Inside SWS Blog
Waldorf Education: Being Human in an AI World
In our increasingly fast-paced, tech-obsessed world, Seattle Waldorf School continues to see the value in developing uniquely human skills and capacities. There is no doubt that our children will learn how to use technology to their full advantage as adults. But when they are still young – developing and learning – there is a great benefit in the long run of supporting their innately human qualities like joy, curiosity, kindness, and wonder and this can only be done through human interactions.
At the heart of Waldorf education is the concept of human growth and development. The students in our care are not just beings to pour knowledge into. During their time at SWS, each student will grow and develop the skills to obtain knowledge through curiosity, creativity, and collaboration with others. Our teachers work from the concept that the child will one day be a teenager, and then a 20-something year old, and then a full-fledged adult. What will they need in their adult life? What challenges might this specific child have, and how can teachers gently guide, model, and support their unfolding into their highest potential?
We explored these concepts at our Fall Grade School Curriculum Night and Grade 8 Teacher, Ashley Umlauf talked about how “in a world that is rapidly changing and being influenced by technological advancements, our students will continue to focus on the skills of being human in order to best prepare them for whatever comes next.” Some of the tangible things that our students do include:
- Knitting, sewing, baking, building, drawing, painting;
- Moving their bodies outside in work and play;
- Using all of their senses, closely observing and experiencing the core subjects;
- Collaborating together in choir, orchestra, and class plays;
- Learning multiple languages;
- Experiencing the curriculum through hands-on experiences, overnight trips, and seasonal festivals
By doing these activities, they build:
- A capacity for deep thinking, which is rich in analysis, creativity, and connection-making
- They develop strong “will forces” which can also be thought of as grit, resilience, and perseverance
- The ability to know themselves as authentic individuals, create meaningful and impactful social change, collaborate fully and with empathy for others
Ashley concluded the keynote address with, “Perhaps the response to the increasing mechanization of the world, the increased Artificial Intelligence, the potential of an overshadowing of our human-ness, is to increase our humanity in all aspects. To become so exquisitely intentional in our approaches to education, to not fall back on what is easy, or quick, or takes less engagement, but instead to turn towards each other, as adults and teachers to use our own hearts, our deepened thinking, and our devoted attention to children. Here, we strive to model, and to ask students, to intentionally turn towards the cursive handwriting, to find the right finger to play the pure, beautiful cello note, to listen quietly while a teacher imparts a heartfelt story about coyote and raven, to patiently help a 1st grader carve a pumpkin, to observe and accurately draw a chestnut seed, to sing in unison with your class each morning, working towards melodious harmony, to move together in speed and skill with others your age and to bump up against them, to have courage to stand onstage and deliver a Shakespeare soliloquy, to grind pigment and practice the ancient art of Chinese calligraphy, and to do these things not as “extracurricular” activities, but as the necessary ones, the essential activities, the ones that keep us constantly remembering how to be “real.””
SWS Alum Soars High
SWS Alum, Ezra Weill (high school class of 2012), invited our students to his most recent performance with Acrobatic Conundrum, a contemporary circus arts troupe presenting their latest work Threads at 12th Avenue Arts on Capitol Hill. Grades 4 – 8 experienced the amazing aerial work, rope acrobatics, juggling feats, and beautiful music that accompanied the performance. Transfixed from the moment it started, the students and chaperones were in awe of the strength, artistry, and beauty of the show.
Ezra Weill performs on the rope
After the show, the performers graciously answered questions from our students, which included, “have you ever fallen?” and “how hard is it to juggle in heels?” They shared their circus related experiences and also imparted some words of wisdom to the students. Acrobatic Conundrum Director Terry Crane shared that “risk is part of what makes circus so exciting” and that “life is full of risks, but it’s good to take those risks and be brave.” This resonates with the Waldorf philosophy as we support students daily to take healthy risks in their academics, performances, friendships, and hands-on experience allowing them to gain an understanding for hard work and sometimes failure. Without failure, there isn’t growth.
