Age Appropriate Learning Class 5 to 8

Following on from Episode 2, class teacher, Mrs Liane Amerseder continues to share insight into the importance of following the major developmental stages of the child to provide age appropriate and experiential learning for the Class 5 - 8 child.

Offering appropriate learning to the child at each developmental stage is a gift that Rudolf Steiner left us, providing us with a host of indicators that enable us to encourage age-specific and age-appropriate learning for each of the grades. 

It is highly beneficial for the child that each developmental stage or transition is mirrored by the content and experiences outlined in the curriculum. This content must nourish them and assist them in making these developmental transitions in a balanced, healthy, and harmonious way. The children who feel met, seen, and understood then experience a sense of ‘belonging’ and they are able to move into a space of ‘becoming’. 

We hope that you are able to learn a bit more about how Michael Mount Waldorf School nurtures conscious, creative, independent thinkers who are prepared for life. Please share this episode with others who are interested in a holistic education for their children.

Transcript

EPISODE 3: AGE APPROPRIATE LEARNING CLASS 5-8
Liane Amerseder and Sechaba Motsieloa

Offering appropriate learning to the child at each developmental stage is a gift that Rudolf Steiner left us, providing us with a host of indicators that enable us to encourage age-specific and age-appropriate learning for each of the grades. 

Class 5 is classically referred to as the golden year of childhood. The children are full of life forces and at their most graceful and balanced in their bodies.  To match this, the curriculum explores the etheric world of plants in Botany and the story content for the year is drawn from the ancient epochs of India, Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt and finally Greece. 

The move from Ancient Greek mythology to Greek history marks the turning point in their development as they enter Class 6, leaving the mysticism of mythologies behind and moving to meet the facts of history. 

Class 6 comes with less grace in the children's movements. Their limbs suddenly grow long, and the children become colt-like in their movements. This is the year when the intellect truly begins to awaken and the 12-year-old starts to develop a sense of judgement, and an understanding of cause and effect. This is when the curriculum introduces the first physics experiments in light, colour, magnetism and heat so that through observing these phenomena, the understanding of cause-and-effect becomes firsthand, experience-based knowledge. 

The children also learn about ancient Rome, as the law and order of this civilisation appeals to them now, and they want to understand the world around them and explore this notion of consequence. This year ends in the Dark Ages, a mirror of the stormy pre-pubescent that feels quite heavy in their bodies. 

Class 7 is the year in which we try to strike a balance between the inner and the outer child. We allow the adolescent to look within as we study physiology, nutrition and digestion, and the respiratory and circulatory systems. We then take them right out of themselves to explore the cosmos in astronomy. By working with the biographies of the great explorers and navigators of the 16th century, the children discover the various countries across the globe. Creative writing then allows them to reflect and be introspective, and finally the Renaissance and the period of enlightenment brings an element of hope and light to them and they embrace these newly formed ideals and thoughts and love to enter into long discussions with the teacher and their peers. 

Class 8 is an important year as it is the bridge into High School. The class teacher begins to cut ties with the children and in the middle of the year, they are welcomed formally into the High School, with the class teacher accompanying them in this transition. The children are gradually introduced to the High School teachers and subjects. Part of this year is also the social experience of producing a class play which is presented to community. This is an important step which allows the children to truly bond as a community and a family as their teacher begins to step away.  

 The class teacher can step away from this 8-year journey knowing that a rich and comprehensive education has provided the children with vivid, imaginative experiences. Later on, this imagination gives way to rich and diverse thinking.