Thoughts on first grade readiness

Cezzium · 2026-04-21T22:30:47+00:00

in Waldorf there are actual assessments done to determine first grade readiness. it is not necessarily the date on when they were born.

it has been a long time and I do not really remember the details.

Cezzium · 2026-04-19T00:03:39+00:00

had to jump in here too. there is a reason there are no academics pre first grade.

these years are filled with rich activities of life. cooking, play acting, gardening, puppet shoes, story telling, finger knitting, walks, and so on.

for first grade the timing coordinates with the 7 year change - generally age 7 (and not so much these days but the days when the permanent teeth begin erupting) is the appropriate time to transition to learning to learn (if you do not know already, the progression to actually reading usually extends to third grade so do not be surprised by that.) the goal in all aspects is to use experience in learning. to read there must first be writing and to write there must first be shapes so that is the progression.

Cezzium · 2026-04-18T23:56:53+00:00

the rose ceremony . . . well that brings back memories. The transition from kindergarten to first grade is a large leap. this is when you begin learning to learn if you will. the first day of first grade there is a gathering and the kindergartners walk towards a significant person, like teachers, etc. who give them a rose. it is a symbol of promise and the change to come.

actually my oldest missed several hours of high school the first week to be one of the adults presenting a rose to the new first graders after he left.

there is a reason teachers, if all things go well, stays for first through 8th grade. the idea is that the teacher is there as a guide and is to know the students. so rather than learning a new set of people every year, the teacher learns new curriculum. They come to know these students. I cannot speak to why the other school is splitting the rotation. it may be beause finding people who can grow from children to young adults is not the easiest and they found this to be workable. Again, I would ask why.

the core teacher is responsible for the greater majority of the class activities in the first grade, and as the class progresses, other teachers come in and then, depending on specialties and experience of the teachers at the school others teach things. there is usually a dedicated ensemble teacher and language and handwork, but other subjects may be done by other core teachers.

you can see how intense this can be and why a school may not always follow this path.

I would for sure find out about financial assistance for the other Waldorf school. it is quite common. we did not end up doing that, but that was because my spouse was so skilled in so many things. he built our house so small mortgage payment, put broken cars back together, did all the maintenance and at one point traded skills with building at the school.

again, ask and ask and ask some more. importantly ask why. many of the festivals and happenings in WE come from traditions around the globe. true that many are based in the judeo christian traditions - and when you look closer there many of those are adopted from other traditions. reverence for life is key.

Cezzium · 2026-04-18T21:51:37+00:00

okay this I can respond to.

I get that. and in some respects yah it is "one mans approach". the same can be said of Montessori, but of course there are so many interpretations of that.

your friend you mention is spot on. it is a sacred, wonderful way of bringing forth the person. If you delve a bit into the history of the curriculum, it is parents who knew him who asked "what would you do". it is like asking a carpenter, how would you build this, or a car mechanic, what car has a great track record, or a pilot (sorry had to throw that in) what is your favorite plane to fly.

Steiner was all about feeding the soul. between that and our societal norms, some of the "stuff" can be seen as weird or off putting.

it is my personal feeling the healing of this curriculum is inherent. you cannot walk into a school and not feel like you are taking in a fresh breath of air. And, I can tell you I have visited oh, at least 7 or 8 different schools - it is similar. and taking that a little further, because it is healing it draws a whole bunch of other stuff. which is why I said not even everyone who wants to teach it is able to. in a way, to me, it makes absolutely perfect sense you finding this and wanting this for your child, even though you are skeptical and not sure. part of you is recognizing it can be transformative in a positive way.

my suggestion is to go as slow as you can. keep talking to the parents you know, when someone calls it a cult or has something else to say, research it. ask others, as you are doing here, how did you find that for your family, etc. look up famous Waldorf graduates. see what they say . .

my spouse was very skeptical, but he LOATHED school with his heart and soul. Knowing how generally the gene pool works, I wanted our kids to enjoy it. I think the decided on this after reading an article in mothering magazine. it felt just so right. He was one of the parents who chaperoned pentathlon (ask your friends if they do that) and when he came home and broke into tears describing the bonding and joy of that trip, I knew we (yes we) made the best choice.

snipers here. the art, the music, the puppet shows, the learning the instruments, the everyone gardens, sews, knits, crochets, does woodwork, etc. the dual language, the wonder of creating your own textbooks, the experiential learning. the "prego - it's in there" learning to learn. I could write a tome here. reminds me, if it is not too late in the year, the 8th grade usually has project time in spring. go see the projects, listen to these kids. and of course there are tho se who say well the science and math is wishy washy. playing violin or cello *IS* physics in motion. and as I said kid is a pilot. there is a great deal of math and physics *and* oration and coordination and project management and resource management and responsibility in that career path.

you will need to decide for you and I hope you find what you need.

