The Importance of Rites of Passage in a Waldorf-Inspired Homeschool

by Sarah Barrett 

Looking back over our homeschooling journey, I remember so many special moments that make me smile.  The first play, the 8th Grade project presentation, the kindergarten “graduation”, the 13th birthday.  All of these special times were milestones that we celebrated with others.  I remember seeing in my children their pride and joy for their “arrival to this moment.”

A rite of passage is a ritual or experience that marks a major milestone or change in a person’s life. Baptisms, bar mitzvahs, graduations, weddings, quinceañeras, and proms are examples of modern rites of passage. These social events may help ease the individual into a new stage or help them go through difficulties. They often mark the beginning of new phases in life, helping a person to evolve and progress.  Rites of passage also provide a sense of connection to ancestors and community.

At Lotus & Ivy, rites of passage for children are important to help them feel supported and confident in their transformative journey through childhood to adolescence and then into adulthood. As reflected in the 7th grade curriculum, children around the age of 13 can feel that they are “sailing to waters of uncharted seas” which is exciting and scary at the same time.  Rites of passage provide support for them and can serve as a small voice within them saying, “You are ready.”

Some child development experts worry about the fading out of rites of passage from modern society. Waldorf schools have done a wonderful job over the last century of providing these rites of passage moments and ceremonies for students. From the Class 1 Rainbow Bridge ceremony to the Class 6 Knighting Ceremony to the Class 8 Maypole Dance and many moments in between, the students feel at each milestone that they are transforming as a person. They are becoming their own person, paving their own path, and they are lovingly supported by their family and their community every step of the way.

It is important that we, as homeschoolers, provide these same important rites of passage for our children.  They do not need to be elaborate or expensive, but they must be a time of reverence and importance for the whole family so that the student feels the pride and significance of the moment.   It is important for the younger students to wait for their “turn” to be the center of the event with great excitement and anticipation for that moment when they “arrive.”

Of course, Lotus & Ivy is much more than a series of virtual lessons. Our community is dedicated to providing these rites of passage events for our students, along with other important features of our beautiful curriculum, such as festivals and grown-up education. We hope you will join us for these events as they happen for your child’s age. Some are virtual, like our 8th grade graduation and 8th grade project presentations, and some are in-person, like our national pentathlon.

While you are creating these special moments for your family at home, some ideas include:

·        Decorate a bridge at a nature center or local park and having a Rainbow Bridge Ceremony with family and friends on the first day of first grade.  Music, a story and a potluck make this a very special event.  Perhaps an older family member can play the live music and perhaps the Lotus & Ivy Class 1 teacher can call in virtually to welcome the child to Class 1 during the event!

·        A series of challenges for the 12-year-old student at the end of Sixth Grade. Historically, this is called the Knighting Ceremony and follows the Medieval History main lesson.  We are reimagining this event for today’s times so that boys and girls relate to the gesture of the event.  For my son, he was tasked with coming up with three challenges – a school-related challenge (thinking), a social deed (feeling), and a new habit (willing).  He was given 4 weeks to complete his three challenges, and the culminating event was a meeting with his friends in the woods one night for a blindfolded challenge.  The students had to follow a string that led through the woods past some challenging obstacles.  They camped out that night and woke up to a grand feast with family and friends.  What a significant moment of bravery and capability pride for my son!  He felt a new sense of capability and pride in himself.  This time of leaving childhood can be rough, so we must give them moments like this to support their journey. 

·        A Maypole celebration with family and friends where, for example, the 8th Grade students perform the dance, the 5th & 6th Grade students play the music, and the 1st & 2nd Grade students lay the flower petaled path.  Everyone makes flower baskets for the neighbors and share a special dessert.

·        Second grade students wake up early for St. Lucia day to help prepare and serve their family breakfast for the first time.

·        Presentation of a special fountain pen at the end of 4th grade. They have reached a new milestone in their writing.

·        Loss of first tooth, first musical instrument lessons, first camping trip, first overnight sleepover without parents, etc.

·        A Michaelmas event with fellow homeschoolers where, for example, the 6th graders make and perform the dragon.  The 3rd graders perform a song, and the 5th graders play the music. 

·        The 8th Grade graduation ceremony and the 8th Grade Project.  Each of these events may be attended by family members, friends, and teachers followed by a special gathering after to share a celebratory meal.

Being part of a like-minded homeschool group, whether in-person or virtually, is a great opportunity for celebrating these rites of passage together. Our in-person Pods focus on sharing these moments together as well. If you are not part of a community like this, but would like to be, please contact us, and we will help support you in finding one virtually and in-person.