Epoch lessons

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Epoch teaching or epoch teaching is a special form of timetable design and the structure of lessons in schools. For a certain period of time ( epoch ), the side by side of the subjects should be canceled in order to linger more concentrated on a subject. This is to be the purpose

  • to secure a subject before other subjects for which it is intended to create a basis, or
  • to relate different subjects to a common theme for the purpose of lighting from different perspectives (e.g. "Our City" from a biological, historical, political, artistic, geographical, ... point of view).

Epoch lessons at the Waldorf School

Morning verse for the lower grades (1 - 4)
Morning verse for the upper classes (5 - 12)

This type of teaching is used in particular in the context of Rudolf Steiner's pedagogy at Waldorf schools . At Waldorf schools, most subjects up to grade 12 are taught in the form of epochs. An epoch usually lasts three weeks, in a few subjects rarely four weeks. The main lesson takes place in the first double period of each day. During this period, the students have the same subject every day . A three-week epoch corresponds to one lesson that would be taught over a whole year.

In the 1st to 8th grades, epoch lessons are usually given by the class teacher , but can also be given by specialist teachers if required . In the upper level, which begins in grade 9 in Waldorf schools, epoch lessons are always given by specialist teachers.

In addition to the “main epoch”, some Waldorf schools also have so-called “second” or “secondary epochs”, which occur at a later point in the day and can also have a different number of hours. At some Waldorf schools, for example, in addition to the main lessons, the artisanal and artistic lessons (HKU) take place in epoch form, but only about three times a week, but over a longer period of time: the artisanal and artistic subjects alternate every eight to ten weeks.

So that it is possible for the students in the beginning grades to get through up to 105 minutes of epoch lessons without a break, it is divided into several parts:

  • The main lesson begins with a contemplative “morning verse” and the “rhythmic part”, in which the pupils prepare to work together. Here - partly independent of the subject - choral recitation, rhythmic clapping or music is played or B. practiced the multiplication tables. In the upper school this time can also be used to discuss the previous day's events or philosophical questions.
  • The lesson begins with a review of the previous day's topic (including homework discussion and deepening), then new material is worked out together, if possible.
  • Afterwards, the students have the extensive opportunity to practice the new learning content; They should remove ambiguities through mutual help or questions to the teacher.
  • The lesson continues with a discussion of the results of this "practice part", the outlook for the following day and the list of homework.
  • In science lessons, for example, demonstration experiments are preferably shown at the end of the main lesson for pure observation and are only described by the students the following morning after they have mentally processed the impressions in their sleep and then reflected on and evaluated together.

Care is taken not to deviate from this fixed scheme too often. Exceptions are days on which class tests are written. The morning verse is also spoken on such days, the rhythmic part is partially retained. In the upper level, if a more complex theory is to be introduced coherently, the normal scheme can also be deviated from.

In addition to epoch lessons, it is customary in the upper level of most Waldorf schools to set up weekly practice periods in the subjects of German and mathematics.

This can be deepened significantly through the intensive occupation with the central topic in the context of the epoch lessons on consecutive days.

literature

  • Helmut Kamm (Hrsg.): Epoch teaching: Basics - Models - Practical reports . 1st edition. Klinkhardt, Bad Heilbrunn / Obb. 2000, ISBN 3-7815-1121-9 .
  • Klaus Prange : Education for Anthroposophy: Presentation and Critique of Waldorf Education . 3. to post a post. probably edition. Klinkhardt, Bad Heilbrunn / Obb 2000, ISBN 3-7815-1089-1 .
  • Jürgen Rekus, Dieter Hintz (Hrsg.): New school pedagogical dictionary . 4th edition. Beltz-Juventa, Weinheim Basel 2013, ISBN 978-3-7799-2859-1 .
  • Peter Köck, Hans Ott: Dictionary for education and instruction . 3100 terms from the fields of education, didactics, psychology, sociology, social affairs. Auer, Hamburg 2002, ISBN 978-3-403-02455-2 .

Web links