Lavender Ceremony

I've learned more about Tess's school, but there is a lot I would like to know. The teaching method is called the Waldorf method.

I went to the kindergarten ending ceremony. In this program, once the children start first grade, they have the same teacher through eighth grade. So, there ceremony, which is all about the children and not a show for parents, is for the kids to say goodbye to their kindergarten teachers, there is a team; and hello to next year's teachers who are a husband and wife team.

The little ones filed in after the parents were seated in the auditorium and sat in a circle on the floor (not the stage, you really couldn't see them; how tall are kindergartners?) with the teacher ladies in rocking chairs. One teacher told a story in a barely audible voice about an umbrella tree and how the children grew until they could climb to the top and see very far. The tree was wise and explained there is much to see in the world, but the tree could not go with them.

The teacher sang each child's name hugged them lovingly and gave each a stem of lavender. They walked across the room to the new teachers and the man, who is tall, wearing shorts, with his hair in a pony tail, greeted each one, collected the lavender, and they sat on the floor near him. Some were quite solemn, and one was quite silly, parading with her chest sticking out. She made everyone laugh. When all the children had moved to their future teacher's place, he welcomed them and invited them all to go out to the playground and play.

And off they went.

An interesting thing is, the same man teacher, who's name I don't recall, and his wife just graduated a class of eight graders a few days ago. Annie and Tess attended. Annie said the teacher knows each child so well after eight years. He said insightful things about each of them which brought her to tears. It seems it is very touching.

As a beginner to this whole thing, my impression is that this is much less of an institution than we are accustomed too, and more a home to learn in. Each child learns to knit, and each at a particular grade, plays the violin. Tess made a skirt on the sewing machine. She is quite excited to be sewing with me, but we haven't had a chance yet.

Another interesting thing Annie says is, in a private Wilton school, after the kids graduate, the teacher takes a year sabbatical which is paid. The program here is part of the public school system and they don't have budget for that. After teaching eighth grade, one teaches first, and so on. Can you imagine how attached the students and teachers become.

So a little herd of children are off to learn about the world!

And so it goes!