Lower Grades- 1st - 4th

With the Waldorf method of instruction, the class teacher involves the children in writing, reading, recitation, dramatic acting, painting, drawing, and movement. The teacher follows a rhythm, day to day, which begins with a  review of the previous day’s material, further development of the subject matter and then introduction of new material.

Through looping, the class teacher works with each child through a multi-year relationship, where the teacher is able to draw out the child’s strengths and focus more consistently and intensively in the weaker areas.

In the grades, we teach the core subjects in a rotation of main lesson blocks in which the children discover and delight in one topic for a 2 hour period each morning over 4-6 weeks.  This rhythm allows the students from grades 1-8 time and opportunity to penetrate each subject thoroughly and with a purpose, whether it be history, biology, mathematics, geography or literature.

Here are the subjects covered in each grade:

Math:

• 
Number sense/value

• 
Counting


• Learning and applying all four basic processes (+, -, x, =, division)

• Fairy tales 


• Nature tales


Mathematics:

• Practice and deepening of four basic processes

• Place value

• Four processes with two, three and four digit numbers

• Word/situational problems

• Number patterns

• Column addition, subtraction work (carrying and borrowing)

• Multiplication table memorization