The teaching of world languages plays an important part in the Waldorf approach towards education. Ocean Charter School strives to teach each student two world languages from the 1st grade through the 8th grade as an eight-year continuous language program. Currently, we are only providing one language, Japanese, while planning to add Spanish in the future.
Developing the ability to communicate in the target language is an important goal we strive to achieve, however, the purpose of teaching world language in our school is to raise the student’s social consciousness and cultivate an interest in and respect for others. World language study is seen as a window into the soul of another culture, allowing the student to realize the similarities and differences when compared to his/her own language and culture. This realization strengthens the student’s identity, develops his/her empathy to understand others and gives him/her a different perspective to see the world.
The teacher brings the target language to the students in an experiential way through repetitive imitation, literature, music, artistic projects, games and movements – all in the target language. The students are surrounded by sense impressions of the foreign culture, mentality and linguistically. In the lower grades the students are engaged in songs, games, recitation and play to reach the feeling life – to surround the students with beautiful impressions and to stimulate the will activity by enlivening the lesson with movements and games. As the grade levels progress, students still learn by the experiential approach to acquire their linguistic skills with the four elements of the target language: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
The uniqueness of Ocean Charter School’s world language program is the integration with the main lesson curriculum. The teacher strives to create lessons that integrate the main lesson theme into the language class. For example, the 8th grade students study American Modern history and World War II during their main lesson. At the same time, during the Japanese class, the students are learning about the life of Japanese Americans in the internment camp or the life of Japanese people living in Japan during that time. Through this integrative teaching of their main lessons and the world language lessons, the students can be exposed to a wider perspective from which to learn their subject matter such as history, literature, geography, or even science.
As a whole community, we support our cultural exchange program and in house celebrations to strengthen the students’ experience of diversity. We created relationships with schools in Japan to exchange letters, a school-wide Japanese student visit and an OCS families’ homestay program. In addition to these cultural exchange experiences we celebrate Japanese culture in a variety of ways which include the seasonal festivals, cultural presentations such as Taiko drum performances, Japanese flower arrangement classes, the 4th grade one-hour Japanese play and the language class field trips which are the highlights of the World language program.
Movement Education and Games in the Waldorf curriculum springs from the same understanding of a child’s development that underlies the academic curriculum in a Waldorf school.
This deeper understanding is taken into account when choosing the activities, the shapes that are used in the group games, and the emphasis of the class (for instance, whether games are played with an emphasis on fun, or with an emphasis on playing by the rules).
Each class contains a rhythm of joining together and moving apart, highly active games balanced with quieter games, working together as a group and taking a few moments to reflect on one’s own body and movement.
Games in First and Second Grade are relatively unstructured and have the gesture of the circle, keeping the children protected and as part of the whole.
Progressing through the grades, the children are slowly entering into their individuality, and the games curriculum reflects this by, for instance, adding line games in the third grade to the now familiar circle games.
In fifth grade there is a focus on beauty and form, and in the spring Fifth Graders participate in the Greek Games, a gathering of Fifth Grade classes from several regional Waldorf schools.
In grades 6, 7 and 8 more conventional sports are brought into the curriculum, because only now can the children have a real respect for the law of rules, and an understanding of how a team works together while at the same time developing their own self-discipline and competitive nature.
They are aspiring upwards in terms of exactness, technique, timing and the spirit of the law, while also becoming more aware of the world around them.
In a culture where organized team sports hold such high status, children can sometimes think of movement only in these terms.
The Movement Education curriculum tries to give the children basic coordination and movement skills that will help them when they decide to play organized sports.
Depending on the grade, the children will play games or do relay races that serve to develop a skill that is also required for a conventional sport such as basketball.
String games, jump rope and a balloon relay are all activities that develop skills that can be used in many different sports.
Not only do movement classes provide the opportunity for the children to play games and have fun, these classes also work with their social interactions by teaching them to play with one another before they play against one another, to acknowledge one another, to play safely, and to gain an appreciation for all kinds of movement.
Handwork offers the students a rare opportunity to experience a quiet, contemplative and productive activity. The projects reflect a pendulum swing between creative and practical; short and long-term projects; personal satisfaction and altruism, providing the students an opportunity to experience the value of altruism and community service from first grade on.
Handwork provides an age-appropriate physical encounter with the material world and equips the students with useful skills to manage the practical affairs of life and develop an ecological and moral sense of responsibility for the environment.
