Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Waldorf Inspired Homeschool Expo Giveaway

Donna from The Waldorf Connection approached me about spreading the word about her upcoming Waldorf Homeschool Expo by offering a very generous giveaway. I was honored by the request and am happy to share a little more about Waldorf inspired home learning with all of you.

Our family uses a Waldorf approach to education and our home environment, especially in the children's younger years. For our family that has meant surrounding them by toys and materials of natural fibers, not having television or computer games, using the gentle learning approach by not introducing academics too early, teaching handwork, and using main lessons and incorporating beauty and art into them as much as possible.

Here is my interview with Donna. I have added my own photos throughout the interview.

Tell our readers what Waldorf is and what creating a Waldorf inspired home and/or home school might look like.

Waldorf Education was started in the early 20th century by Rudolf Steiner, though today, it is one of the fastest growing forms of private education. Waldorf is education for the whole child. There are so many opportunities to let your child unfold into herself, rather than force academics according to a schedule. It is a very nature-based, rhythmic, and creative approach to learning. What I have learned is that is no one “way” to bring this information to your child, but many options depending on the teacher/parent. Most Waldorf-inspired home schools use natural wooden toys, organic wool felt, quality art supplies, and beautiful materials to have available where the child may use them. Play silks and a nature table are frequently found in the schooling area, and there are no text books.

~play silks on a branch hook rack~

~handwork using a drop spindle~

What inspired you to start The Waldorf Connection?

When I found the Waldorf method 4 years ago, I knew it was what I wanted for my family. Slowly I added things to our household, whether it be a wooden toy, set of colorful play silks, or high quality paints & brushes. I gathered as much information as I could find through books and online websites. I had so many questions and wanted specific things explained. Wet-on-wet painting was such an issue with me, that for 2 years I didn’t even try it! I kept wondering, “Was I doing this right?” I couldn’t be the only one wanting more! So, that was how The Waldorf Connection began. I hosted a few workshops last fall and had such an overwhelming response, I decided to keep going!

~a page from our children's form drawing main lesson book~

What does The Waldorf Connection offer? and please share about the upcoming Expo.

I created the Waldorf Connection to be exactly that- a place where homeschooling families can connect to teachers and experts in the Waldorf field. My goal- to bring concrete information to help parents understand the Waldorf concepts and to support the family-run Waldorf entrepreneurs.

The Homeschool Expo was designed after a regular Homeschool expo, but online. I am hosting 15+ workshops on planning, grade overviews, parenting, rhythm, multiple-age homeschooling, rites of passage, music and more! Are you wondering which curriculum to choose for next year? Come listen to your favorite speaker and see what they offer before you buy. Peruse our Vendor Room with online store displaying their books, supplies, curriculums, toys, etc. Registration and all workshops are *free*. Just sign-up at http://thewaldorfconnection.com

Thank you for offering this wonderful giveaway. Please describe what you are offering to the winner of the drawing.

I will giveaway an entire set of the Expo Workshops on MP3. (value $57) You can listen to the workshops again and again, download to your Ipod or burn to CD. An excellent resource to keep for the future, as your children grow.

Thank you for this offer Donna.

Our family will also be offering the winner this wonderful waldorf inspired book - Feasts, Festivals and Food - this is a resource for exploring festivals throughout the year and is filled with recipes, crafts, games, stories, poems and songs. There is also a section on birthdays, teatimes, and rainy days.

Please leave a comment to be entered and if you blog or share it on one of your social networking sites, just leave another comment letting me know and you will be entered again.

The drawing will be Thursday evening at 7:00 pm.

Warm wishes, Tonya


25 comments:

  1. We've been trying to incorporate more Waldorf concepts into our life and homeschool. It's hard for us for several reasons. But mostly, it's hard because I have no "real world" knowledge of Waldorf. There are no local schools, groups, or parents that I know who have even *heard* of Waldorf. I can't even get books from our library and have to go through inter-library loans. I've found some good Yahoo groups, but they still leave something to be desired.

    I'm going to check out the website you listed for the expo - it sounds like just the thing I need!

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  2. Please enter me in this wonderful giveaway. We are just starting our homeschool journey this upcoming Fall with our youngest 5 children and I need all the info and support I can find.

    Thank you,
    Tiff

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  3. Please enter me in the giveaway. I run a home daycare and am trying to make my "home away from home" an authentic and natural one for children.

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  4. What a great giveaway! Even though my oldest is in public schools we offset his learning as much as we can here at home with things we feel he is missing and the Waldorf way filles in a lot of those gaps. Thank you.

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  5. What a great giveaway! I hope I win. We are beginning a Waldorf homeschool this next school year, and we can use the help!

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  6. I am trying to incorporated this into our daily lives. I just found her website and I am very interested!

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  7. Great give-away! My sister went to a Waldorf school in Germany and I've been a fan of the Rudolf Steiner philosophy ever since.
    I love being inspired by this. :0)

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  8. very interested! heading into more intentional schooling with my 6yo son while his 2 younger sisters look on (and take part). would love to make it to fair oaks someday, and this would tide me over. thanks for the chance!

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  9. What a nice giveaway. I am really enjoying Donna's web casts. I have been trying to catch them while they are on the air. It would be a treat to have them downloaded.

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  10. organicfairymom@yahoo.comMay 18, 2010 at 1:51 PM

    How wonderful! Thank you! We're starting grade one with our oldest this year, and I'm feeling quite overwhelmed :) I definitely could use the inspiration!

    Teryn

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  11. I'm so excited for this. I'm doing homeschool preschool with my son right now. :)

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  12. What a nice giveaway. Since my boys are still so little, the Waldorf inspiration fits right into our days at home. I think this would be a great resource as they get older.

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  13. I've already enjoyed what the Waldorf Connection has to offer--Donna is doing a great job! I'd love to win this series!

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  14. Awesome! Thanks so much for this incredible offer!

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  15. We homeschool our 5 year old daughter and we would love to have the help!! Thank you!

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  16. What a fantastic giveaway! I started using Waldorf methods when my daughter was 4...then, this past year I tried adding some other curriculum, but my heart and soul are in Waldorf, and we are heading back in that direction. This would be a blessing!
    I SO enjoy your blog...full of inspiration!!!
    with loving thanks
    Maureen

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  17. I would like to personally welcome you to The Artistic Mother's Art Group. I am so excited that you are joining us. It will be so much fun having you on board. I have sent you an email with all of the details. Please let me know if you do not receive it or if you have any questions. And don't worry about being behind. Just jump on in and start creating.

    Trudy Callan
    Host of The Artistic Mother's Art Group
    www.artisticcreationswithtrudy.blogspot.com

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  18. Thank you for this wonderful giveaway. I am very curious.

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  19. I think Donna is really doing a wonderful thing by connecting the Waldorf community to experts on line. I would love to win the mp3 of the expo. Thanks for offering such a great giveaway.

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  20. Thanks for the chance. This would be a resource!

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  21. Not many recognize Waldorf as a wonderful way for kids with special needs to learn. We are using this approach with our Parker, a medically fragile kid with Down syndrome.

    Please enter us!

    Tammy and Parker
    www.prayingforparker.com

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  22. we were hoping to get our youngest into the waldorf school here, but there just were not enough spaces to go around...so we will be homeschooling her until the time comes that she can get in..;) this is an amazing giveaway...thanks so much for sponsoring it!!!

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  23. I have so been wanting learn what Waldorf is! We have been doing our school at home and even this seems so regimented when you have this lame state oversight and forced testing. I want my children to really learn real things at there own pace.

    This would be a God send for us! :)

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