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Dear Friend,
Wishing our CSWS Community, alumni students and families, friends, and families a very Happy Holidays. Here we are Jack Frost is upon us and the days are growing shorter. We invite you to join us for our Advent Spiral this Saturday, Dec. 3rd at 3 PM or 4 PM (RSVP required by Friday 1 PM (530)642-9903. We welcome you to take some time for quiet contemplation and calm introspection.
More information below.
Parent education articles t
his month include a piece from the blog Essentials in Education,
Make them Scientists - Redirecting the Science Instruction Paradigm
b
y Beverly Amico. This piece describes the observation approach, central to our science curriculum. From Waldorf Today there is an article on Love as the source of education by Helmut von Kugelgen which describes the early days when Rudolf Steiner still led the Waldorf school. It is fascinating to hear about his direction and involvement as well as his focus on love as the primary force in education.
Additionally, there are links to other Waldorf websites and newsletters, as well as information about an International contest for Waldorf students, ages 17-19. Maybe some of our alumni still attending Waldorf schools are interested.
Thank you all for being a member of Cedar Springs Waldorf School community. We are grateful and wish you a very blessed holiday season.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Bumgarner
Director of Community Development
Inspiring our students to reach their highest potential as free-thinking, creative human beings who have a life-long love of learning, Cedar Springs offers a Waldorf Education to families and their children, infants through Eighth grade.
- CSWS Mission Statement
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 Advent Spiral this Saturday, December 3, 2016
Please join us, 4 PM and 5 PM seating available.
RSVP to (530)642-9903 by Friday at 1 PM.
Please join us for this special holiday tradition. Advent Spiral is a beautiful, reverent offering that our Faculty gives to our community each year to celebrate our Advent season.
During the darkest part of the year, an Advent Spiral has historically been an opportunity for quiet contemplation and calm during one of our busiest holiday seasons. Evergreen boughs are arranged to create a spiral path that leads us through darkness to light a candle. Coming out of the spiral, you add your light to the path. This silent experience of going inward and returning to the present is offered by walking the Advent Spiral.
After everyone has walked the spiral to soft music being played, the whole spiral becomes aglow with lights, illuminating the precious stones and shells and red roses tucked into the fragrant greenery. It is a beautiful sight to behold. The children, many trying to catch one more glimpse of the spiral while quietly leaving the room, anticipate receiving the candle that led them out of the darkness. After each spiral has ended and the guests are dismissed, the candled apples will be brought outside the room to be given to the children who walked in the spiral. Expect to relight it at home to recreate that peaceful and reverent experience.
For this year's Advent celebration, we will begin upstairs in the White Feather Building where families will enjoy a puppet show from our Early Childhood Faculty. After the puppet show, you will proceed downstairs to our lower classrooms where the Advent Spiral is held.
In order to maintain an environment of stillness and peace, we do not allow late entry to the spiral and we request children sit with their families. Once you are comfortably seated, please model for your children a mood of reverence by not talking or whispering.
During the Spiral, children will be invited from the audience to come forward and will receive an apple with a candle inside. It is important to ensure that long hair be pinned back, out of the face. This is not only to avoid having hair brush the candle's flame, but so that the children can have unobstructed vision walking in the darkness. As well, for safety, flowing clothes are not recommended.
Seating is limited, please RSVP in the Administration Office (530)642-9903. Two seating times available 3 PM, or 4 PM. (The 5 PM seating is full.)
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Meet Nicole: Mama- MD-Yogi (and CSWS Parent)
From Gin & Zin Blog
September 2, 2016 -Zin
I'm a mother of 4, pediatrician, and yogi.
I am passionate about taking care of children and the Earth, as I know ultimately we can not do one without the other.
What is your biggest strength as a mother?
This is a tough question for me.
I imagine the answer changes as I experience the different challenges but right now I would say my biggest strength is holding space.
When my kids are feeling stressed, scared, worried, sad- whatever the current struggle is for them, I focus on listening and truly hearing them with the intention of only that.
I think I used to think I needed to fix their problems or line up with their feelings of struggle so they could feel my love and support.
Now I hold the space of knowing that whatever struggle they are experiencing, it is "ok".
I mirror this back to them both with my words and my emotions, but mostly this is a non-verbal response-a heart centered, energetic response. I remind myself and remember they have the inner strength and knowledge to find their way.
It's freeing to know that they can do this (whatever 'this' is) - that they are more than capable and I am free to continue to see them as they truly are, strong, brilliant, loving, evolved spiritual beings.
Read full article here.
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Make Them Scientists - Redirecting the Science Instruction Paradigm
Published by Essentials In Education
By Beverly Amico
November 14, 2016
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| Photo credit_ Academe of the Oaks |
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Critical thinking and problem solving, in all fields of study, often requires looking at an old problem in a new way. The ability to observe a phenomenon with fresh eyes is a key first step in divergent or "out-of-box" thinking, which is, in turn, essential for innovation. These skills are especially important in STEM fields, which have garnered much attention and focus in 21st century education.
Strangely enough, class instruction in STEM often shortcuts "observational learning." A professional scientist observes, with deep curiosity, a phenomenon at hand and hypothesizes potential answers before testing these educated guesses through experiment. In classrooms, however, many hurried educators flip the formula-presenting the answers (laws and formulas) first and then illustrating these concepts through experimentation.
Read full article here.
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Love as the Source of Education
Published by Waldorf Today
By Helmut von Kugelgen
"We need as teachers an awakening of living human nature that experiences again within itself the whole child, insofar as we come into a spiritual connection with the child."
-Rudolf Steiner
Without a deepening and internalizing of the idea of destiny, it will become increasingly difficult to come to terms with the questions of education: One sees in every child an individuality, whose path is neither confined by the gateway of birth nor the gateway of death. When a teacher receives pupils in the mood of "having a destiny with them," a new sense of responsibility is strengthened.
Read the full article here.
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International art contests in Italy open to Waldorf students worldwide
Two new contests in mosaics and book design/production added this year.
Open to Waldorf Steiner School students worldwide. Contests are open to students between 17 and 19 years old.
The Second Annual Routes of Sculpture International Contest
The winner will create two relief sculptures in marble for the outside walls of the Hospital of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery G. Pasquinucci in Massa, Tuscany, Italy. The winner will create the artwork during a 14 day internship, working at the marble relief in Studi d'Arte Cave Michelangelo, Carrara. All expenses are covered for the winner.
Artistic Mosaic / Favret International Contest
The goal is to create two mosaics for the outside walls of the Hospital of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery G. Pasquinucci in Massa, Tuscany, Italy. The winner will be awarded a 14 day internship, working at the mosaic in Favret Mosaici Artistici, Pietrasanta.
The Artist Book International Contest
The winner will create an artist book, intended as an original unique / exemplary prototype. The winner will be awarded a 14 day internship and hospitality in Florence, working at Fondazione il Bisonte, print-workshop for graphic arts.
For contest details and lots more information, just visit www.elettotour.it
For questions about the contests, contact fdifiore@live.it or info@elettotour.it
Every Waldorf Steiner school in the world can enter and participate with students between 17 and 19 years old. The schools must send the completed registration form to the Secretarial Office of the Contest. The deadline for contest applications is January 20, 2017. See Waldorf Today for more information.
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AWSNA Community Newsletter
Read this month's AWSNA
Community Newsletter
INFORM here
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Keep up with The Friends
Read Autumn's Freunde der Erziehungskunst Rudolf Steiners Newsletter here
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Cedar Springs Waldorf School |
(530)642-9903 |
w
ww.cedarspringswaldorf.org
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