The regions Trillium Waldorf School offers busing from are:
How we see Trillium Waldorf School
The writer and environmentalist Annie Dillard once said that “how we spend our days is how we spend our lives.” While the administrators at Trillium Waldorf may not think in exactly those terms, that’s an idea that’s at the core of the school. Yes, learning is about working through the curriculum, acquiring new skills, honing old ones. But being at school should be about living well, too, and Trillium has made that at priority since it was founded in 1996. From day one it was an expression of the community that gave rise to it, begun by a number of families that wanted something better, something maybe a bit more caring for their children. There were 21 students in the first year, and a single grade, though it’s grown since then, mainly because of the community that formed around the school. The current property was supplied by an alumni family, which nicely continues the theme. This is about people teaching children how to find their way in the world, to have fun, to enjoy the company of others, and to live fulfilled lives.
How Trillium Waldorf School sees itself
"Trillium Waldorf School is an independent grade school in Guelph, Ontario that provides our community with a comprehensive Waldorf education that is broad, vibrant and academically vigorous. Families are welcomed openly into a warm and inviting environment with loving teachers who care deeply for their children, and meet their holistic needs. In addition to our kindergarten through grade eight programming, we offer parent and child classes from birth until 4 years old."
"We are the only school in Ontario to offer the Healthy School Culture Approach, working directly with its founder Kim John Payne for the last four years. The Three Streams of Student Support enable us to better assist students who are having difficulties educationally, socially, or behaviourally. We offer four languages: French, German, Hindi and Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (Mohawk). We endeavor to keep one class teacher with a class from first to eighth grade."
"Families choose our school because they they want an education that provides their children with the opportunity to be seen and known by their teachers. Small class sizes, and teachers who "loop" (travel from Grade 1 through 8*) with their students, allow for the type of relationship between families and teachers to develop into a deep sense of understanding, and collaboration in the education of their child. *We endeavour to have Grades teachers complete the 8 year cycle"
"Some families may find it surprising that we do not use computers in our school, and discourage the use of media and technology at home. We are in our third year of teaching Cyber Civics to Grade 6 - 8, which prepares our students to enter the digital world as good cyber citizens. We do make accommodations for students who require the use of technology for learning disabilities in the older grades. In Grade 8, students will learn skills to prepare for high school."
"Parent involvement is very important to our school. While we are not a co-op, we rely on volunteers for a range of activities from assistance in the classroom, to yard and school maintenance, and creating and supporting seasonal events and festivals. While this may seem daunting, we are of the mind that "many hands make light work" and find that the more engaged our parents are in our school community, the more value they see in the education and their child's and family's experience."
"Our school began more than 25 years ago in a small church hall with a handful of families, and has now grown into a school with 150+ students. We have a second location at the picturesque Crieff Hills Retreat Centre in Puslinch for our Parent & Child program. Our alumni go on to do a wide variety of things, from the arts through science, engineering and trades. We are the only school in Ontario that utilizes the Healthy School Culture Approach We still teach cursive writing!"
How people from the school’s community see Trillium Waldorf School
If you’re considering a small school for your extroverted child, make sure it offers plenty of social opportunities, including the ability to seek out and interact with different peer groups. Since smaller schools have smaller and less diverse student populations than big schools, it can sometimes be more challenging for your child to find a like-minded group of friends—friends with similar interests, values, etc.
“It’s important to look at the social makeup of the school,” says Ruth Rumack of Ruth Rumack's Learning Space. "Is there enough variety that your child will have a group that they feel connected with? Because you want to have friends that are like-minded and you want to be in a social situation where you feel honoured and respected. Variety can also be found in extracurriculars, leadership programs, and sports activities, which tend to have kids with a wide range of personalities.”
Also, make sure a school’s teaching and learning approach is suitable for your social child. “For instance, a school focusing on individual learning instead of group learning may not play into your child’s strengths,” say Ann and Karen Wolff, Toronto-based education consultants at Wolff Educational Services. “You want to make sure the social, emotional, and academic realities of the classroom are a match for your child’s personality.”
Smaller schools often have small classrooms and tight-knit communities, which can make it easier for your introverted child to come out of their shell, make friends, and feel like they belong. Since they’re less socially overwhelming, your child should find it easier to navigate their social environment. And since they’re conducive to group work, small classes often have plenty of interaction, which can help your child develop critical interpersonal skills.
Of course, small schools normally have a less diverse student population than big schools, which can sometimes make it more challenging to find a group of like-minded peers—peers with similar personalities, interests, values, etc. This makes it especially important to ask a school about its extracurricular programs, which can help your introverted child establish an intimate social circle.
THE OUR KIDS REPORT: Trillium Waldorf School
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