Cassia 1 & 2 News

It is such a pleasure to join the Cassia and EC team at the Alice Springs Steiner School.

Last week, in Cassia 2, we ‘wondered’ at new aspects of Cassia life and enjoyed reacquainting ourselves with familiar rhythms, friends, and favourite play items. The children met 3 new Cassia ‘friends’: Story Dreamer, Peeper Possum, and Old Man Trouble. 

In morning circle we played a singing and movement game called Kling Klang Gloria, which culminated in the revelation of one of these new classroom friends each day. In the afternoons we heard stories about them and how they each fit into Cassia life. It was delightful to see the wonder on the children’s faces as they met each character.

Wonder is a cornerstone of Waldorf/Steiner Education, and creating spaces and moments when the children can have “Ahhh” moments is deeply important. We as modern adults can sometimes go days or even weeks without such a feeling passing through our souls. Perhaps we feel moved to an “Ahhh” upon seeing a rainbow or a beautiful sunset, but often we pass many ‘ordinary wonders’ by without too much thought.

Wonder is the seed of knowledge and curiosity, and its cultivation creates a foundation for a lifelong deep appreciation of the world and beyond. In a Steiner kindergarten we consciously foster the natural sense of wonder that children bring with them through slowly and consciously moving through our day, modelling care and appreciation of and for all the small things and moments, through creating moments of ‘magic’ through story and song, and through limiting abstract and conceptual explanations.

Not all questions children have need to be answered…. when the world is ‘known’ through concepts, the wonder is lost. When asked a question in early childhood we will often respond…”I wonder…”. This allows the children to ponder the mystery that is before them, or we offer them an imaginative picture e.g. “Why is it raining?” … “Because the clouds were thirsty and now they’re full” … or … “Maybe the trees sang their rain song.” Simple imaginations are more satisfying for young children than complex scientific explanations, and allow the children to retain a sense of wonder for the world that can one day grow into a desire to understand all that’s around them with depth and open-hearted interest.

Thanks everyone for such a warm welcome.

Pep