Class Descriptions:

Mondays: Taiko Drumming & Origami
(Grades 1-4)

Taiko Drumming is a musical exercise as well as a physical exercise, played in a group setting; involving the whole body and developing a harmonious group piece. In Japan it is important to balance Sei (quietness) and Dou (activeness) in our life. Through the practice of Taiko Drumming, the children experience this balance, while learning new skills. TBWS’s Taiko Drumming group will perform in the Cherry Blossom Festival in the Botanical Gardens. Origami (from oru meaning "folding", and gami meaning "paper") is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. The goal of this art is to create a representation of an object using geometric folds and crease patterns, preferably without gluing or cutting the paper, and using only one piece of paper. Coordinated work of both hands when folding origami helps with the development of motor skills, as well as attention, memory, and imagination processes. The benefits gained from folding origami models are very valuable. As the interest in the art of origami increases, so do the uses and benefits. That is why this ancient art form still continues to intrigue people all around the world!
*This class is available for the full program (Taiko Drumming and Origami, 3-6 pm) or Taiko drumming only (3-4:30 pm)

Chess Club
(Grades 3-4*) Forget everything you thought you knew about this primordial game. For over a thousand years, chess has captivated kings and charlatans alike. Often mistaken for a stale contest of "who can compute the farthest", chess is not a test of intelligence. It's an imaginative sport. --a creative collaboration which, like music or dance, is a language unto itself.
Nathan will be sharing his passion for the game with the children (and any parents who dare). It makes no difference if you don't know a pawn from a rook. We'll be duking it out, freestyle, in no time at all.
Chess encourages confidence, decision making and determination. It demands that we assert an idea, fearlessly stand behind it, and then be flexible when the landscape changes. We’ll neither be precious, nor fearful of our mistakes; we will learn from them. Chess will be a forum for taking risks, trusting our gut, and taking pride both in victory and in defeat. We’ll practice respect, humility, and sportsmanship. Above all, we’ll have a wood-pushing, rip-roaring (maybe a touch of smack-talking), good time in which every game becomes an action-adventure featuring a plot co-written by you. 
*If you are interested in your class, and you child is not in this age group, please contact afterschool@brooklynwaldorf.org

Springtime Craft Play
We will create beautiful, simple arts and crafts projects inspired by nature, animals and the seasons. We'll use natural materials and playfully explore the creative process through nature crafts,with paints,arts, simple bookmaking, paper mache,simple handwork, marbleizing, and nature prints, to name a few projects. Come prepared with an old t-shirt or smock that is OK to get messy!

Wildflowers: After School Group Collaborative Play
Play and make stuff! Collaborate and build social skills. Sensory – tactile art making allows for unique individual attention – yet everyone gets to lead in the collaborative play.

Wednesdays: Capoiera
(Grades K-4)

Capoeira is a 400-year-old martial art that blends music, dance, singing, and acrobatics to create a holistic approach to teaching self-defense.  Capoeira is an excellent activity for kids. Capoeira is a complete sport that involves all the muscles of the body but it also helps them to develop a wide variety of skills including: balance, focus and singing. Last but not least they have a lot of fun! Each student's talents and interests are celebrated to produce a learning experience that is both planned and spontaneous. This program will promote self-awareness and inner growth, and knowledge of Brazilian culture, the meaning of community and the importance of respecting and loving one another. Proper Attire: t-shirt, sneakers, and sweat pants.

Thursdays: Ice Skating & Indoor Climbing
(Grades K-4)

Ice Skating: We will begin with Ice Skating at Wollman Rink in Prospect Park. Orlando Colon and Michael Kraur assist and teach the student in the ice skating skills. We travel via subway and return back to school by 6pm. A portion of the materials fee for this program covers the admissions fee for ice skating at Wollman Rink in Prospect Park. Skate rental at Wollman Rink is an additional $5.50 per day, which is not included; however, purchasing beginner skates for your child may be more cost-effective. Skates at www.toysrus.com are priced from $14- $115. If your child does not have skates, you will need to provide them with the $5.50 skate rental fee.

Indoor Climbing: Once the Ice Skating season terminates, we will head to Brooklyn Boulders (www.brooklynboulders.com) for Indoor Rock Climbing, starting March 18! Learn how to scale up and down a rock climbing wall, in a safe and fun environment. Adults will supervise and participate along with the children, who will challenge themselves to a wide variety of bouldering and climbing courses. Both bouldering (climbing on a wall, over a thick protective mat without harness) and climbing (with a harness, rope and partner) will be done… and maybe even some tight rope!  

Fridays: A Trip to China: Storytelling Through Yoga & Chinese Painting & Calligraphy
(Grades 1-4)

Chinese Storytelling Through Yoga
Yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning “union” of the mind, body, and spirit. Through yoga asanas, or the practice of physical poses, this class will tell a story together through the actions of the body. As the story is told aloud in Mandarin, the students will playfully engage their breath and to connect to their body, mind, and heart. 

Chinese Calligraphy & Painting 
When meaningful Chinese Characters are energetically brushed with black ink onto paper, one begins to grasp the depth and insight of 3,000 years of Chinese culture and history. Students will explore the discipline and freedom of energy, "qi," through the practice of Chinese ink brushwork. 

