Class 7 News

Werte Class 7 Families,

Class 7 have kick started the term with another Physics lesson, this time focusing on Mechanics, Warmth and Acoustics. Harry Brown is our visiting teacher for this lesson and comes to us with a wealth of experience in Steiner Education from the East Coast. I have heard from the students, and Harry alike, how much they are enjoying this hands-on lesson. 

Our National Steiner Curriculum for Class 7 states:

An important pedagogical principle can be observed in the way that the Physics curriculum is presented. Now the phenomena can be focused on in their causative relationship… acoustics is approached from the relationship between tone and vibration…, warmth is approached from the point of view of expansion and contraction which leads to temperature measurement. Then comes the actual mechanics of simple machines which allows the students to have experiences with clearly identifiable components whose connections are oversee able and which expand the human power of work. The clear understanding possible in this area is a fruitful field of exercise for the causative judgement.

Future Capacities

The teaching of physics, leading to the mechanical, provides an opportunity for the young person to exercise their growing independent intellectual powers in the understanding of a field of interesting but oversee able phenomena and to understand them out of their experience. The lessons provide impetus for the young person to return with interest to world phenomena, to gain new experiences. They become switched on to the world… The clear understanding found in the mechanical causative connections of this topic, provide a sense of mastery of both the outer world but also of the inner world of the young person. One area of understanding often leads to inner confidence to understand more abstract and intangible connections. (NSCF Topics Science 7.1. & 7.2)

I have returned from my SEA Study Tour in Germany, Switzerland and Thailand full of enthusiasm and inspiration for all things ‘Waldorf/Steiner Education’ here in Australia and around the world. I have sat in classes to observe children, participated in lectures at both an Anthroposophical Hospital and at the Goethe Anum, and met with a world-wide organisation ‘Friends of Waldorf Education’ that organise volunteer programs among other things. With 17 teachers and leaders from across Australia, I have sung in ancient temples, wondered and wandered through Biodynamic gardens, heard histories and amazing feats of schools and individuals, seen classrooms that were built by students, and so much more. Actually, it is my favourite thing to talk about, so just ask me (if you dare?!). I am feeling very full of things to share with our beautiful, and deservedly proud Steiner School here in the heart of Australia.

Fully inspired,

Megan x