Every once in awhile on one of my homeschooling lists a dear sister in Christ will ask for opinions about Waldorf education. This is a bit of a controversial topic in Waldorf education circles. Christian educators will claim that Waldorf education is compatible with Christianity, whereas secular educators will claim that Waldorf education is not religiously based. But what do we find when we examine the facts? The foundation of Waldorf education - anthroposophy? Here is what I have found in my own explorations of this educational philosophy, this is an expansion upon what I usually send to a questioning sister regarding Waldorf education.

We haven’t been involved in a waldorf school (and the vast majority of the Waldorf educational impulse takes place within schools, although there is a growing homeschooling movement), but I did research the educational methodology before I was saved as a potential for a homeschooling technique. That was when I was a pagan, the Lord saved me a year and a half ago, and now my perspective is very different than it was then, and here it is ­ for what it’s worth :).

Waldorf education is based upon anthroposophy ­ which, while it seems to include some Christ-like elements, is not Christian. The Christ
Presented in anthroposophy is NOT entirely the Christ of the Bible, he’s a different Jesus. That being said, anthroposophy is part of what pointed me to Christ. In fact, if you delve deeper into anthroposophical teachings and interpretations of the Bible, you will find many frightening, and indeed heretical interpretations of the Bible. The most frightening perhaps are some anthroposophical interpretations of the Gospels that claim that there were two Jesus infants, and that the Bible does in fact support the Eastern philosophy of reincarnation.

Anthroposophists do believe in a form of evolution, and believe that our children go through life stages based on the stages of evolution. Some of these teachings include the small infant child going through the stages of various animals, and ‘casting them off’ as they evolve. How does this fit with the biblical teaching that we are CREATED in God’s image? There is also a strong emphasis on nature ’spirits’, fairies, sylphs etc. which are all presented as being real and actual (again, I can testify from my own experiences that this can plant dangerous seeds in a child’s heart that can later spring into occultism etc.). Jesus is presented as being a sort of abstract ‘light’ bringer, who helps to guide us further in our evolution to Christ consciousness (salvation and being born again have never been presented to my knowledge).

As a result of all these things our family has chosen to no longer be involved in waldorf education or anthroposophy, though we do use some of their lovely crayons, toymaking supplies and arts and crafts materials for the glory of God :). When we became Christians we realized how important it was for all aspects of our lives to center around Christ, particularly in the raising and homeschooling/discipling of our children. Some of the positive aspects of Waldorf education that we have chosen to retain, as they are not anti-Christ or heretical and can be used to glorify God (we can make small dolls to use in acting out family devotions etc.) are: delaying formal education (workbooks etc), focus on play, natural toys (my DH is an excellent wooden toy maker!), natural clothing fibers, singing songs, finger plays, handwork with natural materials etc. which is all very lovely (and also emphasized in Charlotte Mason educational methods). My main caution would be that we do need to look at the root of the teachings (Rudolf Steiner ­ a man who could apparently ’see’ into the
’spirit world’). There is also an emphasis on mythology in various grades again, we have chosen not to expose our little ones to pagan mythology ­no need. I believe that my early childhood exposures to mythology encouraged my eventual turn to full blown witchcraft and paganism (no this won’t happen to everyone, and yes, my family already had a tendency towards the occult, but the Bible does tell us to put things that are TRUE before our eyes, Philippians 4:8).

So in Waldorf education there is a teaching that truth is to be found in many places, I certainly never encountered anything like John 14:6 in my readings, anthroposophists also believe in reincarnation, karma etc. (it is appointed unto man once to live?) and have some very odd ideas/interpretation about the bible (see above).

I definitely am not an expert and don’t know everything there is to know about the topic, but I would be cautious if anyone were interested in exploring it further. Definitely look beyond the Waldorf-y side of things, and take a look at the anthroposophy that Waldorf education is based upon and see if it rings true to you.

