It is between the ages of nine and ten that children begin to experience themselves as "I" for the first time--as separate individuals, different from their parents and peers and essentially alone. This inner experience is sometimes precipitated by the child's first encounter with death and the first notion that earthly life is fragile and temporary. In this insightful book, Koepke offers the reader a lucid, accessible description of the outer signs and symptoms of this significant turning point in every child's life. C O N T E N T S Preface to the English Edition, by Virginia SeaseForewordIntroduction PART ONE: THE CHILD IN THE NINTH YEAR Conversation with Peter's ParentsConversation with Monica's ParentsDear ParentsThe Ninth Year in Biography PART TWO: UNDERSTANDING THE HUMAN BEING ON THE BASIS OF THE NINTH YEAR EXPERIENCE The Second Seven YearsChildren at Seven and Twelve: A ComparisonThe Child in the Ninth Year TransitionThe Incarnation of the EgoA Word from the School Doctor, by Dr. Walter Holtzapfel, MD PART THREE: APPENDICES The Sturdy SaplingThe Half Moon NodesThe Reversal in the Change of TeethRudolf Steiner's Indication for Form Drawing