Yes, you read that right.  This kind of testing on the “performance” of young children can of course be somewhat unreliable , however, it is still a very clear and valuable indicator of the relationship between television viewing and cognitive development.  So many parents expose children under the age of 7 to television while their brain is still forming neural connections, just one of the many reasons to limit screen time. Any kind of passive media (regardless of content) will clearly limit the creativity of a young child’s mind.  Some of the many benefits of Waldorf education include story-telling (vs reading where pictures are shown) which maximizes the use of a child’s imagination while listening.  Blank faced dolls and basic wood toys further leave more …

Waldorf Education does not teach math in isolation of other subjects.  It is part of a holistic learning approach, which connects the child’s inner self (that Waldorf’s founder Rudolph Steiner refers to as “will”) and body through muscle-memory exercises.  Waldorf Math is really a kinesthetic or whole body learning experience for the Class 1 child. Math is also closely related and taught with music, furthering the important connecting between a child’s body, and their understanding of numbers. As an adult I know that the most lasting memories for me are always those with more than one sense being used. I still remember vividly walking by a jam factory near my house when I was a child on the way to school, and counting the metal …

When my daughter was six, she used to wake up screaming a half an hour after going to bed.  These horrific night terrors lasted for at least 10 excruciating minutes during  which time she was wild-eyed and flailing like the world was coming to an end.  There was no waking her up during these episodes, even by her own mother who she wouldn’t even recognize.  The whole thing was deeply traumatic to witness.  It turned out that these night terrors only happened when she had looked at a screen that day.  The content didn’t matter, it was the lights coming from the physical device itself. When we took away any screen time (nearby iPhone included) the terrors stopped immediately.  We had already gotten rid of …

Many countries including Canada and the US put an overly  high priority on teaching kids to read by age 6 or even earlier.   However, in many European countries including Scandanavia, kids are not rushed into ready until 8 or even 9 years old.  US programs such as “No Child Left Behind” force-feeds young children books and then tests them on their abilities, both of which can have very negative affects.  Children who are told to read more books, and recall them in detail are less likely to develop a passion for reading, and enjoy reading as an activity later in life.  Some young readers will even quickly see themselves as bad at reading when they fail to measure up during testing.  Brain research clearly …

I was very lucky to attend a local event where we had Kim John Payne (see http://www.simplicityparenting.com) come to give a talk on child discipline. Kim has a Masters degree in education and has been a school counselor, adult educator, consultant, researcher, educator and a private family counselor for twenty seven years. He regularly gives key note addresses at international conferences for educators, parents, and therapists and runs workshops and training’s around the world. Our event was sponsored by our local Waldorf School here in Nelson, B.C..
Kim started off with a clarification on the word “discipline”.  It really comes from the word “disciple” which means “to be followed”.