It’s the time of year when we all get a little sentimental and take some time to recognize the tremendous growth and development that has happened at school this year.
I remember when my last class was in eighth grade, they spent the year marking all of the “lasts.”
It’s our last Winter Faire/May Day/Field Trip!
This year’s eighth grade at my school is no different. As much as they are ready and excited to move on to high school, they (and their parents!) are squeezing every last drop out of their Waldorf experience with camping trips, musical performances, and field trips.
And while it’s true that eighth grade is a particularly special time for reflection, throughout the grades, Waldorf schools are pretty incredible at creating events and experiences that mark the passage of time and the development of our students.
Here’s a peek at a few of the ceremonies and celebrations that have marked transitions in my experience at Waldorf schools.
The Rose Ceremony
If you’re familiar with Waldorf schools, you’ve probably heard of the Rose Ceremony. The tradition bookends the year with two ceremonies. At the beginning of the year, the eighth graders present the first graders with a rose to welcome them into the grade school. At the end of the year, the first graders give the eighth graders a rose to acknowledge their transition to high school.
Typically, the two classes have a “buddy” relationship throughout the year, which makes the tradition even more meaningful. Throughout the grades, my students looked forward to having their first grade buddy, and I loved watching them sweetly nurture their new little friends.
The Rose Ceremony is just as significant for teachers. When I looped back and took my first grade class, my closest colleague was in eighth grade. After years of collaborating and supporting each other through the throes of middle school, our relationship transitioned, too.
Every school I have been involved with has some version of the Rose Ceremony, which makes it even more special. When I imagine that Waldorf schools around the world acknowledge their students’ transitions with the giving of a rose, I can’t help but feel a little overwhelmed and honored to be a part of the global Waldorf community.
The Rainbow Bridge Ceremony
Another sweet and sentimental ceremony our school holds is the Rainbow Bridge Ceremony. This event is held at the end of the school year and marks the kindergarten students’ transition into the grade school. Lovingly held by their kindergarten teachers, the students walk over a bridge and then meet their new teacher in the first grade classroom.
The teacher then tells them a story, welcoming them into the grade school.
Honestly, I remember the Rainbow Bridge Ceremony for my former class like it was yesterday. They seemed so little—especially compared to the eighth graders I had been teaching all year. They sat somewhat nervously in a circle while I told them a story and I remember being amazed at how fully they drank that story in. They’re now in 7th grade and a couple of them told me recently that they STILL remember that story.
That story ultimately became the metaphor that guided our work as a class, including the story I told them when I stepped away from teaching and they received their new teacher.
(If you’re interested, you can read the story I told my students when I stepped away, which gives a picture of the original story I told on the Rainbow Bridge day.)
There are so many more events that mark the passage of time in a Waldorf school—the festivals, projects, events and field trips—it’s one of the things that many of us love most about Waldorf Education. When we take these moments to reflect, we step out of the everyday stream of time, and hold the past, present, and future at once, recognizing the growth and transformation that is happening around us all the time. These moments elevate the every day, helping us to understand the impact and significance of the accumulation of our day-to-day experiences.
What are some of the transitions and ceremonies that are significant in your Waldorf Education experience? Share in the comments or send me an email with your thoughts.
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