Kolisko School for Steiner Education Grows Each Day

There's an African proverb that goes "It takes a community to raise a child."

This is very much evident in education in our current time where most families have working parents and children are left with caregivers and relatives. Most families look to schools to teach their children beyond the 4Rs, and it is a given that schools should also teach children character, discipline and social graces.

A school can only provide so much, and an active parent community that works hand-in-hand with teachers is more able to ensure holistic growth for children.

At the onset, we at the Kolisko School for Steiner Education decided to immerse the parents into the school community as much as we can, and the results have been wonderful in the building of the school; and although we do get caught up with details we always find time to listen to the children. We revised the lay-out of the grounds after my five year-old daughter said "Alam mo mommy kailangan talagang may play ground, hindi pwedeng sand box at mga puno puno lang; dapat may swing, monkey bars, slide...para matuwa ang mga bata."

It is in our listening that we have grown so much. In our growth we have learned to appreciate development workers and their contributions to society. It is this appreciation of their work that we decided to give their children special priority in availing of private education through the Kolisko School.

Why development workers? Brain drain no longer bothers me. Strong ties with my alumni associations have proven to me that those who leave the country have so much more to give when given an opportunity to share. What bothers me most these days is the migration of development workers to corporate worlds for economic reasons. Development Workers give so much to move social transformation in our country and yet receive so little salary.

For me, providing their children access to private education is one way to show development workers that they are well appreciated and their work is very relevant. No other form of education fits them better than the pro-active system of Waldorf/Steiner Education.

To make Steiner Education available to the children of development workers we created the Kolisko Education Access Program (KEAP). After all, the ability to pay should not be an issue in educating a child.

Growing with the Kolisko School for Steiner Education has been a wonderful experience. No doubt once school starts this June the children will have a wonderful experience as well.

This is how the property looked when we started renovation in October 2007.

Same section of the house converted into one of the classrooms, after lazure painting in March 2008.

The room exudes warmth as our community of teachers, parents and volunteers grow.

We're all set for June 2008 once the furniture arrives in May.

Arns Jara
http://koliskoschool.blogspot.com/
http://koliskofoundation.blogspot.com/
www.whywaldorfworks.org

For more information on the Kolisko School
e-mail: kolisko.waldorf.school@gmail.com
call : (632) 723-1549
Visit: No. 10 Alabama St, Brgy Kristong Hari, New Manila, Quezon City

Musuc + Play + Art + Movement = Math, Science, Geography, Reading and more

We recently conducted this workshop and we're doing it again on April 26, 2008:

How do you teach

Math, Science and Reading

to children?

Learn about

Alternative Education in the 21st Century

Discover how Steiner/Waldorf Education

uses Music, Play, Art and Movement
to teach Math, Science, Reading and other subjects

FREE Parents Orientation on

APRIL 19 & 26, 2008

9-11 a.m.

at

The Kolisko School

10 22 Alabama St., Brgy.Kristong Hari,

New Manila, QC

Register Now!

710-5279/0917-6048725

723-1549 or 0920-402-360

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICANTS

for PRESCHOOL, GRADES 1-4

for PRESCHOOL, Grades 1-7

Limited Slots Available

It takes two to tango: The Artist and the Mathematician

How indeed does one learn Math, Science, Reading etc etc through play, movement, music and art?


My little girl was taught this song in school when she was four (4) years old:

Limang ibon nakaupo sa sanga
Lumipad ang isa
Apat natira...

Five birds sitting on a branch, one flew away, four stayed. On and on the song went with one bird always flying off until none were left.

She was singing with her fingers representing the birds and her other arm as the branch. She was changing lyrics of the song too as the days and weeks progressed:

Limang ibon nakaupo sa sanga
Lumipad and tatlo
Dalawa natira...

Dalawang ibon nakaupo sa sanga
Duamapo and dalawa
Apat na sila...

She was adding and subtracting birds as she sang the song. One day she asked for my arm to be the branch so she can work with ten fingers for ten birds.

It was wonderful to see her discover things on her own and her knowledge of arithmetic unfold through song and finger movement. She has since branched out from the birds and gone as far as buying her taho on her own.

She has progressed pretty well for her age. Discovering the universal truths in arithmetic as she plays.

Discovery is a powerful tool for children to learn. I noticed that children who discover their lessons do not get bored as compared to children who are fed their lessons.

Formdrawing has many uses

I would have wanted to teach my daughter to read much sooner but she wasn't interested with reading. So I held back the reading. Why teach her something she would easily discard anyway. To teach a child something she isn't ready to grasp, for me is a waste of time and energy.

But, she loves listening to stories. Rest after play for her always includes listening to stories. She would always pull out a book and ask me to read to her. Sometimes she'd ask me to read aloud whatever I am reading - even office work.

One day, she started asking me about letters. Children know when they're ready for a new lesson, they ask. As a parent, I realized that adults should be very keen to the type of questions children ask for these are signs for new discoveries.

What is that? Letter A
What is this? Letter V
and this? O
This? C

This went on and on for days and weeks. Then she changed her questions:

What does this say?
THE
What about this?
AVOCADO
And this?
IS

First it was just a book she saw. Then the avalanche. We revisited all her books. She would pull one out flip through pages and ask What is this word? What about this? What does that mean?

I was ready to teach her how to read but she wasn't ready. She was discovering letters and how letters strung together can make words. She'd even string together random letters and ask me what it meant or say or read:

What does this mean? SKENAMLX
Nothing.
OK. How about this? SEGAORLP
Nothing.

This went on and on. Almost ready to learn but not quite.

Then one day, she sat beside me and showed me that she can distinguish one letter from another. Then she pulled out a card and said:

I know this says TO
I know this is says my name HAPPY
I know this says FROM
I know this says MOMMY

Then she pulls out a book, points at a word in a page and asks:

How do I read this?

Can you see the K in King?

My very independent daughter knew it was time to ask for help. She hit a wall in her process of learning to read. I didn't overwhelm her, I just gave her a little clue to nudge her in the right direction.

A few days later, her mom was getting dressed for a meeting in Makati, my daughter says:

Your shirt says GREED.

Ah! The joys of discovery.






Arns Jara

http://koliskofoundation.blogspot.com/
http://arnsjara.multiply.com/journal
http://whywaldorfworks.org/