Grades Program


"Through study we cannot become teachers. We cannot drill others into being teachers, because each one of us is already a teacher. Every human being is a teacher but he is sleeping and must be awakened, and art is the awakener. Nevertheless he will still be a good teacher because it does not depend on the giving out of knowledge but on activating the individuality of the soul upon the pre-earthly existence. Then it is really the child who educates himself through us. And that is the truth. In reality we do not educate at all. We only disturb the process of education when we intervene too energetically. We only educate when we behave in such a way that through our own behavior the child can educate himself. "  

- Rudolf Steiner

Help shape the second 100 years of Waldorf Education

In the heart of a Waldorf teacher lives the commitment to help each student reach his or her highest potential. Waldorf teacher preparation gives you a deep understanding of the whole human being as it unfolds through the critical phases of toddler, child and teenager - so that you can guide students on their life journey. Equally important is the Waldorf teacher's commitment to ongoing self-development. Waldorf teacher preparation stretches you in all directions - socially, intellectually, physically and artistically - to push you beyond your comfort zones and help you develop the capacities to inspire your students. The course integrates foundations studies and teacher training into one program.

SCC has developed a Grades Teacher Training program incorporating the wisdom of our 20 year history in teacher training and based on a new intensive model that is more affordable and more accessible. 

Grade School Waldorf Teacher Training Program

New Cohort Starting June 25 - July 14, 2023 in Bellingham, WA

The application deadline has been extended to June 1. 

Grades Teacher Training Principles

The path/course for our teacher development program is based on three principles

Tuition

Tuition for the the twenty-six month program is split into three academic periods: the first summer (Tuition Period A), the first year and second summer (Tuition Period B),  and the second year and third summer (Tuition Period C). The tuition for students joining the program for the first time in the summer of 2024 will be $20,400. Tuition includes two days of mentoring during each school year. Enrollment agreements must be signed in order for students to participate in coursework.

Tuition assistance loans are available through the Association of Waldorf Schools of North American (AWSNA). Grants are also available from AWSNA for those working in Waldorf accredited schools when the schools provide matching funds. Please see the Financial Aid page for further information on loans and grants.

Tuition Payment Schedule

Period A June 2023 - August 2023 $4600 1 or 3 payments

Period B Sept 2023 - August 2024 $7700 1 or 10 payments

Period C Sept 2024 - August 2025 $8100 1 or 10 payments

Additional Costs:

Books

Travel and housing for out-of-town students

Mentor support: housing and meals

2022-2023 Calendar 

Monthly Friday classes (4-6 pacific time) and Saturdays (9-1 pacific time) Online Dates Link Here to Calendar

February session, February 19-23, 2023 in Bellingham, WA

Summer session, June 25-July 14, 2023 in Bellingham, WA

Program Structure

First Summer (Tuition Period A)

First Year and Second Summer (Tuition Period B)

Second Year and Third Summer (Tuition Period C)


COVID-19 Information


New Cohort starting in Summer 2023  

The application deadline has been extended to June 1.

Program Overview - Three Year Course Plan

2022-23 Three Year Grades Teacher Training Rotation

 

Orientation Weekend for new EC and GS students (Sun-Mon)

Spatial Dynamics

Sculpture

SD 2. Working with Biographical Questions

IAT 7. New Student Orientation

Intro to Inner Work

Intro to Group Work & historical context for anthroposophy and

Waldorf education

CHD 1. Milestones in Human Development- Birth to 21

CHD 5. Overview of the Grades Curriculum

Overview of Waldorf Child Development and Curriculum  

Intro to Mood of the Fifth singing & instruments

Festival experience

 

Summer 1- Three weeks                                                                                                   

Principles & Practices - sharing homework                                     

Festival prep and experience

IAT 1. Rudolf Steiner's Understanding of the Human Being and Evolution of Consciousness

SD 3. Developing Capacities for Imagination, Inspiration and Intuition

Goethean Observation                                                                     

The Cycle of the Year and Seasonal Festivals w/Visual Arts                      

PAEC 1. Use of Stories and Fairy Tales in Waldorf EC Education     

IAT 4. The Cycle of the Year and Seasonal Festivals

A 4. Visual Arts

A 1. Eurythmy                                                                                             

A 3. Speech and Storytelling

PSD 5. Cultural Consciousness and Social Justice

Cultural Consciousness:

1.current issues and social life in education

2. consciousness soul impulses 3. Biography, Karmic relationships and anti-bias work                  

Singing                                                                                              

Human Development in relation to education - 12 year change and high school transition                                 

Language Arts 3 - middle school humanities                                             

Math -Middle school: algebra, platonic solids, geometric drawing          

Science PHYSICS, chemistry, nutrition, physiology, anatomy

                                                                                                     

Distance Learning 1 (yearlong weekends)                                                                     

Drawing 3 : Drawing in the Main Lesson book                                          

Understanding Anthroposophy in Education                                             

Inner Work/painting                                                                                  

Principles & Practices

                                                                                                                                       

