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Waldorf Handwork Educators Blog


Threads of History: Resist Dyeing from Ancient Civilizations to the Waldorf Fifth Grade Pentathlon
For Waldorf handwork teachers, resist dyeing offers far more than a beautiful finished object—it is a way to bring history, artistry, movement, and meaning together in a developmentally appropriate and deeply memorable way.
Shellie Smith
3 min read


Shut Down? Overwhelm? Or True Learning?
What if the children we label as "struggling" are actually speaking a language we haven't learned yet?
Ann Swain
4 min read


Is There Only One “Right” Way to Knit?
In knitting, as in education, there is rarely only one correct path. Across cultures, centuries, and landscapes, knitters have developed a wide variety of techniques—each shaped by environment, materials, physical needs, and tradition.
Shellie Smith
3 min read


Sunlight, Plants, and Color: Bringing Botany to Life with Turmeric Anthotype Solar Printing
Turmeric anthotype solar printing video tutorials!
Shellie Smith
3 min read


Knitting Baby Dragons
Learn to knit a Michaelmas dragon!
Shellie Smith
3 min read


Michaelmas - A Festival for our Time
In our society today we live in a time of polarity & divisiveness. But, the legend of Michael & the dragon is not an “us against them" story
Shellie Smith
3 min read


Michaelmas Stars - Project of the Month
These hand-stitched shooting stars can be made in any grade level and are a wonderful example of spiraling handwork skills throughout grades
Shellie Smith
4 min read


Teaching Them to Fish
We acknowledge our rightful role of constant ‘questing’ through the activity of ‘quest-ioning.’ Ideally all teaching – in any ‘classroom’ – serves the child best when ‘questing for the truth’ begins with a worthy question.
Penni Sparks
4 min read


Deep Roots, Strong Branches: Reflections on a Week of Collaboration Among Subject Teachers
Subject teachers often move between the cracks of school life. We carry rhythm from one room to another, adapt lessons on the fly, and hold dozens—if not hundreds—of students in our care.
Shellie Smith
3 min read
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