Moments to remember.

The Medieval Games are celebrated in many Waldorf schools around the world.  The pedagogical foundation for The Grade Six Medieval Games facilitate the academic and  movement  preparations that each class undertakes.  The child begins to look at him/herself in a new way, especially in relation to virtue and one's own inner development. The Games also offer students from small schools the opportunity to connect with other students who are pursuing physical, academic, and moral excellence in a similar way.  In joining the Games, the young squires step away from our egalitarian social stream into a more ancient, hierarchical (and yet still trustworthy) way of being so that each student can see a strong and upright leadership model to internalize.  The model is very different from the other heroes/leaders our society offers. 

The Medieval Games is meant to be a rite of passage and can truly be a life changing event for the sixth grader.  Leading up to this event, the child enters into a one hundred day squire's challenge where he/she is asked to contemplate the seven virtues of prudence, temperance, fortitude, justice, hope, faith, and love to select at least one example of each virtue in his/her life to improve upon.  Examples of this might be showing temperance by raising his hand in class before speaking or fortitude by completing his homework even though playing with friends would be more fun.  These are not the deep, reflective, virtuous changes you might expect in an adult, but rather they are the beginnings of the child looking inward.  

This challenge helps pave the way for the three and a half day event of the Medieval Games.  Healthy anticipation forms in the child months before the event arrives as he/she draws from a hat the shire they will be  in.  The six shires are made up of students from every school in attendance.

The arrival of students in the afternoon is exciting for everyone.  Once shire camps are set up, the students begin getting to know each other and break bread together.  The first of the cooperative events is presented that night.  The shire mates create an expression of the shire group as a whole.  Year after year, we can see how this first event informs how the next few days will unfold within each shire.  The next day's events begin with a proclamation from the King and Queen including a reminder of the virtues each child is seeking to embody throughout the event.    

The next several challenges the the child faces not only require him/her to extend trust to their shire mates but asks of them to be trustworthy in return. The slow progression of these activities allows the child to explore their own reservations a little at a time.  The encouragement to walk through them comes from watching and participating with the other shire mate's process of moving through these challenges with the support of the shire.   

Throughout the rest of the day, the shires partake in a variety of cooperative activities. The trust activities of the morning create an essential bridge to the activities of the afternoon.   The afternoon’s activities provide each squire the opportunity to step outside of  her/his social roles and become leaders, followers, and supporters.  Each child continues to develop trust in others and self, often not realizing until the task is successfully completed that  each squire had it within him/herself.

That evening the Feast is the celebration for the completion of the day's arduous events.  This is done with traditional food and entertainment.  Squires perform, something that they have prepared with their teacher, for the Court and gathered assembly.  It is also a time to relax and let the work of the day settle into the past.

During the day's events, new bonds have been formed, many emotions have been released, and each child has discovered something new.  When the squires retire to their tents, the level of anxiety that was once there has faded.  They whisper and giggle together as each slowly drifts off to sleep.  

The next morning begins with the highly-anticipated rod fencing tournament.  This event allows the child to show off skill and technique as each competes until the final victor of this event emerges.   The morning's events transition from being group oriented to individually skill based.  At each event, points are awarded for precision and technique. A shire tally is calculated at the end of each event.  This gives every child an opportunity to shine in a new skill set.  It also provides an opportunity not to depend on another but rather to seek within to discover what each can contribute.

The Vigil begins as the Realm gather for dinner.  It is during this time that the King addresses the squires about the purpose and expectations of the Vigil as well as their journey to knighthood.  It is a time for quiet contemplation, giving each squire an opportunity to reflect on the last few days’ events, the journey to knighthood, and what it means to be a knight.  Wonder, excitement, and some uncertainty are the feelings that the squires travel with into the night.  Upon completion of the activities, the shire guardians lead the squires in a reflection on the Games in preparation for the Knighting Ceremony.  The quiet of the night is carried into the tents as the young knight welcome sleep.  

The closing ceremony is the culmination.  During the ceremony, scores from the previous day’s events are announced and accolades from the king and queen are given.  It is also the time when each child is individually recognized for their virtuous acts throughout the event 

All to quickly the Games are completed and the Realm disperses until the next year. Upon the students’ return to school, we are able to see the transformation that has taken place during the Games.  Teachers report how different the class is or how much more mature individual students are.  The young knights appear to walk taller, sit more upright, and have a look of understanding about them.  A transformed class has emerged and is waiting to take on the next set of challenges.