We're off to Kelly's Island, this time with Alexandra, meaning it will be twice as fun. Then school starts Wednesday, then we're back to camping up at the Sandusky KOA for some quality Cedar Point time.
Went to the parent orientation for school yesterday and I am even more confident now in our decision to Waldorf this little kid of ours. He is in a Kindergarten class with 18 kids total, but many kids are 3 day a week or half day or both. So they have it organized brilliantly. Mon and Tues. he is only with full day older children in his class (like himself). So Mon and Tues there are 6 kids his age, one teacher, all day. WThF everyone is there, two teachers, then over half go home at noon, leaving 10ish kids there. I am thrilled at all the one on one he is going to get and all the small group time with the kids his age that will go on to class one with him next year. This is just what my kid needs.
Old School:
1:20 teacher:student ratio
60% of day spent on academics (math and letters)
2 - 20 minute recesses
20-30 minutes homework
New School:
1:9 teacher:student ratio
No overtly taught academics (focus still on motor, language and social skills + creativity)
3 - 30-40 minute recesses
No homework
The fear everyone has with Waldorf is that all this relaxing is going to make their kid an idiot who can't read and write. That since Indy will be seven when someone formally sits him down to letter people, he will miss some kind of magic window and be reading and writing more slowly in Jr. High. It's absurd of course. The brilliance is that they don't have to teach for standardized tests and so, they can wait and do what is developmentally appropriate for the largest number of children. And if Sally the Superstar reads and writes at home, that's completely cool. But Indy won't have to read in front of Sally until he's 8 and can do it, therefore not forever branding him as an idiot. I like it. Now, Sally may want to scratch her eyes out in class, but that's not my problem. Her parents should have looked into Old Trail.
OK, enough of that. :-)
Went to the parent orientation for school yesterday and I am even more confident now in our decision to Waldorf this little kid of ours. He is in a Kindergarten class with 18 kids total, but many kids are 3 day a week or half day or both. So they have it organized brilliantly. Mon and Tues. he is only with full day older children in his class (like himself). So Mon and Tues there are 6 kids his age, one teacher, all day. WThF everyone is there, two teachers, then over half go home at noon, leaving 10ish kids there. I am thrilled at all the one on one he is going to get and all the small group time with the kids his age that will go on to class one with him next year. This is just what my kid needs.
Old School:
1:20 teacher:student ratio
60% of day spent on academics (math and letters)
2 - 20 minute recesses
20-30 minutes homework
New School:
1:9 teacher:student ratio
No overtly taught academics (focus still on motor, language and social skills + creativity)
3 - 30-40 minute recesses
No homework
The fear everyone has with Waldorf is that all this relaxing is going to make their kid an idiot who can't read and write. That since Indy will be seven when someone formally sits him down to letter people, he will miss some kind of magic window and be reading and writing more slowly in Jr. High. It's absurd of course. The brilliance is that they don't have to teach for standardized tests and so, they can wait and do what is developmentally appropriate for the largest number of children. And if Sally the Superstar reads and writes at home, that's completely cool. But Indy won't have to read in front of Sally until he's 8 and can do it, therefore not forever branding him as an idiot. I like it. Now, Sally may want to scratch her eyes out in class, but that's not my problem. Her parents should have looked into Old Trail.
OK, enough of that. :-)
