Dear Gaia Community
As we move into the new term it is a joyful time and I am full of grace and gratitude for everything that we are able to share on this earth and especially at our wonderful school. The children came back with wonderful holiday stories and smiles, parents are excited to be back as well; the Gaia staff are rested and inspired after a very exciting surfing teambuilding workshop; the Gaia office is totally transformed with a new reception area; Vienie has gone off on her well-deserved sabbatical leave and last but not least we welcome Marlene and Iman back to our school.
We have entered the second term and suddenly we are in Autumn. As colourful leaves flutter down and the seeds fall beside, there lies possibility. At this time of year we have the opportunity to recognize in ourselves this same possibility.
I found some beautiful red and orange leaves the other day. With this the trees give back to the earth that which came from her in the first place.
Class 3 is fortunate to take part in gardening and farming this year which for me is a real gift (I love my garden at home!). In the first term we cleared the garden, made new beds, prepared the beds and planted and sowed our first crops. It is very special to work so closely with the earth. When the children deepen their appreciation for the natural world, they deepen their love for all of creation.
I can see the children love it! At first some did not want to dirty their hands, especially when we work with horse manure and the “chicken poop soup”, but now they each have their own little garden are happy to do whatever needs to be done. The children nurture their own garden every day by watering and weeding. The broad beans, whose heads were just peeping out of the soil are now about 20 centimetres high; all this possibility in one small seed…
Mother earth blesses us with so many lessons of life and many delicious crops. But what do we give back to her?
Gaia Waldorf School is starting a recycling program this term to give something back to mother earth for all we have been given. We will start by collecting paper in all classes and all fruit and vegetable remains will be collected by Class 3 and brought to the farm to put in their compost heaps. Slowly, we teachers, parents and children will develop our recycling program over the rest of the year and hopefully also recycle plastic, tins, glass. Be blessed dear friends and let us be thankful for our lives and give back where we can!
Kristal Cox-Willemse
Class 3 Teacher
Waldorf Teachers consider the Moral education of children to be one of their primary tasks. Gratitude, Love and Duty: Steiner asks that we sow the seeds and cultivate these three fundamental human virtues.