The Waldorf Academy Toronto is pleased to announce the release of a new report providing a glimpse into the world of Waldorf schools - in particular, the school’s annual Rose ceremony.
A biannual tradition unique to Waldorf schools, the rose ceremony is an event of great significance to the students of Waldorf Academy. The ceremony is a celebration of the potential for each student to achieve great things in their lives. As stated in the report, “Moments such as welcomes and farewells are precious, and demand observing; our formal embracing of these moments are an integral part of our way of life and our community.” The ceremony happens twice a year on both the first and last day of school, with the one at the start of the year celebrating the arrival of the youngest students to the school and the one at the end of the year celebrating the transition of the older students to either high school or university.
The ceremony on the first day involves a student entering their final year at Waldorf escorting a student entering their first year through the hall during school assembly where they give them a rose which the first grader then places into a vase at the front. The vase is added to by each student to create a beautiful bouquet at the end and then brought back to the classroom after the ceremony. Each year, either the students sing or the orchestra plays or a teacher tells a story to the students. At the end of the year, the same first year students present graduating students with a rose to say goodbye. The school cares greatly about the wellbeing of their students, prompting a number of people to speak positively about Waldorf at https://www.yelp.ca/biz/waldorf-academy-toronto.
The ceremony is important to both the first year students, as it helps them feel welcomed by the oldest students at the school, as well the rest of the school, and serves as a way to say goodbye for the final year students. Waldorf sees great meaning in certain moments in the life of a child and makes an effort to ensure that each important moment in a child’s life is properly recognized. The end of year ceremony gives children the chance to think back on their time at the school and all the memories made and lessons learned there.
Originally, the ceremony was only for students and staff but it has since opened up to parents and other members of the worldwide Waldorf school community. The students appreciate the time taken by Waldorf Academy to recognize and observe the transition from one stage in their lives to another.
Roses are a powerful symbol representing love, remembrance, loss, and a number of other things. Their complex petal structures, luxurious scents, and beautiful colors represent the multitude of opportunities students may take advantage of as they grow older. “Our students take their role in the rose ceremony very seriously—older students understand that in walking up the young students, they are guides in their journey, and they often gift them with handmade necklaces, for instance,” notes Waldorf Academy. “As they start the beginning of the end of their stay with us, it helps them understand their responsibility to those behind them, following in their footsteps. Teachers take this moment to celebrate their students with songs infused with hope and the possibility they see in their young charges.”
Waldorf Academy Toronto caters to children between the ages of 2 and 14. The school takes a holistic approach to children’s education, making sure to pay attention to every aspect of a child’s development. They specialize in an arts-based approach to learning, making it a fun and engaging endeavor for children of all ages.
For more information on the school, read about them in their press release at http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/4083422, or contact Jennifer Deathe of the Waldorf Academy.
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For more information about Waldorf Academy, contact the company here:
Waldorf Academy
Jennifer Deathe
416-962-6447
jdeathe@waldorfacademy.org
250 Madison Avenue Toronto, Ontario M4V 2W6
