Craft
Handwork is a significant part of our curriculum. It allows for the development of the will, fine motor skills and creativity.
The items the children produce are both aesthetic, purposeful and practical. Children are naturally enthusiastic about making something beautiful to use. The children are encouraged to persevere when learning the skills necessary to make a given project, this helps stimulate the children’s thinking development and fine motor skills. There is also an aspect of discipline needed to complete their craftwork. They work on a project for a whole term, so the importance of the process, the product at the end and the sense of achievement are all important. Craft projects always encourage the children to develop their creative sense.
The creative activity of craft lessons seeks to integrate an appreciation for both beauty and skill and a delight in making things for themselves and eventually for others.
All children take part in weekly handwork classes with a specialist Craft Teacher, from Class 1 to Class 6. They are continually building on the skills they learn and by Class 6 they have learned knitting, crocheting, sewing, weaving, felting, woodwork and copperwork.
Kindergarten craft, the beginning of the craft journey for children is included as part the Kindergarten classroom curriculum, it is not a specialist class. The Kindergarten children begin their craft journey by learning to finger knit.
“Children who learn while they are young to make practical things by hand in an artistic way, for the benefit of themselves and for others, will not be strangers to life or to other people when they are older. They will be able to form their lives and their relationships in a social and artistic way, so that their lives will be enriched. Out of their ranks can come technicians and artists who will know how to solve the problems and tasks of the world.”
Rudolf Steiner