A Waldorf Journey Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Waldorf Education in the Age of AI: Why Being Human Matters More Than Ever Sep 27, 2026

Show notes

Want more info about the content in this episode? Here's where to find it.

There’s plenty of anxiety about artificial intelligence and what it might mean for education, creativity, work, and our relationships with one another. But the more I’ve actually used AI—and the more I’ve watched the culture around it change—the less worried I’ve become about whether it can replace the things that make us human.

In fact, I’m beginning to wonder if AI is making those things more valuable.

In this episode, I’m sharing some observations from my own experience with AI—not as an expert or researcher, but as an educator, writer, creator, and parent. I’ve been noticing a growing return to analog experiences: knitting, journaling, drawing, gardening, reading physical books, making things by hand, and spending time together in the real world. Even online, content seems to be becoming more casual, imperfect, and unmistakably human.

And, of course, all of this brings me back to Waldorf education.

Waldorf education is deeply rooted in relationship. Yes, the curriculum is remarkable—but the curriculum is also the medium through which children learn to listen, collaborate, navigate differences, exercise judgment, imagine, create, and build relationships with other human beings.

As AI becomes more capable and synthetic content becomes more plentiful, those human capacities are becoming more important than ever.

The “creativity comeback” and renewed interest in analog experiences
Why using AI has actually made me less afraid of it
The shift toward imperfect, obviously human-made content
Why I've been podcasting more
What I'm noticing about technology and my own Gen Z children
Why human relationship is central to Waldorf education
The difference between the Waldorf curriculum and what we're ultimately developing through it
Why judgment, imagination, collaboration, and authentic connection may become even more valuable in an AI-shaped world

I'd love to hear what you're noticing. Are you feeling more drawn toward analog experiences or human-made content? If you're a teacher or parent, has the rise of AI changed the way you think about what children need from us?

I'll be continuing this conversation in my companion article on Substack, and that's a great place to share your thoughts and join the discussion.

You can also connect with me on Instagram or email me at Meredith@awaldorfjourney.com.

And if you're a Waldorf teacher looking for curriculum resources, you'll find those at A Waldorf Journey.

Thanks for listening!

Why Children Need the Seasons Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

There’s something deeply comforting for children about rhythm. Knowing what comes next—at bedtime, at breakfast, throughout the week—creates a sense of security and makes everyday family life run more smoothly.

But if rhythm is the structure of life with children, the seasons are the spark.

In this episode, I’m exploring why seasonal life can be so meaningful for children, and how daily rhythm and the larger rhythm of the year work together. Seasonal traditions don’t need to mean elaborate festivals, complicated crafts, or a perfectly curated Waldorf home. Often, the most meaningful seasonal experiences are woven right into the things we’re already doing.

I also talk about how differently children experience the passage of time. While adults tend to think in terms of calendars and months, children experience time through their senses: the smell of sunscreen, the taste of freshly picked apples, the feeling of moss underfoot, the return of a familiar candle at the breakfast table. These experiences give children a sense of anticipation and help them recognize the comforting pattern of things coming around again.

In this episode:

Why strong daily and weekly rhythms are the foundation for seasonal life
How the seasons bring interest and delight to an otherwise dependable routine
How children experience time through sensory experiences rather than the calendar
The importance of anticipation and the feeling that something familiar is “coming around again”
Why your child’s experience of the seasons might look very different from your own
Moving beyond the idea of the “perfect Waldorf festival”
Simple ways to weave seasonal details into things your family already does

The goal isn’t to manufacture a magical seasonal childhood. Instead, we can keep the structure of everyday life simple and dependable—and let the details change as the year turns.

Free Fall Guide

I’ve put together a free fall guide with songs, poems, and ideas you can bring into your life with children as you move into the season.

Get the free download.

I’m also exploring the idea of seasonal life through the lens of child development—how our approach to the seasons might change as children grow. If that’s something you’d like to hear more about, I’d love to know.