When our students were asked what they thought of the show, one of our 7th graders eloquently reflected that if you want to fly, like those on the aerial ropes, you need to be supported by your friends, or else you might fall. The performers all agreed and shared stories about how they have felt supported by each other throughout this show.
Ezra attended Seattle Waldorf School from preschool through high school. He started performing around Seattle as a kid with his sister and went on to attend l‘Ecole National de Cirque in Montreal, where he completed his studies in 2015 with a degree in aerial rope and hat juggling. Based in Europe, Ezra performs all around the world these days, often coming back to Seattle to share his talent.
Harmony and Flow: Our New Mural Unveiled
At our first Community Meeting of the 2025-26 school year, we unveiled our new mural that now graces the front of our school. We want to thank our faculty and admin team for working together this past school year to identify an artist and theme for this wonderful work of art that greets everyone when they arrive at our school.
We are delighted to have worked with visual artist Austin Gregory Ohm, who created the mural for us and joined us for the unveiling on September 5, 2025. Below is an excerpt from Austin’s speech to the community. His words ring especially true for our school community because of our commitment to collaboration, courage, and seeing art and beauty in nature and all the subjects we teach.
“This mural is called “Harmony and Flow” because…a school is in harmony when all the members of its community agree to work together. When all the different and diverse pieces fit together, an amazing and harmonious container for learning is created.
Equally important for growth is the strong progressive movement of flow. Flow guides and protects, it offers safety and comfort, and creates a shared sense of purpose. Flow also provides a force for us to struggle against – just like the salmon that are compelled to swim upstream. They don’t do it because it’s easy, it takes incredible amounts of energy and effort, but somehow they know that because it’s hard they are doing the right thing. And like those salmon we all have times in our lives that the struggle against the flow is crucially important for personal growth and the formation of our individual identities.
In this painting we see flow suggestive in circular movement of the fish and water. And we see Harmony represented in the color palette, composition, and by the geometric patterns in the fish.
Socrates called geometry “the art of the ever-true”. And I believe this geometry symbolizes a golden truth, a foundational fact, from which we build trust with each other.
It’s important to have agreed upon truths within a community. The exaggerated geometry in these fish are a visual reminder that we are all essentially connected from the shared structures that form our DNA and brain-cells to the organization of the universe we exist in.
Thank you so much for trusting me with this very important project.
As you walk past this mural day after day I hope that it catches the eye of your imagination at the most unexpected times and inspires you to see the world from a fresh perspective.”
Thank you Austin for the beautiful gift of your words and your art to our community. You will forever be part of the story of our school.
SWS Graduates Honored on National and Global Ultimate Stage
Congratulations to SWS Graduate, Declan Miller ‘22 on receiving the most prestigious, “D-I Men’s 2025 Player of the Year” award from Ultiworld, acknowledging his place at the very top of the nation’s collegiate ultimate scene. A rising senior at Carleton College in Minnesota, Declan has been one of the most inspiring ultimate players since his start in middle school at SWS, where his unbeatable combination of grit and enthusiasm had him labeled as a rising star from the earliest days on the field. You can read the full Ultiworld article here.
Declan Miller playing for Team USA
Declan Miller is credited with the turnaround of Carleton’s men’s ultimate team (CUT.) Following a several-year slump, this fabled team once again holds the National title for collegiate ultimate. Reflecting on Declan’s influence on CUT as a new-arrival in 2022, Edward Stephens on ultiworld.com writes, “Enter Miller, the human embodiment of an inflection point. Dauntless, high-spirited, and technical from the moment he put a cleat on the line, his attitude and on-field prerogatives immediately rubbed off on the rest of CUT. A hyperbole that rings with truth: Miller remade CUT in his image from the start. CUT never gave up on a play because their star freshman never gave up on a play; they never passed up promising scoring opportunities because the rookie would never let the moment escape without a try; they never wasted a possession because Miller kept setting an example through the stubbornness of his own reset cuts and throws; they continued to press on defense because Miller never gave it a rest. With Miller as the spark, the program was poised for a turnaround.”
