Our first exposure to the Waldorf experience was through attending the Advent garden in December and Springfest in May. I was inspired and nourished by the visual and musical beauty, the sense of the celebration of childhood, and an invisible sense of sacredness behind it all.

My husband and I enrolled our daughter in Kindergarten, thrilled with an atmosphere in the classroom and the delightful use of natural materials both in the surroundings and the playthings. It was hard not to linger when dropping her off as I was attracted to the nature table, circle time, painting and other handwork, and celebration of the festivals in nature. We learned a great deal about encouraging her imagination. Our participation in the school nourished our family by influencing the way we did things at home.

At age four our daughter’s intellectual development was ahead of her other aspects. Based on the culture at large, I had encouraged her with letters and numbers. But I had begun to be concerned that she would speed up in that track at the expense of her development as a whole person. Waldorf helped me to assist her in a more balanced growth. I dropped the letters and numbers and she never missed them. We cut way back on her exposure to television and found more interesting activities. I have always appreciated the emphasis on not allowing the “junk” of mass media’s influence to come into the school through clothing, toys and exposure . I came to see more of the sacredness of childhood and how to create a safe place for my daughter and other children in which to grow.

We decided to re-enroll our daughter for a second year of kindergarten despite the nagging feeling that she should be learning to read. That year was pure gold for her, allowing her to deepen in and master that place of early childhood. Our combined cash income at that time was less than $12,000 a year, but we found ways to make the tuition work (and did receive tuition assistance from the school). Our daughter’s participation in Waldorf education is a high priority to us.

Our daughter is currently in fourth grade at River Song Waldorf School. She has the perfect teacher for her, a woman who combines thoughtful creative teaching with great enjoyment in carrying through various activities. In some ways, she knows my daughter better than I do, and she is acutely aware of where she and the other children are in different areas of development. The genuine love between herself and the children is wonderful. Times where I have been over-stressed at work, and later when I had cancer-related surgery, I was assured in the stability and care that she received from her teacher.

I am fascinated by Steiner’s approach to education. It seems to unfold in a magical, beautiful and natural way that I couldn’t have imagined possible. I appreciate the way all subjects are taught in an interconnected fashion. As delivered by the sensitive teacher, the curriculum meets the child right where that child is. I appreciate the marvelous specialty classes: two languages, strings, handwork, and Eurythmy. They bring depth and breadth to the child’s’s education. My husband and I wish that we could return as grade school students!

At age ten, our daughter has become a reader. She arrived at this stage at her own natural pace. Her class is like a second family - different of course from home but valuable in experience and lessons. She loves school, and we love the balance Waldorf allows her to still be a child and increasingly develop a foundation of skills and perspective that we believe will serve her as an adult. We care deeply about the future of humanity and the earth, and believe that by educating our daughter and other children this way, that they will be poised to let positive change come through them into the world.