Spring Wedding
Barbara and Quimby, the happy farmer/kayakers, were married very quietly and simply on April 23, 2010, by the Mayor of Bowerston, Ohio. It was a lovely, regular day at Taproot. Afterwards we cooked a delicious dinner and ate it at our picnic table overlooking the hollow and our little creek. We look forward to many years of happily working together late in our lives.
Plans for the Farm
We have moved permanently to Taproot. Quimby's home in Harrisburg has been sold. We are in the process of building another solar, earth sheltered building behind our present Glass House. It will be two story, all glass on the south side and we plan to use some solar electric in it. The upper story will house Quimby's furniture and keepsakes that cannot be squeezed into the Glass House, and will serve as a lovely guest house for all those of you we hope will come and visit. The lower story will be the woodwork shop. As you can see here, the lower level concrete work is done. We are now hauling the logs we are select cutting here on the farm to thin the woodlot and make room for the younger trees to grow. We are bringing an Amish portable mill in here to turn the logs into lumber on site.
Next year, when the buildings are done, we plan to get some Highlander Cattle to graze on the hill pasture, and have chickens again for eggs. Our chicken coop has stood empty for the past year and we really miss those good, fresh, blue, green and pink eggs we used to have. We may also get a goat or two for milk.
Training programs
Come and enjoy life in the country, while you learn. Other amenities include the use of Barbara's extensive library, canoe, swim, hike, evening activities, such as campfire, discussions or games.
Kindergarten Training at Taproot Farm — August 6-8
Tuition $200 Two day weekend course Tuition includes room and board.
Topics to be covered in this training include, Development of the Child, Cycle of the Year, Practical Activities, Bread Making, Preparing Vegetables, Storytelling, Puppetry, Finger knitting, Painting, Nature table, Home Organization and Toy Making.
Register at: http://www.waldorfwithoutwalls.com/seminars/2010/08-06-kindergarten-training/
Grades Training at Taproot Farm August 26-29
Grades 1-8 $300 Three day course
Tuition includes room and board.
It is our purpose to offer a training to suit the unique situation of homeschooling parents and teachers of small groups, keeping in mind the advantages of working in a home, applying Steiner's philosophy to the needs of the homeschooling family.
Schedule will allow for you to cover two grades, and this year we will have John Quimby, Forest Entomologist as our science specialist, offering additional programs.
Registration at: http://www.waldorfwithoutwalls.com/seminars/2010/08-26-teacher-training/
Family Harvest Weekend
October 1-3
SAVE THE DATES!
Eurythmy for Homeschoolers
Eurythmy Seminar for Homeschooling Waldorf parents July 5 - 9 in Costa Mesa, California, by Truus Geraets, Master Eurythmy teacher, who has taught all over the world. For more information and to register, contact Truus at artofliving1@yahoo.com
New Kindergarten National Core Curriculum?!
Alliance For Childhood calls for withdrawal of proposed national standards for young children
To access the following links and respond to your state government go to: http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/
Most Americans are unaware of the threat to healthy early childhood education posed by the K-12 "core standards" announced on March 10 by the NGA and CCSSO. Public comment on these national standards closed on April 2, an appallingly small window.
What's wrong with the standards: Existing state standards for kindergarten and the early grades have already ramped up rote learning, didactic instruction, and standardized testing and nearly driven out hands-on active learning and play. The new standards will intensify these inappropriate and unhealthy practices. Read more
The Alliance's position: We call for the withdrawal of the proposed K-3 standards and for the creation of a new consortium of scientists, master teachers, and school leaders to develop appropriate guidelines for early care and education based on solid research and knowledge of children from birth through age eight. Read our statement on the standards, signed by hundreds of leading educators and health professionals. Then read the signers' comments. Also see public comments by Alliance Senior Researcher Ed Miller presented at an April 23 meeting on early learning at the U.S. Department of Education.
What you can do: The standards are to be finalized by June. Each state will need to decide if it will adopt them. Tell your own governor, chief state school officer, and state early childhood specialists about the need to reject the proposed K-3 standards. Click on the links in this section to find the addresses of your state officials. Let your voice be heard.
Website Recommendations
I hope you are aware of the site http://www.mainlesson.com where you will find many books for free online and organized by Waldorf grade level. A great source of stories!
And for science: Suitable for older children, or for your own instruction as a parent, a set of short popular instructional science minifilms:
http://www.vega.org.uk/video/subseries/27 explaining such things as how to generate electricity from wind-power, how to make a battery from a potato, etc.