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5th Grade Waldorf Pentathlon

May 13, 2022

Pentathlon is On!

For the first time ever, The Denver Waldorf School will host numerous schools in the region for the 5th Grade Waldorf Pentathlon on May 13th, including:

  • Boulder Valley Waldorf School (Niwot, Colorado)
  • Shining Mountain Waldorf School (Boulder, Colorado)
  • North Fork School of Integrated Studies (Paonia, Colorado)
  • Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork (Carbondale, Colorado)
  • Santa Fe Waldorf School (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
  • Prairie Moon Waldorf School (Lawrence, Kansas)

Families of participating students are welcome to join us for a day full of fun, community, nobility, grace, and honor.

About the 5th Grade Waldorf Pentathlon

Every spring in a Waldorf school, the 5th grade class studies Greek civilization, learning about the government, history, mythology and culture. As a culmination of the students’ studies, they participate in a Pentathlon, which is an athletic event based on the ancient Greek games. As with all aspects of our Waldorf curriculum, the event is designed to relate directly to the students’ learning and development, bringing relevancy and enthusiasm for their studies. Grouped into five City States- Sparta, Athens, Corinth, Ithaca, and Thebes, the students compete in the following events:

  • Long run
  • Long jump
  • Discus
  • Sprint
  • Javelin
  • Wrestling
Throughout their training and also on the day of the event, students observe the nobility, compassion, and uprightness of each athlete. This also provides an alternate understanding of competition to what is often displayed in our modern popular culture.

In preparation for the festivities, the students also write odes to their favorite Greek goddess or god and recite their compositions to those gathered as part of the opening ceremonies. The ritual opening, with the lighting of the torch and the offering of poems, very much sets a beautiful tone for the day. While the children put forth their best efforts in achieving results in speed and distance, more important is their display of grace, beauty, and form.

About The Denver Waldorf School

The Denver Waldorf School is an urban pre-K through 12 independent school in Colorado. Founded in 1974 on Rudolf Steiner’s humanitarian curriculum, DWS believes education should foster what it is to be human, cultivate lifelong curiosity, and inspire a love for the world. We are currently enrolling for in-person learning:

Want to learn more about us? Learn more about our in-person and virtual events., read our blog, or take a listen to our podcast.

Details

A new experience of color and a reminder of community. While our hallways and classrooms have been quiet, there is still much happening behind the scenes here at school!

Our main hallway now welcomes all who journey through to experience the movement and progression of color thanks to this refresh of lazure painting - a technique of applying paint in layers that receives light and illuminates color. Many thanks to @lazure.art.charlesandrade for guiding our teachers through this lazure workshop - it is always wonderful to see what we can accomplish when we work in community. We are grateful to our hardworking faculty and staff for pouring their hearts into bringing beauty, warmth, and light into our spaces.

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Open post by denverwaldorf with ID 18025719308852738
A new experience of color and a reminder of community. While our hallways and classrooms have been quiet, there is still much happening behind the scenes here at school! Our main hallway now welcomes all who journey through to experience the movement and progression of color thanks to this refresh of lazure painting - a technique of applying paint in layers that receives light and illuminates color. Many thanks to @lazure.art.charlesandrade for guiding our teachers through this lazure workshop - it is always wonderful to see what we can accomplish when we work in community. We are grateful to our hardworking faculty and staff for pouring their hearts into bringing beauty, warmth, and light into our spaces.

With joyful anticipation, we welcomed our newest families to campus this morning for our New Family Breakfast! 🌟

It was a wonderful gift to be able to gather together on the playground and look forward to the year ahead by meeting new friends, sharing conversation, and watching children connect through play. Moments like these remind us of the beauty of our school community and of the thoughtful, intentional choice that brings each family to Waldorf education.

We feel very grateful to welcome all of the new families into our community and to share in the journey ahead together. Here’s to a new school year ahead filled with connection, discovery, belonging, and a deepening of our community.

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Open post by denverwaldorf with ID 18082980086683350
With joyful anticipation, we welcomed our newest families to campus this morning for our New Family Breakfast! 🌟 It was a wonderful gift to be able to gather together on the playground and look forward to the year ahead by meeting new friends, sharing conversation, and watching children connect through play. Moments like these remind us of the beauty of our school community and of the thoughtful, intentional choice that brings each family to Waldorf education. We feel very grateful to welcome all of the new families into our community and to share in the journey ahead together. Here’s to a new school year ahead filled with connection, discovery, belonging, and a deepening of our community.

