Waldorf Early Childhood Educator Training;
Birth to Three & Birth to Seven
List of Courses

Ongoing

Year 1

Philosophical Foundations of Waldorf Education

• Foundation Studies: Outline of Esoteric Science
• Foundations of Human Experience
• Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Path
• Rhythms of Destiny

Waldorf Pedagogical Studies

• Birth to Three & Parent-Child Programs
• Care and Development of the Twelve Senses
• Caregiving Principles in Care Routines
• Discipline in the Early Years
• Doll Making
• Early Childhood Development
• Fairy Tales & Puppetry
• Festivals of the Year I
• Nutrition for the very young child
• Primitive Reflexes
• Questions & Discussion sessions
• Rhythm in the Life of the Young Child
• Role of the Will in the First Three Years
• Sleep

Activities for the Young Child

• Circle Presentations
• Gardening & the Elementals
• Introduction to Mood of the 5th
• Music for the Young Child
• Painting with the Young Child
• Rhythmic Movement & Games
• Storytelling for the Young Child
• The Importance of Play
• Wilma Ellerseik Games

Adult Learning

• Compassionate Communication
• Working with the School

Professional & Artistic Development

• Clay Modelling
• Eurythmy
• Spacial Dynamics
• Speech I
• Wet on Wet Watercolour Painting

Year 2 | Birth to Three & Birth to Seven

Waldorf Pedagogical Studies

• Child Study
• Children’s Illnesses
• Circle Presentations
• Developmental Hindrances
• Dyeing from Nature
• Festivals of the Year II
• Handwork, Crafts
• Movement & Development of the Will
• Oral Presentations
• Questions & Discussion sessions
• Understanding Children’s Drawings

Activities for the Young Child

• Music for the Young Child
• Outdoor Programming

Adult Learning

• Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
• Ethics in Teaching
• Working with Colleagues
• Working with Parents

Professional & Artistic Development

• Eurythmy
• Health and Wellbeing of the Educator
• Inner Life of the Teacher
• Rhythms of Destiny

Year 2 Continued | Birth to Seven

Waldorf Pedagogical Studies

• Care of the Environment with Consciousness
• Child Observation
• Grade One Readiness
• Nutrition
• Oral Presentations
• Overview of Waldorf Education
• Polarities: the constitution of the Child
• Questions & Discussion sessions
• The Child in the Modern World
• The Older Child in the Kindergarten
• Time to Play
• Working with Mixed Ages

Activities for the Young Child

• Music (for assembly)
• Storytelling & Puppetry for the Older Child
• Woodwork for the Young Child

Professional & Artistic Development

• Eurythmy
• Spacial Dynamics
• Speech II

Mentoring and Evaluation Birth to Three

In-service Students (those working at least three days per week in a Waldorf birth to three setting)

• Three weeks (15 days) of observation and practicum in a Waldorf birth to three program (at least 2 weeks in a childcare setting other than their own)
• Four days (2 days X2 )of mentoring visits in their own classroom.
• Supervised mentorship
• In-service practice

Pre-service Students (those not yet working at least three days a week in a Waldorf birth to three setting)

• One week (five days) of observation
• Four weeks (twenty days) of practicum with experienced Waldorf birth to three early childhood teachers in a birth to three setting
  visited during a practicum by an Institute approved advisor at least once during their training.
• Supervised mentorship

Additional coursework, fieldwork observation or practicum experience may be required at the discretion of the program directors.

Mentoring and Evaluation Birth to Seven

Each student is assigned a Supervising Mentor who is available to communicate with the student on a regular basis and assist with the arrangement of practicums and observations.

In-service students (those working at least three days per week in a Waldorf early childhood classroom)

• Minimum of four weeks of practicum** (of which one week can be in their own classroom)
• Two days of observation during the course of their training.
• Two days of mentoring per year in their own classroom.

Pre-service students (those not working at least three days per week in a Waldorf early childhood setting)

• Minimum of two weeks of observation
• Six weeks of practicum** with experienced Waldorf EC teachers
• will be visited during a practicum by an Institute-approved advisor at least once during their training

**Five day weeks or the equivalent are expected The Visiting Mentor submits a report to the student’s Supervising Mentor.                                        

In addition, written reports are required from the Practicum Supervisor and from the student after practicum completion. The student submits reports after the observation visit as well.

All mentor, practicum, and observation reports are kept on file by both the Supervising Mentor and the Program Director.

Students are given the opportunity to complete their practicums and observations, after the classroom studies are complete, during the course of a third year. The Supervising Mentor or Program Director continues to accompany them during this time. All assignments must be complete at the end of the two-year course work.