SUMMER SESSIONS BEGIN June 2008

Across North America there is growing interest in Waldorf Education. This results in a demand for trained teachers from both the independent Waldorf schools and from public schools seeking to implement the Waldorf approach in their classrooms.

Rudolf Steiner College offers three Waldorf Summer Teacher Education Programs that are designed to address this need. The Early Childhood and Grades Program meets in five-week sessions for four summers. The High School Program meets in four-week sessions for three summers. All include continuing independent study, observation, and practice teaching in Waldorf schools during the school year. These programs offer opportunity for those who are working during the academic year to participate in full Waldorf training.



The Waldorf Summer Teacher Education Programs include courses in the philosophical basis of Waldorf education as established by founder Rudolf Steiner, with study of selected basic books; the principles and practices of Waldorf education, with studies in child development, curriculum, and Waldorf methodology; and the arts.


The emphasis of this program will be on practical application of Waldorf pedagogy, which those participants who are currently teaching will be able to put into practice during the school year. In addition, there are courses exploring the view of the human being that is at the heart of Waldorf education.

An exciting aspect of these programs is that they enable sharing among teachers from diverse school settings. Enriched by each other's experiences, they can develop the mutual support and understanding that translates into a positive impact on American education. Weekly forums will offer opportunities for sharing classroom experiences. Each teacher will have a mentor who will provide support and advice over the period of training. In the third and fourth year the mentor will visit the teacher's classroom for observation. For those who are not currently teaching, a practicum will be arranged in a Waldorf school.

Admissions
For information about becoming a student and our admissions process please contact the RSC office or click here: admissions.



Faculty

Early Childhood
Lauren R. Hickman, new head of our Early Childhood Department is a trained early childhood educator having received her teaching certificate from Rudolf Steiner College. She has taught Waldorf kindergarten, nursery and parent/child classes for the past twelve years. She has also been an adjunct faculty member at the college and a popular workshop leader and speaker at numerous early childhood conferences. She is a mentor and practicum supervisor for various early childhood programs at Rudolf Steiner College and area Waldorf schools. She is a licensed pre-school director and has considerable experience in early childhood administration and governance.


Grades 1-8 Program
Director Astrid Schmitt-Stegmann, M.A., directs the Waldorf Teacher Education Program at Rudolf Steiner College. A Waldorf teacher for 20 years, she has taught in schools in the U.S. and Germany where she was a class teacher, kindergarten, high school and foreign language teacher. Formerly she taught at the Waldorf teacher training centers in Mannheim, Germany, and St. Petersburg, Russia.

High School
Director Betty Staley, MA, a Waldorf educator for over thirty years at the kindergarten, elementary, high school, and teacher training levels. She also directs the Waldorf High School Education Program, the Foundation Year Program, and the public school programs at Rudolf Steiner College. Author of Between Form and Freedom: A Practical Guide to the Teenage Years; Hear the Voice of the Griot: A Guide to the History, Geography and Culture of Africa; and Tapestries: Weaving Life's Journey; and Soul Weaving.