Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School

Academic Excellence Enhanced By A Unique, Creative Curriculum

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Getting Dressed for School in Winter

December 11, 2018

Thumb in the thumb place, fingers all together

That’s what we say when it is mitten weather

Whether they are wool or made of finest leather,

Thumb in the thumb place, fingers all together….

For children to grow, thrive, and live in harmony with others they need plenty of restorative sleep and whole food nutrition, both of which give them strength and energy to meet the world. Children also need the protection of warm layers during cold and wet months, which can be a significant portion of our year in the Berkshires.

As an “all-weather school,” Steiner students spend a good amount of time outside; being well-dressed here has much to do with conserving warmth during their outdoor adventures so that their bodies can focus on building, growing, and maintaining their immune systems, rather than on keeping warm.

For base layers, natural fabrics are the best options for protection and warmth. Wool and silk breathe and absorb moisture, to keep it away from the skin so little ones stay warmer. Merino wool and silk (or a combination), both on top and bottom, is the most effective combination. (Cotton absorbs moisture but does not wick it away from the skin, so it becomes clammy. Synthetics tend not to breathe or absorb moisture, and can create painful static. However, for children who are very sensitive to fabric next to their skin, parents have been successful with wicking polyester undergarments such as Uniqlo’s Heattech line).

Next comes a thick wool sweater (lambswool or merino wool preferred – envision the sheep on our local farm, with only their fleece to keep them warm) or polyester fleece, topped by a vest if the sweater layer is thin. Thick pants such as flannel-lined cotton, corduroy or wool, covered by waterproof insulated snow pants, snow suit (no snow surprises between top and bottom!) and/or parka. Alternately, there is fleece-lined rain gear which can be worn with a packable down layer underneath on the coldest days.

For fingers and toes, wool socks (we like cozy merino wool) are the only ones that keep feet both warm and dry. Early childhood teachers recommend Bogs or Muck brand boots for the same reason. (Snow boots keep feet warm but not always dry in icy mud puddles, and remember that, unlike adults, it is your child’s job to walk through every icy puddle.) Insulated, waterproof mittens are warmer than gloves for snowy and icy weather, and wool mittens for dry cold days.

A soft wool hat that covers the ears or a wool or silk balaclava under your child’s jacket hood protects them from wind, cold and moisture. Their neck also needs to be covered by a sweater, balaclava or scarf. (One trick we learned for very cold days is to wear a silk scarf next to the skin with a warm wool scarf on top.) Balaclavas are the head and neck protection of choice, as they allow for the most coverage and warmth while children play and explore.

And remember, singing through transitions (such as the mitten song above) is a great help to getting all these warm clothes on and off! Middle school math and science teacher Lynn Arches notes that the children’s “work” of learning to dress appropriately for Berkshire weather is the beginning of logic and processing, since children learn by doing that pants have to go on before boots, and mittens last, once the buttons and zippers are done up.

As an extension of our offering at the Holiday Handcraft Fair, the Steiner School is excited to offer a final opportunity this year to order warm woollies for children and adults from Danish Woolen Delights, a European company that produces the highest quality “soft & soothing organic clothing and accessories that promote the health & well-being of those who wear them, those who produce them, and, ultimately, the well-being of our Mother Earth!”

Danish Woolen Delight Ordering Instructions
The order form can be downloaded from the link here and will also be sent home via backpack mail. To order, visit Danish Woolen Delight and complete the order form with your desired items. You may return your order form via email or hand deliver to school. All orders must be returned to the front desk by Thursday, December 20th. The items will ship to Steiner and we will contact you once pick up is ready, likely in the new year. Online stock is updated daily, so your items can’t be guaranteed until your order has been filled. For this reason, payment is due when you pick up your items. Happy winter!

 

 

Filed Under: News & Events, Steiner News & Events Tagged With: #Berkshires #Winter #AllWeatherSchool #Steiner #Waldorf #Winter #Merino #Warmth #Parka #Balaclava #Organic #Mittens #SnowDays, #NewEngland, Getting Dressed for School in Winter, Great Barrington, Rudolf Steiner, Waldorf Education

Steiner Puppet Wagon at Berkshire Harvest Festival Sat and Sun October 6 & 7

October 3, 2018

Puppetry builds magical and wondrous inner pictures for the young (and older) people watching! This weekend, come see our Early Childhood teachers perform a beloved story for chilly weather, “The Mitten,”  at The Steiner Puppet Wagon at 11:45 am and 1:45 pm, Saturday October 6th and Sunday October 7th in the family section near the performance stage at this year’s annual Berkshire Botanical Garden Harvest Festival   Over 12,000 people attend the Festival each year in Stockbridge, MA, where the whole Berkshire community comes out to enjoy a glorious autumn day with games, vendors, a giant tag sale and family fun.

Near the puppet wagon, look for our striped Steiner circus tent, where we’ll have decorated tables displaying our students’ work, invitations to upcoming events and teachers and parents helping little ones craft yarn pumpkins to take home. Happy autumn!

Filed Under: News & Events, Steiner News & Events Tagged With: GBRSS, Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, Harvest Festival, puppetry, Rudolf Steiner, Steiner Puppets, Waldorf Education, Waldorf Education in the Berkshires, Waldorf Education Puppet Show, Waldorf Puppets

We’re in the Garden

September 25, 2018

This Saturday, September 29th from 11am-2pm, we will be hosting our annual Family Michaelmas Festival in our garden- rain or shine! Please come and enjoy it with us; there will be donkey rides, live music, community weaving, bread making, flag making, apple pressing and more. At Harvest time, we gather in our gardens to celebrate community and goodness that comes from working with the earth. Bring a picnic blanket and sunhat, and join us to “put the garden to bed” with grateful hearts.

We were able to catch up with Steiner’s one and only beloved Farmer Hadley (Hadley Milliken), who teaches and explores gardening to and with the whole school, and we asked her some questions about this time of the year in the gardens. Enjoy!

Tell us a little about what’s going down in the Steiner garden this fall…

This time of year, classes are working to preserve the harvest. The classes are drying medicinal and culinary herbs for teas and winter use in soups and stews, harvesting and freezing apples, pears and raspberries, making sauerkraut and pickles and bringing in the last of the tomatoes for sauce for pizza making. We are putting the gardens to bed- enjoying the last of the late summer crops, covering cropping beds to protect and build the soil, and planting cool weather crops to enjoy throughout the fall.

Do all ages participate in the garden during the fall?

All ages participate in the garden. The Early Childhood children meander throughout the gardens on their daily walks, and harvest various treats for use in their weekly cooking activities. I work with grades 1-8 on a weekly basis immersing them in all aspects of garden work from sewing seeds to harvesting, which enhances Main Lesson work.

What is your favorite part of fall gardening at Steiner?

The Fall is a beautiful time of year in the garden where the children can relish in the hard work they have contributed throughout the Spring and Summer; harvesting raspberries they mulched and side-dressed with compost in early Spring, crawling inside a morning glory teepee they built and planted before they went on Summer break. They truly sit in the fruits of their labor. It is satisfying and they truly feel they have contributed to the beauty and wonder of the space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: News & Events, Steiner News & Events Tagged With: Autumn, Farmer Hadley, Gardening, Great Barrington, Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, Hadley Milliken, Harvest, Harvesting, Michaelmas, Michaelmas Festival, Rudolf Steiner, Steiner, Steiner Garden, Steiner Gardens, Waldorf, Waldorf Education, Waldorf Education in the Berkshires, Waldorf Gardens, We're in the Garden

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Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School
35 West Plain Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230

(413) 528-4015 (Telephone)
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info@gbrss.org

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