In Class 3/4 we have finished our math main lessons and have begun our second Norse Mythology main lesson.

Waldorf or Steiner math education involves movement, music, rhythm, form drawing, creativity, curiosity and wonder, creating a truly multi-sensory approach to mathematics.  In our morning circle time we incorporate lots of movement, rhythm and importantly numbers.  It has been wonderful to watch the children develop their mathematical skills this way and they have become very competent with their times tables, in a fun way.

In Class 3 the math main lessons are very practical.  We began first with time, learning to understand the calendar, seasons, day and night, hours and minutes.  This flows on beautifully from the Old Testament stories.  The children then learn about measurement in depth before the metric system and a solid understanding of its creation and use evolves.  We then focus on the four processes, which have been introduced in many forms in Class 1 and 2.  Many movement exercises with times tables and concentration exercises allows the students to be very competent in their mathematical thinking skills in multiplication and division, so when carrying and borrowing, long division and multiplication are introduced the children only then need to understand teh process as they have the skills and strategies within.  Class Three will complete the numeracy main lesson of money next term.  Yes more lemonade comes your way!!

In Class Four, three fraction main lessons are undertaken, the first is very practical and concentrates on going from the whole to the part.  Lots of rockmelon and apples were halved, quartered and eaten.  Our recent fractions main lesson allowed the children to use what they already knew in their understanding of fractions and the four processes and they were able to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions.  Understanding many different types of fractions such as equivalent fractions, improper fractions and reciprocal fractions gives the children confidence to identify, understand and use their newly acquired mathematical thinking skills to problem solve and finally simplify fractions.

The children in class are also very focused on their craft at present and use any spare time to continue on with their projects.  They are all very competent and it's lovely when reading in class to hear their hands working.  Class 4 is doing cross-stitch and Class 3 crochet.  Thank you to my parent helpers Jewels, Monique and Margaret.