and hope to our community and the larger world.

In gratitude for the gift that each of you is to our school,
Missi

--originally published as a letter to our school community on Nov. 16, 2015