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Grades

The Waldorf curriculum achieves an integrated balance between the sciences, the humanities, and the arts, as it leads the child through the basic branches of knowledge.

"It is important that we discover an educational method where people learn to learn and go on learning their whole lives."

Rudolf Steiner

At the Waldorf School of New Orleans, learning is designed to engage the whole child—head, heart, and hands. Throughout the elementary years, imagination and wonder serve as gateways to deep intellectual growth. Academic subjects are brought to life through storytelling, drama, music, movement, visual arts, and hands-on experiences, creating meaningful connections that inspire curiosity and a lifelong love of learning.

As students progress into the middle school years, expectations and personal responsibility increase. Students are challenged to think critically, manage long-term projects, strengthen their organizational skills, and deepen their understanding of complex concepts. This developmental approach ensures they are well prepared for the academic and social demands of high school while remaining engaged and inspired learners.

The Class Teacher and Teacher Looping

A distinctive feature of Waldorf education is the long-term relationship between students and their teachers. In the grades, the Class Teacher remains with the same group of students for multiple years, developing a deep understanding of each child's academic, social, and emotional growth. This continuity fosters trust, stability, and a strong classroom community while allowing teachers to thoughtfully guide each student's development over time.

Waldorf Class Teachers are educators, storytellers, artists, musicians, and mentors. They teach the core academic curriculum and work closely with subject teachers and student support specialists to ensure that every child is known, supported, and challenged.

In addition to their daily work with the Class Teacher, students participate in specialty classes including Spanish, music, handwork, movement, and athletics, providing a rich and balanced educational experience.

Main Lesson

At the heart of the Waldorf curriculum is the Main Lesson, a two-hour block of concentrated study that begins each school day. During Main Lesson, students immerse themselves in a single subject for several weeks at a time, allowing for sustained focus, deeper understanding, and meaningful engagement with the material.

The Main Lesson curriculum rotates through four broad areas of study:

  • Language Arts
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • History and World Cultures

This block structure allows students to explore subjects in depth through a variety of learning experiences, including discussion, artistic work, movement, observation, experimentation, and written expression. Rather than relying solely on textbooks, students create their own Main Lesson Books, recording their learning through writing, illustrations, diagrams, and creative work. These books become both academic records and personal expressions of each student's educational journey.

By integrating the sciences, humanities, and arts, the Waldorf curriculum cultivates not only academic excellence but also creativity, critical thinking, resilience, and a genuine enthusiasm for learning.

  • a girl sits at a desk writing in a notebook with the word gucci on it
  • two girls on stage giving a rose
  • a woman is kneeling down in front of a group of children sitting at a table in a classroom .
  • a group of children are standing on a stage dressed in costumes .
  • a blackboard with a diagram of the human heart on it .
  • a group of young people are playing violins and cello in an orchestra .
  • a painting of a woman riding on the back of a cat .
  • a little girl is standing in front of a box with elephants in it
  • a girl is looking at a model of a polar bear in a box .
  • a bunch of jars of paint are sitting on a shelf .
  • a painting of a rabbit sitting on the side of a dirt road .
  • a teacher is standing in front of a classroom of children raising their hands to answer a question .
  • Four middle school boys wearing graduation sashes from Waldorf School of New Orleans.

Main lesson topics covered in each grade

  • The first grade year marks a joyful transition into the world of formal learning. Through rich storytelling, movement, artistic activities, and hands-on experiences, students build strong foundations in literacy, mathematics, and social development while nurturing their natural sense of wonder.

    Fairy tales, folktales, and nature stories from around the world form the heart of the curriculum. From these imaginative narratives, children discover the letters of the alphabet, learning them first as vivid pictures before transforming them into written symbols. Reading and writing emerge organically from stories, songs, poems, speech exercises, and the students’ own written work.

    Mathematics is introduced through engaging stories and practical activities that bring numbers to life. Students explore number qualities and patterns while developing fluency with the four mathematical operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

    Artistic work is woven throughout the day and includes form drawing, watercolor painting, beeswax modeling, music, movement, and handwork. Nature walks, seasonal celebrations, gardening, and nature studies help children develop a deep connection to the living world.

    Through Spanish songs and verses, pentatonic flute, knitting, and a class play, first graders cultivate creativity, coordination, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning.

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