Episode 238
This episode of the Art of Homeschooling podcast was created to encourage you as a homeschooling parent to teach your child, not a grade.
For some homeschoolers, starting a new grade each fall is part of their yearly rhythm. For others, sometimes it’s hard to even assign a grade to their child.
Either way, your child’s learning doesn’t just happen magically in tidy grade-level packages. Rather, it happens along a path that sometimes spirals backwards or follows detours or even skips ahead.
When we teach the child in front of us rather than a grade level or curriculum package, we honor the child’s learning journey.
Children learn best when they can take confident steps on the path to learning while feeling a calm sense of connection.
The holistic, natural approach of Waldorf homeschooling truly shines in this way and supports each child’s unique development.
Teaching your child, not a grade, is a subtle mindset shift that can make all the difference!
Teach Your Child, Not a Grade
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Why teach your child, not a grade [0:55]
- Why there’s no such thing as “behind” in homeschooling [1:59]
- When there’s a mismatch between your child and a grade level curriculum [2:49]
- How children actually learn [4:47]
- How the Waldorf method honors the child’s learning journey [5:50]
- Why Waldorf is considered a spiral curriculum [6:56]
- 3 ways to teach your child, not a grade [8:32]
Resources for You
✨Summary of Math Skills for Grades One through Eight from Jamie York’s Making Math Meaningful
✨The Inspired at Home membership for the holistic, Waldorf inspired homeschooler where you’ll find monthly masterclasses, live coaching calls with me (Jean Miller), and a warm, engaged community of homeschooling parents for ongoing support.
Related Episodes
224: Simplifying Your Curriculum to Work for Your Family
169: Better Than Curriculum
79: Child Development and Neuroscience

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