Ngā āheitanga |
Key Capacities

Key Capacities 

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Refer to the SEANZ Curriculum Guidelines 2015 for an explanation of the Key Competencies à Key Capacities expansion. 

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The adaptation included here was originally developed by the Waikato Waldorf School. 

 

Thinking 

Students who are competent thinkers 

 

• Actively seek, use and create knowledge 

 

• Reflect on their own learning 

 

• Draw on personal knowledge and intuitions 

 

• Ask questions 

 

• Challenge the basis of assumptions and perceptions 

 

• Use creative, critical and meta-cognitive processes to make sense of information, experiences and ideas 

 

As their capacity to ‘think’ is unfolding, students 

 

• Show curiosity in their lessons 

 

• Show their thinking in pictures, illustrations and colour choices 

 

• Model their learning from the teacher’s example 

 

• Innovate new ideas from the modelled example when they are ready (Class 3 à) 

 

• Are empathetic to the lives of others (contemporary, historical and future) 

 

• Explore concepts imaginatively through music, drama and visual arts 

 

• Create their understanding of the modern world through learning about and reflecting on the Ancient and historical world (Class 5 à) 

 

• Use rhythm, sound and movement to learn new skills 

 

• Develop an understanding of new concepts by working from the whole to the parts, and from the practical to the abstract 

 

• Use self-assessment strategies to review their own work (Class 5 à) 

 

• Use peer assessment strategies to give feedback to others (Class 6 à) 

To support students’ unfolding capacity to ‘think’, teachers 

 

• Provide a rhythm of learning that supports children to develop thinking capacities 

 

• Are skilled observers of children who ensure appropriate support is provided 

 

• Do not teach meta-cognition explicitly but weave opportunities for thinking into their lesson methodology 

 

• Plan thoroughly while being responsive to the need of the children 

 

• Take up child study opportunities to ensure they meet the needs of the children 

 

• Strive to develop a sound understanding of concepts before teaching them 

 

• Continually strive to deepen their Anthroposophical knowledge and understanding 

 

• Use opportunities to develop their professional competence 

 

• Are world citizens who strive to create and carry their own analysis of contemporary and historical information, events and ideas 

 

 

Using Language, Symbols and Texts 

Students who are competent users of language, symbols and text 

 

• Interpret and use words, number, images, movement, metaphor and technologies in a range of contexts 

 

• Recognise how choices of language, symbols and  

text affect people’s understanding 

 

• Confidently use ICT to access and provide information 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As their capacity to use language, symbols and text is unfolding, students 

 

 

• Learn to create accurate, beautiful and informative Main Lesson books 

 

• Confidently, clearly and accurately recite verses and poems 

 

• Speak and sing clearly and accurately 

 

• Have a sound sense of story (through hearing many narratives told by their teachers) 

 

• Competently participate in drama and movement to tell stories 

 

• Communicate ideas, feelings and information through evocative and carefully rendered illustrations 

 

• Tell stories through pictures 

 

• Recognise how choices of language, symbols and text affect people’s understanding (Class 5 à) 

 

• Write beautifully and accurately in cursive script that enhances the content of their work 

 

• Use a wide and imaginative vocabulary in their story telling 

 

• Work with Form Drawing and Eurythmy to create a sound basis for writing and reading 

 

• Use language, symbols and text to connect the past to the present and future 

 

• Deepen their sense of the English language through learning Te Reo, German and other languages, as well as Eurythmy 

 

 

 

 

 

To support students’ unfolding capacity to use language, symbols and text, teachers 

 

• Have mastered language to a high level, both of theoretical understanding and use/application 

 

• Model excellence in script and illustration 

 

• Use oral language skilfully to tell well-developed stories with extensive vocabulary 

 

• Draw stories, poems, rhymes and verses from a wide range of genres 

 

• Provide regular opportunities for children to respond creatively to stories 

 

• Use local context when telling stories 

 

• Encourage children to develop correct, beautiful cursive script 

 

