Waldorf Early Childhood Courses at WCI

Waldorf Early Childhood Educator Training Auditing

We are opening some of our Waldorf Early Childhood Educator Training courses to auditors. Courses are open to Waldorf educators and those interested in anthroposophy. Course participants will join our teacher training program and are asked to pay an auditing fee of $25 per class and in some cases a materials fee. Auditors must commit to, and pay for, all classes within a course.
(Please note that auditors are asked to be quiet participants—present as observers only—unless asked by instructors to contribute.)

All courses are online via Zoom | All prices are Canadian dollars

February 16 to 20, 2026

February 16 to 20 Auditors Schedule

Ethics in Teaching

with Astrid Lackner
(2 classes; $50)

This course explores what it means to be a professional and how we develop inner accountability to our tasks; health and safety issues in the workplace and in our personal routines; community resources—working in partnership with colleagues and other service providers; child abuse—recognition of this and our responsibility and how we give support to the child and the family.

Working with the School

with Michael Soule
(5 classes; $125)

The heart of a Waldorf school is found not only in its classrooms, but in the relationships between its teachers. When colleagues meet with respect, understanding, and shared purpose, the whole community flourishes. This two-session course invites participants to explore the art of working together with awareness, empathy, and care. We will reflect on professionalism, boundaries, and communication, while also delving into the delicate, rhythmic partnership between teacher and assistant. Guided by Rudolf Steiner’s view of the human being, this course encourages educators to approach their work with both mindfulness and warmth, strengthening the connections that make a school a place of growth, inspiration, and harmony.

The Young Child in the Modern World

with Astrid Lackner
(2 classes; $30)

The acceptance of a child into the Waldorf classroom also means, for the teacher, a willingness to work into deepening relationships with the child’s family. We will explore key areas to foster positive relationships with parents and caregivers, including welcoming parents with warmth and openness, acknowledging the changing nature of parenting, cultivating inner development for effective communication, navigating conflict and challenges, embracing Anthroposophy as a path to social renewal, promoting mutual understanding and empathy, and fostering collaboration and partnership.

February 16 to 20 Auditors Schedule

Course Refund Policy

Summer Courses & Workshops

Summer courses and workshops are held at the Sunrise Waldorf School on Vancouver Island, in beautiful scenic British Columbia, Canada.

Anthroposophical Biography

with Ko Hawkes

June 29 to July 3, 2026
Schedule: daily 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

The West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy is offering a biography course based on Rudolf Steiner’s seven-year life phases, bringing consciousness to our life questions and to healing. Participants will use different artistic techniques and materials to explore their experiences such as watercolour painting, clay, black and white, and pastels.

Five, half-day intensive course, open to all

Registration Fee: $60 CDN
Tuition: $240 CDN includes supplies

Course Refund Policy (pdf)

Ko Hawkes
Ko is a graduate of Hibernia School of Art Therapy & has been teaching, conducting workshops and practicing art therapy with children and adults in private practice. She has been on the faculty of the West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy for many years. Ko has been traveling to Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan and China since 2013 conducting workshops in Waldorf Schools and communities there.