If you’ve ever witnessed our kindergarten transition from outside play to indoor snack, I’m sure you have wondered how our teachers get a group of young children to react so quickly and peacefully. The children hear the cue from their teacher for cleanup in a gentle, singing voice and they immediately move to pick up all the toys. There is no barking or nagging - simply, it is rhythm! 

In our Waldorf kindergarten, the day unfolds in a predictable rhythm, which intentionally flows between complementary activities - what we often describe as the “in breath,” for quiet or focused activity, like storytime, rest, or snack, and the “out breath” of social interaction and free play. The children are guided by familiar songs, consistent routines, and the teacher’s quiet yet intentional modeling. 

When children know what to expect, they feel a sense of comfort, safety, and order, easing transitions throughout the day - promoting a harmonious classroom environment and opening themselves to the world around them!

Comment “ECE” to schedule a tour and see what our Early Childhood Program is all about! And new this fall - we look forward to introducing our Nursery Program (serving 2.5 - 4.5 year olds) at a satellite location in University Park.

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Open post by denverwaldorf with ID 18336104953264965
If you’ve ever witnessed our kindergarten transition from outside play to indoor snack, I’m sure you have wondered how our teachers get a group of young children to react so quickly and peacefully. The children hear the cue from their teacher for cleanup in a gentle, singing voice and they immediately move to pick up all the toys. There is no barking or nagging - simply, it is rhythm!  In our Waldorf kindergarten, the day unfolds in a predictable rhythm, which intentionally flows between complementary activities - what we often describe as the “in breath,” for quiet or focused activity, like storytime, rest, or snack, and the “out breath” of social interaction and free play. The children are guided by familiar songs, consistent routines, and the teacher’s quiet yet intentional modeling.  When children know what to expect, they feel a sense of comfort, safety, and order, easing transitions throughout the day - promoting a harmonious classroom environment and opening themselves to the world around them! Comment “ECE” to schedule a tour and see what our Early Childhood Program is all about! And new this fall - we look forward to introducing our Nursery Program (serving 2.5 - 4.5 year olds) at a satellite location in University Park.

There is more and more commentary about needing a revamped educational system for the future - one that isn’t about more testing, more worksheets, and more memorization. Instead, we need an education that fosters resilience, adaptability, compassion, and confidence. We need an education where childhood is honored through creative play, a connection to nature, and purposeful work. We need a learning environment that prioritizes creativity and critical thinking to make a meaningful lesson. We need a human-centered approach that values being well-rounded develops head, heart, and hands.

And...this education already exists! This is the gift of our Waldorf education - where we prepare students not just for college but for life beyond - with readiness to contribute to the ever-changing world all around them.

Interested in learning more about our K-12 education? Comment “WALDORF” for a direct link to schedule a tour today!

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Open post by denverwaldorf with ID 17939617854075781
There is more and more commentary about needing a revamped educational system for the future - one that isn’t about more testing, more worksheets, and more memorization. Instead, we need an education that fosters resilience, adaptability, compassion, and confidence. We need an education where childhood is honored through creative play, a connection to nature, and purposeful work. We need a learning environment that prioritizes creativity and critical thinking to make a meaningful lesson. We need a human-centered approach that values being well-rounded develops head, heart, and hands. And...this education already exists! This is the gift of our Waldorf education - where we prepare students not just for college but for life beyond - with readiness to contribute to the ever-changing world all around them. Interested in learning more about our K-12 education? Comment “WALDORF” for a direct link to schedule a tour today!

The chalkboard in a Waldorf classroom holds a greater value than to just quickly convey information. The intention with which our teachers bring to life their chalkboards is much deeper. It is to infuse beauty. Inspire wonder. Foster curiosity. Enhance engagement. Cultivate creativity. The artful chalk drawings are invitations for imagination and enthusiasm for learning.

When the world around us pushes towards AI and digital shortcuts, we cherish the process of becoming, the joy of learning, and that which makes us human.

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Open post by denverwaldorf with ID 18108439591817937
The chalkboard in a Waldorf classroom holds a greater value than to just quickly convey information. The intention with which our teachers bring to life their chalkboards is much deeper. It is to infuse beauty. Inspire wonder. Foster curiosity. Enhance engagement. Cultivate creativity. The artful chalk drawings are invitations for imagination and enthusiasm for learning. When the world around us pushes towards AI and digital shortcuts, we cherish the process of becoming, the joy of learning, and that which makes us human.

Our goal is not simply to have students recall information. The result we aim for in Waldorf education is to cultivate lifelong curiosity and develop the capacities to be creative, independent thinkers.

