Third Grade

Around the age of nine years is the culmination of the first phase in human development, where the child moves out of the symbiosis with the parent world and begins to develop a stronger sense of their own individuality. This stage is described by Rudolf Steiner as “the nine-year change”. At this time, deep questions like “Where did I come from and how did it all begin? What is my place in life?” begin to awaken in the child. In order to find an echo for these questions, creation stories from all over the world are shared offering deeply poetic and imaginative responses to how the world began and what makes life on earth possible. The children are deeply satisfied in being allowed to become stewards of the earth. They work in the garden, care for animals, cook meals, make clothing, build shelters, and learn about measurements and time. In this way, we could say that they “finally land on earth”, acquiring a grounded sense of place, meaning and belonging.