Literacy in the Waldorf Classroom with Janet Langley, Part Two Sep 07, 2026

Show notes

In Part Two of my conversation with Janet Langley, co-author of Roadmap to Literacy, we move from understanding the stages of literacy development into the practical question every teacher eventually asks: Okay, so what do I actually do?

Janet walks us through the kinds of classroom experiences that support children as they move through the emergent, phonemic awareness, pattern, and syllable phases of literacy development. We talk about everything from helping first graders hear words and individual sounds, to introducing consonants and vowels, explicitly teaching phonics, working with sight words, and giving children meaningful opportunities to practice.

We also get into some of the Waldorf traditions that Janet calls “sacred nothings”—practices that have become so established that we may continue doing them without stopping to ask whether they actually serve the children in front of us. Our conversation touches on long morning circles, introducing uppercase and lowercase letters, and the importance of being willing to examine inherited practices while still preserving what is essential about Waldorf education.

And finally, we talk about one of my favorite practices from Roadmap to Literacy: kid writing. I share what this has looked like in my own classroom and the remarkable difference I’ve seen when children are given the tools and confidence to use their developing phonemic awareness to put their own thoughts on paper.

In this episode, we talk about:

“Theory of word” and helping children recognize sentences, words, syllables, and individual sounds
Rhyming and what difficulty with rhyme can tell us
Choosing and introducing consonants
Why English-speaking Waldorf teachers need to think differently about introducing vowels
Short vowels, CVC words, digraphs, silent letters, and other early phonics skills
Using stories and imagination alongside explicit literacy instruction
Making practice periods actually about practice
The pattern and syllable phases of literacy development
Why spelling instruction needs to continue well beyond the early grades
“Sacred nothings” and questioning inherited Waldorf practices
Introducing uppercase and lowercase letters together
Sight words and how they support reading fluency
Memory reading through familiar poems and songs
Kid writing and the transition from copying to independent composition
Using children's writing as both practice and assessment
How teachers can combine a clear literacy progression with creativity and responsiveness to the children in front of them

Janet and her colleague Patty Connolly have gathered extensive resources for teachers and homeschoolers at Waldorf Inspirations, including activities, curriculum resources, and support materials that complement Roadmap to Literacy.

If you haven't listened to Part One yet, I recommend starting there for Janet's explanation of the different phases children move through as they learn to read. Together, these two conversations offer a much clearer picture of both how literacy develops and how we can intentionally support that development in the Waldorf classroom.

Resources Mentioned:

How Children Learn to Read: A Waldorf Approach to Literacy Aug 30, 2026

Show notes

This week, I’m reaching back into the A Waldorf Journey archives to revisit a conversation that feels especially worthwhile as we begin a new school year.

In this episode, originally recorded in 2019, I talk with Janet Langley, co-author of Roadmap to Literacy, about what Waldorf teachers need to understand about how children actually learn to read—and why literacy is one area where class teachers need to become specialists rather than generalists.

Janet shares the story behind Roadmap to Literacy, including the realization that Rudolf Steiner’s original indications for teaching language were developed for German, a much more phonetic language than English. We talk about what that means for English-speaking Waldorf teachers and why intentional, systematic phonics instruction can still be deeply imaginative and completely at home in a Waldorf classroom.

We also dig into the process children move through as they become readers, including:

why some children seem to “just learn to read” while others need much more explicit instruction
the role of phonemic awareness and systematic phonics
how practice helps build automatic word recognition
the predictable phases children move through on the path toward fluent reading
why teachers should teach to the phase rather than simply to the grade
the 80/80 guideline for deciding when a class is ready to move forward
why spelling instruction needs to continue long after children become competent readers

One of the things I appreciate most about this conversation—even years after we originally recorded it—is the way it takes some of the mystery out of learning to read. Rather than simply waiting for the moment when a child magically “cracks the code,” understanding the developmental progression helps us recognize where a child is now, what they need next, and how we can support them in getting there.

Resources mentioned:
Roadmap to Literacy by Janet Langley and Jennifer Militzer-Kopperl

Waldorf Inspirations

This is Part One of my conversation with Janet. In Part Two, we turn toward practical activities teachers can use to support literacy development in the classroom.