• Provide exercises and opportunities for children to develop fine and gross motor skills, e.g., Eurythmy, Form Drawing, Handwork, Bothmer Gym 

 

• Weave through their programme opportunities to foster the appreciation of the richness, beauty and power of language: spoken, written and visual 

 

Managing Self 

Students who manage themselves 

 

 

• Are self-motivated 

 

• Have a ‘can do’ attitude 

 

• See themselves as capable learners 

 

• Are enterprising, resourceful, reliable and resilient 

 

• Establish personal goals, make plans, manage projects and set high standards 

 

• Have strategies to meet challenges 

 

• Know when to lead and when to follow 

 

• Know when and how to act independently 

As their capacity to manage themselves is unfolding, students 

 

 

• Independently take care of their personal needs 

 

• Take care of their tools and equipment 

 

• Keep their work and workspace tidy and well-organised 

 

• Accept and engage with new experiences and activities 

 

• Are honest and realistic when self-assessing (Class 5 à) 

 

• Ask for help when encountering difficulties 

 

• Communicate and negotiate with their teachers about difficulties 

 

• Use visual or written reminders (Class 4 à) 

 

• Become increasingly independent: academically, emotionally and socially 

 

• Are positive about their strengths and optimistic about their weaknesses 

 

• Set high standards for themselves 

 

• Receive and evaluate feedback/feedforward, and improve relevant aspects 

 

• Accept, understand and use formats, frameworks and structures 

 

• Meet deadlines with increasing independence 

 

• Take risks with new experiences and ideas 

 

• Are resilient in the face of difficulty and adversity 

 

• Are independently ethical and moral 

 

 

 

To support students’ unfolding capacity to manage themselves, teachers 

 

• Are ethical, moral and honest 

 

• Model high standards in the way they care for themselves, their tools and their space 

 

• Show passion and enthusiasm for learning 

 

• Deliver the curriculum in a relevant and engaging manner 

 

• Are cognizant of teaching and learning styles 

 

• Develop a class culture where self-management is encouraged 

 

• Provide for routines and rhythms that encourage the development of self-management; keep with the rhythms of the school day, week and year 

 

• Role-model strategies for managing self 

 

• Are clear and consistent with expectations 

Relating to Others 

Students who relate well to others 

 

 

• Listen actively 

 

• Recognise different points of view 

 

• Negotiate 

 

• Share ideas 

 

• Are open to new learning 

 

• Take different roles in different situations 

 

• Are aware of how their words and actions affect others 

 

• Know when it is appropriate to compete and when to cooperate 

 

• By working effectively with others come up with new approaches, ideas and ways of thinking 

As their capacity to relate well to others is unfolding, students 

 

 

• Are open to new learning within the lessons 

 

• Enable others to work and learn in a positive, constructive atmosphere 

 

• Respect their class’ need for a quiet working environment. 

 

• Behave respectfully towards other children and adults 

 

• Strive for goodness and kindness in thought, word and deed 

 

• Listen actively 

 

• Respond to instructions promptly and carry them out carefully 

 

• Participate positively and constructively in group activities 

 

• Explore and accept other viewpoints, opinions and perspectives, both historical and current (Class 5 à) 

 

• Share their own expertise and experiences willingly 

 

• Are open-minded about social, cultural and religious differences and diversity 

To support students’ unfolding capacity to relate to others, teachers 

 

• Behave respectfully towards other adults and children 

 

• Strive for goodness and kindness in thought, word and deed 

 

• Model positive, compassionate relationships with children and adults 

 

• Model non-violent, empathetic forms of communication 

 

• Identify themselves as learners 

 

• Strive to effectively work with their colleagues to find new approaches, ideas and thinking 

 

• Engage in thinking about new ways of teaching and learning 

 

• Develop a positive, enabling and supportive class culture 

 

• Provide opportunities for the students to develop a set of class rules and protocols (Class 6 à) 

 

