Dear Westside Waldorf Parents,
In order to ensure that our students continue to receive some form of Waldorf education during this school closure a key is for all of us to help the children stay focused, as much as is reasonably possible, on their schoolwork, and so we are joining Waldorf Schools nationwide who have agreed to use a Remote Learning approach during this uncertain time. The means of delivering the curriculum will vary depending on the grade and developmental level and will include traditional approaches and materials and may include some forms of audio recording, digital files, or screen time on a conferencing platform.
Another key to our decision to use electronic tools to deliver educational programming to some of our older students lies in our use of the word “tool(s)”. Like a pencil or fountain pen, a computer or device is exactly that in an educational setting. In this emergency situation, these devices are being used as tools, not for entertainment. They are not being used as “media”, the way we refer to them in our class agreements or policies. The question then becomes: When and to what degree is a particular electronic tool appropriate for children in an emergency situation like this? To remain true to our values, we are being very intentional about which devices and platforms we will use in each grade.
Please find an overview of our
Remote Learning plan here
. There are several phases that will develop as teachers experience this first week and make adjustments based on what is working and student needs. If you have not already, you will be hearing from your class teachers regarding the plans for tomorrow morning.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions.
Warmly,
Leadership Council