I am a subscriber to the digital edition of the Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and have been very pleased with my purchase so far. The main reasons I enjoy the magazine are these:

1. The digital edition is particularly affordable!
2. Helps me keep up to date on new products, books, curriculumn etc.
3. Christian focus - all important!
4. Not only do they have a great magazine but they send out additional teaching aids with your subscription as well through email.
5. Their newsletters are great if you sign up for them.
6. They have contests all the time, and you know me, I love contests!
7. They have an awesome freebies directory, available to everyone.
8. They give away a free e-book product on a monthly basis in their store.
9. And they are a well written, inspiring, thought provoking magazine.

What’s there not to enjoy!

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine’s Spring Promo is in full bloom.
Subscribe now to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and receive
25 BONUS gifts valued at over $550! Only $25 in the US, just click through to subscribe.
The Winter Promo sold out, don’t miss out on the free gifts this time!
The HSB Front Porch is having a contest
and you can win a $50 gift certificate
just for blogging about the Spring Promo
before midnight April 30, 2008.
Click HERE for details.

They are also giving away a $150 gift certificate to the Schoolhouse Store. All print subscribers (new or renewing) between April 3 - 30, 2008 will be automatically entered into a drawing. No purchase neccessary to win. To enter without subscribing, please send a postcard with your name, address, telephone number, and email address to:
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Spring Promo Contest
PO BOX 8426
Gray, TN 37615

Some of you may have noticed by now…I am a resource junkie! And I love free audio downloads that are available on the internet, for Christian homeschoolers! It’s just fabulous! Now, we have super slow dial up so it takes us forever to download them, but it is so often worth the wait! I just found out about Frugal Friday’s, so I think this qualifies, much cheaper than paying to attend homeschooling workshops!

Mom to Mom Radio Show - From Cindy Rushton, over two years of free downloadable recordings to help you in your high calling as a wife and mother! Often homeschooling focused and always inspirational.

Trivium Pursuit - All of these recordings are great, covering the Teaching the Trivium style of Christian homeschooling, teaching classical languages etc., and the psalm singing ones are very helpful in comitting scripture to memory. I love the Bluedorn’s!

Homeschool Audio - I haven’t listened to any of these personally yet, but they look worth a listen

You Need a Story - I haven’t had any updates from this site for awhile, but it’s worth signing up just for the great reading of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi

Christian Audio - This is a company that sells downloadable audio books, but they also have a free downloadable book each month. Not always good for homeschoolers, but you decide! Sometimes they are - Christian classics, history, even a focus on the family recording once. I actually need to borrow a high speed connection for these files, they are huge! Then I just burn them to mp3.

Homeschool Radio Shows - A free, vintage radio show that you can download each week! We have really enjoyed some of these programs, and it’s a blessing to have them available for free. Head back every week for updates.

Charity Tape Ministries - Free downloadable mp3 sermons and studies on a variety of topics. Our family has been truly blessed by this ministry, and DH had the chance to hear some of the brothers speak at the mens meeting here in Alberta. Yes - they do cover homeschooling, discipling your children, biblical family roles etc! Awesome biblical teachings.

Bold Christian Living - Jonathan Lindvall offers free mp3 downloads on a variety of topics related to Christ centred living - homeschooling, missions, discipline, betrothal, the role of fathers etc. His recordings have truly blessed us, we so appreciate his focus on keeping Christ at the center of your homeschool.

Do you know of any free sites with homeschooling audio downloads? Let me know in the comments so we can share the love!

Many of you are probably familiar with Cindy Rushton. I first encountered her through a book recommendation in the Bluedorn’s Teaching the Trivium (an awesome homeschooling book I need to write a review for!) for her Language Arts the Easy Way (which I believe is currently in revisions, and will be re-released this year). I finally found her website, as none of her books were available through major booksellers online, and I have been SO blessed by her ministry. She loves the Lord Jesus Christ, and loves blessing other homeschooling moms who are seeking God’s design for the family. I am a member of her mailing lists, and she is always blessing us with free articles, audios and content for homeschooling, mothering, parenting, wife-ing etc. I really love the mp3 audio downloads that I can listen to while washing dishes, it is so inspiring for me in my high calling as a wife and mother. I have purchased her e-books, and attended her workshops, and everything is just fabulous, and designed to minister to us and meet us where we are at, right here in real life.

