From Slugs to Self-Discovery: Goodness, Beauty, and Truth in Childhood

I have a fond memory of my two sons in their earliest years staring spellbound at a thick green slug slowly making its way across a wet sidewalk. Looking at that slug, they were filled with awe and wonder. To Peter and Ben, the world was a good, safe place. And as their parent, I had every intention of protecting them from anything that would suggest otherwise, even though I knew their time for doubting the world would come.

Seeing the “good in all" faded during the elementary years. Our sons’ imaginations and emotional experiences were taken on colorful journeys through stories and experiences with their peers. Not everything was so wonderful anymore. Feelings were hurt, sympathy was sought, and antipathy set in. Peter and Ben began to seek time for themselves, curling up with a good book on the couch or sitting criss-cross applesauce alongside a gigantic pile of Legos. 

Adolescence took everything a step further. As teens, Peter and Ben went their separate ways, following their own interests, passions, and ideals. Our conversations were now full of critical questioning and debates about justice and truth. The days of standing side by side watching the slug lay a path of mucopolysaccharide were a distant memory. 

These three concepts: Goodness, Beauty, and Truth are hallmarks of Dr. Rudolf Steiner’s image of the developing child, and they are the foundation of Waldorf pedagogy. 

Early Childhood GOODNESS: Early childhood education provides an environment of nurturing care and warmth. Stories, play, and relationships foster a sense of trust in the world, teaching children through example that the world is fundamentally good.

Elementary and Middle Years BEAUTY: A creative expression of the curriculum through art, music, and imaginative pictures inspires wonder. Teachers present lessons in an imaginatively rich way, emphasizing the beauty of nature, human achievement, and cultural heritage.

Adolescence TRUTH: Young people aged 14-21 seek truth through independent thinking, critical analysis, and an exploration of universal human questions. We encourage intellectual engagement, scientific inquiry, and ethical reasoning to cultivate responsibility and purpose.

Though Peter and Ben’s slug-watching days are long past, this memory lives strongly for me. I still get to observe the youngest children at our school express a similar sense of wonder at nature as they play at recess in the park. And just as I nurtured my own boys’ transitions through these stages of childhood, I feel privileged to participate in the process for the families at our school.

Dr. Joseph Doucette is Cedarwood’s Head of School and he has over 30 years of experience in Waldorf Education. He has taught high school science and math as well as two cohorts of students through Grades 1–8, and he has served in leadership roles at Waldorf schools in Bellingham, WA, and beyond. He is also the proud parent of two Waldorf alumni, Peter and Ben.