Richmond Waldorf School

OUR WALDORF APPROACH TO EDUCATE SEEKS TO NURTURE PHYSICAL, MORAL, INTELLECTUAL, ARTISTIC, EMOTIONAL & SPIRITUAL CAPACITIES OF THE CHILD.

ESTABLISHED IN 1996, RICHMOND WALDORF SCHOOL IS A PRE-K THROUGH 8TH GRADE INDEPENDENT WALDORF SCHOOL LOCATED ON A 3.5 ACRE URBAN CAMPUS IN RICHMOND, VA. WE SERVE 190 STUDENTS THROUGH A DEVELOPMENTALLY- APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM THAT HONORS EACH STUDENT FOR WHO THEY ARE AND SEEKS TO DEVELOP THEIR WHOLE PERSON - INTELLECTUALLY, SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND PHYSICALLY. RWS EMPHASIZES HANDS-ON LEARNING WITH AN ARTISTIC AND PRACTICAL APPROACH TO ACADEMIC SUBJECTS. WALDORF STUDENTS DEVELOP MEANINGFUL SKILLS IN A WAY THAT INSPIRES CONFIDENCE, BUILDS PRACTICAL SKILLS, AND CULTIVATES CREATIVITY. RWS FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION ARE DEDICATED TO GROWING WALDORF EDUCATION AND SHARE THE COMMON GOAL OF RAISING A NEW GENERATION OF STUDENTS TO CARE FOR EACH OTHER, THEMSELVES, AND THE WORLD AROUND THEM. WALDORF CLASS TEACHING IS DEMANDING AND ENORMOUSLY REWARDING WORK. OUR EDUCATORS MODEL WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A WHOLE HUMAN AND THE PEDAGOGY REINFORCES STRONG AND MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS. ONE NOTABLE ASPECT OF OUR GRADES PROGRAM IS THAT THE WALDORF TEACHER REMAINS WITH THEIR CLASS FOR MULTIPLE YEARS - OFTEN FROM FIRST THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE. THIS PARADIGM CENTERS HEALTHY CHILD DEVELOPMENT BY SHOWING STUDENTS HOW THEIR TEACHER WORKS TO CONTINUALLY CULTIVATE AN ATMOSPHERE OF AWARENESS AND INTEREST, PRESENT NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF-DISCOVERY, AND DEMONSTRATE THEIR SERVICE TO THE WORLD. WITH A SPECIALIZED CURRICULUM, INVESTING IN A FACULTY OF CREDENTIALED WALDORF TEACHERS AND STAFF IS NATURALLY A LARGE PORTION OF THE PROGRAM'S EXPENSES. 70% OF RWS FACULTY HAVE OVER TEN YEARS TEACHING EXPERIENCE. JUST AS OUR TEACHERS GROW OUR STUDENTS' SENSE OF SELF-RELIANCE, OUR SCHOOL AIMS TO CONTINUALLY OFFER INCREASED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND COMPENSATION.

AN INVESTMENT IN HIGH QUALITY SUPPLIES IS INTEGRAL TO DELIVERING A WALDORF CURRICULUM. OUR STUDENTS USE NATURAL BEESWAX CRAYONS, COLORED PENCILS, AND WATERCOLORS FOR THEIR MAIN LESSON BOOKS AND ARTWORK. IN HANDWORK CLASSES, STUDENTS KNIT AND CROCHET WITH HAND DYED WOOL ROVING AND YARN. USING ONLY HAND TOOLS, CHILDREN IN THE WOODWORKING PROGRAM CONCENTRATE ON HONING THEIR SKILLS TO MAKE PRACTICAL, BEAUTIFUL OBJECTS. DEVELOPING ENDURANCE IS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR BIKE PROGRAM, WHERE EVERY CHILD LEARNS TO MASTER LIFE ON TWO WHEELS. BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY HUMAN IS MUSICAL, WE STRENGTHEN CHILDREN'S MUSICALITY THROUGH SONGS, DANCES AND GAMES AND THEN BUILD UP LITERACY TEACHING VARIOUS WIND INSTRUMENTS, CULMINATING IN FORMAL STRING INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTION. IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM, TEACHERS WORK WITH HANDMADE AND NATURAL TOYS AND FABRICS, INCLUDING WOODEN FIGURINES, HANDMADE DOLLS, AND PLAYSILKS. ALL THESE TACTILE, SENSORY SUPPLIES SPEAK TO OUR MISSION TO CONNECT THE HEAD, HEART, AND HANDS OF OUR STUDENTS, DELIVERING A BALANCED, HOLISTIC, AND FULLY INTEGRATED CURRICULUM.

TODAY'S CHILD NEEDS CONNECTION WITH THE NATURAL WORLD MORE THAN EVER. FIELD TRIPS ENLIVEN THE CURRICULUM FOR THE STUDENTS BY EXPANDING THEIR SENSORY EXPERIENCES WITH THE CONTENT THEY ARE STUDYING IN THE CLASSROOM. FROM MULTI-DAY OVERNIGHT TRIPS TO LOCALLY CURATED DAY DESTINATIONS, THE SCHOOL INVESTS HEAVILY IN THESE EXPERIENCES TO SUPPORT THE DEEPENING OF THE STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM. A FEW OF THE MULTI-DAY RITES OF PASSAGE AT RWS INCLUDE A THIRD GRADE TRIP TO LIVE AND WORK AT A BIODYNAMIC ORGANIC FARM, FIFTH GRADE CAMPING TRIP TO A VIRGINIA BEE SANCTUARY, AND A SIXTH GRADE CAVING EXCURSION. TO BRING ACADEMICS TO LIFE, RWS PARTNERS WITH OTHER INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS ON PENTATHALON AND MEDIEVAL GAMES. FOR THE YOUNGER CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT QUITE READY TO LEAVE THE NEST OVERNIGHT, RWS HAS LONG ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL FARMS, ORCHARDS AND SPECIALTY MUSEUMS.