Guest Blogger: Spanish Language Teacher, Emily Affolter

I had the opportunity to visit the Waldorf school in Cuernavaca, Mexico over our professional development week. The school is located at the North end of the city of Cuernavaca in the state of Morelos. It was an inviting outdoor space, with tropical gardens, (both edible and decorative), fountains, and impressive child-built wooden sculptures. It had an elaborate outdoor composting and recycling system, as well as a biodynamic cafe for students, parents, and faculty. The school’s most recent addition is a beautiful straw bale kindergarten built collectively by parents, students, and faculty over the summer.

In addition to a tour and conversations with the school’s admissions director, I attended a main lesson and watercolor class in the third grade, as well as an English Language class in the second grade. The children were thriving, and the teachers passionate, patient, and welcoming. The Waldorf pedagogy is like a global values passport. Although Bright Water School and Cuernavaca Waldorf have distinct geographical and cultural differences, there was an inviting familiarity to their school: a common way of teaching, knowing, and doing things, that made the experience all the more magical.

I connected with the school’s English teacher (of Mexican origin), and we have begun a pen pal correspondence between our seventh graders. We were both enthusiastic to collaborate, and provide our students the opportunity to take part in these cross-cultural conversations.