The Woodworking Program at Ocean Charter School starts in 4th grade and continues through 8th grade. The primary goal of the Woodworking Program is to immerse the students in the process of creating a real wood artifact from their imagination. The 4th grade child’s independence is starting to emerge, which makes them developmentally ready to expand their skills and interests. The children will strengthen their skills and deepen their understanding of the process as they progress into the middle school.
It is a magical process to use one’s hands and imagination to create something out of a piece of wood. The student’s eyes, their will and their hands work together simultaneously as the aroma of the wood fills up the studio. Each step of the project will combine sensory experiences with their developing eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills. Their concentration, perseverance and patience will be required every time they do their work. The learning process and experience they gain in this 5 year woodworking program is more important than the beautiful projects they create. The woodworking progression from 4th to 8th grades supports the students’ mental and physical development at different stages and ingrates and deepens the work of the main teachers.
Music is an important element of the Waldorf curriculum, awakening and nurturing the deep inner life of the child. According to Rudolf Steiner, the human being is a musical being, and the making of music is essential in experiencing what it is to be fully human.*
As the main lesson curriculum follows very specific stages of child development, so does the music curriculum. Engaging the soul activities of thinking, feeling, and willing in the child, the study and experience of the various elements in music arouse and cultivate the inner forces necessary for children to meet the challenges of the world with enthusiasm and confidence.
The music program in each Waldorf-inspired school reflects the specific skills, talents, and interests of the class teachers and the music faculty. The size and configuration of the school buildings, the number of students, and the funding available also play a role. At Ocean Charter School we realize that music is necessary and essential to the entire Waldorf school experience.
The entire curriculum at Ocean Charter School is infused with the visual arts. Ocean Charter School emphasizes the importance of teaching in an artistic way, not to develop future artists, but to feed the imagination, develop the will, and enrich the feeling life. Art awakens the students’ intelligence. The artistic experience heightens awareness of the world, and develops observational skills and discernment. Children are supplied with high quality and naturally sourced art materials for painting, sculpture/modeling, drawing, and other visual art experiences. Music is an important element of the Waldorf curriculum, awakening and nurturing the deep inner life of the child. According to Rudolf Steiner, the human being is a musical being, and the making of music is essential in experiencing what it is to be fully human.*
Why do we focus on social emotional development at OCS?
At Ocean Charter School, our whole curriculum is centered upon the developmental milestones of each age and stage of childhood, mirroring and directing our instruction to meet the needs of each period.
Social and emotional development is imbedded into our every day. The grades children all begin and end their school day by shaking hands with their teacher, making eye contact, and checking in. The children have the chance of developing strong bonds and attachments, staying with their kindergarten teacher for two years, and with their Grades teacher for at least three years. The students also stay together as a class, becoming an extended family where successes are celebrated and troubles are discussed and handled. We expect and support cooperative, positive behavior built on the foundation of safety, kindness and respect. Children thrive when they feel safe and seen. This is our primary goal at Ocean Charter School.
Cultivating social skills and social competence is at the heart of what we do. We believe that the way to learn social skills and competence is through action, discussion and example, not by buzz-words or posters. At OCS, social awareness is built into the organization and governance of the school and every person is asked to work with mutually agreed-upon principles of behavior that demonstrate the values we think are important. The OCS curriculum also teaches social competence by offering a balance of collaborative and self-directed work. Pupils learn to listen and speak with empathy and care. OCS weaves being a person that takes responsibility for his/her own self-development, and who is socially aware and environmentally responsible into every activity and aspect of the curriculum.
Research Basis for Social Emotional Learning
Much research has been done about the importance of social emotional learning on children’s overall health and their academic performance. Specifically, CASEL, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, is an organization whose mission is to help make evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) an integral part of education from preschool through high school. (casel.org) CASEL has identified five interrelated sets of cognitive, affective and behavioral competencies. The definitions of these five competency clusters for students are:
▪ Self-awareness: The ability to accurately recognize one’s emotions and thoughts and their influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing one’s strengths and limitations and possessing a well-grounded sense of confidence and optimism.
▪ Self-management: The ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and working toward achieving personal and academic goals.
▪ Social awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.
▪ Relationship skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking and offering help when needed.
▪ Responsible decision making: The ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and the well-being of self and others.
