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Wayfinders at Meadowstone Farm
Wayfinders News
For families interested in joining for 2024/2025 (September start), we are currently accepting spots on our waiting list for the kindergarten age group and have three spots left in the primary age group.
If you are interested in joining, please fill out our discovery form below or email us!
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“The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.”
~ Joseph Campbell
About ~ Land and Facilities ~ Schedule ~ Mentors ~ Festivals ~ Contribution ~ Get in Touch
Wayfinders is a unique homeschooling support group run by a society of enthusiastic and warm-hearted parents on Salt Spring Island.
Together we form the Meadowstone Farm Community Society, of which we are all members. The purpose of this non-profit society is to create learning experiences for our own school-aged children. We rely on experienced Waldorf and Forest School educators to provide mentorship to the community.
We gather 3 days a week from September to June. The children learn and play in the fields, forest, hedgerows, and seashore of Meadowstone Farm.
Wayfinders is not a substitute for school, but a compliment to a home-based education. All children must be registered homeschoolers to attend.
The Wayfinders Community is committed to nurturing and guiding the whole child, while creating a learning environment which honours each individual. We uphold a holistic approach to education, one that integrates academics, arts, and practical skills, all while being surrounded by the beauty and wonder of the natural world. Children are encouraged to engage in hands-on-learning, exploration, and imaginative play, fostering a deep connection to the earth and all its inhabitants. Outside of our regular weekly session, families gather for seasonal celebrations, fundraising activities, and visioning meetings, which facilitates a positive community culture for children and adults alike. All families share a deep reverence for the natural world and a commitment to building a village model with children at the heart.
We group our children into two cohorts, a kindergarten group for ages 5-6 and a primary group for ages 7-10. Each group has activities and environments curated to their particular need and stage of development, while also spending together as a big mixed age community.
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Our Land and Facilities
Wayfinders takes place at Meadowstone Farm; 50 acres of forest and meadow, stretching from Fernwood Hill to Fernwood Point Beach.
The Meadowstone Farm Community Society, of which all Wayfinders parents are members, gratefully leases the land and structures from the landowners for a minimal yearly fee. This expense is shared equally amongst all parents and is one of the costs outlined under Your Contribution.
Our children experience forest trails, wild open fields, heritage orchards, and bird filled hedgerows. Along the seashore, they encounter eel grass beds, tide pools, mudflats filled with sand-dollars, and the ever changing vista of the Salish Sea.
We respectfully acknowledge that the forests, fields, and waters of Meadowstone Farm are within the ancestral and unceded traditional territory of the Hul’qumi’num and SENĆOŦEN speaking peoples.
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“Receive the children in reverence, educate them in love, and send them forth in freedom”
Schedule
Primary Group (ages 7-10)
Gathers on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9am - 3pm
Kindergarten Group (ages 5-6)
Gathers on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9am - 1pm with an option to stay from 1pm - 3pm for mature children.
Parent and Tot group (ages 1-3)
Thursday 10am - 12pm
The Primary Group begins their day at the outdoor classroom, with a morning circle around the fire, led by their main facilitator Reed. Around 9:30am they begin their journey around the farm and sometimes to the beach for a nature study. Nature study includes songs, stories, games, challenges and hands-on lessons, with their teacher Reed sharing her wealth of knowledge from 23 years of working as a naturalist and leading groups in the outdoors. They return to the outdoor classroom for lunch and then spend the afternoon from 1pm - 3pm inside the yurt. Classroom lessons in the yurt include bookwork to record their observations and experiences in the field. Indoor time also involves Waldorf extra main lessons, such as handwork, drawing, water colour painting, woodwork, and more, led by their co-facilitator Miss Carleen. The children experience each subject slowly and completely, using a holistic approach where they will be presented the topic, study it in a hands-on way, and record their learning. An example of this model is the November mushroom study: children searched for and identified mushrooms in the field, made mushroom spore prints for their nature journals, drew and labelled a blackboard diagram of mushroom physiology, and then needle felted examples of the real mushrooms they studied. The goal of this class is to follow a place-based curriculum, where children experience both directive and emergent learning, to expose children to hands-on opportunities and practical skills, and to offer opportunities for children to be observed and supported in their literacy and numeracy while keeping the focus on fun, connection, and exploration.