We recognize that this doesn’t happen through memorization alone, but through meaningful experience. In our studies of science, for example, our teachers use what is called a phenomenological approach, guiding students to carefully observe natural phenomena, make hypotheses about what they are seeing, and draw conclusions through their own thinking.

Concepts are broken down into lived experiences, allowing understanding to emerge before definitions are introduced. Rather than telling students what to think, we invite them to discover and connect ideas for themselves. Learning becomes more than something to recall - it becomes true understanding that they will carry with them long after the lesson ends.

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Open post by denverwaldorf with ID 18106434368014682
Our goal is not simply to have students recall information. The result we aim for in Waldorf education is to cultivate lifelong curiosity and develop the capacities to be creative, independent thinkers. We recognize that this doesn’t happen through memorization alone, but through meaningful experience. In our studies of science, for example, our teachers use what is called a phenomenological approach, guiding students to carefully observe natural phenomena, make hypotheses about what they are seeing, and draw conclusions through their own thinking. Concepts are broken down into lived experiences, allowing understanding to emerge before definitions are introduced. Rather than telling students what to think, we invite them to discover and connect ideas for themselves. Learning becomes more than something to recall - it becomes true understanding that they will carry with them long after the lesson ends.

Each day in our Waldorf kindergarten classrooms you will find the children engaging in purposeful work. Whether working alongside our teachers in preparing snack, washing dishes, caring for our toys, digging in the garden, or helping with laundry - our kindergartners participate fully in practical, meaningful work.

Developing their sense of pride and purpose, the students come to learn that small acts done with great love grow a community, build their foundation for growth, and show reverence for the world we share.

Schedule a tour today to see what our Early Childhood Program is all about. And new this fall - we look forward to introducing our Nursery Program (serving 2.5 - 4.5 year olds) at a satellite location in University Park.

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Open post by denverwaldorf with ID 18562424149068974
Each day in our Waldorf kindergarten classrooms you will find the children engaging in purposeful work. Whether working alongside our teachers in preparing snack, washing dishes, caring for our toys, digging in the garden, or helping with laundry - our kindergartners participate fully in practical, meaningful work. Developing their sense of pride and purpose, the students come to learn that small acts done with great love grow a community, build their foundation for growth, and show reverence for the world we share. Schedule a tour today to see what our Early Childhood Program is all about. And new this fall - we look forward to introducing our Nursery Program (serving 2.5 - 4.5 year olds) at a satellite location in University Park.

More and more schools across the country are implementing screen time limits in the classroom to meet the backlash against reliance on digital devices. But - keeping iPads, Chromebooks, and personal devices out of our elementary classrooms has always been a mainstay of our Waldorf education. Before technology becomes a tool for learning, we focus on fostering the human capacities that make learning possible - imagination, curiosity, and wonder. Schedule a tour and come see what Waldorf education is all about.

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Open post by denverwaldorf with ID 18101737031334787
More and more schools across the country are implementing screen time limits in the classroom to meet the backlash against reliance on digital devices. But - keeping iPads, Chromebooks, and personal devices out of our elementary classrooms has always been a mainstay of our Waldorf education. Before technology becomes a tool for learning, we focus on fostering the human capacities that make learning possible - imagination, curiosity, and wonder. Schedule a tour and come see what Waldorf education is all about.

The creation of a main lesson book is a unique element of Waldorf education. Rather than using traditional textbooks, our students create their own main lesson book as a compilation of all of their findings during the block course. They combine art, writing, diagramming, and more to collectively demonstrate their understanding of the subject. It not only serves as documentation, but also as an active learning tool to synthesize the material from the lesson. Learning is not passive in our classrooms, but rather is alive, engaging, relevant, and deeply meaningful. // shown here are pages from our 7th grade students’ main lesson books

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Open post by denverwaldorf with ID 18031039676643584
The creation of a main lesson book is a unique element of Waldorf education. Rather than using traditional textbooks, our students create their own main lesson book as a compilation of all of their findings during the block course. They combine art, writing, diagramming, and more to collectively demonstrate their understanding of the subject. It not only serves as documentation, but also as an active learning tool to synthesize the material from the lesson. Learning is not passive in our classrooms, but rather is alive, engaging, relevant, and deeply meaningful. // shown here are pages from our 7th grade students’ main lesson books

PreK-12th Grade

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The Denver Waldorf School

2100 S. Pennsylvania St.
Denver, CO 80210
p) 303-777-0531
f) 303-744-1216
[email protected]

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