Kinderhaus & Nature School planned for Fall 2019

A public consultation on a future mixed-age Kinderhaus and Nature School in Aylmer, to be called Juniper Glen, is planned for February, reports organizer Rebecca Overall. Parents will be asked to “share ideas about what a mixed-age Kinderhaus & Nature School could look like in Aylmer”. 

The consultation is set for the Salamander Art School, 112 Principale St in Old Aylmer,  February 2, 2 to 4 pm.

A Kinderhaus offers a transition period for kids who are leaving home to go to school. The program will offer basic life skills such as cleaning, cooking, and gardening. The pupils also play outdoors every day, whatever the season. 

The concept comes from the Waldorf Education philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. Started in Europe, it focuses on the development of well-being, as well as creativity, in young children. The theory starts with the view that children’s brains are not yet ready for formal education, and that the arts are central to this development. “They (Waldorf) believe strongly in learning with your head, your heart, and with your hands,” Ms Overall told the Bulletin. 

Juniper Glen, in the Glenwood neighbourhood, will offer a preschool program for children 4 to 6 years old,  five times a week, September to June. Juniper Glen will stress the importance of the natural world. “Mindful awareness of the seasons is a start for all of our learning,” said the organizer. The pre-school will offer three units of study: forest, pod, and farm. In all, the goal is to decrease academic pressure on children. 

“Juniper Glen’s pedagogical approach resembles a pyramid structure building a solid foundation so that your child will carry a love of learning well beyond graduation day,” note the school’s organizers.

Registration for Juniper Glen will open this spring via www.juniperglen.ca. 

There are Kinderhaus & Nature Schools in Ottawa, but none in Aylmer.