Declan was also among four Seattle Waldorf School alums to represent the USA on the U-24 (under 24) teams at the World Championships this past June in Spain. Declan and Cedar Hines (‘24) played on the Open team; Chagall Gelfand (‘23) and Zsa Zsa Gelfand (‘25) played on the Women’s team. The Women’s, Open and Mixed teams all brought home gold! Declan shared, “I am very grateful to my teammates and coaches from the SWS ultimate community who taught me the values which propelled me to become the player I am today. It is so exciting to see all of the other Waldorf grads doing big things too.”
Chagall Gelfand on the field in all weather!
Which brings us to other SWS teammates who are also excelling in the sport!
Chagall Gelfand attended SWS through 8th grade and now is also a star on Carleton’s women’s ultimate team, Syzygy. Ultiworld recognized Chagall last year as Rookie of the Year and this year she was voted the D-I Women’s 2025 Offensive Player of the Year and the 1st runner up for Player of the Year. Ultiworld writers, Edward Stephens and Graham Gerhart describe Chagall’s offensive play this season: “She was always there, always ready: moving the ball, moving her defender, moving her receivers, finding the reset space, leaving her feet, attacking, attacking, attacking. If there was a play to be made, you could be sure Gelfand would make it. If there was a yard to be gained, you could, in perfect serenity, bet your life savings Gelfand would gain it (and then some).”
Other SWS graduates making a name for themselves in the sport are Elijah Diamond (Western Washington class of 2025) who was the 2nd Runner-Up for Offensive Player of the Year. In his first year playing for Western Washington, Cedar Hines (class of 2028) was voted 2nd Runner-Up for Rookie of the Year this year and we can expect more accolades during his college career as well! Together, Elijah and Cedar helped Western Washington reach their first nationals appearance in a decade and their first ever quarterfinals ever.
Congratulations to our alumni players! We are so proud of the hard work that you’ve put in and we celebrate your successes!
Want to keep smartphones at bay?
Clare Morell, a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and author of “The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones” offers practical ways to keep smartphones at bay – lean into your community. Parents and caregivers have the power to stand up collectively to the problem of the relentless smartphone by creating communities that delay, resist, and ban screens from schools and communities. Read the article from the Washington Post here.
Preschool students see the beauty and wonder in the natural world
These parents started by rejecting the idea that kids have to have smartphones. They worked together to create opportunities for play and alternate activities that did not involve a phone, a screen, or video games. Parents offered each other the support and accountability to make it work, and the openness to discuss any problems that arose.
Morell writes, “The end result of these parents’ initiative and intentionality to create counter-communities is that their children are flourishing. They are not self-absorbed in the virtual world, but directed toward relationships, responsibilities and service to others. Only by building rich, meaningful real-world communities that can compete with the allure of digital ones can parents push the smartphone out of childhood.”
This can happen in a community setting, but it can also happen at a school. At Seattle Waldorf School, families are surrounded by like-minded teachers, administrators, and parents who aren’t afraid of technology, but who realize the significant impact technology can have on the developing mind and the addictive nature and isolation of the digital world. We strive to support children as they build their social/emotional and intellectual capacities without screens. Our students are happy, excited to come to school, and easily pick up new technologies when they are developmentally ready to handle the experience.
Fourth Grade Curriculum Spotlight: Local History and Geography of the Region
A few weeks ago, the fourth grade spent time at Carkeek Park in NW Seattle during their Local History and Geography Block. I witnessed how powerfully they were moved by the simplest of things (watching ducks slide downstream, discovering with delight a rogue mushroom on a mossy fence post) and I was reminded how important it is for children of all ages to be in nature.
I think it is our responsibility in our time, in our cultural context, to raise children who behave in environmentally responsible ways. And while it is our tendency to want the children to learn facts about the natural world and for us to want to explain the environmental impacts, what may be even more important at this stage of their development is the lived experience of simply being in nature. Such experience becomes the foundation for not only knowing about nature but the source for feeling compelled to protect her for ourselves and for future generations.
