Second Grade
“The children make a great leap from First to Second Grade, perhaps one of the biggest leaps in their school career. Writing, which was virtually an extension of drawing in Grade One, now stands on its own; numbers, whose qualitative aspect was stressed last year, now are recognized as quantities, extending in space and time. And the world of Fairy Tales, although not completely absent, now makes way for the Lives of the Saints – biographies of men and women with an historical verity – and fables.” Eugene Schwartz – renowned Waldorf educator
Some of the topics introduced and expanded upon in second grade include:
- cursive writing
- reading
- plays
- speech work
- beginning elements of grammar
- dictation
- composition
- symmetry-mirror form drawing
- times tables
- situation problems
- numerical patterns
- place value, carrying and borrowing
- legends and animal fables
- foreign language counting, names of animals, family members, parts of the body, food, seasons, colors, months
- pentatonic flute
- painting secondary colors and animal forms
- knitting and purling, knitted animals
- beeswax modeling scenes from legends and fables
- the environment through observation
- nature studies from stories in an imaginative manner
- jump rope
- hopscotch
- rhythmic games
Erika Horvath joins Madrone Trail after leading a class from first through fifth grade at Berkeley Rose Waldorf School. She completed the Waldorf teacher training in 2015 after having taught in both Oakland public and private schools since 2002. Erika graduated from Mills College with a degree in international studies. She has lived and studied abroad in Switzerland and loves experiencing different languages and cultures through travel. Erika relocated to the Rogue Valley with her husband and two children, ages 11 and 14. She is enjoying the many hiking trails in the region and new possibilities for outdoor adventures in Oregon.