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Each child brings into the world his or her individuality and uniqueness
shaped through the years of schooling. Part of our work as teachers
is to remove hindrances often expressed in the child as learning
difficulties, health concerns or emotional disturbances. A deep
interest for each child is nurtured in our school and through this
interest we as educators strive to understand the questions and
challenges that each child reveals to us and especially to the class
teacher. We as a school recognize that the understanding and the
recognition of the child’s struggle can itself begin to contribute
to the healing of the problem. The class teacher, ultimately responsible
for the care of the child in the grade school years works conscientiously
with the student and the family.
In some cases, a particular child’s concerns are brought
before the whole faculty as a child study during the faculty meeting.
Everybody who works with the child contributes to create an objective
picture of the child’s behavior, temperament, work habits,
social interaction, biographical traits, etc. Indeed fruitful changes
in a child’s behavior and attitude can often be recognized
following such a meeting, validating the greater forces of the group
awareness. In addition, effective recommendations may arise.
Concerns regarding individual children are also brought to the
attention of the Care Group. The Care Group is one of the school’s
committees and it offers additional support and advice to the class
teacher (considering biographical and family aspects as part of
the child’s life). The members have an ongoing study in an
attempt to educate themselves in order to deepen their understanding
of the child’s difficulties.
When a child experiences difficulties, the group coordinates a
process of consultation and remedial services in our school such
as: (consultation with the) anthroposophical physician, therapeutic
eurythmy, artistic speech therapy, extra lesson, tutorial services
and assessments. It is also a gathering place for information on
remedial services in the community. The Care Group explores concrete
and possible avenues to support the individual child’s needs.
Many of these remedial services are based on the wholeness of man,
embodying not only physical aspects, but also the soul and the spirit
of the child unfolding as a human being.
Concerns regarding individual children are also brought to the
attention of the Care Group. This group is one on the school’s
major committees, and it offers additional support ant advice to
the class teacher. Meeting weekly, its members try to educate themselves
in order to deepen their understanding of child development and
difficulties. They strive to form a vessel that holds the child,
recognizing his or her entire being with respect to the soul, body,
and spirit.
The Care Group also oversees and coordinates all the consulting
and remedial services in the school, including visits with the anthroposophical
doctor, therapeutic eurythmy, artistic therapies, Extra Lesson,
tutorial services, and assessments. Together with the class teacher,
the Care Group explores concrete and possible avenues to support
the individual child’s needs, and for this reason the Care
Group also serves as a gathering place for information on other
remedial services in the community.
For several years, we have been the recipients of IASA/ESEA Title
1, non-public schools funding, which enables us to use the services
of a trained tutor, and has allowed us to host workshops by the
head of the remedial training course at Rudolf Steiner College.
She also assesses children with learning difficulties and works
with parents so they can understand their children’s struggles
and learn to work with them at home.
Movements derived from elements of speech and music form the basis
for therapeutic eurythmy. These movements can harmonize constitutional
imbalances and can have a health giving rejuvenating effect on the
growing child. The eurythmist works with movements that are practiced
in order to stimulate the anabolic (upbuilding) or catabolic forces
of the body.
The eurythmy therapist works with individual children 2-3 times
a week, usually for about 6 weeks. Harmonizing, invigorating and
calming exercises are worked with as well as exercises to establish
dominance and to improve dexterity and spatial awareness.
Digestive disorders, posture, respiratory illnesses, allergies,
hyperactivity, lethargy, bedwetting, learning difficulties, and
sleep disturbances are some of the areas that can be addressed through
therapeutic eurythmy. The exercises are chosen in consultation with
an anthroposophical physician.
Waldorf remedial teaching works with the relationship between the
child’s early developmental needs and his educational receptivity.
The basic components are sensory maturity and movement integration.
This relationship is primary during the grade school years. The
Extra Lesson teacher works with specific areas within these basic
components in order to educate the child toward developmental health
and balance. Such developmental health promotes educational receptivity
and social adeptness for the child.
The Extra Lesson teacher uses a detailed consideration of early
human developmental milestones. Motor and sensory skills build the
foundation for learning capacities in the classroom. When children
do not harmoniously complete the maturation process of movement
or sensory integration, they have learning and behavioral difficulties.
On the other hand, when they do achieve harmonious movement it promotes
an exact relationship between sense and muscular functioning. Classroom
activities naturally call for these capacities.
Some specifics of sensory maturity and movement integration:
Sense of touch (tactile system)
Sense of life (visceral system)
Sense of self- movement (proprioceptive or kinesthetic system)
Sense of balance (vestibular system)
Bilateral integration and residual traces of immature movement patterns
Midline barriers, Body geography, Dominance, Auditory skills, Spatial
orientation, Visual skills
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