At the heart of the Waldorf approach is the recognition of the physical and emotional changes that occur as a child matures. In the grade school our teachers take care to introduce skills, subjects, and concepts at a time that is appropriate to the child’s physiological, emotional, and spiritual development. We use a multi-sensory approach, integrating the arts into each subject to engage the whole child in the learning process rather than simply imparting intellectual information. From their lessons the students develop their own “Main Lesson” books, filled with rich self-expression and academic content.

In the grade school the students are given a classical education in reading, writing, mathematics, literature, and the sciences. The class teacher stays with a class to teach core curriculum from first grade to eighth grade, allowing the children to grow in confidence and security as their teacher’s understanding of them deepens. Specialty teachers provide instruction in areas such as music, French, physical education and movement, and handwork.

The Grade school key: We do not teach students “a set of facts” they will need for high school. We help each child to develop a set of skills learned in relationship to that child’s individual experience. Anything learned purely through memorization is not enough. Real learning and understanding occurs when you have internalized the experience and made it your own. We strive to support our grade school students in the unfolding of their emotional lives by nurturing their growing sensitivities and feelings through every step of our curriculum.

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For more information, contact our
Admissions Office:
(604) 985-7435 ext 200
admissions@vws.ca