Alliance e-News

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Our hearts are heavy as we receive reports and see images of the shocking violence in Israel and Gaza. We know that this impacts many of our school communities, some with direct ties to families and friends who are caught in this conflict, are missing, or dead. We grieve for lives lost or disrupted. As educators, our hearts break for every child who is suffering pain, terror, or disruption to life. We also acknowledge the suffering of those in Afghanistan as a result of earthquakes there.

Sadly, this type of message is not new, and is today being echoed in schools and organizations across the country and around the world. How can we meaningfully support one another during this time of crisis? How do we ensure we can show up as fully as possible for the students and families who need and trust us when our own hearts are heavy or breaking? How do we navigate our communities when there are polarized points of view and feelings that run deep? As a reminder of advice that has been offered before, adults who are expected to nurture, care for, or educate others need to find effective ways of practicing self-care - the image of applying the oxygen mask to oneself first. A walk, going near water, artistic practices, good friends….. What will support you so you can support others? Self-care in troubled times is not an indulgence; it is a necessity. Our students expect us to be fully available to them.

We know that there is a core of actions that support us during times of crisis: the following are reminders for use in our communities.

Lean into routine and rhythm. It will help everyone. As part of this, maintain reasonable expectations of young people - this is empowering and builds resilience.
Encourage families to be vigilant about bedtimes, sleep, and regular meal times. The basics matter more than ever.
The daily life of school provides a safe space for many of our children. Life as they know it at school helps normalize and regulate. Encourage attendance.
Nature is a stabilizing force; it helps us manage anxiety and feel calmer. Encourage everyone to connect with nature. Get your students outdoors every day if possible.
Artistic expression helps us express how we feel, often more effectively than words.
Story is a wonderful support in trauma education: stories of facing challenges, overcoming obstacles, heroes, and resolution are within the curriculum at every age and are a source of strength.
Movement matters if we are anxious or distressed - even more than it matters in “normal” times.
Encourage families to limit exposure to graphic images of these events - and to be aware of the repetitive, “looped” nature of our news cycles. Of course, the younger the child, the less they should be exposed (ideally not at all).
Take a developmental approach to discussion or debate. Students may need to talk about what they have heard or seen. Older students can engage directly in discussion: what do you know, where did you hear about it, what do you think? Our students rely on us to provide a sense of safety and for acknowledgment of what they are feeling. They need an age-appropriate way to process their experience.
We need to be alert to Jewish and Muslim children and those with ties to the region. We also need not to put them on the spot or single them out; let them set the pace.

There are many resources available online for supporting and speaking with students in times of trouble; it is likely that your school district has resources. The advice is very similar in many of these and is helpful: we recommend viewing all of these with a developmental lens.

We are thinking of all of you doing heroic work with students and families in these deeply troubled times. Please know that you are making a positive difference: not-so-small deeds done with great love. Thank you so much, and please take care of yourselves.

Let there be peace on earth for all people. May our children know peace.

Liz Beaven

Executive Director

School Farms and Gardens

The majority of our Public Waldorf schools have a gardening program of some type. They range in scope depending on a school’s location, climate, site limitations, and resources. We see gardening activity from a few containers on blacktops to expansive gardens or small farms that include crops and even animals. New school initiatives often include gardens in their plans, and space for a garden is typically included in site plans when a new site is being considered. Many schools expand their gardening programs beyond their campus through age-appropriate field trips to community gardens and working farms. Why is this so? There is no core principle or instruction manual that requires schools to have a garden: rather, there are compelling reasons that support our students’ wellbeing and reflect several of our Core Principles.

Curriculum

School gardens provide multiple opportunities for curriculum development, enrichment, and learning support. As we imagine the way the curriculum leads the child out into a steadily expanding world, we see multiple ways that a gardening program can support this expansion and exploration in an age-appropriate way. Garden programs support science, measurement and math, ecological studies, botany, geography, climate studies, and Indigenous studies. Students learn about life cycles, the water cycle, and principles of solar energy. They provide meaningful, essential work - what the students do matters and bears results in a visible way.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Gardens place our students in direct contact with nature and its many benefits for wellbeing. They invite physical activity and can be a doorway to improved nutrition. The necessary work of a garden provides opportunities for problem-solving, construction, cooperative work, meaningful responsibility, connection, and stewardship - essential supports in our time of increasing environmental anxiety. It also provides less tangible, yet essential, qualities such as wonder, awe, and gratitude. Time in nature has been demonstrated to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. A school gardening program can, therefore, be viewed as an essential cornerstone of a school’s social-emotional and student support programs.

Community Life

A school garden offers opportunities for a school to support and reflect its community. Crops can be planted with food and recipes in mind, drawn from the cultures of the community. Community members - parents, grandparents, and others - can be enlisted as enthusiastic sources of garden support and expertise. At least one Public Waldorf school relies on neighborhood community volunteers to maintain the garden over the summer, which is another wonderful connection. Another has a community/school garden where the school and community share the work and the bounty of the harvest.

Resources

In addition, to help with gardening maintenance and chores, other local resources are likely available to support your gardening program. Look to your county or city council for guidelines considering local climate and soil conditions. Seek out local gardening clubs for advice, cuttings, and seeds. Is there an arboretum or college extension program in your area? They can be great resources. Check your local library for gardening clubs and resources. Does your campus need trees? Check for local tree-planting organizations or consult the Arbor Day Foundation for more information.

There are many practical guides for gardening and work in nature with children. The following were recommended by a “master” gardening teacher as great places to start:

Growing Sustainable Children, A Garden Teacher’s Guide, Roni Sands and Willow Summer. (Steiner Books, Waldorf focus).

Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science. Roberta Jaffe and Gary Appel. Developed by Life Labs science program; links garden activities to science standards.

The School Garden: An Integrated K-8 Guide for Discovering Science, Ecology, and Whole-Systems Thinking. Kaci Rae Christopher. Emphasis on developing ecological stewardship.

For help with language and research in explaining your gardening program, look at the comprehensive resources provided by the Children and Nature Network, https://www.childrenandnature.org/

The Trust for Learning’s research brief is primarily focused on benefits for young children, but is also helpful for language: https://trustforlearning.org/resource/nurturing-all-children-in-nature/

Grants and Funding

This is one area of school life with many opportunities for grants. Start with a search for “school garden funds” as they vary by state. You may find local or state support for native plants, bee gardens, butterfly meadows, or trees. Several national chains support school gardens: check “big box” stores such as Target and Home Depot. Look at the websites for the Nature Conservancy, with an upcoming grant deadline: https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-we-are/how-we-work/youth-engagement/nature-lab/#grants and Seed Your Future, with a comprehensive list of educator grants, https://www.seedyourfuture.org/educator_grants.

As with any grant applications, we recommend that you check the mission and goals of the grantor to ensure alignment with your school’s values and goals.

These resources and others, including more specific curriculum indications, will be on our website in our Member Portal in the coming weeks.

Happy digging, planting, tending, and harvesting!

We are thrilled to be offering an in-person Conference this year.

Mark your calendars!!!!

Professional Development and Teacher Preparation

A listing by the Alliance is for information only and does not imply recommendation or endorsement. We encourage school leaders and teachers to fully research offerings before enrollment to ensure they align with their goals and needs. We recommend that you research familiarity with the unique needs and demands of Public Waldorf education. This is particularly important if public funds are used for professional development or teacher preparation.