Parenting tips

Class Plays Deepen Learning

By Ben Linstrom Every year, there is a time when each class in grades 1 through 8 stops the regular routine of main lesson blocks and immerses in preparation for a class play. It is an essential part of Waldorf education that we call pedagogical drama, because the plays specifically relate to the content of the Waldorf curriculum through the grades. For students, this is when what they’re learning truly comes to life for them. It may be historical or cultural, and it relates to what they have been learning in the classroom during main lesson. Routine and rhythm are important for our main…

Bushfire Support Information

The current bushfire situation is causing the Community a considerable amount of disruption and anxiety. Whilst our attention is drawn to the ferocity of the fires, there can be a number of cascading impacts that we should be aware of. Firstly, there is the impact of smoke which extends well beyond the immediate interface with the fire. The NSW Department of Health has information on this, which can be sourced from the following link: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/factsheets/Pages/bushfire-smoke.aspx The factsheet contains information in respect to health precautions you can take to help you and your children. We also seek to protect the well-being…

Great family games to play for the holidays and beyond…

Just a reminder there are many great board games and card games that develop your child's numeracy abilities, strategic thinking and are also great fun to play together. Some suggestions include: Younger Primary years Snakes and Ladders Chinese Checkers Bingo Dominoes Yahtzee RushHour Jenga Uno Draughts Cluedo Battleships Card games - Friends of 10, Friends of 20, Snap, Go Fish, Memory Middle Primary years Chinese Checkers RushHour Yahtzee Card Games - Canasta, Snap Jack, Cribbage, 21, Hearts, 500 etc If anyone would like to discuss how to play, please feel free to contact alison.s@chrysalis.nsw.edu.au or via the office. Alison Scheef -…

The Right Brain Develops First: Why Play is the Foundation for Academic Learning

By Vince Gowmon Did you know that the right brain develops first? It does so by the time children are 3-4 years of age. The left brain, on the other hand, doesn’t fully come online until children are approximately seven years old; hence the first seven years being recognized as such a critical period in child development. “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” ~ Albert Einstein The left brain’s functionality is one of language, numeracy, literacy, analysis and time. It is the logical, calculating, planning, busy-bee part of us that keeps us anchored in the pragmatic world, and in…

Where Are The Textbooks? The Use of Main Lesson Books in Steiner Education

Main Lesson books are unique to Waldorf education. While traditional schooling pairs lecturing with textbook references and worksheets, Waldorf students process and record lectures in notes and illustrations on large, blank pages of high-quality paper. What are these books exactly and why do Waldorf schools use them?   What is a Main Lesson Book? The creation of a Main Lesson book is an active, hands-on experience of learning that encourages both intention and creativity.  Waldorf students record content of each subject of study, presented during a student’s main lesson class, in a Main Lesson book. These creative, curriculum-rich books become…

Upcoming Parent Education Talks and Workshops

We are excited to announce a range of informative talks and workshops during Term 2 across various age brackets to assist you with your parenting journey. Please see our Parent Education page for all the relevant flyers. Happy Child, Happy Home - Lou Harvey-Zahra - Saturday 18th May 10:30am - 12pm @ Morning Star Creative Discipline Workshop - Lou Harvey-Zahra - Saturday 18th May 12:45pm - 3:45pm @ Morning Star Parenting Children to Thrive - Lou Harvey-Zahra - Sunday 19th May 9am - 10:30am @ Bellingen Youth Hub Positive Parenting of Tweens and Teens - Lou Harvey-Zahra - Sunday 19th…

Why Steiner Students Knit

Knitting has been gathering a lot of attention lately by crafters and scientists alike. It turns out knitting and handwork provides a host of brain and wellbeing benefits to people of all ages. For students, in particular, knitting provides an essential learning medium. A child who is knitting a hat or a toy kitten sees their will transformed into art. They see their focused, detailed work turn into something beautiful and purpose filled. They experience how the conceptual becomes concrete. This is why Waldorf education founder, Rudolf Steiner, lectured on the importance of handwork for students just under 100 years…

Preparing parents for unfolding milestones – talks by Melanie Deefholts

We are excited to announce two upcoming development talks by Melanie Deefholts. Melanie has been working in the Chrysalis community for over 8 years with enthusiastic and positive feedback from the community. We invite all families to attend on Monday March 19th at Morning Star. Melanie will work with us as we support our children in their development and explore practical ways to navigate these years. This community striving not only supports our children but also helps prepare the adults for the unfolding milestones that are waiting to blossom ahead. Understanding the Adolescent in turbulent times and their relationship with…

Raising Stress-Proof Kids: Parenting Today’s Children for Tomorrow’s World

Chrysalis School is excited to offer you the opportunity to purchase Dr. Shelley Davidow's book Raising Stress Proof Kids at a reduced price of $20, with proceeds assisting the school library. Please purchase from the school office by cash or credit card. A compelling and informative guide for every parent, 'Raising Stress - Proof Kids' offers an eye - opening view on how the unhealthy and unnecessary stresses of our educational systems as well as outdated perspectives on parenting affect our children. Drawing on cutting - edge research from the Institute of HeartMarth, California, as well as the author's own…

The Gift of Play

Reflections of a Waldorf Nursery Teacher by Kam Anderson, Beach Rose Nursery Teacher I continue to be amazed by young children, their wonder and joy for life is infectious. However, they are still just landing and growing so rapidly. Four years of life go quickly for us as adults and yet for many of our children they were just a parent’s dream. I have been thinking about this quality of play and imagination that live so deeply in young children. It is a precious gift and one that is not offered at any other time in a human being’s life.…