Welcome to Waldorf Curriculum!
updated October 31, 2025
The Story of This Website
Once there was a man... and he was tired. He had been talking all day, teaching the people
who came to him for advice. He decided to take a long walk to find some peace and quiet. In fact,
he decided to walk all the way to the other side of the lake. But when he reached the other side of
the lake, he found that the crowd of people had, unbeknownst to him, noticed where he was headed
and had gone around the lake in the other direction in order to meet him on the far end. So the
man did not get his rest. He did not get his peace and quiet. He kept talking to the people and
teaching them. As the day wore on, the man began to think that perhaps the crowd of people might
get hungry. So he called some of his helpers to him and directed them to go back around the lake
to the town to get some food for the crowd. His helpers argued that there was not enough time to
walk all the way to town and return before dark. So the man asked his helpers to turn out their pockets
and so see what each man had. When all was tallied up, it was three little dried fish and some
loaves of bread. The man said, well, let's share what we have... and he began to distribute the
food among the members of the crowd. And when the feast was over, not only had everyone been fed,
but there were baskets and baskets of food left over!
This is a very old story and there are many interpretations of it. Some say that it was a miracle
of multiplication, that the bread and fish were multiplied many times over so that there was
enough food to feed the crowd. But I have also heard another interpretation. Many of the crowd
were women and children (who were not counted in those days, so we know little about them). And
if you are a mother you know that you don't embark on a journey that will take the entire day without
packing a little something for your children in case they get hungry. It is an instinctive act of
nurturing.
But, there is also a side to human nature which is not so generous. And that is, for example, when
you have a chocolate bar in your purse and you're sitting around a table at a conference with a bunch
of other people. You think to yourself, I would really love to have that chocolate bar right now. But
you know that if you get it out, etiquette would require that you share it with all the people around
you and instead of getting the whole bar you might only receive a tiny portion. So it is possible that,
among that crowd of people at the lake that day, many of them had food in their pockets. And when the man
led by example -- sharing freely of what he had even though it was only a little bit -- perhaps each
person in the crowd opened up their hearts and their pockets and began to share with their neighbors. And
there was such a bounty there that not only did all go away satisfied, but there was more left over.
In this case, the miracle was not one of multiplication; it was the miracle of turning selfish people into generous
ones.
This is my goal with this website.
I want us each to share what we know about Waldorf and about homeschooling,
our own experiences, our own resources from our homes and our families, with each other. Through this collaborative
effort we will support and nourish each other and all will find what they seek. I don't
have all the answers, I don't have enough to feed the crowd, but I'll turn out my pockets
and share what I've got. Won't you join me?
I have filled this website with links to all the free resources I can find, as well as
my own lesson plans and curriculum notes. I also offer consulting
services if you need more personal support (see below).
Please browse and enjoy! My favorite inspirational quote is this one from Howard Thurman:
Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
RUZUKU COURSE OPPORTUNITIES Want suggestions tailored to your personal needs while
Waldorf main lesson block planning?
Try my NEW online courses for collaborative group planning as well as one-on-one support!
FAQ: How are the courses different from the website?
This Website is a place where I began to put all my teaching ideas so that I wouldn't lose them! Hopefully they are helpful to other people as well. The downside, of course, is that people can't talk to me about what I did and what went well / didn't go well, or ask questions, or brainstorm and share their ideas with other families who are also doing those blocks. It's a do-it-yourself form of support.
The website has also gotten big and bulky over the past 18 years, and between that and
the Blog, Switzerite, where
I write articles on topics, it can be confusing and hard to find what you're looking for.
So I began to develop the Main Lesson Block Courses, and they are still a budget option (as opposed to a whole year curriculum consultation, $375 USD). But it's like having a consultant for the purposes of planning just that block. You can chat with me through the Ruzuku platform as much as you'd like as you lesson plan -- and some people share drafts of their thinking as they go along and get feedback -- and hear ideas from other people who are teaching that topic too.
The courses do refer back to my old notes as posted on the website but they are also kept updated with new ideas as well.
I think the advantage of the course is really if you're looking for collaboration and very specific support.
Each main lesson block course also includes a FREE half hour private consultation via phone or Zoom!
Immersive Experiences are where you follow along with me step-by-step through the entire grade.
I post all my daily notes and photos there.
We form a cohort (limited to 15) and travel through the school year together! All of the stand-alone Ruzuku courses for that grade are also included
to support you in your planning. You may join an Immersive Experience at any time, even if the year has begun.
All courses include LIFETIME ACCESS.
ALL GRADES
How to Teach Spelling:
SWI in the Waldorf Environment
$65.00
If you are looking for online courses for Early Childhood,
I highly recommend the work of Suzanne Down at Juniper Tree.
If you are looking for online courses for Science and Mathematics,
I highly recommend the work of Jamie York
at Making Math Meaningful.
If you are looking for online courses for Art History,
I highly recommend the work of
Lotus Stewart
at Art History Kids.
If you are looking for online courses for Structured Word Inquiry,
you have several wonderful options from expert educators around the world!
Fiona Hamilton at wordtorque (Thailand)
Rebecca Loveless at Six Giraffes (U.S.)
Pete Bowers at WordWorks Literacy Centre (Canada)
Gina Cooke at LEX: Linguist-Educator Exchange (U.S.)
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