Curriculum
Main lesson Block Subjects 1-8 2010
Every morning the children take part in a 2-hour lesson delivered by the class teacher known as the Main Lesson. In each lesson ‘block’, one subject is studied continuously for a period of three to five weeks. This allows the children to become immersed in the subject long enough before moving on to another block and subjects are revisited later in the syllabus to build on what has been previously learned.
Core curriculum subjects taught in the Main Lessons include reading, writing, numeracy, mathematics, geography, history, the sciences, farming and the natural world, and legends, stories and mythology. Other shorter subject lessons are taught later in the day, sometimes by specialist teachers, including music, handwork, foreign languages (German and Spanish), painting, modeling, games, gardening, nature walks, and woodwork.
Each day the timetable aims to provide a balance between academic, artistic and practical activities. The Main Lesson begins each morning with singing, poetry and rhythmic movement. Daily, mental arithmetic and multiplication tables are chanted and clapped and danced. Grammar is learnt; children form their letters and numbers artistically. Oral skills, as well as literacy and numeracy, form an integral part of their learning; each morning children recall stories and the content from the previous day’s lesson, exercising their listening and conversation skills and memory.
Artistic and practical activities include traditional crafts, knitting, painting, drawing, music and practical work with various materials are integrated into the syllabus. Research demonstrates that the encouragement of manual dexterity through practical work is essential for cognitive development within the child.
Academic success is important in the laying of the foundations for a healthy and fulfilling life; equally important is the task of cultivating in pupils a broad and coherent understanding of themselves and the wider context of the world we live in and their relationship to it. For this reason, integrated into the syllabus is an awareness and respect for nature, the environment and the seasons. Myths, legends and stories are told from many ethnic and cultural backgrounds; these provide a multicultural element in the curriculum as a basis for understanding our common humanity and universal human values. By these means, a sense of connection, security and stability unfolds which helps to prepare the children to take their place in the world, to work enthusiastically, to involve themselves responsibly and to act with consideration for others.
In this philosophy, education is conceived of as an art. It is the task of the teacher to bring this education to the pupils in such a living and pictorial way that fires their imagination and enthusiasm to imbue a genuine love of learning in each child and a joy of giving their best.
At Lancaster Steiner School we trust the education we provide will lay sound foundations in the children, helping them under the pressures of an ever-changing and demanding society to develop the positive qualities needed to realize themselves and meet all the challenges that life brings.