What is Heart and Hands Tuition?

Welcome to the H&H Blog!

I thought I'd use the first entry to introduce myself.

My name is Emma Findlay and I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. Or at least I thought I did.

I worked in mainstream Primary schools for nine years and it didn't feel like the right fit - for me or for the children. Too much time was spent sitting, regurgitating facts, trying to teach children content and skills that they simply weren't developmentally ready for in a way that didn't allow them space to breathe or be themselves. There are many exceptional teachers whom I have worked with doing an incredible job. But a lot of the time it feels like treading water (for staff and children), barely surviving.

When the job came up in the last Waldorf School in the East Midlands, I knew. It was like a candle had been lit. From my research, mentorship and work at this school, I saw the benefits of a Waldorf education first hand: the creativity, curiosity and confidence of the children; the focus on their holistic development (not merely ticking boxes and pushing narrow descriptions of 'progress'); the time spent outdoors, learning how to play and take risks in nature, moving away from technology; and the time given to weaving creativity through every aspect of their learning.

When the school closed, my colleagues and I were devastated because we knew what was at stake. Fortunately, we have had a wonderfully supportive team of parents, who have enabled this venture to keep that spark alive for the tutors and the children of our community who have chosen to home educate. Our combined expertise and skill puts us in a wonderful position to support our community with gentle, creative Waldorf-inspired learning.