Featured Article: Ritual, Tradition And Ceremony In A Waldorf-Inspired School - Part 1

1-16-2009

By Susan Simon, Principal

Ritual, tradition and ceremony together define the heart of a Waldorf school. They highlight the human connections that create the daily rhythm and drive the life force of a school community. Each of these areas creates a rich backdrop for community building to occur throughout the school year. The priorities of a Waldorf school are clearly defined in the focus of the rituals, traditions and ceremonies created by students, teachers, administrators and parents. These school-wide activities and events help to form the school's identity, allowing it to expand and flourish. Purposeful and meaningful relationships form in Waldorf schools that have histories of ritual, tradition and ceremony.

Rituals are actions or types of behavior that are regularly followed. They typically become habitual parts of the student's school life. Some examples of rituals in Waldorf schools are:

- the teacher shaking hands with students when they enter the class in the morning and leave at the end of the school day

- older students walking in groups rather than being required to walk in lines

- buddy programs where older students read to younger students

- singing the same song everyday before beginning to eat lunch

- aligning all painting materials in a certain way before beginning to paint

Rituals help students feel secure because they establish predictability in the classroom. Predictability helps students feel safer in their learning. It balances the risk-taking that is essential for real learning to occur. Predictability is also important for those students who live in households that are less predictable. Schools with high student and teacher turnover find it difficult to establish feelings of stability for their students and staff. When each school day is predictable and stable, students and teachers feel physically, emotionally and mentally safer. Behavior problems are greatly reduced in schools with a history of classroom and school rituals.

Ritual gives students a home place from which to practice human relationship building in a safe and predictable way. The richness to be found through human interactions is highlighted in schools where ritual is alive and a well established part of the school environment. What rituals does your student/s engage in at Desert Star?

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