Waldorf Early Childhood Educator Training
List of Courses

Ongoing

Year 1

Philosophical Foundations of Waldorf Education

• Esoteric Science (book by Rudolf Steiner)
• Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Path aka Philosophy of Freedom (book by Rudolf Steiner)

Waldorf Pedagogical Studies

• Early Childhood Development
• Birth to Three & Parent-Child Programs
• Rhythm in the Life of the Young Child
• Care of the Young Child
• Care & Development of the Senses
• Discipline in the Early Years
• Fairy Tales & Puppetry
• Doll Making

Activities for the Young Child

• The Importance of Play
• Introduction to Mood of the Fifth
• Music for the Young Child
• Gardening and the Elementals
• Rhythmic Movement & Games
• Wilma Ellersiek Games
• Circle Presentations
• Painting with Young Children
• Storytelling & Puppetry for the Older Child in the Kindergarten

Adult Learning

• Compassionate Communication
• Festivals of the Year II
• Q & A sessions
• 1 week of Observation Days with reports
• 3 weeks Practicums with reports
• Supervising mentorship
• Independent Study & Research
• 2 days in-classroom mentoring

Artistic & Personal Development

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

Year 2

Philosophical Foundations of Waldorf Education

• Foundations of Human Experience aka Study of Man (book by Rudolf Steiner)
• Parzival (book by Wolfram von Eschenbach)

Waldorf Pedagogical Studies

• Care of the Environment with Consciousness
• The Child in the Modern World
• Understanding Children’s Drawings
• Child Study
• Nutrition
• Movement & Development of the Will
• Polarities: The Constitution of the Child
• The Older Child in the Kindergarten
• Grade 1 Readiness
• Children’s Illnesses
• Developmental Hindrances
• Time to Play
• Festivals of the Year II
• Handwork, Crafts and Dyeing from Nature

Activities for the Young Child

• Woodwork for the Young Child
• Music for the Young Child

Adult Learning

• Working with Colleagues
• Working with Parents
• Working with the School
• Ethics in Teaching
• Diversity, Inclusion & Equality
• Q & A sessions
• 1 week of Observation Days with reports
• 3 weeks Practicums with reports
• Supervising mentorship
• Independent Study & Research – Oral Presentations
• 2 days in-classroom mentoring

Artistic & Personal Development

• Inner Life of the Teacher
• Foundations of Human Experience aka Study of Man (book by Rudolf Steiner)
• Foundations of Meditation
• Biographies: Rhythms of Destiny
• Rudolf Steiner’s Biography
• Anthroposophy & Waldorf Education
• Speech
• Eurythmy II

Mentoring and Evaluation

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) must have a minimum of four weeks of practicum** and two days of observation during the course of their training (of which one week can be in their own classroom). They will also receive 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) must have a minimum of two weeks of observation and six weeks of practicum** with experienced Waldorf EC teachers and 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

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 continues to accompany them during this time. All assignments must be complete at the end of the two-year course work.