Tag: spiritual development
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Freewill and the Education of Our Youth
Do we have freewill? And, what does this question have to do with how we raise our youth? Many, especially in the West, assert that we have freewill, absolutely. Indeed, this is for what so many battles have been fought starting with the American Revolution. Others, especially in the East, would perhaps deny freewill, saying…
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Creating the Optimal Homeschool Learning Environment
In this post, we discuss creating the optimal homeschool learning environment. When you homeschool, your home is the classroom and you and/or your spouse are the teachers. That might sound obvious, but if you’ve never taught in a classroom, it might not be clear what exactly that means. Even if you have, certain things bear…
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The Spiritual Guidance of Youth
Today’s youth are getting wrong messages about what it means to be free. These erroneous ideas spread on social media faster than a brush fire in Colorado. They convey ideas like, “Freedom is having unlimited choices and experiences… Happiness comes from getting everything you want… Change your appearance, change your life,” etc. These messages lead…
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The Relationship Between Love and Learning
What’s love got to do with it? In a previous post, we explored how to cultivate a love of learning in children. In this post, we will take it a step further in exploring the relationship between love and learning by looking at techniques and outcomes of how we educate our children. First, we have…
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The Separation of School and State
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by
We’ve all heard the term, “The separation of church and state.” This principle is a fundamental tenet of American democracy. Its function is to prevent any one religion from dominating American political life. Understood differently, it also prevents the realm of culture from dominating that of legal rights. However, this boundary should go both ways.…
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The Role of Pain in Transformation
It may sound strange for a homeschooling blog to write about the role of pain in transformation. However, one of our students brought this question up recently in our Teen Empowerment Class. It is, therefore, relevant to our students as well as their parents. We ought therefore to inquire into our relationship with this troublesome…
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Are You Waldorf Enough?
Are you Waldorf enough? Many Waldorf-based homeschoolers ask themselves this question. In my own teaching career, I wondered this for the first several years, even though I was going through teacher training at an accredited institution. Generally, people come to a path as intentional as Waldorf Education with zeal and dedication. This isn’t just a…
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Parent Self-Care
Life is work. Parenting is hard work. Homeschooling is even harder work. It’s an enormously rewarding path that is worth the effort. However, even the best endeavors require parent self-care so we can keep up the good work. While many articles on parent self-care advise you go to the spa, get a massage, or take…
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What is a Human Being?
What is a human being? This question has occupied philosophers, scientists, and religious seekers for millennia. It is the core essence of our seeking as people. Every single student I’ve worked with has wanted me to tell them what I see in them. It’s fascinating. Underneath every human desire is the wish to know, “What…
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AI and Critical Thinking in Education
Listen to this post: How do we conceive of AI and critical thinking in education? Increasingly, schools are importing the new technology to help reduce teacher burnout and tailor lessons to individual student needs. According to School AI1, 37% of teachers are now using AI to create lessons, reducing their workload. As a Waldorf teacher,…