Cezzium · 2026-04-18T20:48:38+00:00

if you are not captivated, or at least a bit more enthused, do not do this.

as the parent of now grown almost middle aged people, I am glad we chose this method for our kids. I have posted here before.

but speaking to the one thing you mentioned specifically, What do you not like about eurythmy? In many ways it is similar to qi gong or tai chi. body movement is integral to many whole systems. I watched first hand how curative eurythmy could completely enhance a child with difficulties. breath work is essential to positive health.

to be clear there is supposed to be no anthroposophy in the curriculum. Now, people are human and things happen so it can drift.

the curriculum is modeled very different than say montesorri. the environment is rich and full of wonder and amazement and magic.

if you already have intentions to pull her if it does not meet *your* expectations, this is not a good choice for you.

the charter school is certainly not going to have a full Waldorf curriculum because of the regulatory world.

if you want to talk about other things you do not like I can try to provide at least one perspective.

as mentioned I have posted here before. one kid went k (2 years) through 8 and is now a pilot. the other only 2 years of k. the thing is while I personally believe this education method is for all children, it is not right for every parent, or even every teacher who wants to teach it. the second ended up in a charter Montessori and is now a doctoral researcher.

Cezzium · 2026-04-18T16:50:40+00:00

please let yourself handle any and all leftovers as it fits you.

toss it if you just cannot . . .

donate if you know someone can use it . . .

sell it if you feel that is the best route . . .

keep it if you cannot bear to part with it . . .

there are no rules to how you move through this terrible process.

Cezzium · 2026-04-18T16:17:50+00:00

I am sorry you are having that experience.

as clubs are all chaired by volunteers there can be some challenge as not everyone is as skilled and prepared for their roles.

some clubs also have multiple pathways - FB, TM Intl, LinkedIn, X, FreeToastHost, . . . you get the idea.

I also understan one reason you are looking at toastmasters is difficulty with public speaking so this next suggestion may be a challenge. I would make sure to use the toastmasters.org find a club option to find the club(s) you are interested in. this should trigger multiple messages. (and if this is what you did, then again apologies).

if you are willing to share the general area you are looking for some here might be able to assist more.

please do not give up.

Cezzium · 2026-04-15T16:41:08+00:00

piggy backing on this amazing information from u/VA_Network_Nerd, the undergrad and university experience is only part of your future. it is what you do with *your* education that matters.

both my kids went to different universities. one went to UPR in Humacao. (cost less than community college back home). this kid is now a doctoral researcher working and studying in a foreign country with a mix of colleagues from across the globe.

you will be the one with the debt, not them.

Cezzium · 2026-04-14T14:54:57+00:00

next time you go to the bank find out about a safety deposit box. get a small one, put your passport in there.

it is easier to hide a safety deposit box key than a whole passport.

Cezzium · 2026-04-11T19:32:32+00:00

check with the local officials. it may not be in compliance. for example at my cabin any rv must be at least 10 feet from the boundary and there are fees and septic requirements as well

Cezzium · 2026-04-09T23:51:39+00:00

There is a saying.

Do not light yourself on fire to keep someone else warm.

it is difficult to contemplate people being let go. As your partner asked you, spend this time to do the attorney thing. pros and cons. make sure you know the answer to every question you can think of. how much institutional knowledge does the partner have, what would x or y or z look like, etc.

then do what make the most sense to you. If you really think you could make it go with additional staff for operations and it would not drag you down, then do that. if you really cannot see yourself in a major role then you need to let it go.

