The following is a guest post written by Kara Anderson.

For three years I had been wondering about joining a particular local weekly homeschool co-op.

And, then, last winter, I got my sign — they were offering a Waldorf preschool class, taught by a trained Waldorf teacher.

We try to be Waldorfy, I thought, as I recalled all the failed circle times and the fact that despite following the “rules” my son started reading at 3.

As we entered that beautiful classroom on the first day, I was so excited. Finally, I will get to see all this Waldorfness in action and transfer it to our life.

While it is true that I learned a lot (I was invited to observe and at times pitch in a bit) the lessons were unexpected. But bringing what I learned home has helped us find a balance that truly works.
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The following is a guest post by Donna Ashton of The Waldorf Connection.

When my twin girls were three and a half my husband and I decided we would homeschool them.

I had no idea what curriculum I would use and had never heard of Waldorf Education.

I attended a homeschool fair in my state and purchased a book called 101 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. The book contained a short quiz, designed to help determine what educational style would be best for me and my family.

As a Type-A over-achiever, I was shocked when my results ended up in a tie between unschooling and Charlotte Mason.

I discovered I wanted something that didn’t look or feel like traditional school. Something that would give my girls real life knowledge and a love for learning.
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Written by Sarah Baldwin of Bella Luna Toys and Moon Child

A note from Jamie: This post from Sarah is such a great reminder around this time of year, as sometimes we all need to let go of our expectations and go with our guts. It first published August 23, 2010. Enjoy!

While my two boys, Harper and Will, spent most of their schooling years in a Waldorf school, we spent two years homeschooling. I am a trained Waldorf teacher and prior to this I had been teaching at the Waldorf school that my boys attended.

I spent years in graduate school studying education and had many years of teaching experience, but I learned more about how children learn during those two years than I did from all my teacher training and the plethora of books I’d read on the subject.

The Challenge

Being devoted to Waldorf education, I was determined to give my children a true Waldorf experience at home, so when we started, I did what I knew. I created a mini-Waldorf school at home, complete with lazured walls, wooden desks, and a large blackboard. It was beautiful!

Since I had also agreed to homeschool my niece, I was committed to offering the curriculum to three different grades, as it would be taught in a Waldorf school.

During the first couple of months, I would routinely stay up until midnight, sometimes later, preparing three different lesson plans and drawings that I would expect my students to copy into their “main lesson books” the next day. I had a curriculum and a daily schedule and I was determined to stick to it.
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