Kindergarten Complements
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NOTE: To enroll in Lotus & Ivy Hand Sewing & Woodworking class, a grown-up must be readily available to support the student’s learning in every class.
Hand Sewing with Ms. Smith
The practical, repetitive nature of hand sewing offers the child a more subtle, inward, and settling activity. Through the use of soft natural fiber materials, the child uses simple sewing tools to craft objects that may be useful, imaginative, or made as gifts. Each project made builds upon the previous, both in skills learned and improved craftsmanship. All children benefit from practicing sewing skills. Threading a needle requires patience and a skilled hand. In addition, knotting the thread and stitching by hand contributes to the development of hand-eye coordination. Apart from learning to sew on a button, repairing toys or clothes, or making an original gift for someone, learning to stitch by hand is a valuable skill that will prove itself useful over and over throughout their lives.
The process of sewing teaches patience in a subtle but very effective ways. Once the child realizes that they can’t sew before threading the needle; they can’t cut fabric before marking it; they can’t take shortcuts while stitching pieces of fabric together, and so on, they’ll slowly begin to learn to be more patient as the importance of process emerges.
Additionally, hand sewing helps the child acquire the following traits and skills:
● Patience and perseverance are developed with projects that take weeks to complete, allowing the child to extend their learning through in-depth experimentation with tools, techniques, and materials over time.
● Handwork strengthens forces (behaviors) that are weak. For example, it encourages thinking in the dreamy child, feeling in the overly intellectual child, and stimulates activity in the weak-willed child.
● Working with hands builds the capacity to solve unexpected problems. Students learn to notice mistakes and figure out ways to correct them.
● Working responsibly with real tools requires attention to detail, which builds concentration and focus.
Matti Bergstrom, a Swedish neurophysiologist, says, “The density of nerve endings in our fingertips is enormous. Their discrimination is almost as good as that of our eyes. If we don’t use our fingers in childhood and youth, we will become ‘finger-blind,’ and this rich network of nerves will be impoverished, which represents a huge loss to the brain and thwarts the individual’s overall development.”
**Some projects require greater assistance for your child, so please be readily available to support your child’s learning during class time for hand sewing each week.
Woodworking with Ms. Smith
Rudolf Steiner explains that the development of adult qualities, such as sound judgment and balanced thinking, depends far more on whether the child has learned to use his hands and fingers in practical ways than exercising logical thinking in later life.
Woodwork helps the child acquire the following traits and skills:
Patience and perseverance are developed with projects that take days or weeks to complete, allowing the child to extend their learning through in-depth experimentation with tools, techniques, and materials over time.
Handwork strengthens forces (behaviors) that are weak. For example, it encourages thinking in the dreamy child, feeling in the overly intellectual child, and stimulates activity in the weak-willed child.
Working with hands builds the capacity to solve unexpected problems. Students learn to notice mistakes and figure out ways to correct them.
Working responsibly with real tools requires attention to detail, which builds the capacity to concentrate and focus.
To paraphrase Waldorf woodwork teacher Bernard Graves, motor activity evolves into skill when the child responds sensitively to the nature of the materials and the correct use of tools. Likewise, willpower is transformed into a beautiful form when working artistically with design, color, and shape. And when these two aspects are combined in work, that allows the child to have a sense of fulfillment and a sense of true purpose in their efforts. Work which might otherwise be an insignificant act, is raised to the status of a virtue.
NOTE: To enroll in Lotus & Ivy Hand Sewing & Woodworking class, a grown-up must be readily available to support the student’s learning in every class.
Once the child is immersed in woodwork, grownups will likely observe high levels of engagement, deep focus and concentration, and increased persistence and perseverance when faced with challenging tasks. In addition, because each project takes time and effort to produce, woodwork offers an antidote to our fast-paced, immediate gratification society by providing hands-on learning experiences that require patience.
Adults may wonder: “How can younger children safely use real tools, such as hammers, drills, and saws?” Woodwork becomes a low-risk activity when basic safety measures are implemented, and appropriate tools are introduced and monitored responsibly. We will cover the safe use of tools, and like hand sewing, each project will build upon the previous, both in skills learned and tool usage.