The Kindergarten Group is rooted in experiencing the magic of childhood through work and play. Their day begins with morning circle, songs, and movement exercises. Following the seasons and drawing inspiration from the farm setting, children then experience all the activities of a homestead, from cooking and baking to woodwork, handwork, nature crafts, and more. Next comes free play, where they process and learn about the world through the development of their imaginations. Each day involves at least an hour of outdoor time where children are immersed in the wonder of the farm and surrounding wild nature. Drawing from over 30 years of experience as a Waldorf Kindergarten teacher, their facilitator Miss Carleen guides their work and play with gentle loving authority and takes the time to deeply observe and understand each child’s individual nature. The precursors to more formal literacy and numeracy lessons are introduced through fine motor skills, storytelling, singing, rhythm games, and artwork. A focus on daily rhythm, exploration, social-emotional learning, and practical skills builds a strong foundation for the step up into the Primary Class.
The Parent and Tot Group is a short-term offering (7 sessions) that introduces you and your young child to the warm and magical setting of Wayfinders. The yurt is curated to encourage young children to explore with their senses in a safe and inviting atmosphere. During each class there are activities for both parent and baby. Miss Carleen will share a craft and host a talk on child development and Waldorf education. This is an opportunity to connect with other families, relax in a wholesome and nurturing environment, and glean fundamental tips and ideas for raising your young one.
The cost of this program is $110 for the 7 sessions
Please inquire to sign up!
Meet the mentors who facilitate Wayfinders
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I am an experienced and passionate educator who is dedicated to providing children with a holistic and nature based education. I have certification in Waldorf kindergarten, and have completed training in the Waldorf primary grades with the West Coast Institute of Anthroposophy. I have been running programs abroad, and mentoring and teaching children on Salt Spring island for over 35 years.
I have a deep understanding of child development, fostering creativity, imagination, and exploration, and have a strong commitment to creating a safe and nurturing environment for the children at Wayfinders. I enjoy facilitating activities that promote social, emotional and cognitive growth, such as storytelling, music, arts and handwork.
I am also deeply committed to building strong relationships while providing individualized support and guidance to help our community's children reach their full potential. It is always my aim to work collaboratively with parents and other teachers to create a responsive and inclusive community that values diversity, creativity, and a love of learning.
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I joined the Wayfinders program as teacher of the primary class in 2023 and bring a passion for sharing my appreciation for nature with children and adults of all ages, as well as extensive experience in developing and delivering hands-on, place based, environmental education programs. For over 23 years I have worked in parks, nature reserves, and other natural spaces leading outdoor environmental education programs. My programs focus on experiential learning through immersive activities in nature that span many disciplines including science, physical education, permaculture, the arts, outdoor skills, team-building and more. I infuse my programs with joy and play and also bring a knowledge and appreciation of plant medicine and making herbal preparations to my teaching. I live on the unceded territory of the Quw’utsun Tribes (Cowichan), Spune’luxutth (Penelakut), BOḰEĆEN (Paquachin), MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat), SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout), W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip), W̱SIḴEM (Tseycum), Tsawwassen and Stz'uminus Nations on Salt Spring Island with my partner and young daughter where we enjoy exploring the outdoors and connecting with community. I am enjoying working with Wayfinders families at Meadowstone farm.
Community Festivals at Wayfinders
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Flower Ceremony
During the first week of school we welcome the children to Wayfinders with a flower mandala. New and graduating children are honoured by passing a flower to one another.
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Harvest Festival
Around the autumn equinox we celebrate the abundance of the season with an outdoor community potluck.
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Ancestors Festival
At the end of October we honour our ancestors by sharing food from our cultural heritage and building a community altar.
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Advent Festival
Near the Winter Solstice we host an meditative walk around an evergreen spiral inside the yurt, entering the quiet and sacred time of togetherness and winter magic.
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Candelmas Festival
At the half-way point between winter and spring, in mid-February, we celebrate the end of the darkness by dipping candles and planting the first seeds.
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Easter Festival
At the spring equinox we gather for an Easter Egg Hunt and usually have the pleasure of a few spring farm animals visiting us!
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May Faire
Our biggest event of the year, the May Faire is a colourful, flower-filled, musical extravaganza. A highlight is dancing around the May Pole
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June Camping Trip
On the last day of school we reserve a campsite at Ruckle Park and enjoy a couple days of campfires, group meals, and outdoor play
Your Contribution
By joining Wayfinders, parents automatically gain membership in our non-profit society. The purpose of the society is to organize and run all aspects of the learning experiences, so being a member means required participation in governance and administration. Membership also means supporting the mentors financially, leasing the land and facilities, helping to build the learning spaces, providing supplies, and participating with your child.
For children joining from 9am - 3pm, $450 per month covers the mentors, facilities rental, and insurance. For children joining from 9am - 1pm, $300 per month covers these costs. Each families also contributes $100 per term, per child, to cover supplies (there are three terms in the year).
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Enjoy a look at our vision board to see the inspiration for our facilities and endeavours on the land
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Interested in joining?
We set up a personal phone call and program visit for all interested families. Share you information below and we will be in touch to book our time together!