The Art of the Recall Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, I’m kicking off a new series exploring the different components of the Waldorf main lesson, starting with one that can be easy to overlook: the recall.

We’ll look at why reviewing yesterday’s lesson is so much more than simply going over old material. A thoughtful recall helps students transform something they’ve heard into something they truly know—and become more conscious of their own learning.

I share practical ideas for keeping recall lively and engaging, including:

Asking specific questions rather than retelling the entire lesson
Inviting students to return to a particularly vivid image
Using movement, gestures, writing, diagrams, and sequencing activities
Making sure quieter students engage independently with the material
Saving a little “nugget” of new information to enliven the review

I also explore how recall connects with the other two parts of the lesson—new content and doing/book work—and how these three elements work together through the three-day rhythm to refine and deepen students’ learning.

Review. New. Do. When all three are present, the lesson becomes a much more satisfying and complete learning experience.

Subscribe to A Waldorf Journey on Substack for weekly reflections, practical teaching ideas, and additional resources for paid subscribers: awaldorfjourney.substack.com

3 Waldorf Blocks I Love to Teach Aug 16, 2026

Show notes

This week, I’m taking a break from all the back-to-school planning talk to remember one of the best parts of being a Waldorf teacher: the curriculum itself.

I’m sharing three blocks I really love to teach—and what makes each one so well suited to the children at that particular age.

We’ll talk about:

The first block of first grade — establishing the rhythms, habits, and expectations that will carry you through the year.
Fifth grade botany — the beautiful meeting of science, art, imagination, and biography.
Sixth grade geometry — discovering beauty, structure, order, and lawfulness with compass and straightedge.

I also share some practical thoughts about planning these blocks, including why it helps to keep specific students in mind as you prepare and how biography can bring even the most factual content to life.

Mentioned: The Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe by Michael S. Schneider.

Is there a Waldorf block you’d like me to do a deep dive on? Send me a note at Meredith@awaldorfjourney.com. Or subscribe on Substack.

Dreamers, Doers, and Imagination in the Waldorf Classroom Aug 09, 2026

Show notes

In Waldorf education, we talk a lot about bringing lessons through pictures—and about the importance of children creating their own inner pictures as they listen to a story.

But what about the child who doesn't experience stories that way?

This week's episode was inspired by a listener who asked about aphantasia, a condition that makes it difficult or impossible to voluntarily create images in the mind's eye. Her question got me thinking more broadly about what we really mean when we ask children to "picture" a story—and whether creating a vivid mental image is really the only way to engage imaginatively.

Because children connect with stories in all kinds of ways.

Some may see an entire movie playing out in their minds. Others might connect deeply with a character, feel the suspense of the story, hear the rhythm of the language, notice movement and sequence, or make connections with their own experiences.

In this episode, I explore what it means to truly "live into" a story, and why imaginative teaching can be valuable even for children who don't easily form mental pictures.

I also revisit an idea from Waldorf teacher training that I haven't thought about in years: the polarity of the cosmic child and the earthly child. Looking at these two different ways of meeting the world gives us another way to think about the dreamy child who easily lives in imagination—and the practical, physical child who wants to build, move, touch, and do.

And, most importantly, how we can help both children move toward balance without treating one way of experiencing the world as better than the other.

In this episode:

What a listener's question about aphantasia made me reconsider
What we actually mean by "creating pictures" in Waldorf education
The many ways children can connect with a story
Why a child doesn't need a vivid mental movie to benefit from imaginative teaching
What I've observed about different kinds of listeners in the classroom
The cosmic child and the earthly child
Why these Waldorf frameworks should be lenses rather than labels
Meeting children where they are rather than asking every child to experience a lesson in the same way
Supporting dreamy children with grounding, physical experiences
Helping practical, "earthly" children enter imagination through movement, drama, drawing, and doing

Keep exploring with A Waldorf Journey

For more reflections on Waldorf teaching—and companion posts that go deeper into many of the topics I discuss on the podcast—subscribe to A Waldorf Journey on Substack.

