OUR CURRICULUM

In line with the stated objective of educating head, heart and hands, the Waldorf curriculum includes a balance of academic, artistic and practical work.

Each day at school begins with the fluid activity of the Morning Circle. During this time the children practice activities that work with movement, balance, rhythm, speech and song. After singing, stamping, chanting, clapping and jumping for about 40 minutes at the start of the day, the children are usually ready to sit at their desks for the first academic component of the day’s learning; the Main Lesson.

The Main Lesson is the fundamental element of the Steiner Curriculum. They are taught in one hour blocks each morning, when the children are fresh and enlivened after the Morning Circle. They are based around developmentally appropriate themes (e.g. 9 year olds look at house building, 13 year olds study renaissance art) and each theme is studied continuously for a period of 3 or 4 weeks during the Main Lesson time. There are no textbooks as such in the primary school years. Rather, the children have ‘Main Lesson Books’, which are workbooks that they create over the course of each Main lesson. These books are written and illustrated by the children themselves. The children usually feel great pride in these books, which foster an inner connection to what they have and provide a personal record of their education for both themselves and their parents for years to come.

In addition to the Main Lessons, the children at Motueka Rudolf Steiner School have regular lessons in Music, Painting, Modelling, Handcraft, Woodwork and Sports. Seasonal festivals are celebrated, and the students spend many hours at school preparing for these eagerly anticipated events. The festivals foster a sense of belonging, giving children a feeling of a yearly rhythm that is held and nurtured by the wider community. Here in Motueka, our Lantern Festival is often featured on the front of the local paper, and our Spring Fair has become a major event in the regional calendar. People travel from as far afield as Blenheim (160 km away) to take part in this unique and special celebration, which is attended by hundreds of people every year.

The Waldorf Schools have a spiritual basis and are founded upon Christian principles in the broadest sense. They strive to be free of dogma, and a celebration of kindness, honesty, gratitude and integrity are inherent in the child’s daily experience of life at school. Steiner Education recognises that every child needs to be educated intellectually, emotionally and spiritually if they are to make the most of their gifts on their journey through life.

THE LOWER SCHOOL

Our primary school opened in July 2002, in a house located behind the current Motueka Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten. In January 2004 we moved to larger premises at 480 High Street, Motueka. This lovely old building, originally a large colonial home, had been adapted for use as the first Motueka Community Hospital. Its numerous rooms now include classroom spaces, a library and a movement room. The children enjoy the spacious grounds and have ample opportunities for creative play in the ‘forest’ of trees to the south of the school buildings. The attractive gardens have been developed through many hours of voluntary labour, and now provide a space for the students to experience the natural world through practical work and daily observation.

In 2010 we have 56 children on our roll with combined age classes from Class 1 – 7. We employ four lower school class teachers, as well as part-time teachers for Handwork, Woodwork and French. The School is registered with the Ministry of Education and currently operates as a private school.

The Ministry of Education reviews the School every three years. Its recent 'ERO Report' can be viewed here:
2009 ERO Report

For further information regarding the Motueka Rudolf Steiner School contact:

School office: (03) 528 0246
Email: MRSS-admin@xtra.co.nz