NOTE: This course is nearing or at capacity. Our registration form will indicate if it has sold out.  If so, we encourage you to sign up on our waiting list.

This course will be taught remotely in real-time. Details here. 

Professional development for Waldorf teachers and home school parents

This course offers you an invaluable opportunity to focus entirely on your upcoming second grade school year in five days brimming with discussions, presentations, practical activities, and the arts.

With the insights of anthroposophy, gleaned through a daily look at child development focusing specifically on your class’s age group, you will get to know the second grade child in depth. Under the guidance of a master class teacher, you’ll discover ways to enliven your teaching and how to approach the blocks so that they may meet the second grader in a meaningful and lively way. There will be time and space to consider and hone your skills in such practical matters as main lesson books, block planning, projects and activities, and classroom management.

Your course will be chock-full of key second grade topics such as:

• Selecting and crafting story content of legends and saintly figures
• Inspiring young readers and “almost” readers
• Working with word families, spelling, and handwriting
• Developing new steps in arithmetic
• Artistic activities integral to the second grade curriculum, such as singing, drawing, and modeling

These subjects will be supported by explorations in art and music, giving you practical tools to take into your school year.

In addition to inspiration and guidance which will support your teaching throughout the year, you’ll gain many invaluable opportunities for building connections among a community of parallel colleagues from across the country, to carry with you into your teaching.

Grade-specific resource materials useful for your year, including poems, songs, stories, and main lesson book ideas, will be provided to you electronically.

NOTE: This course is taught with the expectation that you have a background in Waldorf education.

Lead Instructor

Suchi Swift is currently teaching grade two at Green Meadow Waldorf School where she also sits on the collegium and has served as lower school chair. Suchi began her teaching career in the New York City public school system in 2002, and after eight years working across a variety of grades decided to pursue Waldorf education professionally. Prior to joining the Green Meadow faculty several years ago, she taught at New Amsterdam School and The Brooklyn Waldorf School. Suchi, who earned her BA from Sarah Lawrence College, her MS in education from Hunter College, and her Waldorf certificate from Sunbridge, has three young children and enjoys crafting, cooking, and spending time near the water.

Summer Series 2021 Approaching the Grades participants had this to say about Suchi:

• Suchi was a wonderful instructor, and she provided a lot of very practical tips and ideas.
• Suchi’s classes were upbeat, focused and informative. Her comfort with the material she presented made me feel like I could take it on and implement her creative and fun strategies.
• Suchi was an energetic speaker who brought a lot of perspective and engaging activities to the forefront. Thoroughly enjoyed and valued our time with her.
• I loved her knowledge as well as the practical applications and morning movements.
• Suchi is clearly an experienced Waldorf teacher. I enjoyed her examples of movement exercises.
• Suchi is very knowledgeable about teaching language arts to children. I like that she modeled the movement and singing exercises. 
• Suchi was great. Thank you!

Your course also includes sessions in art with Kelly Beekman and music with Monika Sutherland.

Schedule

This course takes place June 26-July 1 in a synchronous online classroom

Sunday evening: 7-7:30pm technical check-in; first session starts promptly at 7:30 and ends at 9
Monday-Thursday: 4.5 hours of formal instruction delivered between 10-4:30
Friday morning: Last session runs 10-12
ALL TIMES LISTED ARE EASTERN (NY) TIME ZONE

NOTE: Participants should be prepared to work on course-related assignments outside of their regularly scheduled instructional sessions (including some that may be assigned in advance), as well as to be available to attend (optional) late afternoon and/or evening facilitator-led discussions.

Cost
$600 includes all resource materials, yearlong access to Kelly Beekman’s art portal and your Sunbridge Grade Two Google Classroom, and a $60 non-refundable deposit. See main summer page for discount options.

NOTE: Participants will be expected to procure some materials to use during their course. A materials list will be sent three weeks in advance of your course start date.

Questions?
Please contact Barbara Vitale, admissions and summer coordinator, at [email protected] or 845-425-0055 x20

Sunbridge reserves the right to make faculty substitutions when necessary. See registration form for refund policy.