Creative Dramatics & Voice with Ms. Rezzelle
Harnessing our imaginations and creativity, students will dive into immersive storytelling this Fall. Creative Dramatics and Voice is a process-based form of theatrical work that focuses on bringing stories to life through movement, voice, and imagination. We will explore a new seasonal story every month, peeling back the layers of events that happen and bringing them to life for a new kind of theatrical experience each week! Puppetry, collaborative storytelling, and play-acting will be central to our class, so get ready to move around and have fun!
Through Creative Dramatics, students will practice speech concepts such as visualization and articulation, while working with others and harnessing their imaginative skills. This class is open to 4-7 year olds.
Spanish Circle Time with Señora Napa
During the time together, students of Kindergarten Spanish circle will become familiar with the culture of the Spanish speaking language and will be introduced to basic communication skills through puppetry, storytelling, poetry, verses, mimicking, music, art and games. Students will gather together for the circles from Monday and Wednesday at 2pm ET / 11am PT. Emphasis will be on imitation and imagination in a warm, lighthearted Zoom space. Most of the tools used are art based and the main one for this class is storytelling. Telling a good story speaks to one’s inner life and it helps people to ground themselves. They can be small tales and long sagas shared throughout the classes. Some students go on to make up their own stories sometimes through drawing, role playing, dancing and in all sorts of creative ways using their imaginative minds.
This class will create a nurturing foundation for the students for our years ahead in Spanish. During the Months of September and October the class members and Ms. Napa will build rapport with each other in a relaxed and slow paced manner using a few of a vast range of Steiner inspired teaching methods ranging from puppet, clay shows & songs, and story telling.
Weekly communication with Ms. Napa will give an overview of the previous week’s activities and a brief preview for the week ahead. Additional activities, resources, and games may be shared and families may choose what bring into your home space outside of class.
German Circle Time with Frau DiPasquali
Kindergarten marks a crucial phase in a child's cognitive and social development. Introducing foreign languages during this formative period can have far-reaching advantages, enhancing cognitive abilities and cultural awareness while setting the foundation for future language acquisition.
HOW IS A GERMAN ”LESSON“ STRUCTURED?
The teacher leads students through a wide range of activities in a relatively short period of time. In each lesson, students are given the opportunity to alternate between physically moving their bodies and more quiet, focused work. After an initial greeting, the class enters an oral segment that emphasizes a lively, rhythmic pace. This portion of the class may include song, recitation, counting, Q&A, and dancing. These activities bring the class together and put students in a receptive mood for the next activity when new material is introduced.
WILL MY CHILD START SPEAKING GERMAN?
During the first three years of foreign language instruction, the emphasis gradually shifts from receptive to productive language, ensuring that students have plenty of time to absorb the language before being asked to produce it. In the Waldorf classroom, repetition is imperative to successfully acquiring new languages.
Our German language classes primarily address the child's capacity for imitation by repeating the Kindergarten Main Lesson circle time in German. It is also important to tell stories in German that are already familiar to students in English.
Additionally, students learn through Comprehensible Input. The idea of introducing substantial and often complex verses and poetry in another language is based on the belief that until the age of six or seven, children relate less to the meaning of words and more to sound. Simply put, children relate to emotional content long before they relate to intellectual content. Although children may not fully grasp the poem's meaning, they can become familiar with the language on an emotional level through the poem's sound.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MY CHILD BEING EXPOSED TO WORLD LANGUAGES IN KINDERGARTEN?
Children who learn foreign languages at an early age have advantages both in terms of language and non-language. They tend to have more mental flexibility, excellence in the formation of concepts of natural phenomena around them, and have a more diverse mental ability.
What Parents are Saying about Ms. Smith’s Kindergarten Complement Classes
Woodworking:
“Lotus & Ivy is the perfect combination between homeschooling and Waldorf education. My kid’s hand skills are outstanding for his age, and I know it is because of Lotus & Ivy.”
- G. Pinzon
“Our daughter is so proud of having her own toolbox and new woodworking skills she can show off to her Dad in the woodshop and around the house! She even took it upon herself to sand and beeswax an old stool she wanted to use.”