There were a couple of homeschooling conferences in Alberta that I would have loved to go to, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be for us. However, there is another option! For those of us that can’t make it out to, or afford the travel/hotels etc. for a ‘real life’ homeschooling convention, Cindy has developed an online one! The Ultimate Homeschool Expo! And she has graciously allowed some samples of content to be given away to give a sneak peek of what is available! I’m so blessed to be able to share this opportunity and content with you, my blog readers! Just read what she has to share with us below:

Cindy is “pumped” about her upcoming Ultimate Homeschool Expo. Actually, she is so “pumped” that she has just shared a sneak peek into her Membership Site.

You see one of the neat things about the Ultimate Homeschool Expo is that everything is ONLINE. Cindy builds a private, exclusive Membership Site that includes everything from the UHSE in one place–it has audios (from all of the sessions and from the bonus gifts that her speakers give to us), ebooks, complete unit study guides, articles, printable notebooking pages, cookbooks, on and on. I can’t believe all of the things that we receive for only $40. It is truly ULTIMATE!

Anyway, back to the reason that I am sharing with you…

Cindy just sent me permission to give you a sampler of one of her free gifts that is included on the Membership Site. I am so excited to give it to you! It is a audio and ebook set that she actually sells on her website, but she is giving away on the Membership Site. Here is the link:

Let’s Get Ready for a New School Year Super Set!

Let’s Get Ready for the New School Year Mommy Planner…
Ebook by Cindy Rushton

Need some help gearing up for the new school year? Wish you had a friend to take you by the hand and help you plan your year? You will LOVE this! It includes a quick Mommy Planner with a potpourri of planning sheets from all of Cindy’s products to help you get started on the right track with your homeschool planning. It is full of goodies! AND YOURS…

Download Part One
http://www.cindyrushton.com/pdfs/GearingUp1.pdf

Download Part Two
http://www.cindyrushton.com/pdfs/GearingUp2.pdf

PLUS! Companion Audio!
Let’s Get Ready for a New School Year–Audio

Download by Mp3
http://www.cindysdesktop.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/GetReadyNewSchoolYear.mp3

Isn’t that FUN?

You know the saying that a picture captures a thousand words,well…what about a a gift like this??? And, just think…this is only ONE of the awesome gifts included on the Membership Site. There are hundreds more!

Take my word for it, you will WANT a ticket to this event and access to all of the wonderful resources. Grab your ticket here!

You really need to check this out, it is just LOADED with audios and free gifts and resources for homeschoolers, I won’t be there live, but will be accessing the downloads (because I have a Mac). This is just too good to miss out on! I pray that this blesses you! Cindy will also be offering more free content that I can make available here in the future, so please stay tuned to the blog! You can sign up for updates here in the upper right hand corner of the screen.

Robin Sampson from the Heart of Wisdom blog directed me to this free online homeschooling magazine that she is a regular contributor for. The March edition is up, and you can view it online, or download the pdf.

I’ve just had a chance to take a peek at it today, and it is meaty! I’m not sure what I was expecting, but sometimes free content can be a bit…ummm, freebie-ish? and not entirely worth the time reading. But this looks like a very professional publication from what I’ve read so far, useful articles, free downloadables, book reviews etc. We are in Canada, so not all of the content (like the elections lapbook) work for us, but there is always next time! And for those aspiring authors, as many blog-writers are, they also take submissions.