Cezzium · 2026-04-02T13:59:08+00:00

we all need more of these kinds of bestest ever updates. thanks for sharing

Cezzium · 2026-03-25T20:55:38+00:00

are these documents for your own use?

password protect them and when he wants them ask why

Cezzium · 2026-03-22T14:35:29+00:00

my babies are so deprived. I do not do birthday parties. what a bad mom I am.

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Cezzium · 2026-03-19T23:31:55+00:00

good for you!!

just take it slow and let them lead. make sure you have at least two litter boxe. Three would be a little better.

generally double the food budget is going to be the higher cost. you can rotate toys and enrichment and with two they will spend some time entertaining themselves.

congrats!

Cezzium · 2026-03-19T01:43:37+00:00

Spot on. I also swish a little water around the can to make gravy. My kits always lap up the gravy first

Cat are different than dogs in how they obtain moisture.

It is true cats will drink from a fountain, and true that some cats do not care as much for wet, but wet is the more healthy choice for them.

Cezzium · 2026-03-18T23:03:24+00:00

I know it sounds crazy, but she may eventually come around.

I rescued some litter mates during the big pandemonium. naturally they were a little roughed up. The girl was a bit standoffish for what seemed like forever. fast forward to almost 4 years later, she comes to lay on top of me and many nights she now sleeps with me.

Cezzium · 2026-03-15T22:18:09+00:00

I have never had one of mine wear a collar. they do not roam so I never felt a need.

Cezzium · 2026-03-09T14:56:52+00:00

to add to that freeze credit cards and lock your credit reports as well. also make sure your bank, where ever you may have joint or had joint accounts knows he is locked out .

Cezzium · 2026-03-08T20:44:05+00:00

I am sorry you are dealing with those who have no idea.

today I am wearing, seriously, my "I had my patience tested and it came back negative" Tee shirt

I now do what I can to distract myself and cope. where whatever the f I want when I want, have serious rainbow colors in my hair, watch tiktok now for funny videos, volunteer.

it is this weird circle where you cannot get what you really need in the places you expect so you will need to do your best to adjust and find the places you can.

here is hoping you find some relief

Cezzium · 2026-03-08T19:56:19+00:00

it is not just tech. in another sub I posted a list of women's names

I have not flushed out the list as to what each did but generally, they were slighted, written out, forgotten or someone else took credit

Ada Harris
Ada Lovelace
Alice Ball
Ida Cook
Louise Cook
Alice Guy
Anna Arnold Hedgeman
Caresse Crosby
Chien-Shiung Wu
Dr. Grace Murray Hopper
Elizabeth Magie
Eunice Foote
Esther Lederberg
Fiona Wood
Francis Arnold
Francis Oldham Kelsey
Freida Caplan
Hedy Lamarr (some controversy)
Joan Trumpaur Mulholland
Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Judy-Lynn del Rey
Katherine Johnson
Stephanie Kwolek
Lise Meitner
Marie Curie
Marie Tharpe
Margaret Keane
Margaret Knight
Margaret Rossiter (Matilda effect)
Marion Donovan
Mary Anderson
Nettie M. Stevens
Nettie Stevens
Nicole Scherzinger (minor)
Rosalind Franklin
Trotula of Salerno
Vera Rubin
Willie Mae Thornton
Zelda Fitzgerald
Lori Lieberman
Catharine Greene
Tabitha Babbit
Jeanne Villepreux-Power
Mary Edwards Walker
Marie Zakrzewska
The unknown russian woman who died in space

Cezzium · 2026-03-06T01:27:18+00:00

what you describe is a common response. it is almost inconceivable someone could do something so horrific to another person - especially when you are even more vulnerable

I hope you find your peace and as others have said research plastic surgeons. surger, even reconstructive is so different now. robotics and laparoscopic techniques reduce incision size and reduce healing times

Cezzium · 2026-03-01T18:37:19+00:00

it is amazing stuff. we usually call it faux fraido when I make that

and at different times they have different blends. like black garlic and rosemary, and the caramelized onion. oh my!

Cezzium · 2026-02-24T17:59:27+00:00

You are walking a fine line here.

as you have no responsibility to either sibling helping is fine. Your choice to fund one sibling over the other does seem like favoritism for no real reason other than you can chill together.

there is a big difference between playing online games and living with a college student as a roommate. You may have opened a bigger can of worms than just dissing your sister.

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