Exercise books & main lesson books

What is the difference between exercise book and main lesson book?

Why do we have a category called exercise books & main lesson books? Isn't that one and the same? Basically: yes!

The notebooks enable students to make and store notes on a subject not on loose sheets of paper but in bundles. The pages are firmly stapled together, nothing gets lost. One booklet is used for each subject. In this sense, main lesson books and school books are similar.

The main difference is whether the booklet is used in the Waldorf school or in a regular school.

Functions and benefits of exercise books

• What you have learned is retained and can be accessed again and again.

• When writing, the students receive fine motor and cognitive training.

• Dealing with and caring for exercise books is important preparation for later education.

• When designing the exercise books, the students learn to work independently and responsibly.

• There is no chaos of leaves, everything is orderly.

Exercise books in regular schools

In regular schools, children from the 1st and 2nd grades learn to write in exercise books, usually with four lines per line. They offer defined space for the upper, middle and lower lengths of the letters and numbers. In addition to the lined notebooks, checkered notebooks are also used for arithmetic from grade 1 onwards. At the beginning of the school year or before the first day of school, teachers usually give parents a list of school supplies and therefore which notebooks the children will need.

Exercise books to Waldorf schools

In the independent Waldorf school, founded by Rudolf Steiner and Emil Molt, main lesson books are used from the first lesson of school up to high school in the so-called main lesson teaching. The children essentially create their own books; pre-prepared school books are not used. To do this, they use the main lesson books with texts and pictures written or drawn on the board by the teachers or created by themselves. This means that each student receives their own individual textbook.

The best thing is when the exercise book can become a truly individual, artistic expression of the students' being, "a place that reflects their own interests, priorities and insights." (Gabriele Hiller)

In the Waldorf school, the children work with blank notebooks in the first years of school, i.e. without ruling or boxes. Drawing and writing without any guidelines for lines and borders enables and demands that the students take hold of the space and gradually learn to divide and design it themselves. This has to do with the view of humanity Waldorf education to do, on which the entire curriculum of the Waldorf schools is based. In these first years of school, the children do not write in their school notebooks with a fountain pen, but rather along with it colored pencils and Wax crayons and pads. From the 3rd grade onwards it comes filler used in lessons.

In the later grades, lined and squared notebooks with margins are added, as well as vocabulary books, homework books and those with music lines.

Especially in the 1st grade, particularly large exercise books are often used. To ensure that these don't kink in school bags, you can find them here School backpack “Waldorf”, which was developed by Deuter and our own brand waldorfkind specifically for the needs of students in Waldorf schools.

Exercise books in Waldorfshop

In the Waldorfshop you will find a large selection of period and school books online.

Whether for arithmetic or writing, for form drawing or religious education, for writing music or for astronomy lessons, DIN A4 or DIN A5 - you will find the right exercise book for every lesson at the Waldorf school in our online shop.

School books for all ages based on the modular principle

The Sedulus exercise books are made in workshops by people who need assistance. The paper used comes from certified forestry, is bleached without chlorine, acid-free and therefore very resistant to aging. Covers and some inner pages are made from 100% recycled paper.

The booklets can be put together according to a modular principle according to cover colors, strength and formats, i.e. DIN A3, A4 etc., rulings, i.e. squared, lined etc. and unprinted sheets, portrait and landscape formats as well as different numbers of pages. This can create a hand-made, beautiful and purpose-built exercise book for the students.

School supplies for your children!

For further school material for the Waldorf school, such as: school bags and backpacks, erasers, pencil cases, notebooks, Pens and colors and much more, feel free to browse our online shop!

For information for you as parents about starting school, Waldorf school, Waldorf education and more, please take a look at our Blog over.