Main Lesson

The Heart of the Curriculum

The two-hour morning Main Lesson is the academic cornerstone of each day. Main Lesson is taught by the Class Teacher and planned around a block system that lasts from three to six weeks. This unique period gives students time for in-depth exploration of mathematics, sciences, language arts, and social studies.

Textbooks and worksheets are rarely used. Instead, students create Main Lesson books that hold original writing, lab observations, and carefully rendered illustrations—true academic and artistic reflections of learning.

Subjects

Class Teachers and Specialty Teachers

The Class Teacher provides primary academic instruction and leads a class through the grades, either from first through fifth or first through eighth grade. The approach is shown to increase instructional time, enhance student engagement, and improve academic performance. Still considered innovative in most American classrooms, the practice is well established in Europe and Japan and fundamental to Waldorf education.

Students also work with Specialty Teachers who are experts in the fields of Spanish, Mandarin, mathematics, music, practical arts, gardening, games and movement, and eurythmy.