In a Nutshell
Dialogues with Parents at Acorn Hill, A Waldorf Kindergarten

Nancy Foster

Softbound

$16.95

What an absolutely wonderful book! Nancy Foster has not only given us great explanation of just about everything parents new to Waldorf education ever wonder about, but she has gone on to give some of the best parenting advice ever written down. In other words, she has poured over 30 years experience as a Waldorf kindergarten teacher into the most concise, readable and useful wee book every printed on the subject teaching and parenting young children. This is a genuinely must-have book for anyone working with or raising young children.

Table of Contents:

Our Classroom Environment

• Color in the Classroom
• Why Curtains?
• Teachers' Dress
• The Significance of Candles
• Naming the Teacher
• No Cars and Trucks?
• What about Puzzles?
• Musical Instruments in the Classroom

Work and Play at School

• The Rhythm of the Morning
• Saying "You may . . . "
• Ironing in the Classroom: Danger?
• Boys and Waldorf Education
• Playing Cats and Dogs
• Music in the Mood of the Fifth
• Can Energetic Boys Enjoy Handwork?
• Gun Play at School
• Field Trips?
• Fairy Tales for Young Children
• The Challenge of Circle Time
• Puppetry and "Told" Stories

Children at Home

• Colors for a Child's Bedroom
• Older and Younger Siblings
• Boredom
• Telephone
• Bedtime Ritual
• Feeding a Child
• Swords vs. Guns
• TV Away from Home
• Barbie
• Forbidden Words?
• Appropriate Gifts
• "What did you learn in school today?"
• Toys in the Neighborhood
• Helping Children in a Time of Trouble - A Few Thoughts
• Is the World a Good Place?

On the Play of the Child
Indications by Rudolf Steiner for Working with Young Children

Selected and edited by Freya Jaffke

Softbound

$14.95

Freya Jaffke is one of the world's most beloved, knowledgable and effective Waldorf kindergarten teachers -- a gift to every teacher and child she meets. She has gathered together suggestions and comments by Rudolf Steiner which she has personally found to be the most inspiring and most illuminating. While no collection such as this can ever be complete, this one goes straight to the heart of the matter, lighting the way for anyone who cares for or about young children.

Nurturing Children and Families
One Model of a Parent/Child Program in a Waldorf School

Sarah Baldwin

Softbound

$22.95

Sarah Baldwin has created a beautiful portrait of the grace that a Waldorf parent/child program can be -- for the parents, the children and the entire community. She writes from her heart, from her considerable knowledge of children and families, and from her experience leading the Ashwood School's Parent/Child Class. The result is a book that covers all the bases, from why to have such a class at all, to what sort of qualities a parent/child teacher needs, to a detailed description of the rhythms of day and season in her own class. In addition, about half the book is devoted to discussion about parent education, space, publicity, festivals, field trips, birthdays and more. Finally, there are brief descriptions of other Parent/Child classes at other schools.

All in all, this is a beautiful, delicious resource -- one which will inspire and guide anyone interested in young children, families and the fostering of healthy community. Like a small seed on fertile soil, I can see this book growing beyond its covers until it shares its harvest with all who pass by.

Nokken
A Garden for Children
A Danish Approach to Waldorf-Based Child Care

Helle Heckmann

$18.95

Helle Heckmann describes in loving detail an innovative Danish Waldorf childcare center for children ages one to seven. She includes an in-depth look at the physical development of the young child. This book is a wonderful resource for parents, teachers, and day care staff. Includes many black and white photos.

A Garden for Kids
More News from Nökken

Paperbound - saddle-stitched

Helle Heckman

$10.95

More loving wisdom from Helle Heckman and her beautiful Children's Garden. In this gathering celebrating 16 years of providing care and a joyful environment to young children. This is indeed a celebration we can all join!

Reports from and thoughts inspired by the successful Danish kindergarten. Includes articles on The Laws of Childhood, Pentecost Time, The Time-Pressured Family, An Outdoor Kindergarten…Why?, Imagination Surpasses Reality, etc…

An Overview of the Waldorf Kindergarten
Articles from the Waldorf Kindergarten Newsletter
1981-1992

Waldorf Kindergarten Association

$19.95

An Overview gathers together articles that both explain and seek to share the Waldorf Kindergarten experience. In it you will find information ranging from snacks to music to working with young children with a variety of behavioral and learning difficulties. The breadth of the topics and the liveliness of the discussions makes it one of the most valuable resources for our work with young children. There is practically no aspect of daily life in a Waldorf Early Childhood class that is not addressed. An invaluable resource!

A Deeper Understanding of the Waldorf Kindergarten
Articles from the Waldorf Kindergarten Newsletter 1981 to 1992

Waldorf Kindergarten Association

$19.95

The deeper wisdom of the Waldorf approach to early childhood education is the subject of this collection of articles found in the Waldorf Kindergarten Association Newsletters between 1981 and 1992. The breadth of the topics and the depth of the discussions can enrich and enliven both your understanding and your work with young children. Here is an opportunity to discover some of the most successful approaches to working with children with learning and behavioral challenges, to coping with the effects of the multiple strains families are subject to, and to nourish your own inner life so that you have a richness of soul to offer the children in your care. Most highly recommended.

