We are pleased to announce that Ms. Frances will be joining the school as the rising First Grade teacher. While working as an assistant in with Ms. Heidi in the Magnolia Kindergarten, Ms. Frances has been pursuing her Master of Arts in Teaching at the University of New Orleans. Taking courses on literacy development, classroom management, children’s literature, and science inquiry, she has been able to combine her Waldorf classroom experience with broader perspectives in education. Frances has grounded her Waldorf experience and solidified her belief that we are doing the best work to develop the whole child. Her appreciation for these students and their families and the fulfilling nature of the work will all help her to overcome her sadness to be leaving the kindergarten.
In addition to her roles of teacher and student, Ms. Frances is also an artist. Before joining the Magnolia Kindergarten, Ms. Frances worked at an art gallery and with local art markets. Her hours have changed dramatically from those days, but she continues to paint, quilt, sew, and crochet. It was this interest in the arts and in student development that first prompted her to join us at the Peniston location. After learning about the emphasis on play, arts-integration, and time spent outdoors, she knew it was a community she would be thrilled to be a part of long-term as a teacher. She looks forward to the introduction of form drawing and knitting for her students!
Waldorf students are ready for the world. They are compassionate and hard-working, intent on understanding and improving their communities. So many of the qualities that Waldorf promotes will continue to serve the students throughout their lives. With problem-solving skills, stamina, and joy students might strike out on their own courageous adventures and see where the path leads them. It is with great pleasure that Ms. Frances helps her students move forward on a path towards the journey to become life-long learners.