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Education
About
Waldorf education
Waldorf education, sometimes called Steiner education, is a very different approach to learning that places the child at the centre of the experience, adapting to the changing needs of the child as they develop. This child-centred approach means that students are able to enjoy a holistic educational environment, where their development needs are matched with their desire to create and make sense of their changing emotions.
Waldorf education allows children the space and freedom to grow into the well-rounded adults they deserve to be. Our aim is always to create a love of learning that will last a lifetime and we do this by working with the natural phases a child will go through, rather than rushing them through a rigorous academic schedule. This means at every age, our students are able to explore developmentally-appropriate curriculum that offers ample opportunity to be creative through hands-on activities.
The rhythm 
of the year
Rose Ceremony
This is the opening of the school, where the new members of the grades are welcomed by the oldest children. It marks the beginning of a new adventure for all – both new experiences and new responsibilities.
Michaelmas
Michaelmas celebrates the effort of our inner self, of our own strength and bravery, as well as being honest with ourselves and with others. At school, we experience the values behind this celebration: Bravery, initiative, courage, constancy, and protection. The children do this through a series of tests of courage that involve climbing, jumping, overcoming obstacles, and keeping their balance. This helps to strengthen the children as they use their inner power and confidence to overcome all of the challenges they face.
Michaelmas invites us all to ask ourselves the question – Do we have the courage to face our fears? And can we tame the dragons that we face in life as bravely as St. George as he confronts the dragon, holding his bright sword of justice and courage high.
Day of Cultures
On the Day of Culture, we choose to celebrate the cultures of the world. Each child selects a country and comes dressed in a traditional outfit or brings photographs or a cultural dish to share, so that everyone can learn, share and celebrate together.
Festival of the Beings of the Forest (Halloween)
At the end of October, we celebrate the feast of the Beings of the Forest. This is a time to celebrate the wildlife and magic of the forest, as well as the elemental beings. The children dress up as animals, fairies, kings and queens, or any other special beings from the forest or from fairy tales.
Martinmas
The celebration of St. Martin is a reminder that each of us has a divine spark that we must allow to shine in this world, and to share with others. We spend the week making beautiful lanterns with love and care, before meeting at the beach for a starlit lantern procession along the beach. We take comfort in walking together through the darkness, helping light the way with our lanterns and cheering our hearts with beautiful songs.
St. Martin is the patron saint of beggars and outcasts, and was known for his gentle nature and ability to bring a sense of warmth and light to all. The festival honours the ability of all of us to bring light to another being, and of the strength we have to walk through the darker months together with love and friendship.
Advent Spiral
In December, we celebrate Advent. The Advent Spiral is one of the most beautiful ways to celebrate the inner journey that we all must take towards our inner light. It is a quiet, contemplative festival, where a beautifully decorated spiral is laid upon the floor. Typically, this is made from evergreen boughs, but at Pacific Waldorf School, we use palm leaves as we adapt the festival to our tropical environment. Slowly, each child carries a candle to the centre of the advent spiral in order to light it, before setting their candle down on the way out of the spiral to help guide their peers.
Walking the advent spiral is a beautiful reminder that we must walk with hope on our journeys to light up our souls and a moment of peace and reflection in what can be a busy season of celebrations.
Day of Love and Friendship
We sing songs and recite poems that speak of friendship, affection and love for our families and loved ones. The children make beautiful cards and crafts to give to their classmates and to take home.
Easter
We celebrate the new growth and renewal that Easter is symbolic of, taking the external renewal and awakening and using it to reflect upon our own potential for inner transformation. It’s a time for songs, crafts and games to celebrate, with the children creating beautiful hand-dyed eggs and exploring stories that explore this time of rejuvenation and renewal.
Maypole Festival
The Maypole festival is one of the beautiful highlights of our school year, as the community joins together to honour the earth and to celebrate the return of the rains here in Costa Rica, after several months of summer. The children dance around the Maypole with ribbons, singing songs about the harvest, the earth and the rain. It’s a joyful celebration for the entire community.
School Celebration
As the school year draws to a close, we celebrate all that has happened in our time together. The children prepare songs, plays, poems and verses in the weeks leading up to our school celebration. The whole school community gathers and spends a joyful moment together to celebrate our time together and the achievements of all, before saying goodbye to the school year and welcoming in the summer vacation.
of the day
The rhythm of the day is extremely important in providing a comfortable and safe way to explore the world. For our Pre – K and Kindergarten children, we follow a routine, which allows them to experience the gentle flow of time through the days and weeks.
Pre-K & Kindergarten
Our Pre-K and Kindergarten rooms provide a safe and comfortable space for children ages 2-6 to learn through play. The gentle rhythm of the day and week provides a structure and stability, whilst our teachers focus on the well-being of each child. Through each day, children will be able to enjoy plenty of outdoor play, walks, painting, songs, stories and circle time as well as being supported in their need to rest and have quiet time.
The children experience the daily rhythm in a friendly environment where nature plays an important role in the daily activities. The day begins with outdoor games on rope swings, seesaws, sandboxes and climbing. The children also help to take care of the garden, and we sing and recite poetry whilst we work. It is important for the children to help with all tasks at school, to develop their self-confidence, sense of responsibility and teamwork. A loving attitude, reverence and gratitude are some of the many values the children will take home from their time in kindergarten.
In each day the rhythm remains the same, assisting in structure and balance for the children. This helps to develop their sense of time in a gentle and organic way. Each day has a different activity to help mark the passing of the week. This could be watercolour painting, baking bread, free drawing, gardening, or walking in the forest.
Finally, over these daily and weekly rhythms, the children greatly enjoy preparing for the festivals we celebrate to mark the passing of the year.
from home
Beginning Pre K or Kindergarten is an important milestone for both your child and yourself. In order to help make this process as gentle as possible, we allow you to come along to help your child settle into their new Pre K or Kinder classroom. We are flexible in how we collectively support your child in their transition to school, so please speak to us about any concerns during the enrolment process.
Grades
As children move through into grades 1-5, the rhythm of their day changes to suit their changing developmental needs. Our curriculum matches the needs of our students, allowing them to explore different subjects through hands-on learning. This means that each child can develop into the fully actualised individual that they deserve to be. Over their time with us, your child will explore subjects such as mathematics, language, art, history, handwork and more through many different approaches. Our classrooms are full of movement, art and song to stimulate and encourage a lifelong love of learning. We support your child in learning English and Spanish through a gradual, mixed language curriculum, as well as introducing them to other languages such as German and occasionally French.
