Max Kanig
English Writing 112
9/19/15
Where I Come From

I learned to shear sheep. I learned to make soup with my class every Thursday. I didn’t have tests. Beginning with the mother/child program at 18 months and through the age of 10 years old, I attended a Waldorf School in Hadley Massachusetts. The education is built on “hands on” activities rather than book learning. These life experiences puzzled my classmates as I sat for the first time in a public school classroom. The balance between practical skill and creative thought is core in Waldorf education. This way of approaching the world is fundamental to my life today.

It was early morning, the fog was beginning its trek off the mountain and away. My class spilled out of the classroom into the damp air my small skinning body wrapped in a thick coat. Today was the day, the day the third graders had the chance to sheer the sheep. As third graders it was our responsibility as a class to take care of the sheep kept on school grounds. This involved feeding them, cleaning their stable, and once a year shearing them and then spinning the yarn into knitting wool. We reached the barn, the sheep were waiting overflowing with wool. I remember making the comment that they looked like clouds.

The animal care taker, Ms. Rob was sitting on bale of dry hay waiting for us to arrive. A pile of shears layed next to her. Thinking back into that moment all I can remember is excitement, for this new experience. No fear seem to be present. But now if I was handed a pair of shears and giving a sheep to shear I would pause, out of fear. The blades of the shears are very sharp, I would worry about cutting the sheep. Being able to shear a sheep is not the most practical skill, but it taught me alot. The experience I had as a third grader makes me see it in a bigger picture. One small event can snowball into major life changing events. Driving to work in the present day, I pass through some fog which triggers the memories and puts me back in the barn, cold metal shears resting in my hand. As I fade back to reality I realize the magnitude of that single event. Raising sheep leads to wool, which leads to cloths. One person having sheep can help an entire community. This philosophy can be placed on anything in life.

Without even knowing it the single one small event changed me forever. I didn’t know it then but the experiences I had at Waldorf School and more importantly the experience with the sheep showed me a completely different way of looking at life and how to live it. Although I didn’t stay at the school past third grade I had enough exposure to the ideas that I could now looking back understand and appreciate.My early Waldorf education and upbringing nurtured my ability to see the world in a clear and critical manner, take initiative, and lead others, while exercising clear communication skills. My love of learning and discovering what the future holds keeps the balance between practical skills and creative thought. As I struggle up the river of life I will always remember where I came from. My unique background and upbringing has shaped me deeply and will always stay with me through the rest of my life.