Educating for Balance and Resilience

Quick Look

• Argues that children's physiological and emotional development is as important in a school curriculum as academic content
• Suggests a variety of activities to build core competencies such as posture, special orientation and physical coordination
• Includes helpful exercises and activities for strengthening the whole class

A compelling book for teachers that argues that a focus on posture, special orientation and coordination is as important to healthy child development as academic content.

Description

There is growing recognition in educational circles that helping children to build the skills they need to thrive in adult life is as important as learning facts and passing exams. These important skills include communication, persistence in the face of challenge, adaptability, teamwork, good manners, self-control, responsibility and punctuality. Every Steiner-Waldorf school aims to provide a progression of challenging academic content for which the students are emotionally and physiologically prepared.

Jeff Tunkey highlights how focusing on a child's physiological and emotional development is just as important as academic learning, especially in the early grades. He argues that children need a varied curriculum of movement, drawing and painting, in order to build core competencies such as posture, spatial orientation and physical coordination. This book includes helpful exercises and activities for strengthening the whole class and advice on building bridges with parents.

This illuminating resource argues that these foundational practices of Waldorf education should be part of the curriculum for all students, in all classes, every day.

Table of Contents

1. Lenses on Teacher Development
2. Foundations for Student Capacities and Readiness
3. Exercises and Activities for Strengthening the Whole Class
4. The Values of Organized Play
5. Building a Schoolwide Culture
6. Building Bridges with Parents

Author

Jeff Tunkey teaches at Aurora Waldorf School in New York. He is one of the lead instructors for the Association for a Healing Education and he delivers intensive courses for Waldorf teachers from across North America and beyond.