Class 1/2 have been very fortunate to have Eurythmy as a subject for 10 lessons over a 5-week block.  Today we look forward to sharing our fruits with those who have enabled this opportunity.  There is a profound relationship between this art of movement and the teaching of music and the speech arts.  Even within such a small window of time, parents and I have observed changes in the children's grace of movement, the relieving of strain and tension and the stimulation of musical, poetic and dramatic senses.  From a teaching perspective, it has been a real gift to collaborate with Shamara and I am in the process of searching for ways so that this may continue for the children into the future.

In recent weeks, I have observed significant signs of growth in the children of Class 1.  Not only in their toothless smiles and the lengthening of their bodies but in their presence and in their hunger to use their newfound skill sets to approach the new and unknown.  This group have an incredible sense for the power of stories and we have deepened this with shadow puppets, hand puppets, storyscapes and in using a Kamishibai.

Class 2 have been studying Bush Birds found on our school campus.  You’ll find us searching for signs of bird life with our binoculars.  This forms part of our preparation for a bird watching incursion with the help of local bird watchers.  This will take place in Spring.  It has been heartening to see Class 2 open their awareness towards our winged friends and their drawings have come to life in the form of moving pictures and flip books.

To the wider school community, we thank you for supporting our Cafe.  Thanks to your generosity we raised over $500 which will help finance the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre performance and workshops in Term 3.

We sadly farewell Brigid Baker this Friday.  She has been a great support for the children and we hope that this has been a fruitful experience.  Stuttgart is a special place in that it is the home of Waldorf Pedagogy.  We wish her well with what remains of her studies and in finding and guiding her own class once she returns home.

Brigid's Reflection

What a pleasure it has been to learn at GHSS.  My name is Brigid Baker and I am coming from the Freie Hochschule in Stuttgart, Germany as a masters student training to be a class teacher.  I have been working with Class One and Two under the guidance of Sarah. 

For six weeks, I have been able to experience the daily rhythm of the class and learn from Sarah and all of the incredible teachers at GHSS.  To date, I’ve worked in a number of Steiner schools across the world and GHSS definitely offers something unique to your children. 

The teaching staff and the physical location of GHSS are unprecedented.  GHSS facilitates an active incorporation of the natural environment and living history of the peoples from this area.  Grounding our education in the world our children live in is a goal for all of the Waldorf schools I’ve visited, but it is something done with such intention by Sarah and in your community.  From the creative lesson topics to bush school and the arrangement of the campus, one can see how the children are soaking up rich experiences every day. 

I feel especially lucky that my internship coincided with the Eurythmy trial program for Classes 1/2.  In a short five weeks, I have seen how Eurythmy has supported the children’s health, connection to themselves and each other.  Shamara is a gifted musical practitioner and it was wonderful to share in this movement with her and your children. 

I wish to thank everyone at GHSS, especially Sarah, Sofia, Sarah C, Bruce and Class One and Two, for welcoming me so generously into your school and Denmark.  This has been a wonderful experience that I will never forget. 

-Brigid Baker