Homeschooling Classes - Woodworking, Music, Art, Handwork

We are very excited about our upcoming homeschooling classes in Davis, CA! Winter term begins January 26, 2016. Registration is available online at www.wholisticlearningresources.net. 

We also travel and teach workshops for homeschooling groups, parents and teachers! Contact us for more information on scheduling workshops near you.

Working with Wood

Rooted deep, reaching high, trees live and breathe and bridge the elemental world with the animal world. They are integral to the cycle of respiration and hence, to life itself. With conscious purpose, we cut a mature tree to serve us in other ways. Our ingenuity and need for survival and comfort lead us to transform wood to meet our everyday needs. A house, a table, chair, ladder, crate, barrel.

Working with wood is a communion with the tree. It is acknowledging that the wood, once a living organism, is a material rich in beauty, strength, and function. Craftspeople have long discovered the art of woodworking. For those whose livelihoods depend on a close relationship with wood, they understand that the process of transforming the wood is a meditation as satisfying as the product rendered from their handiwork.

When children work with wood, they too experience the process of transformation. And as they develop their senses of self-worth and self-esteem, working with wood is really working with the will. Developing will in the right way with children is brought about in how we present and model for them our relationship with things around us. Woodworking is respecting what the tree brings and our use of the wood must be economical, meaningful, and beautiful.

In a twelve week program with Wholistic Learning Resources, I guided homeschool students in the process of crafting wood. They cut, drilled, filed, rasped, sanded, assembled, hammered, glued, decorated, and stained. Wood became objects of purpose that serve us. A pencil holder, signage, flower press, and hand loom, among other items we built, demonstrate for the children how their will forces transform the rough and raw wood into functional and beautiful things.

The work itself is a means unto itself. The motion of the arms in sanding, the use of the fingertips to determine the smoothness of the wood's surface, the visual analysis of angles and planes - all teach something to the child. Whether it is in a woodworking class or an opportunity to cut firewood or even a chance to help assemble an IKEA cabinet, working with wood is a learning experience.

The Four Gnomes - A Waldorf-Inspired Handwork Tale Available

Our new eBook is available for instant download in our Etsy shop!

Teleseminar about incorporating story, song, and verse with handwork available at The Waldorf Connection.

Homeschool Classes Offered in Davis!

Announcement from Wholistic Learning Resources

WLR is coming to Davis!

WLR is pleased to announce our new classes in Davis, California!

The new classes will be taught by two outstanding teachers and Waldorf enthusiasts: Rick & Jennifer Tan. Please join me in welcoming the Tans to Wholistic Learning Resources!

I met the Tans a number of years ago and Jennifer was actually one of the teachers at WLR  during our first semester of classes in 2010. Soon after, however, the Tans relocated to Davis. I am excited to be working with them again at our new location at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis.

The new classes include Nature Notebook Journaling, Art, Handwork and Music. The Tans are talented, experienced teachers who bring a wealth of knowledge, joy and beauty to everything they do. In addition, they are experienced homeschoolers themselves and are flexible in their approach to education.

Classes will be held on Tuesdays, beginning September 15 and will run for 10 weeks. View the schedule for more details.

Syrendell Summer Camp is Here!

Global Waldorf Expo Featuring Jennifer Tan of Syrendell

On Friday, May 16th, Jennifer Tan, MA of Syrendell, will be featured in a Global Waldorf Expo teleseminar. Register early for free online launches! Each day of the conference, a new set of approximately 6 presentations will be made available on the The Homeschool Expo site.

Click here to register: http://thewaldorfconnection.com/dap/a/?a=8&p=www.waldorfhomeschoolexpo.com

Syrendell Summer Camp

We're excited to announce our 2015 summer camp, which will be held in Davis, California. We offer fun and educational lessons and also organic lunches! Visit our website for more information. Register now because spots are limited!

How To Homeschool Webinar

We are very excited to share an incredible FREE training webinar. This is perfect for those who are ready to start homeschooling, but they either don’t know where to start or don't have the time.

Sign up by clicking here to participate in "3 Simple Ways to Make Waldorf Work with Less Time & Less Stress"

This webinar comes with supporting worksheets & checklists and has been created by Donna Ashton at The Waldorf Connection.  It’s delivered entirely over audio and/or webinar and only takes an hour.

The course will help you figure out the steps to setting up your homeschool,
how to save tons of time and make this a lot easier on yourself than you thought possible.

And reveal tips on real-life situations like:
How can I manage with more than one child?
When do I find time for myself?
How do I deal with electronics & media?
How can I engage my child with interesting lessons?
Can I get my spouse/family on board with Waldorf?
What do I need to get start homeschooling today?
How do I stay motivated and inspired?

Syrendell Summer Camp Registration is Open!

Making Calendula Healing Salve

Calendula grows effortlessly in our front and backyards. They pop open their first buds in February and last through the beginning of November where we live in Northern California. Sunny yellow and cheery orange blooms are beautiful, fragrant, and most of all, healing.

Wilson has been reading the Herb Fairies program this year which ties in beautifully with our Grade 5 Waldorf homeschooling Botany blocks. He is currently reading about the healing properties of calendula, just as the first flowers of the year are arriving!  Calendula is wonderful for scrapes, burns, thrush, dry skin, and other skin issues. We decided to make a healing salve with the flowers.

Step 1: Pick calendula flowers that are in full bloom.

Step 2: Separate the petals, rinse, and let dry.

Step 3: Steep petals in organic olive oil or other base oil of your choice for at least a few days.

Step 4: Melt an equal amount of organic beeswax with your calendula petal/olive oil mixture in a crock pot for 2-3 hours.

Step 5: Carefully and quickly strain the warm mixture through cheesecloth, add a few drops of organic lavender essential oil, and gently stir.

Step 6: Quickly scoop salve into tins or other sealed containers. Cool in the refrigerator.

Making a Birthday Crown

Linden loves crowns, so we made her one for her birthday and one for play. 

We started with plant-dyed wool felt, roving and embroidery thread from Mama Judes. 

Drawing a fairy-like, curved-pointed design with chalk, we created the look for the base piece.

Embroidery thread was used to hold together butterflies and the crown bases and also as embellishment.

Our Syrendell plant-dyed silk ribbons were seen onto the ends of the crown base to tie in a bow at the back of the head. Using ribbons allows the crown size to be adjustable.

Next, we need felted wools roving and a bit of Angelina sparkle onto the wool butterflies.

The crown is complete! We then made a crown with different colors and flowers/leaves.