The Form of the Program

We will be meeting from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm Mondays through Thursdays. Fridays will be dedicated to work on the land and will take us to various sites in Columbia County. This outdoor education will include gardening, work with animals, projects in woods and fields, and will offer the opportunity for basic studies in farming, botany and general homesteading, among other things. 

Opening the Day 

The days open with musical and rhythmic exercises, with movement and with poetry. These warm-up activities become the basis for the creation of drama, or lead into a new chapter of mathematics.   

Making music for At the Back of the North Wind.  

Performance June 2000

In the course of the year there will usually be two major dramatic projects: one in the fall and a second in the spring. Singing or playing flutes and recorders is also a regular part of the opening to the day. 

We retain a fluid sense of time, trying to balance shorter periods of time which serve to prepare the children for the day, with longer periods which bring concentrated study of special subjects for a number of weeks each morning. The rhythm of shorter periods followed by longer ones may continue throughout the day.

The Morning Lesson 

Usually about two hours long, the morning lesson may be a study of physics in the older group, or may involve the learning of fractions by younger children. This is the time when larger written projects are undertaken, when the students produce their own books using all their artistic skills. Whenever possible the young people are encouraged to create projects around the learned material which may be shared some time during the month with the entire community. Besides this, written projects may find their way into a weekly newsletter which the students produce themselves. 

Examples of the daily curriculum

Drama  is one of the foundations of this education, which permeates the curriculum through a variety of presentations. In addition to acting, students create their own costumes, props, backdrops and staging areas. 

Music is often said to be the language of the soul. Through music, counting, rhythm, reading music, notes, and timing is taught, along with singing in a chorus, flute, lyre, and other instruments. 

Eurythmy  Movement helps students absorb many intellectual concepts and helps the mind memorize information. In addition to group movement exercises, individual sessions with trained eurythmists are offered for therapeutic support.

Puppetry Students design and make their own puppets, learn stories and music, create a stage and perform the story or play. Performances held for the Rose Harmony community and the public, reinforce self confidence.

Languages Basic French and German language is taught. The children begin learning songs in the languages in the first grade. This develops into a strong oral program. The older children use foreign language story and music books. 

Woodworking Use of basic tools, and planning a wood project, bring experience to arithmetic blocks.

Handwork Children learn the uses of wool from the fleece through felting, spinning, and dyeing with natural pigments. We also knit, crochet, weave, and do needlework. Studio work and mentoring are highly valuable activities. Leatherwork and shoemaking have been possible through the donation of time from skilled crafts-people. 

Horse Work Each week, we visit a riding stable. We ride bareback, lead the horses, vault atop them, and learn to understand the nature of the animal. This work is centering, and increases self-confidence.

Organic Farming All ages work on an organic farm, doing everything from digging holes to planting garlic, picking tomatoes and hefting pumpkins. Nature and science studies are conducted on location, in season, 
                                 with a hands-on approach.

Contact Information

Rose Harmony Association, Inc. is an incorporated, not-for-profit organization, exempt from federal income taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

Phoenxville, PA office

337 High St., Phoenixville, PA 19460

Phone:    610-415-0871
E-mail:    Admin@RoseHarmony.org

Hudson, NY office

411 Roxbury Rd., Hudson, NY 12534

Phone:   518-672-4910

 

Copyright © 2008 Rose Harmony Association, Inc.
Last modified: January 24, 2008