October 1

CHD 3. Child Observation I, II, III                                                                                      

Children’s Drawings and Birth of the Etheric (Schoorel Ch 2-3)


February 1                                                                                                                           

IAT 2. Consciousness and the Philosophy of Freedom

PSD 3. Working with Colleagues   

Social art and building community in a Waldorf school: collaboration, communication & conflict resolution          

A 2. Spatial Dynamics         

PSD 1 Group Singing

Music 2: grades 4-6

Science 1: Nature Studies, K-5                 

Math 2: GS thru 6 - Fractions, decimals, percentages, business math, geometry                           

Speech                                                                                                         


Summer 2- Three weeks

Festival Prep and Experience                                                           

Principles and Practices - sharing homework                                  

IAT 3. The Foundations of Human Experience

CHD 6. The Unique Needs of the Very Young Child from Birth to Three

Birth to Three, Birth of the Etheric and First Grade Readiness (children's drawings)                       

CHD 2. Understanding the Transformation of Life and Growth Forces

PAEC 5. Incarnational Support and First Grade Readiness

A 1. Eurythmy

A 3. Speech and Storytelling

PSD 5. Cultural Consciousness and Social Justice

Cultural Consciousness:

1.current issues and social life in education

2. consciousness soul impulses 3. Biography, Karmic relationships and anti-bias work                  

PSD 1 Group Singing

A 5. Handcrafts

Yr 1- Handwork, Yr 2- Standing Puppets, Yr 3- Marionettes (wk I- create, wk II-perform)                        

PAEC 2. Puppetry, Puppet-making, and Performing with Puppets

Practical Advice and Discussions

Language Arts 1 fairy tales, folk tales, Hebrew legends, pre- reading, early reading, steps toward literacy, writing to read 

Math 1 grades 1-4: number sense, numeracy, four operations, place value, time & money, rhythmic activities

Rhythmic Activities

Drawing 1: Form Drawing 1-4 (4 days)        

Sculpture 1: Modeling and Handwork                                                       

Painting 2: Gr 1-3, Colors - complementary, tertiary and mood

                                                                                                                     

Distance Learning 2 (yearlong weekends)                                                                         

How to know Higher Worlds                                                                      

Education as a Force for Social Change

Inner Work (six basic exercises            

Language Arts 2 - 9-year change, heart of childhood, love of literature, reading to learn, grammar, composition, legends and mythology                                                         

Drawing 2 - Chalkboard drawing                                                               

Painting as Inner Development

                                                                                                                     

February 2

PSD 3. Working with Colleagues                                                                                        

The Social art and building community in a Waldorf School:  meeting cultures, parents & colleagues                                                

A 2. Spatial Dynamics

CHD 3. Child Observation I, II, III

PSD 1. Group Singing

Painting                                                                                                                              

Speech                                                                                                         

Science 1 - Geography                                                                                

Music 1

                                                                                                                     

Summer 3- Three weeks

Festival Preparation and Experience                                                       

Research Presentations

PSD 1. Group Singing

Speech 3 14

A 1. Eurythmy

PSD 2. Working with Parents I, II and III

The Social Art: Stepping into the work: 1. Governance in relation to threefold social order, 2. inner work, 3. strategies & practical questions                                                             

PSD 3. Working with Colleagues

PSD 4. Social Dynamics of a Waldorf School

A 6. Exploring Creativity through Improvisational Theater Games

PSD 5. Cultural Consciousness and Social Justice                                       

Cultural Consciousness:

1.current issues and social life in education

2. consciousness soul impulses 3. Biography, Karmic relationships and anti-bias work                  

CHD. 10 Therapeutic Awareness and Approaches A 4. Visual Arts

Graduation Preparation                                                                  

Differentiation and Individuation


Periodic Online Cohort Check-ins - Peer Mentoring Conversations 

(See Course Catalog for More Information Link Here )

Program Overview - Three Year Course Plan

2022-23 Three Year Grades Teacher Training Rotation

 

Orientation Weekend for new EC and GS students (Sun-Mon)

Spatial Dynamics

Sculpture

SD 2. Working with Biographical Questions

IAT 7. New Student Orientation

Intro to Inner Work

Intro to Group Work & historical context for anthroposophy and

Waldorf education

CHD 1. Milestones in Human Development- Birth to 21

CHD 5. Overview of the Grades Curriculum

Overview of Waldorf Child Development and Curriculum  

Intro to Mood of the Fifth singing & instruments

Festival experience

 

Summer 1- Three weeks                                                                                                   

Principles & Practices - sharing homework                                     

Festival prep and experience

IAT 1. Rudolf Steiner's Understanding of the Human Being and Evolution of Consciousness

SD 3. Developing Capacities for Imagination, Inspiration and Intuition

Goethean Observation                                                                     

The Cycle of the Year and Seasonal Festivals w/Visual Arts                      

PAEC 1. Use of Stories and Fairy Tales in Waldorf EC Education     

IAT 4. The Cycle of the Year and Seasonal Festivals

A 4. Visual Arts

A 1. Eurythmy                                                                                             

A 3. Speech and Storytelling

PSD 5. Cultural Consciousness and Social Justice

Cultural Consciousness:

1.current issues and social life in education

2. consciousness soul impulses 3. Biography, Karmic relationships and anti-bias work                  

Singing                                                                                              

Human Development in relation to education - 12 year change and high school transition                                 

Language Arts 3 - middle school humanities                                             

Math -Middle school: algebra, platonic solids, geometric drawing          

Science PHYSICS, chemistry, nutrition, physiology, anatomy

                                                                                                     

Distance Learning 1 (yearlong weekends)                                                                     

Drawing 3 : Drawing in the Main Lesson book                                          

Understanding Anthroposophy in Education                                             

Inner Work/painting                                                                                  

Principles & Practices

                                                                                                                                       

October 1

CHD 3. Child Observation I, II, III                                                                                      

Children’s Drawings and Birth of the Etheric (Schoorel Ch 2-3)


February 1                                                                                                                           

IAT 2. Consciousness and the Philosophy of Freedom

PSD 3. Working with Colleagues   

Social art and building community in a Waldorf school: collaboration, communication & conflict resolution          

A 2. Spatial Dynamics         

PSD 1 Group Singing

Music 2: grades 4-6

Science 1: Nature Studies, K-5                 

Math 2: GS thru 6 - Fractions, decimals, percentages, business math, geometry                           

Speech                                                                                                         


Summer 2- Three weeks

Festival Prep and Experience                                                           

Principles and Practices - sharing homework                                  

IAT 3. The Foundations of Human Experience

CHD 6. The Unique Needs of the Very Young Child from Birth to Three

Birth to Three, Birth of the Etheric and First Grade Readiness (children's drawings)                       

CHD 2. Understanding the Transformation of Life and Growth Forces

PAEC 5. Incarnational Support and First Grade Readiness

A 1. Eurythmy

A 3. Speech and Storytelling

PSD 5. Cultural Consciousness and Social Justice

Cultural Consciousness:

1.current issues and social life in education

2. consciousness soul impulses 3. Biography, Karmic relationships and anti-bias work                  

PSD 1 Group Singing

A 5. Handcrafts

Yr 1- Handwork, Yr 2- Standing Puppets, Yr 3- Marionettes (wk I- create, wk II-perform)                        

PAEC 2. Puppetry, Puppet-making, and Performing with Puppets

Practical Advice and Discussions

Language Arts 1 fairy tales, folk tales, Hebrew legends, pre- reading, early reading, steps toward literacy, writing to read 

Math 1 grades 1-4: number sense, numeracy, four operations, place value, time & money, rhythmic activities

Rhythmic Activities

Drawing 1: Form Drawing 1-4 (4 days)        

Sculpture 1: Modeling and Handwork                                                       

Painting 2: Gr 1-3, Colors - complementary, tertiary and mood

                                                                                                                     

Distance Learning 2 (yearlong weekends)                                                                         

How to know Higher Worlds                                                                      

Education as a Force for Social Change

Inner Work (six basic exercises            

Language Arts 2 - 9-year change, heart of childhood, love of literature, reading to learn, grammar, composition, legends and mythology                                                         

Drawing 2 - Chalkboard drawing                                                               

Painting as Inner Development

                                                                                                                     

February 2

PSD 3. Working with Colleagues                                                                                        

The Social art and building community in a Waldorf School:  meeting cultures, parents & colleagues                                                

A 2. Spatial Dynamics

CHD 3. Child Observation I, II, III

PSD 1. Group Singing

Painting                                                                                                                              

Speech                                                                                                         

Science 1 - Geography                                                                                

Music 1

                                                                                                                     

Summer 3- Three weeks

Festival Preparation and Experience                                                       

Research Presentations

PSD 1. Group Singing

Speech 3 14

A 1. Eurythmy

PSD 2. Working with Parents I, II and III

The Social Art: Stepping into the work: 1. Governance in relation to threefold social order, 2. inner work, 3. strategies & practical questions                                                             

PSD 3. Working with Colleagues

PSD 4. Social Dynamics of a Waldorf School

A 6. Exploring Creativity through Improvisational Theater Games

PSD 5. Cultural Consciousness and Social Justice                                       

Cultural Consciousness:

1.current issues and social life in education

2. consciousness soul impulses 3. Biography, Karmic relationships and anti-bias work                  

CHD. 10 Therapeutic Awareness and Approaches A 4. Visual Arts

Graduation Preparation                                                                  

Differentiation and Individuation


Periodic Online Cohort Check-ins - Peer Mentoring Conversations 

(See Course Catalog for More Information Link Here )

Faculty

Maria Cardenas, Nancy Pfeiffer, Bonnie Freundlich, Daniel Stokes, Holly Koteen Soule, Robyn Jones, Michael Soule

We are a group of colleagues who have been working together in Waldorf schools and in adult education in various ways over the past 25 years.