Class 2

According to the Waldorf plan, the teacher progresses with his pupils through all eight years of their elementary schooling wherever this is feasible. Primary aged children, who are very sensitive to readjustments and changes, are given the security of knowing one personality and method intimately and thoroughly.

English now becomes a special subject assigned its share of main lesson periods. Based again on the spoken languages, Fables satisfy the children’s’ deep interest in the animal kingdom while Legends offer lofty striving and highlight the noblest human qualities. These fables and legends are now the focus of writing material.

The children learn cursive writing by joining up the printed letters of last year. The flowing script pictures far more truly than printing the movement of the breath as it streams through sound after sound and links them together in smooth continuity. Grammar is introduced with liveliness and humour by acting out stories in which the children can experience the contrast between doing words, naming words and describing words.

In Arithmetic, the children carry out more complicated operations with the four processes. Imaginative stories still form the basis of these problems. Through rhythmic counting, accompanied by accented clapping and movement of the whole body, they learn to count by twos, threes, fours and fives and can begin learning the multiplication tables.

Nature Study continues in connection with poetry, legends and imaginative descriptions of natural processes.

Painting and Modelling are drawn into constant service in other activities in the Main Lessons. Crocheting is introduced and small projects of the children’s’ own creating always observe an important principle – that handwork products be useful and functional, as well as beautiful.

French and German, Singing and Flute lessons continue to be taught as in the First Grade with Eurythmy leading the children into a more conscious forming of vowels and consonants.