Fridays: Action Theater Workshop
(Grades 2-4)

Action Theater Workshop will begin and end with yoga exercises for warming and centering the body and mind and also for winding down.  Action Theater is training comprised of exercises and ideas using movement and voice, that expand awareness, stimulate imagination, strengthen the capacity for feeling, and develop skills of expression, through structured improvisations.  Children are master improvisers.  They make things up on the spot all the time. Action Theater celebrates this and gives structures which teach control, patience, awareness, and choice while appreciating the uniqueness of each improviser. This class will be led by Valerie Striar.

Saturdays: Mandarin Chinese

Chinese Circle Time (ages 1.5-6 with parent/caregiver)
10:30-11:30am
Through Chinese songs, rhymes, finger play, and puppetry, children will be immersed in the Chinese language. Simple games and activities will be incorporated as appropriate for the age group. each family receives a song bood and accompanying CD.

Faculty

Hiro Kurashima is a Brooklyn-based master Taiko drummer. In addition to performing Taiko drumming around the greater New York area, he teaches Taiko drumming to kids and families. He was a member of the Lincoln Center Teaching Artist Program in 2004 and 2005. Ever since, he has visited hundreds of schools in the tri-state area and introduced this unique music and Japanese culture. Although busy performing with his band "Taiko Masala," he has organized five local Taiko groups of kids and families who very active in their areas performing at local festivals and events.

Chikako Miyoshi Rabinovich was born and raised in Japan. She taught the afterschool program "Yummies Around the World" last year. She also assists in handwork class for the grades. She is a certified Pilates teacher and Feldenkrais practitioner, currently teaching in Brooklyn and Manhattan. She is also in early grades teacher training at Sunbridge College. She is the mother of 2 children (3rd grade and kindergarten) at TBWS.

Michael Krauer holds a masters degree in creative arts therapy from Pratt Institute. Michael is an expert at attending to the individual and facilitating the group. He has worked with children as a clinician at Lifeline, a special education school in Queens, and instructor and program developer at A-Ha! Learning Partners, an innovative learning center for infants and toddlers in Manhattan. Michael is currently working with older adults suffering from Alzheimers and Dementia at the Friendship Center, part of the Jamaica Service Program for Older Adults.

Hilary Pharr is an artist and art educator who has worked with children in various schools and outreach programs in New York City, including the Children's Museum of Manhattan, Community Word Project, Marquis Studios, and The Brooklyn Waldorf School. She has a BA in visual art from Hampshire College, and is also a graduate of Green Meadow Waldorf School in Spring Valley, NY.

Nathan Rosenberg, is a Waldorf parent, a musician, a composer, producer and a bona fide chess nerd. He is not a chess educator --which is why this will not be your grandma's chess class.

Clyde Goés Morgan, a native of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, began studying the Martial Art, Capoeira, at an early age with various Brazilian masters. He made his first stage appearance at The Fine Arts Theater of The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee at the age of 7 in a dance entitled "The Initiate." Since that time he has performed with the Afro-Brazilian Dance Ensemble ALAFIA in the United States, Brazil and Jamaica. He has studied with Capoeira masters Jelon Vieira, Cobra Mansa and Ciro Trinidade.

Orlando Colon is Waldorf trained and nearing the end of the five-year training in Spatial Dynamics at the Spatial Dynamics Institute, Mechanicville, MA. Orlando comes to us after 3 years of teaching at the Los Charcos Waldorf School in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where he taught a bilingual class as a grades teacher. Mr Colon was also a lead counselor and assistant teacher at the Garden City Waldorf School. His received his Waldorf Teachers Certificate at the Antioch University, Keene, New Hampshire and his culinary training at the Culinary Center at the New School University, NY. He is father to Lilian (1st Grade).

Valerie Striar is a Waldorf parent, teacher, choreographer and performing artist. Her work has been presented in theaters both nationally and internationally. She began dancing at the age of 5 and performing not long after that. She is a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellow. She brings a love for the art of improvisation, using the body, sound and words as the tools of expression. She has studied with many great teachers including Ruth Zapora who created Action Theater. Valerie has taught young acting students at the Marjorie Ballentine School of Dramatic Arts among other NY schools. She taught Action Theater last spring at BWS and had a great time. Valerie also studies Non-Violent Communication and tries to teach from this awareness.

Bing Han, a native Mandarin speaker, obtained her Early Childhood Teaching Certification and MSEd. from Sunbridge College. She has four years of experience working with children as an Early Childhood Educator and Mandarin Teacher. Bing started learning and practicing calligraphy since she was six. She is delighted to have the opportunity to bring Mandarin Chinese to students using the Waldorf method.

Rosalyn Mok currently teaches Mandarin in the Lower School at TBWS.  She received her BA/BFA at Parsons School of Design & Eugene Lang College at the New School University,  furthering her studies abroad in both China and Taiwan.  While in Taiwan, she spent time teaching Chinese folk art to children at the Taipei Children's Art Museum;  and upon returning from Asia, began teaching Mandarin to students from 1st to 8th Grade.  Rosalyn recently completed her Anusara Yoga Teacher Training Certification and is pursuing her passions:  teaching yoga, teaching Chinese language and culture, and teaching children.

Mr. Ning Yuan Yu is an award winning scholar and teaching artist. He has taught Chinese language and culture for over 16 years. While in China, he studied Chinese lIterature and writing at Beiging Luxun Literature College and Sociology in Beijing University. He recieved his M.S. of Education in Waldorf Education from Sunbridge College.