My Job Search and Waldorf Education

Since arriving in Calgary nearly two weeks ago, I've been essentially spamming potential employers with my resume and customised cover letters. Having been in the workforce for several years prior to this situation, I must say that it's a different experience this time around.

The job atmosphere in Calgary is almost a polar opposite to that of Vancouver.

I feel like I have choice and that I can actually choose to apply for jobs that fit my qualifications, rather that settling for a mindless, emotionally taxing position of a pawn. It's refreshing to have the options, and I believe this entire experience helping to mould me into a more complete person.

On to something completely different... and pretty much unrelated.

Whilst browsing for a Christmas gift for DH's niece, I came across toys that are designed to accompany the Waldorf Education system. I had come across Waldorf education prior to leaving for Calgary, but had dismissed it as a future possibility as the only Waldorf school in the Lower Mainland was all the way out in North Vancouver. Now that we are in Calgary, it is a distinct possibility that DH and I may choose to use this system when we start a family. There's even a Waldorf school right here in Calgary. Here's why:
 
The Waldorf education system is designed to allow children to learn at their own pace. Observation skills and oral traditions are developed in the early childhood education portion and set up a solid foundation for incorporating theory and practice later on. Literary and craft skills are nurtured from a very young age; they're taught to knit, sing, cook, crochet, write and orate poetry and prose, play musical instruments, and woodwork from the elementary school levels. These are all required portions of the curriculum alongside government-mandated elements!

Another thing that I like about this method is the encouragement of a healthy imagination. Electronic toys, TV, and popular music are all discouraged in the early years of childhood development. Instead, open toys, made out of natural materials such as wood or silk, that are simplified and can be used for multiple purposes as the imagination allows are used as alternatives. I love this. I cannot express enough just how much this alone makes this method so desirable to DH and me. 

Examples of Waldorf toys, starting from top left: Sorting acorn colour game from AlmostCrunchy, Waldorf tree house from manzanitkids, Waldorf-inspired carved wooden animals set from jupiterschild, and Waldorf play silks from BeneathTheRowanTree.

The method itself requires a lot of commitment to see it through, and I dearly hope that we'll be able to follow through it whenever DH and I start our family. It really feels like this method might be a good fit for us down the road.