As the nights lengthen and the weather begins to cool, it is time to shine our inner light, finding the courage and strength to carry us through the darkness of the winter months.  Here are some of the ways we prepare for Michaelmas at MWS.

The Michaelmas festival plants a seed in our souls, a picture of courage and strength, that can take root and grow through the autumn and winter. We can return again and again to the symbols this festival presents and benefit from their abundance all winter long.

Marin Waldorf School’s marvelous math teacher, Julia McIlroy, has always been drawn to mathematics and sciences, but she’s also seen the world from many other perspectives: as a teacher, as a prison volunteer, as a public defender, and as a mother. Read more about her here.

This year, our 6th and 7th graders took multiday trips to Shasta with Headwaters Outdoor School. For 7th grade, a challenging rite of passage was a part of the experience, in which each student spent a whole night alone in the wilderness. Read more about their experience, as described by their teacher Ms. Percey.

"I watched the ferocious torrents of rain shower onto the road as strong winds blew the remaining leaves off the long rows of skeletal trees on either side of the road. The thick grey clouds rolled with thunder as the sun tried feebly to peek through the sky," writes 5th grader Maya in an assignment to describe the recent rainstorms using descriptive adjectives. Read more of their work.

As our faculty continues the important work of creating an anti-racist and inclusive curriculum, we are exploring deep and rich ways to discuss history, activism, and social justice with children across ages and grade levels.

Incorporating a wide range of media and ideas, grades handwork teacher Ms. Piderman has led our grades students in creating beautiful pieces that they are proud to share with us and take home to their families. See some of their creations!

For young children, there's so much to learn from time spent outdoors. Guided by curiosity and confident that their raingear will keep them warm and dry, preschool and kindergartners learn about the world through observation, experience, and play.

Every morning, students in Marin Waldorf School’s preschool and kindergarten gather around wooden picnic tables to share a warm snack with their classmates. From oatmeal to honey buns, snacks are made from scratch in the classroom and they are always served with just a touch of ceremony: There are fresh flowers on the table, real plates and silverware to eat with, and cloth placemats for each child. The children wash their hands, take their place around the table, and wait to eat until teachers and students are served. Everyone joins hands to sing a song of gratitude—and then it’s time to eat!

As the nights lengthen and the weather begins to cool, it is time to shine our inner light, finding the courage and strength to carry us through the darkness of the winter months. At Marin Waldorf School, we celebrate the autumn season and the kindled light of our community at the Michaelmas pageant, held annually in late September.

Babies and children love math. Give them some wooden blocks and they will happily spend long periods of time building and arranging them—and knocking them down. Children will look up at the sky and be delighted by the V formation of birds flying overhead. They are fascinated by a daisy and happily pull off each petal in turn. Split a treat to share and you can be sure a child will ensure it is exactly in half.

In Waldorf school, every day begins with the “main lesson”—a two-hour class taught by the class teacher, with subjects like math, reading, history, and other core topics taught in blocks for three to six weeks. Teaching subjects in blocks encourages students to engage more deeply with the material, building on the material with each passing day.

Adam Neale, Marin Waldorf School’s woodwork and outdoor education teacher, has always had a fondness for making things. He brought that gift, along with his genuine kindness and affability, to Marin Waldorf School over a decade ago, and today is one of the most beloved teachers on campus. An outdoor enthusiast and sportsman, he is a veteran of many MWS class trips, as well as an alumni parent and father to twin girls.