I just had to share this with everyone! I have not subscribed to the Old Schoolhouse in the past due to the high price of a subscription to Canada. It was previously $40 or so to send to Canada, and has just recently dropped to $30 for a Canadian subscription. But I still thought that since I’m not officially homeschooling my oldest yet (I can’t register here in Alberta until next year), that I couldn’t justify the cost (and I couldn’t pass on the expense to the government either - if you register a child to homeschool in Alberta you receive some funding to cover homeschooling expenses from your non-resident school board).

But then, what did I find in my e-mailbox this week! A new digital edition of the Old Schoolhouse magazine - one of the most happening homeschooling magazines in the world, and with a Christ honouring focus! I subscribe to their e-zines, but don’t receive a hard copy of this, or any other homeschooling magazine as a matter of fact. But now I am going to subscribe! It looks great! The digital edition works online for me even with my super, duper slow dial-up, 28 kbps! It downloads to a Mac (which we have) as well as PC (which we don’t). The file size is a bit big, but it can be done! I’m still working on the sample magazine.

Check it out, there is a free online sample of the magazine, Summer 2007 that you can test drive!

And the subscription is only $10.95 until March 18th! AND it comes with free gifts! 19 free downloads that are sent from the publisher, and 5 free e-books!

But, let me give you a more detailed list of information that the Old Schoolhouse sent to me:

THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Goes Digital!
We are so excited to announce our newest project at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.
The Old Schoolhouse Digital Magazine!
With our new digital subscription, you will get to enjoy all the same great content from your favorite homeschool magazine, but in a new format - digital!
Want to know why you’ll want to subscribe – even if you already get the print edition?
• Instant delivery—no waiting for your mail carrier to come.
• Huge savings - take a break from mailing costs—a big bonus for our international subscribers.
• Click on links throughout the digital magazine to easily visit interesting websites.
• Enjoy the same high-quality content and beautiful design.
• Flip through a real online magazine, not a pdf file.
• Save all your TOS issues to your computer.
• Easily share articles with your friends.

Just take a look at a sampling from our Summer 2007 issue.
• Relax! How to De-stress Your Homeschool, page 92. Who couldn’t learn a few valuable lessons from this gem? PLUS, because it’s located on our front cover, just click on it and you’re there. Talk about saving time! Now you can read your favorite magazine AND have time to spare. Take this article’s advice – relax!
• Homeschooling a preschooler? With our digital magazine’s fantastic search tool, you’ll find 4 results for “preschool” in this issue alone AND each lists its own excerpt, article title, page number, and link. Practical, efficient, and informative. Get the most out of your digital magazine.
• What do you use to teach your child English? Did you know Rod and Staff Publishers, Inc. provides a Bible-based English series? See their ad on page 72. And since your friend just asked you that very same question yesterday, why not email her the advertisement with our handy share tool. You’ll bless your friend and knit your homeschooling hearts together.
• Get inspired in this issue’s Show and Tell featuring the Shaw Family sharing their experience homeschooling on the sea, page 46. You’ll want to read this one over and over again so make sure to use our ever-practical digital bookmark. Save digital issues to your computer, bookmark your favorite articles, and stay encouraged. It’s a smart resource available instantly at your fingertips.

For only $16.95, you get a whole year of digital TOS issues plus 19 FREE gifts! Our digital editions are created simultaneously with the print edition, but instead of having to wait weeks for delivery, you’ll have your digital magazine in days! And you’ll be automatically notified by email when each new issue is ready!

BUT, to inaugurate our Premier Edition, we’re running a month-long introductory promotion especially for charter digital subscribers. With our special graduated pricing, you’ll SAVE over 35% off the regular digital price, an exceptional value for new and international subscribers: The sooner you subscribe, the MORE YOU SAVE and the MORE BONUS GIFTS you’ll receive!!

