Class 3

Class 3: Dawn of Separateness

By around the age of 9, most children have lost their instinctive sense of unity with the world around them and in its place comes a stronger sense of their own individual being. This can be a critical time for the children.

Their deep sense of connection with the world around has gone. The experience of “Here I am and there is the world, separate from me” is experienced deep in the physical being. The curriculum from now on is balanced in such a way as to both strengthen and enrich the inner life and build a positive relationship with the outer world.

Separation characterizes virtually every creation myth in every culture. The primary story images for the child in Class 3 are those of the Old Testament taught as Hebrew Creation Myths (and not in any sense as religious instruction).

Third graders grow vegetables, build shelters, and learn about time, measurements, and money. They work with their hands outside the classroom and explore the fundamentals of grammar and mathematics inside the classroom. Reading is practiced and writing is strengthened.