The Young Child in the World Today

The Gateways Series One

Compiled from articles published in the Newsletter of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America

Softbound

$19.95

Wonderful! Some of the best articles published by Gateways on some of the most pressing concerns of the day.

Topics covered include new health problems of children and youth, sexual abuse of children, ADHD, violence and electronic media, TV and ADD, virtual reality and the child's growing mind, and child development and television.

Putting all these article inside one cover is a great idea - thank you, WECAN!

Working with the Angels
The Young Child and the Spiritual World

The Gateways Series - Two

Compiled from articles published in the Newsletter of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association

Softbound

$19.95

Working with the Angels is clearly the result of intense, deep, sustained love: the love of each article's author for children and the world; the love of those responsible for publishing each article in its turn over the years; the love of the current editors in gathering all these remarkable insights and experiences together in one place; and, of course, the love of the angels for us.

This is a collection that is almost palpably alive with love and with love's possibilities. And with that, I'm going to let the contents speak for themselves:

Working with the Angels

• Working with the Angels, Archangels and Archai - Helmut von Kügelgen
• Conversation about Angels and Human Beings - Helmut von Kügelgen
• Finding a Connection to the World of the Angels - Helmut von Kügelgen
• The Meaning of Angels in Education and Self-Education - Michaela Glöckler, M.D.

The Destiny of the Child in Our Times

• Working with the Karma of the Young Child - Margaret Meyerkort
• Walking and the Incarnation of Destiny - Joan Almon
• Continuing the Work of the Hierarchies - Werner Glas
• Early Childhood and the Consciousness Soul - Joan Almon
• Threshold Experiences of Children and Adults - Helmut von Kügelgen
• Religion of the Young Child - Elizabeth Moore-Haas

The Gateway of Birth - the Sistine Madonna

• Raphael's Sistine Madonna - Is It Approriate in the Kindergarten? - René Querido
• The Sistine Madonna in the Waldorf Kindergarten - Joan Almon
• The Sistine Madonna - Symbol of the Eternal in Humanity - Rudolf Steiner

The Gateway of Death - Working with Death in the Kindergarten

• After-Death Care in the Home - Beth Knox
• Helping Children in a Time of Trouble - Nancy Foster
• Helping Our Children and Loved Ones at the Threshold of Death - Nancy Jewel Poer
• A Festival for a Threshold Crossing - Patricia Owens
• Birth into the spiritual World - Nancy Blanning
• A Story for Mia - Louise de Forest
• Grandma's Dream - Sheila Rubin
• For Anastasia and Her Dear Grandmother - Cynthia Aldinger

The Inner Path

• Self-Development as a Basis for the Relationship Between the Child and the Adult - Michaela Glöckler, M.D.
• Through the Eye of the Needle - Felicitas Vogt
• The Path of Inner Schooling - Jorgen Smit
• The Spiritual Foundations of Waldorf Education - Michaela Glöckler, M.D.

The Developing Child
The First Seven Years

The Gateways Series 3

Compiled from articles published in the Newsletter of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America

Softbound

$19.95

WECAN has produced another great collection of past Gateways articles, this time focusing on child development from birth to age 7. Some of the best and most insightful experts in the field are now all gathered in one place, offering their wisdom and guidance together. I am especially pleased to see articles explaining kindergarten and first grade readiness guidelines. The Developing Child is an outstanding contribution to the world of early childhood education; and a resource that can bring a wealth of experience right into your living room or classroom.

Contents:

Stages of Development in the First Seven Years

• The Laws of Childhood - Dr. Helmut von Kügelgen
• Stages of Development in Early Childhood - Freya Jaffke
• The Young Child form Birth to Seven - Dennis Klocek

Birth, Infancy and the First Years of Life

• Child Development: Conception to Birth Embryology
• Making Sense of Uprightness - Bonnie & William RiverBento
• The Wonder of Acquiring Speech - Dr. Michaela Glöckler
• Movement, Gesture and Language in the Life of the Young Child - Bronja Zahlingen
• Supporting the Development of the Human Hand - Ingun Schneider
• Toward Human Development: The Physiological Basis of Sleep - Lisa Gromicko
• Laying the Physical Foundation of the Consciousness Soul - Dr. Jenny Josephson

The Development of Consciousness: Imitation, Play and Learning

• Forces of Growth and Forces of Fantasy: Understanding the Dream Consciousness of the Young Child - Dr. Michaela Glöckler
• The Vital Role of Play in Childhood - Joan Almon
• The Genius of Play - Sally Jenkinson
• Understanding Imitation - Joop van Dam

Readiness for Kindergarten and School

• Kindergarten Readiness - Dr. Elizabeth Jacobi
• The Birth of the Etheric: Transformation of Growth Forces into Thinking Forces - Dr. Michaela Glöckler
• First Grade Readiness - Joan Almon
• Some Guidelines for First Grade Readiness - Nancy Foster

Understanding Young Children

Excerpts from Lectures by Rudolf Steiner

Compiled for the Use of Kindergarten Teachers

Softbound

$11.95

At last in a modern translation, this has long been one of the best resource books available for contemplating the needs of young children. Originally compiled for use by Waldorf Kindergarten teachers and available only through teaching organizations, this retranslation is now available to anyone who cares for or about young children and wants to learn more.