Episode 234
Art anchors learning at home and can serve as a powerful tool for teaching across all subject areas.
In this episode of the Art of Homeschooling Podcast, Jean is joined by guest Robyn Beaufoy, CEO of Waldorfish. The award-winning Weekly Art Foundations program created by Waldorfish offers a guided path for parents to bring art to their children at home.
Robyn and Jean explore how art makes learning more memorable while also building key skills like focus, perseverance, and problem-solving.
The heart of the Waldorf method is the conviction that education is an art ~ it must speak to the child’s experience. To educate the whole child, his heart must be reached as well as his mind.
~ rudolf steiner
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Introducing Robyn Beaufoy of Waldorfish
An early career as a park ranger led Waldorfish CEO Robyn Beaufoy to her love of illustrating and education. Trained initially as both a public school and Waldorf teacher, she has been involved in art and education for over 25 years, including homeschooling her two children for some of that time.
Robyn is the keeper of the creative vision held by the Waldorfish team, which serves up modern, Waldorf inspired curriculum resources for homeschooling families and teacher training.
Working out of the premise that life is short (but sweet!), she empowers soul-filled teachers & families to find their JOY in teaching and making art.
Robyn is the author/illustrator of From Here to Everywhere, a book for children and their grown-ups, about living our best lives and sometimes, losing someone we love.
Highlights from this Episode
- Rudolf Steiner designed Waldorf education around the arts to reach the heart and hands as well as the mind.
- Artistic experiences help build “learning muscles” that apply across all subjects.
- Art also helps children develop focus, patience, perseverance, attention to detail, creativity, confidence, and problem-solving skills.
- You don’t need to be an artist to bring artistic activities to your homeschool. There are so many benefits to learning alongside your children.
- Discover some simple ways to weave art into your daily and weekly rhythms, such as wet-on-wet Wednesdays, handwork after lunch, painting after story time, or “drawing the day” before bed.
- And hear about the Waldorfish “art show method” which helps combat comparison by focusing on process over product.
Connect with Us!
Please share your artistic experiences and creations with Robyn and Jean on social media!
Share and tag Robyn @waldorfish and Jean @art.of.homeschooling on Instagram. Or find them on Facebook and share and tag them there.
How Art Anchors Learning at Home
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Jean introduces her guest, Robyn Beaufoy of Waldorfish [2:36]
- Why the arts are essential to education [5:03]
- Art as a learning tool [11:06]
- How to overcome the “I’m not an artist” fear [14:50]
- The Waldorfish approach to weaving art into your homeschool [18:20]
- Why it’s actually better if you’re NOT an artist! [20:20]
- How art can be used as a vehicle for learning in all subject areas [21:36]
- How to make art a simple part of your daily and weekly rhythm [26:53]
Previous Episodes Mentioned
Recommended Resources
Waldorfish offers a three-course series of art experiences for homeschoolers, parents, grandparents, and anyone ready to put in the “pencil miles.” Weekly Art Foundations, Weekly Art Diving Deeper, and Weekly Art Beyond, are all built around the method that Waldorfish refers to as “the art show,” which is designed to help families focus on the positive threads and the process of art, rather than the final product.
Find these courses and more to support holistic, Waldorf- inspired homeschoolers at www.waldorfish.com.
Weekly Art Foundations is open for enrollment through mid-August.
At the core of the Art of Homeschooling’s Inspired at Home membership and mentorship community are the seven lively arts: storytelling, movement, drama, poetry, painting, modeling, and drawing. In Inspired at Home, you’ll find the support and guidance you need to bring all the elements of holistic, Waldorf inspired homeschooling together with heartfelt intention.
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