Let’s face it, Perth does the most perfect, stunning, joyous Autumnal Season. I remember when I first arrived from NSW, I was mystified as to how wonderfully balmy and warm the weather was, “Does this place ever get cold!” I pondered. After the hottest, driest summer I think I have ever experienced in my 13 years here, this particular Autumn has made up for it all…..simply sublime.

Now to matters in the classroom. As a Steiner teacher there is a constant striving to bring learning in a way that is resonant and alive. Teaching in this way is akin to planting seeds. You plant the seed taking care to cultivate, care and nurture the soil just so. Having planted this precious little seed with love and grace, the rest is left to the invisible wonder of life. In a way it is an act of surrender, as the precious gift planted, is handed over in trust.

Only now having adult children, who have lived their own Steiner journey, do I appreciate the thousands of seeds, which were carefully planted over the 12 years of their education.  While I trusted implicitly in the sacred planting, I must confess there were times when I wondered where the seeds were and if they were ever really going to reveal themselves!  And then the biggest of questions, what form would they take - how would they find just the right expression in the world?

Watching, waiting and trusting is never easy for us humans, we are so prone to wanting results, right here, right now. To let the invisible incubate, maturate and, in its own time, be birthed, is the gift of this precious education. While not always aligned with the busy activity of the world around us, it is exactly what children need, and well worth the wait.

As I sat and I waited, as any good gardener knows, for the seeds of my offspring to reveal themselves, what I have learnt along the way is the power of trust.  To trust in them, trust in those sowing, trust in the seeds, and ultimately trust in the wisdom and guidance invisibly holding it all. 

I digress; however, it was just from the planting of such a seed that a wonderous thing happened in our classroom at the end of last term. We had just learnt all about the skeleton, which I was finding somewhat tricky to fully convey without a skeleton! You can imagine my surprise, when I looked out the classroom window the next morning to see one of the Class 7 students, with his sister and mum carefully unfolding a full-sized skeleton out of the car! I can’t describe the joy and jubilation I felt at seeing this surreal, humorous, delightful scene.  A paper crown was made for our auspicious guest, as I once again, marvelled at the wonder of this amazing, alive and vibrant education.

This term has seen us step into the world of Chemistry, experimenting with the wonder of flame and fire.  We have burnt everything from sheep’s wool to dog hair, observing such things as the size of the flame, the smell, the different ways the substance smokes and burns and finally the footprint it leaves behind. If the fire fairies are with us, we may even get to light a fire in our fire pit to observe the larger footprint of a wood fire.

As the weather gets cooler enjoy the gift of fire – Thank you Prometheus!

Take good care 

Anne-Marie
Class 7 (Ngoolark) Teacher