THIS WEEK ONLY, subscribe for $10.95 and you’ll receive 5 FREE bonus gifts!
Now take a look at these FREE bonus gifts:
International Geography Quest Project Pack, by In the Hands of a Child – Retail Value $25.00 FREE
Geography tells you where you are, how you got there, and where you might be going. This 112-page Project Pack is jam-packed with information and activities! It includes a 21-page Research Guide about the Science of Geography, Five Themes of Geography, Studying the Geography of the Earth, People on Earth, wildlife, and so much more! With 22 hands-on activities your child can put to use what he or she has learned through this study! PLUS—Use the 21 additional hands-on activities to complete a lapbook on any country! Expand your horizons today with the International Geography Quest!

Breakfasts for Busy Moms, by Urban Homemaker, 50 pages – Retail Value $9.97 – FREE

This ebook is designed to make breakfast a treat while keeping it healthy. Learn how to cook a wide variety of nutritious breakfasts, including hot, kid-pleasing cereals using the nutrient packed two-stage process. Packed full of information on meal planning, do-ahead tips, ingredient information, egg breakfast recipes, company casseroles, and more. This book is sure to become a household favorite.

Organic Gifting, by Vintage Remedies – Retail Value $12.00 — FREE

Resource Guide for Educational Travel on a Shoestring, by Homeschooling on a Shoestring, 79 pages – Retail Value $5.98 – FREE
See The World. Teach your kids. Have a blast… AND come home with money to spare! This extensive resource guide includes hundreds of Web sites, books, magazines, and organizations. This resource book is your essential road map to family fun and learning–across the country or around your hometown. Discover ideas for memorable–and inexpensive–vacations and field trips, surprising sources for travel money, ways to build closer family ties with your children and teenagers, and more!
Quiet Times in Loud Households, by Joyful Mama – Retail Value $7.95, 111 pages — FREE
An exciting guide to diving into a devotional lifestyle with the Lord that will not only sustain you as you raise the next Generation for Christ, but a devotional lifestyle that you can pass along to them as they grow. If your devotional life needs some new life infused into it, this book is for you!
One-month Subscription to Classroom Zoom, by Teacher Created Resources – Retail Value $4.15 – FREE
ClassroomZoom is an all-new online source of over 10,000 lessons and activities gathered from the very best of what Teacher Created Resources has to offer. It’s easy to zoom right to the lesson you need. You can search by grade level, by subject, and/or by specific keyword. In addition to the lessons and activities, a subscription also allows you to access:
• Math Wizard software, so you can create your own math worksheets.
• Crossword & Word Search Generator, so you can create puzzles to supplement lessons in spelling, vocabulary, geography, history, science, and other subjects.
• Clip Art, so you can add pizzazz to all kinds of projects.
When you try ClassroomZoom, you’ll see how much fun it is to zoom!

Now who wouldn’t love to get ALL these FREE gifts? Think of the possibilites –
• Enrich the lives of you and your loved ones
• Invest in your child’s education and ensure his academic success
• Save time AND money shopping for birthday, shower, and holiday gifts – give these bonus gifts away or use the invaluable information inside to create unique and personalized gifts your friends and family will treasure always
• Pamper yourself – these gifts are our way to thank you for subscribing. Please, let us bless you!

BUT, to get ALL these fabulous gifts, you need to subscribe by midnight March 18, 2008. Next week the price will go up to $12.95, and subscribers will only get 3 bonus gifts. Still a great deal, but you don’t want to miss out on the extra savings and the 2 extra bonus gifts!
Your one-year subscription will include 4 digital issues AND immediate access to your first issue – the Premier Edition of our current Winter 07/08 in digital. You’ll ALSO receive our Fall 07 back issue FREE, when it becomes available in our digital archives. That’s five digital issues for the price of four! PLUS, you’ll love our FREE bonus gifts!
Hurry! This offer won’t last long. Prices will go up each week until we reach the regular digital subscription price. Enjoy HUGE savings and FREE bonus gifts, order early!

Go digital! Subscribe TODAY at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, or even faster, click on the image to the left!  Enjoy!