David Sobel’s short article “Everyone Ought to Have a Ditch” reminds us that such time in nature doesn’t have to be in pristine national parks or on extensively planned backcountry trips—it could be right under a bush just in the front yard or behind a fallen log on the way to a nearby park. I wonder if you had a “ditch” when you were a child and what that was like? I wonder what the children of this fourth grade will remember about their childhood and whether they will be able to recall their own “ditch” and their time spent in nature? Most likely those are the experiences that will last them a lifetime.
– Daichi Hirata, Interim Grade 4 Teacher
Kids Learn Better off Screens
Often technology is billed as the savior of all things. It will save time, increase learning outcomes, and make our lives easier. While some of these correlations may have elements of truth, there has also been a great deal of research on the darker side of technology (think social media for teens, the infusion of AI to supplant critical thinking and jobs, etc.)
As an educational institution, SWS prepares students by teaching them the core academic skills, as well as all the other important skills for life. We do this in a relational way, teaching primarily without screens or digital technology until later in middle school. In groundbreaking new research from Columbia University, researchers found that children comprehend texts better, and remember the material longer, when reading and writing on paper.
In recent years, there has been a decline in youth reading scores, which the study attributes to the shift towards digital learning. Waldorf Education prioritizes handwriting, physical texts, and books. Technology is introduced as children progress through the grades, but most learning is intentionally done off-screen. This fosters cognitive development, comprehensive learning, and builds fine motor skills, ensuring that students take materials in at a deeper level and retain that knowledge longer.
Technology has its place, of course! But think about all the technology that surrounds your children in their daily lives? Wouldn’t you like to learn in an environment where technology is limited and they develop true capacities for learning? We’d love for you to join us!
Teaching Chinese Characters Through Calligraphy
Teaching Chinese characters has long been a challenging task for Mandarin teachers in the United States. Often, the focus is on memorization and the technical ability to write characters, but this approach can quickly cause students to lose interest and enthusiasm for learning. Striking a balance between skill-building and maintaining engagement has been a focus in my teaching journey.
Initially, I introduced Chinese character writing through cultural activities such as calligraphy and stamp carving for middle school students, a method commonly employed in many schools. My focus was on teaching the basics of calligraphy writing, emphasizing the foundational study of Chinese characters. Over time, I noticed that students were drawn to the cultural elements of these activities. However, some students struggled with holding the brush and creating strokes, which diminished their ability to enjoy and excel in the process.
A conversation with Laura Cox, a current second grade teacher, provided a breakthrough. Laura shared exercises designed to support her students’ developmental needs, and this discussion inspired me to rethink my approach. I realized that my students needed to strengthen their fine motor skills – flexibility in their fingers and wrists – before they could effectively control a brush and produce precise strokes. Developing these motor skills is essential for mastering the complex movements 
required in writing Chinese characters. This realization prompted me to break down the necessary skills into smaller, more manageable steps. I began experimenting with introducing these techniques at different grade levels, which led to an exciting discovery: the foundational skills for calligraphy could be taught as early as first grade. This early preparation allowed students to gradually develop the motor control and confidence needed for calligraphy in middle school. One of the most exciting aspects was realizing that form drawing with crayon blocks – a practice already integrated into the Waldorf first-grade curriculum – could serve as a foundational activity for teaching Chinese characters.
As students progressed in their character-writing journey, I saw a gradual shift. Their skills improved, and they began to appreciate the aesthetics and calming nature of calligraphy and stamp carving. This growth opened a space for deeper engagement, where students could explore not just the mechanics but also the spirit and artistry of Chinese characters.
The way we approach teaching character writing can make a profound difference. Helping students feel the aesthetics and essence of each character fosters a genuine love for the process. This, in turn, nurtures not only their linguistic proficiency but also their cultural understanding. By combining skill-building with an appreciation for the artistry and spirit of Chinese characters, we can create a learning experience that is both meaningful and inspiring. This journey has shown me that when students connect with the beauty and rhythm of Chinese characters, they develop a deeper connection to the language and culture – a connection that can last a lifetime.