And if you're preparing for the school year and looking for more concrete support, you'll find curriculum guides for grades 1–8 at A Waldorf Journey. They're designed to give you a strong starting point while leaving plenty of room for your own creativity, imagination, and connection with the students in front of you.

3 Things I Would Do This Week If I Were Starting a New School Year Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

The beginning of August makes the new school year suddenly feel real. Whether you've already begun planning or are just starting to think about it, this podcast is for you.

In this episode, I share the three areas I would focus on this week if I were preparing for a new school year. What are three things you can do to help make sure you're starting your lesson planning on the right foot? I encourage teachers to begin with the relationships that make your teaching possible: your relationship with your students, your students' families, and yourself as a teacher.

Remembering these three categories in everything you do will help you start the year with a solid plan that is founded upon the things that really matter.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why planning should always begin with the children.
A simple exercise for reconnecting with each student before the school year begins.
How thinking intentionally about families can strengthen your classroom community.
Supporting parents as partners in your work.
The importance of rhythms and systems that sustain you throughout the school year.
Practical ways to prepare your future self before the busy months begin.

Mentioned in this episode

Subscribe to the A Waldorf Journey Substack for a companion article each Wednesday, plus bonus resources for paid subscribers.
Have a question or an idea for a future episode? I'd love to hear from you! Reach me at meredith@awaldorfjourney.com.

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be grateful if you subscribed, left a review, or shared it with another Waldorf teacher who is preparing for the new school year.

Weekly Rhythm: Let the Week Do Some of the Teaching Jul 26, 2026

Show notes

One of the greatest gifts of Waldorf education is rhythm.

When we think about rhythm, we often think first about the daily rhythm of the classroom or the larger rhythm of the school year. But one of the rhythms that has made the biggest difference in my own teaching is the rhythm of the week.

In this episode, I explore how giving each day its own character can simplify planning, reduce decision fatigue, and create a classroom that feels more grounded for both teacher and students.

I also introduce the idea of the planetary qualities associated with each day of the week—not as something to follow rigidly, but as an invitation to observe, experiment, and discover what resonates in your own classroom.

In this episode

Why rhythm reduces planning fatigue
The difference between relying on engagement and relying on rhythm
The traditional planetary qualities of each weekday
How I've thought about Monday through Friday in my own classroom
Ideas for building your own weekly review rhythm
Using rhythm as a framework while remaining responsive to your students

Resources

✉️ Continue the conversation on Substack:
A Waldorf Journey

Paid subscribers receive additional teaching notes, planning resources, and companion materials each week.

🌿 Curriculum guides and teaching resources:
https://awaldorfjourney.com

I'd love to hear from you.

Do you have a weekly rhythm that has become an important part of your classroom?

Have you experimented with the planetary qualities of the days of the week?

Leave a comment on Substack or send me an email—I always enjoy hearing how these ideas take shape in other classrooms.

How I Plan a Main Lesson Block Jul 19, 2026

Show notes

When I begin planning a new main lesson block, I don't start by writing daily lesson plans. Instead, I begin by thinking about the larger picture: the stories, skills, experiences, and artistic work that will shape the children's experience over the coming weeks.

In this episode, I walk through the framework I use to plan every main lesson block and explain why each element matters.

In this episode:

Why I don't begin with individual lesson plans
The role of imaginative content in block planning
Planning academic skills with intention
Choosing projects, readers, and main lesson book work
Incorporating field trips and guest speakers
How all of these elements work together to create a cohesive learning experience

Continue the conversation

This episode is paired with a new Substack post on A Waldorf Journey. Free subscribers will receive a deeper look at the planning process discussed in this episode.

Paid subscribers will also receive downloadable versions of my Main Lesson Block Planning Template and Block Review Form, along with additional notes about how I use them throughout the school year.

Subscribe at awaldorfjourney.substack.com.

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be grateful if you subscribed, left a review, or shared it with another Waldorf teacher. Your support helps more educators discover the podcast.

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