After taking part in a few contests online, I think it’s my turn to host one! I’m delighted to be able to give away a copy of 100 Important Things Your Boys Need to Know: A Homeschooler’s Guide to Boys & Manners A toolkit of 8 resources for helping you train up those boys.

Although we have only girls so far, they also need to be trained to have proper manners! We had purchased this set alone, then were able to purchase it again as part of a large package deal, so we are pleased to offer our extra copy to one of our blog-readers! Thanks to Jim Erskine from Little Homeschool Library for allowing us to offer this extra copy as a prize! This e-book package set is available as an instant download for $14.95 through the above links.

Please take a look at everything that is included in the package, it is jam-packed with a total of 11 e-books and 1 audio book. Our oldest daughter LOVES the Goops audio recording.

The rules for the contest are:

1. Join our list for blog updates in the upper right hand corner of our blog, they arrive via email when our blog is updated for those of us (like me) who are RSS impaired.
2. Leave a comment in this blog letting me know that you are entering the contest.
3. If you have a blog, and make a post describing and directing other blog readers to the contest you will receive two additional contest entries for a total of three entries. Place a link to your blog post describing the contest in your comment in this thread.

The contest will run until my birthday on April 09th, so that I can give away a gift to celebrate, and give people plenty of time to join in the fun!  And just to clarify, today is April 09th (I’m just editing/updating my post here), so you can enter all day today, and then I”ll have tomorrows birthday girl, my oldest daughter, turning 5 tomorrow, draw the winner!  Thanks for entering!

I know that this resource package will be a blessing to the family that receives it!

One of my favourite free homeschooling resources website has recently changed names and design! CurrClick, previous HomeschoolEStore, gives away a free downloadable homeschooling resource file each week. If you subscribe to their weekly newsletter you can receive updates as soon as the downloads are available. They have also from time to time had HUGE giveaways with multiple free downloads as gifts to their shoppers to celebrate certain events. We have downloaded many of their various titles and hope to have some reviews here on our blog in the future!

Here is some information regarding their Grand Opening, which is running from March 10th - 17th!

HomeschoolEstore Changes to CurrClick.com, Curriculum in a Click!

The Same great site and customer service … but better! Experience our improved previews of thousands of your favorite homeschool titles, easily and from the comfort of your own home!

We are happy to announce the Grand Opening of CurrClick.com. Get 10% account credit on every purchase you make from March 10th-March 17th, add future purchases to your wish list, experience a more intuitive browsing experience that makes it easier to find what you’re looking for, send your wish list to friends and family members and find out what other people think about the curriculum you are considering, by reading our staff and customer reviews.

CurrClick.com is the only eBook and audio site specializing in instantly downloadable Homeschool curriculum. At CurrClick, you can choose from thousands of homeschool titles from hundreds of your favorite publshers, cheaply and completely free of shipping costs.

Do your children love memorizing to song? I know our little ones love music, and if you set something in song, they learn so much easier, and retain much better. Hey, not even mentioning little ones, what about us big folks! I have learned SO much scripture in the past year through having listened to it set to music, or setting it to music myself.

Mama Archer is giving away a copy of Lyrical Earth Science on her blog, you can head over there for all the details! I have heard of this curriculum before, they also do Lyrical Life Science etc. The workbook is reproducible! Great for us quiverfull families, you only need one set for all of your children. It all sounds good to me! Contest closes March 15th.

Here is some more info if you are interested in checking it out for yourself:

Lyrical Earth Science -Geology with CD Volume 1 By Dorry & Doug Eldon / Lyrical Learning Rockin’ science all day long! Doo-dah! Doo-dah! Your middle and high school students will really dig this toe-tappin’, memory-grabbin’ introduction to the earth’s structure. Original lyrics set to traditional, patriotic, and camp tunes teach basic geological concepts—such as plate tectonics, topography, hydrology, landforms, and intrusions. Features over 200 line drawings and an answer key. Includes CD, textbook, and workbook. Grades 5 and up. From Lyrical Learning.