- R. Burke
"Kindergarten Woodworking has been such a wonderful experience. It is good for our kids to do hard things, and the look on my daughter’s face when she perseveres and makes it through to the other side of something that she really had to work at is absolutely priceless. This is an invaluable thing to learn in a world that spends much time and energy on making life more comfortable and less challenging. Ms. Smith creates an environment that encourages effort and capability. My daughter wants to work with her and for her, and she loves what she has been able to do in her class. She proudly shows her creations to all her friends, and they exclaim, “I want to do that!” We are so grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow with Ms. Smith.”
- D. Giles
“The class went above and beyond my expectations (and his too, I think!) He absolutely loved the class! During the first class session, he commented as he sewed, “This is very soothing!” Through Ms. Smith’s thorough teaching, he picked up the skills very easily and was so excited for each class session. I am amazed at the skills he learned even from the first session, and cannot believe what he accomplished through this class. I tell everyone I know how wonderful the class is, and how I can’t believe Ms. Smith can teach young children to sew so well over Zoom! She is extraordinarily patient and kind with the students, and I can tell she truly loves to teach. She made the class fun and welcoming by encouraging the students to share talents, tell jokes, and talk about their day, and was frequently checking in with each of them to make sure they were on track with the project. Ms. Smith maintained excellent communication with the parents and was promptly responsive to questions and comments. I am so thrilled that I found this class and took the chance on it. My son has developed practical skills, exercised his creativity, and built his self-confidence. This class far exceeded my expectations and I am so grateful that my son had the chance to participate.”
- J. Kochy
Hand Sewing:
“I am thrilled that both of my children have learned sewing skills from Ms. Smith and now have the confidence to initiate their own projects. They have also taken it upon themselves to repair torn stuffed animals, as well as holes in their own clothing, without needing any assistance from me - even my 6-year-old! This is such a valuable life skill that they can carry with them forever. I am so proud that the sewing skills they have learned have contributed to their maturity in caring for their belongings. Sewing has helped them with their fine motor skills, patience, perseverance, and confidence. I believe every child can benefit from learning how to sew, for so many reasons. Ms. Smith is such a skilled teacher and helps each child (and their grownups) develop solid skills and take pride in their work.”
- J. Kochy
"Our family has absolutely loved our time in this hand-sewing class! We have learned so much and felt so supported. Ms. Smith is so knowledgeable and encouraging, and she makes my daughter feel seen and understood. My daughter’s skill, patience, and perseverance have received a tremendous boost since the beginning, and many of Ms. Smith’s quotes have become her life mantras! It is adorable and so good for her. I have had many questions for Ms. Smith, and she has made time for them all with grace. She has created such a welcoming environment for our whole family. We have had such a wonderful experience. Thank you!”
- D. Giles
"I think that if anyone is on the fence about enrolling their child, they should just go for it! I was worried we would fall behind, that my daughter wouldn't have the skills needed, that it would be too much for me to commit to, or be too involved. But that was the farthest from the truth! Lotus & Ivy has an excellent hand-sewing curriculum that slowly builds up skill and confidence, and you have taken almost all of the prep work out for the parent. I am an open-and-go type of homeschool mom, and Ms. Smith made this class so easy to follow. Her warm and engaging style of teaching has been exactly what we were missing in our day-to-day routine. Her classes have been a game changer for us, and we are so happy and appreciative that we had the opportunity to be part of her sewing family! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts."
- N. Arizo
"My daughter smiles after Hand Sewing classes with Ms. Smith and tells me, “We have the best homework ever!” She’s created a sewing station in our house, so she can sew all the time. In just 9 weeks of classes, she’s sewn 10 toys - including cat, dog, and fox stuffies; a cuddly gnome baby, and mama and baby bunnies - all of whom go to bed with her. Ms. Smith has gifted us with life-long skills and expanded our world.”
- C. Lau
"Our Family enjoyed Hand sewing class. We all had a lot of fun with the projects, and they were easy to learn and understand. Learning to sew gave our daughter a lot of confidence in being able to make something herself that she could enjoy for years. Knowing this skill can greatly help her in the future. Being on camera with the other students was motivational because she could see that other kids her age were able to show each other their work and compare ideas of what they had accomplished together.”
- L. Johnson