Our Class 2 children are like a flock of birds. They find so much joy in meeting each other every day and there is a joyful lightness in their step. Their learning takes off much like fledgling birds, built on the Class 1 foundations of strong rhythms and habits, and now with stronger orientation in space and time, more coordination, self control and sense of direction, the children tend to dive right into the possibilities of learning – their own sky so-to-say. The children in Class 2 always enjoy looking to the little ones next door, somewhat unconsciously taking in the dreaminess of that age. The eight-year-old loves stories that evoke a sense of wonder just like the seven-year-old, but they also enjoy the feeling realm of connection, friendship, virtuous deeds and choice towards a better life.

Now is the time to get into fables, legends, stories of inspiring dedication and humble lives. Class 2 is currently studying the lives of celebrated saints. The tales have been leaving a deep impression on the children, something I did not quite expect. Giving up personal possessions, choosing kindness over righteousness and standing by one’s courage despite the judgment of others are at the core of such stories. These tales are told with tact, mindful of the diversity of faith in our community and cherishing the character’s inner choices rather than their obedience.

The Main Lesson is a fundamental element to a Steiner education — a morning block running over three to four weeks. Each Main Lesson unfolds like the seasons. Over the first couple of days, something fresh and new like spring, evoking interest and curiosity in the children. This could be through storytelling or artistic activity, for instance a new title page and layout for a Main Lesson book, or even a series of new experiments if relevant. Then comes the summer, allowing for a deep dive into new concepts, new aims and a wider perspective.

In our current Main Lesson, this could be exploring parts of speech or more complex spelling patterns, such as -igh, or, in another Main Lesson, one might explore the historical evidence of hieroglyphs. Autumn allows us to harvest, where all the threads are woven together, developing  knowledge and skill. This could be the week in which the children prepare a presentation. Quiet and reflective winter winds up the season and the topic is laid to rest, a time where individual research is presented or the work is bound together in a book.

The theme of each age group is connected to the developmental stage and the topics derive from our environment or from history, from mathematical concepts or self-written stories.

This year’s Main Lesson journey has taken us from place value in A Place for Everything to geometry in The Way the Bird Flies,  from sentence to text writing in The Celtic Dragon Myth to a narrative story arc in Fables.  Later this year we journey into Animal Homes and a study of our local waterways in Four Rivers, which culminates in our first off-site camping experience, meeting many of the rivers in our area.