— Daisy Tsang, Grade School Mandarin Teacher
SWS Featured in Seattle’s Child Magazine!
The Art of Storytelling
We are so pleased to share that Seattle Waldorf School was featured in the most recent edition of Seattle’s Child Magazine in their article focused on the art of storytelling. Our very own, Grade 2 Class Teacher Laura Cox and Grade School Director, Dru Smith-Crain were interviewed and shared the importance of oral storytelling in Waldorf Education.
Laura Cox, grade 2 teacher, tells her class a story as part of the curriculum
At Waldorf schools, we fundamentally believe in storytelling. Student’s love for reading is nurtured through this immersive approach. Early years focus on oral language and storytelling, developing a love of story that helps build concentration and foster the joy of reading. Stories support the integration of knowledge, compassion, empathy, cultural competency, and artistry throughout the grade school journey. Students in the lower grades may hear a folktale that incorporates a lesson of community, while a middle school student may hear a biography of a courageous explorer or inventor.
This use of storytelling is relational – it varies with each telling and is created by everyone in the room, through voice, through imagination, through experience. In an academic setting, we know that stories become more entrenched in our learning because they incorporate facts with feelings. They also promote a flexibility of thinking by fostering imagination, memory, curiosity and wonder.
And research supports what we know and do in Waldorf Education. Students’ listening comprehension supports their reading comprehension which then fosters their literacy and writing outcomes. Students who have been surrounded by rich language and creativity, are able to interact with the world more creatively, compassionately, and with a deeper understanding.
What does a Winter Spiral offer our Community?
As we approach the Winter Spiral and the darkest days of the year, I find myself reflecting on my own journey with the cycles of light and darkness. Moving from the Desert Southwest, where sunlight reigns supreme, to the Pacific Northwest, where early darkness embraces us each day, has been a profound adjustment. Here, the absence of light calls for a deeper inward turn—a recognition of the quiet, sustaining light that resides within each of us.
The Winter Spiral is a moment in the year when we step into this rhythm consciously, marking the stillness of winter’s in-breath with reverence. Rudolf Steiner’s descriptions of the Earth’s yearly breathing help illuminate this profound time. At the winter solstice, the Earth holds its breath, drawing inward all its life forces, much like we do in moments of stillness and introspection. This “inhalation” creates a sanctuary within the Earth, and within ourselves, where the seeds of new life and light are quietly nurtured.
In the northern hemisphere, this is the time of deepest darkness, a time of rest and renewal as we await the return of light. However, in the southern hemisphere, the same date marks the summer solstice—the height of the Earth’s out-breathing, a celebration of the longest day and the fullness of light. This contrast reminds us of the Earth’s balance and the beauty of its cycles, which bring unique qualities to different parts of the world.
This theme of light in darkness is woven throughout the Waldorf curriculum, evolving with the child’s development. In early childhood, it is celebrated through the making of lanterns, simple yet profound symbols of the light we carry. In the lower grades, we hear stories of courage and hope, reminding us that even in the darkest times, light can emerge. In middle school, students explore the duality of light and shadow in their studies, deepening their understanding of its transformative power both scientifically and metaphorically, mirroring their own journeys of self-discovery.
This cycle of light and darkness mirrors ancient wisdom. Across cultures, the solstice has been a time of honoring the interplay between these forces. Celebrations like Shab-e Yalda, observed in Iran, remind us of this shared human impulse. During Yalda, families gather on the longest night of the year to share poetry, storytelling, and symbolic foods like pomegranates and watermelon, representing the renewal and vitality that light brings. This tradition, like so many others, reflects the universal longing to kindle hope and connection during the darkest times.
As we gather for the Winter Spiral, let us embrace this rhythm of the year and the opportunity it offers to pause and reflect. Together, we can nurture the light within ourselves and our community, trusting that it will guide us through the darkness and beyond.
May this season of quiet light bring you peace, warmth, and renewal.
With heartfelt warmth,
Dru Smith-Crain, Grade School Director