Welcome to "Unlocking Continuing the Journey to Literacy
This is Jennifer Militzer-Kopperl, author of The Roadmap to Literacy Books.
"Unlocking Continuing the Journey to Literacy" is the introductory course for the sequel to The Roadmap to Literacy. It supports the book Continuing the Journey to Literacy: A Guide to Teaching Language Arts in Waldorf Schools Grades 4 through 8.
This course shows teachers, homeschool parents, and schools ways to create an effective and holistic language arts curriculum for grades 4-8, one that includes 17 aspects of language arts taught over six subject blocks (e.g., English, history, geography, natural science, science, and math).
The course is open to people from any educational background. It includes an introduction to the Steiner-Waldorf main lesson subject curriculum and answers the perennial questions:
- What do I teach, now that I have taught my students to read?
- How do I teach it?
The course is organized into sections and lessons so you can take just what you need!
Example Curriculum
- Welcome (4:45)
- Course Objectives
- Prologue: Waldorf Curriculum Tapestry
- Introducing the Textbook (6:43)
- Divide and Conquer: Making the Textbook More Manageable
- Question Authority for the Good of the World
- Changes to the Steiner-Waldorf Curriculum
- Quick Start: How Can I Use This Course?
- About your Instructor
- Quiz
- Quick Start: The Steiner-Waldorf Subject Curriculum (10:41)
- The Four-Fold Human Being
- The Three Stages of Child Development
- The Milestones in the Authority Stage
- Three Periods in the Authority Stage
- Main Lesson Curriculum: Active Period (Grades 1-3)
- Main Lesson Curriculum: Descriptive Period (Grades 4-6)
- Main Lesson Curriculum: Explanatory Period (Grades 7-8)
- Ramification 1: Economy in Teaching (Soul Economy) (10:46)
- Ramification 2: Moral Education: The Three Virtues
- Ramification 3: The Steiner-Waldorf Main Lesson Curriculum Supports Four Types of Education
- Ramification 4: How to Teach in Alignment with Child Development
- Ramification 5: The Roadmap to Literacy Books Fit into the Steiner-Waldorf Curriculum
- Ramification 6: What to Do If You Have Students Who are Not Reading at Grade Level
- Conclusion
- Quiz
- Quick Start: Introduction to the 17 Aspects of Language Arts
- What about the Phases of Learning to Read and Spell?
- 1. Storytelling
- 2. Reading
- 3. Research Skills
- 4. Notetaking
- 5. Outlining
- 6. Compositions
- 7. Essays
- 8. Reports
- 9. Creative Writing
- 10. Correspondence
- 11. Vocabulary
- 12. Handwriting
- 13. Spelling
- 14. Speech
- 15. Grammar
- 16. Literary Terms and Analysis
- 17. Morphology
- Relevance
- Quiz
- Quick Start: Grammar
- The Section 4 Protocol for Teaching Grammar
- Lesson 9 Direct Objects: A Sample Lesson on Teaching Direct Objects)
- Sample Grammar Rules Book Entry
- Sample Puzzle
- Sample Definition
- Sample Examples
- Sample Sentence Diagramming (Sentence Houses)
- Sample Practice Activities as Part of Initial Introduction
- Sample Grammar in Context: Mentor Sentences
- Sample Grammar in Context: Mentor Texts
- Assessment
- How to Help Struggling Students
- Relevance
- Quiz
- Quick Start
- The 17 Aspects of Language Arts across the Subject Blocks
- How Many Weeks of Main Lesson Subjects per Year
- Sample Main Lesson Archetype for English Blocks
- Academic Practice Classes and Practice Blocks
- Which Aspects of Language Arts to Schedule in Each Block
- Sacred Nothings that Pertain to Scheduling
- Quick Reference: Two Spreadsheets to Help You Navigate The Textbook
- Quiz
- Quick Start
- Macro-Curriculum Planning
- Using Home Surroundings Grades 1-3 to Introduce New Subjects Grades 4-6
- Using Storytelling to Plant Seeds in Grades 4-8
- Macro-Curriculum Planning in English Blocks
- Macro-Curriculum Planning in History Blocks
- Macro-Curriculum Planning in Geography Blocks
- Macro-Curriculum Planning in Natural Science Blocks
- Macro-Curriculum Planning in Science Blocks
- Macro-Curriculum Planning in Math Blocks
- Example: The Battle of Marathon
- Quiz
- Quick Start: Benchmarks
- Steiner's Indications
- Informal Assessment: Class Participation and Assignment
- Teacher-Made Assessments: Quizzes and Tests
- Assessments Created by Educational Testing Groups (Reading Fluency)
- How to Use Assessment Results to Improve Your Teaching
- Giving Feedback to Students after Assessment
- Teaching Students Good Study Skills
- Grading
- Bold Innovation: Reinstate a Final Exam for Skills at the End of the Year
- Relevance
- Quiz
- Quick Start: Overview of Ways to Use Continuing the Journey to Literacy
- 1. Comprehensive Curriculum: Language Arts and Main Lesson Blocks Grades 4-8
- 2. Complete Language Arts Curriculum Grades 4-8
- 3. Partial Language Arts Curriculum Grades 4-8
- 4. Complete Waldorf Main Lesson Subject Curriculum Grades 4-8
- 5. Partial Waldorf Main Lesson Subject Curriculum Grades 4-8
- 6. Introduction to Steiner-Waldorf Education Grades 1-8
- 7. Professional Development
- 8. Credentialing and School Inspections
- 9. Textbook for Teacher Training
- Conclusion
- Quiz
- Introduction
- Discussion Topic 0: Why Do We Do What We Do?
- Discussion Topic 1: Which period of child development does 6th grade belong to?
- Discussion Topic 2: Bold Innovation: Academic Practice Classes and Practice Blocks
- Discussion Topic 3: How to Restore Diversity and Inclusivity through Storytelling
- Discussion Topic 4a: Economy in Teaching (Introduction)
- Discussion 4b: Economy in Teaching (Macro-Curriculum Planning)
- Discussion Topic 4c: Economy in Teaching (Planting Seeds)
- Discussion 5: The Waldorf Curriculum Tapestry
- Discussion Topic 6: Using Home Surroundings Grades 1-3 to Introduce New Subjects Grades 4-6 (Macro-Curriculum Planning)
- Discussion Topic 7: Yearly Class Plays
- Discussion Topic 8: Typing/Keyboarding
- Discussion Topic 9: Using Assessment to Bring Consciousness to the Efficacy of Waldorf Pedagogy
- Discussion Topic 10: Grades
- Discussion Topic 11: Bold Innovation: Using Final Exams for Skills