Class 1

The child is about to embark on a journey with a class teacher that will last several years. It is better to wait longer to enter class 1 than to risk repeating a year later, which would involve a change of class teacher and social group. Class 1 readiness is normally reviewed, without the child being aware of it, by a small group of teachers and in consultation with the child's parents.

A detailed checklist, covering physical development, skills, social attitudes and cognitive development, is contained in:
Avison. A Handbook for Waldorf Class Teachers

• Physical: Change of teeth, especially 6-year-old molars
• Head / body size ratio changes limbs growing, loss of "baby   fat"
• Emotional:  Still a certain dreaminess, but becoming more "connected" with the earth, especially with nature.
• Ability to focus is developing but concentration is still limited
• Is full of imagination and lives in a world of colour and pictorial thinking
• Responds to learning through pictorial & rhythmic activities
• A greater wish to independent action rather than imitation, though this is only gradual.

Needs of this age:

• Security & support:
  for their emerging independence as they move a  little away from home life and into a formal school environment.
• Connectedness:
  to experience themselves within a sense of wholeness - as individuals upon the earth, relating to nature and other human beings. To be able to relate to the world with wonder and reverence.
• Meaning:   
  to relate abstract symbols (letters and numbers) to their worldly experience

In Class 1 the most important way of meeting the children's needs is in the way the content is introduced.  The gradual change from activity and imitation in the kindergarten, to more formal learning in Class 1 is facilitated by involving the feeling life - through stories, rhythm, pictures, and songs. These help to connect the new concepts to the child's own experience.

Fairy stories and folk tales
Based on archetypal images nurture the child's sense of wholeness and morality.
Stories should convey the assurance that Good overcomes Evil. Fairy stories contain archetypal pictures of the individual striving to find their way in the world, often assisted by nature. European stories can be supplemented with stories of other cultures, particularly from the indigenous Australian culture, providing they contain the archetypal qualities appropriate to this age group.

Nature stories and nature activities
Particularly those showing the seasons and cycles of the natural world, bring an understanding of the oneness of humankind, nature and the heavens.
Seasonal festivals and seasonal cooking are celebrated, and bush walking is normally included on a weekly basis

Form drawing
In preparation for writing letters & numbers. Abstract symbols are brought to life through physical activity: the children form shapes and movements with their bodies and concrete materials eg beeswax, before putting them on paper.

Letters of the alphabet
Introduced through the qualities of spoken sounds, and then through story and pictures chosen for their relationship to the nature of that letter.
Each letter then develops its own special significance.

The four mathematical processes
(addition, subtraction, multiplication and division)
Introduced through personification in story and picture, giving character and moral qualities to these abstract concepts, for example the addition character may accumulate and hoard his wealth; the division character may divide and share his kingdom.

Main Lessons Class 1

• Form Drawing (pre-writing practice)
• Capital Alphabet
• Phonics x 2
• Lower Case Alphabet (towards end of year if class is ready)
• Home Surroundings
• Elemental Beings or Nature’s Script
• Aboriginal Dreamtime Stories
• Counting – Numeral introduction
• Counting skills
• 4 processes (incl problem solving and estimation)
• Equations – linear

Class One Themes

Mandatory Themes

• Fairy Tales
• Folk Tales
• Dreamtime Stories
• Nature Stories
• Seasonal Cycles and Changes

Optional Themes

• Atlantean theme (not Noah, but plant realm, eg Manu)
• Advent stories

Recommended Stories – Seven Year Old Wonder Book, King Beetle Tamer, Fairy Princes – Isabelle Wyatt, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (see Waldorf reading list)

See Rawson p 21 and 22 for information on narratives and teachers telling the stories in his/her own words.

Themes in practice & subject lessons:
Free play, games and group activities to help social interaction.
Games to support literacy and numeracy, concentration games.
Artistic work, modelling etc on main lesson themes reinforce the beauty of nature.

Teaching styles
One of the principal aims of class 1 is to form a cohesive social group, who respect the authority and abilities of the teacher.  This can be achieved through:

• Establishing new rhythms and a new way of working for the class, including working at desks at least part of the day, taking on responsibilities, practicing tidiness, etc
• Cultivating a respect for the environment and each other
• Group activities- singing, verses, games, and movement