• Through teaching the curriculum provide a comprehensive picture of social, cultural and religious differences and diversity, both historical and current 

 

• Model inclusion, and acceptance of difference and diversity 

 

 

 

 

 

Participating and Contributing 

Students who participate and contribute 

 

 

• Contribute appropriately as a group member 

 

• Make connections with others in the group or community 

 

• Create opportunities for others in the group or community 

 

• Have a sense of belonging in their school and the local community 

 

• Are confident to participate in new contexts 

 

• Understand the importance of balancing rights, roles and responsibilities 

 

• Have a sense of the importance of contributing to the sustainability of social, cultural, physical and economic environments 

 

As their capacity to participate and contribute is unfolding, students 

 

 

• Identify with being a student at their school 

 

• Begin to identify as members of a national and international Steiner Waldorf community, through taking part in events such as the Class 5 Olympiad 

 

• Actively take part in festivals, fairs and celebrations that are a part of the school year 

 

• Are active members of their learning community 

 

• Accept responsibility for assigned tasks within and beyond the classroom 

 

• Willingly take care of younger children in the school 

 

• Take responsibility for maintaining and enhancing their classroom and school environment 

 

• Begin to take responsibility for maintaining and enhancing their local environment: social, cultural, physical 

 

• Take part in new experiences such as camps and the Class 5 Olympiad, with increasing confidence 

 

• Understand that their behaviour is representative of their school when on school camps or outings, and conduct themselves appropriately 

To support students’ unfolding capacity to participate and contribute, teachers 

 

• Establish and communicate clear expectations of belonging to their school 

 

• Provide opportunities to experience national and international Steiner Waldorf connectedness 

 

• Ensure local networks within the community are engaged with school life 

 

• Provide students with opportunities to take responsibility in and beyond the classroom 

 

• Ensure local contexts are reflected in the school’s curriculum 

 

• Continue to develop and enhance the school’s natural environment 

 

• Provide students with opportunities to contribute to their local environment: social, cultural, physical 

 

• Set clear expectations and guidelines for EOTC and out-of-school events 

Physical Capacity 

 

As their physical capacity is unfolding, students 

 

 

• Integrate midlines and primitive reflexes 

 

• Can use well-developed fine and gross motor-skills 

 

• Have well-established laterality 

 

• Are well-coordinated 

 

• Have a well-developed sense of balance and movement 

 

• Understand and move in rhythm, and rhythms 

 

• Move (fine-motor and gross-motor) with control and purpose, as part of a group and on their own 

 

• Participate positively and with confidence in physical activities 

To support students’ unfolding physical capacity, teachers 

 

• Strive to have a solid understanding of child development, from an Anthroposophical as well as a physiological perspective 

 

• Regard physical development and experience as an integral aspect of academic learning (3-fold human nature: body, soul and spirit) 

 

• Provide appropriate opportunities for physical development (e.g., Bothmer Gym, Eurythmy, handwork, woodwork, kapa haka, gardening) 

 

• Are committed to child observation and study 

 

• Ensure that physical difficulties are identified and addressed 

 

Aesthetic Sensitivity and Responsiveness 

 

As their aesthetic capacity is unfolding, students 

 

 

 

• Strive for accuracy, balance and beauty in their work 

 

• Are willing to expand their knowledge and skill with word, sound, line, form, material and colour 

 

• Appreciate beauty and harmony in their surroundings and help to achieve and maintain this 

 

• Appreciate artistic experiences (e.g., Eurythmy, music, art, language, handwork, woodwork) 

To support students’ unfolding aesthetic sensitivity and responsiveness, teachers 

 

• Model accuracy, beauty and balance in their work 

 

• Work at a high level of knowledge and skill with word, sound, line, form and colour 

 

• Ensure that students have sufficient opportunities to develop their artistic knowledge and skills 

 

• Strive to create a beautiful, harmonious environment 

 

• Provide opportunities for high-level artistic experience (e.g., Eurythmy, music, art, language)