These five competencies are carefully observed by OCS teachers over the course of a child’s journey at OCS, whether that journey be from TK-8th grade or some shorter segment. During this time, teachers deliberately and carefully observe their students and take note of both areas of strength and areas for growth in the social emotional realm. Having common language to discuss social emotional competencies aids teachers’ practice of observation as well as conversations with parents, and with students when they are older. Part of what makes OCS’ ability to help students grow in the social emotional realm is our practice of looping whereby teachers stay with a class for multiple years. Staying together for many years allows teachers to truly note student growth over time, and to nurture the areas that need cultivation. This practice allows teachers to take into account student’s individual circumstances and identity so students are truly seen and known. This aspect of OCS’ practice is central to creating self-motivated, competent learners who are empowered to make positive change in the world. Evidence of our success in this area is demonstrated annually when our graduates return for our annual Alumni Night to share about their transition to high school and beyond.
An important facet of the Ocean Charter School is the involvement of the larger community. This has been accomplished by establishing relationships with community groups, other educational institutions, as well as through community service projects. Our aim is to both serve and be served by the community. We invite guest teachers, take field trips, and become an outlet for people who want to make artistic, social, and cultural contributions of performances, sports, etc. to the children of our city.
One of our goals at Ocean Charter School is to educate children in such a way that they are able to envision and create a peaceful world as adults. Doing things for others contributes to a sense of self-sufficiency, self esteem, and accomplishment, as well as strengthens qualities of self-discipline, perseverance, patience, and imagination. Ocean Charter School utilizes resources on the internet recommended by the Alliance for Childhood[1] such as “Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment” (www.truceteachers.org) which prepares an annual guide to help parents choose good toys and The Lion and Lamb Project (www.lionlamb.org) which focuses on how to avoid toys of violence. Other resources for global understanding are the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding (www.karunacenter.org) Facing History and Ourselves (www.facinghistory.org) and the Public Conversations Project (www.publicconversations.org).
Community service is an intrinsic part of that goal. Bringing children into contact with those less fortunate than themselves and caring for the environment helps broaden their understanding of the realities of our society. It helps them develop compassion and empathy for others as well as a desire and will to help. A service project for a class also helps build a spirit of community within the class. Working together towards a common goal helps develop skills in cooperation and working together. This is one reason why service projects are important even in the early grades. The children learn to work together and to trust one another. Taking care and beautifying a corner of the school property, or making a contribution to a school festival celebration are appropriate tasks for the early grades. This introduces them to the satisfaction of doing something practical that benefits others and where they can see an immediate effect.
In accordance with the Health Framework for California Public Schools and The California Healthy Youth Act, Education Code (EC) sections 51930-51939, Ocean Charter School is developing a collaborative, comprehensive program to teach health, nutrition, and life skills education. The curriculum focuses on the developmental tasks of early adolescence, health education, nutrition, and life skills education. The Life Skills program at Ocean Charter School explores the innate mysteries of individuality as well as nurtures the interpersonal connections that make us human.
Students in 5th – 8th grade participate in process-oriented course work that explores issues of self-esteem, self-awareness, and appreciation of others. Individuation tasks in the formation of identity, cognitive skills such as perspective taking, and skills necessary for making good choices regarding health, sexuality, and nutrition are examined.
During the years between 5th and 8th grade, students study Human Development and Sexuality, with an age-appropriate emphasis on puberty and the physical, emotional and social changes of adolescence. When human reproductive organs are included, permission of a parent or guardian is obtained (Education code, Section 51550).
In the 6th, 7th and 8th grade years, students study the use of technology and social media and its impact on their lives. In the award winning Cyber Civics curriculum that we implement, students learn the principles of good citizenship and how they relate to their digital footprint.
In 6th and 7th grades, health, nutrition, and reproduction are introduced just before the students enter puberty, while they are still relatively less self-preoccupied and can experience the nature of the human being in a general way.
During 7th grade, as the students’ developmental shifts take them further from the realm of family and closer to independence, life skills course work focuses on making healthy life choices. Drug education, examination of cultural and social messages and their impact on teen consumers, as well as a focus on organizational/study skills prepares young people to navigate their personal and school lives in a healthy manner.
8th graders continue their study of health, fitness, and nutrition with the added elements of HIV awareness, stress reduction, and gender issues.
Intervention programs are offered for students in all grade levels based on need. Students are assessed at the start of the year, in the middle of the year, and at the end of the year. The results of these assessments combined with standardized test scores (when available), classroom work samples and assessments, and teacher observation are used to identify students needing Intervention support. Students in Intervention are assessed regularly and are moved out of Intervention when their performance indicates they no longer need the support. If students do not show adequate growth during their time in intervention, they may be referred for formal assessment.
OCS has a full-time Intervention teacher and Intervention teacher assistants that support students in our Intervention program.
Enrichment programs are embedded throughout every child’s day as described in the grade level curriculum description.