We regret to announce that this July 27-August 1 retreat has been cancelled. We encourage interested individuals to contact NALI directly and are happy to announce that we will be offering an introductory Grounded in Practice workshop with Rubeena and Sarah online this April. Stay tuned for details!

An in-person retreat serving as either a stand-alone Grounded in Practice course or as a prelude to the full Grounded in Practice program. 

In collaboration with the New Adult Learning Institute, Sunbridge Institute is excited to be sponsoring a six-day opening session of Grounded in Practice, an immersive, hands-on foundation year program in Waldorf education.

GROUNDED IN PRACTICE 

The New Adult Learning Institute’s Grounded in Practice program connects anthroposophical tenets with practical application to the Waldorf classroom. This experiential program integrates Steiner’s anthroposophical principles for teachers, Martyn Rawson’s Generative Principles, and a picture of child development explored through the arts and teacher preparation practices.

Generative Principles:

• Waldorf Education takes the spiritual dimension seriously
• Sense of coherence is the basis for healthy learning & well-being
• The quality of the teacher’s preparation influences the quality of learning
• Students need to be ready to learn and they need time to learn
• Learning is a rhythmical process
• Learning processes are structured over time
• Block teachings strengthens learning dispositions over time
• Direct experience is the basis for learning
• Activating the imagination through vivid pictorial descriptions and images is another powerful starting point for learning
• A phenomenological approach enables the organic growth of knowledge
• The teaching must be artistic
• The self-activity of the students is essential to the learning
• Good teaching and learning depends on the development of the senses

Who This is For:

Grounded in Practice is designed for individuals interested in learning more about Waldorf education and teaching, including:

• Educators new to the Waldorf movement;
• Individuals looking for a stronger foundation before entering Waldorf teacher training;
• Teacher training applicants or students looking to fulfill program pre-requisites or requirements;
• Waldorf community members (admins, staffers, assistant & subject teachers, etc.).

Spanning the entire arc of grade levels, program participants can immediately apply their Grounded in Practice experience to any age classroom, using newly-acquired imaginative and developmental methodologies to form the basis for their own planning, teaching, and assessment practices. 

Retreat Curriculum:

• Introduction to Anthroposophy As It Relates to Understanding Human Development (Morning Lecture)
• Introduction to the Arts Through the Years (Painting, Drawing, Singing)
• Introduction to Rawson’s Generative Principles (5 Vignettes)
• Advisory Planning Time (Toward Your Personal Aims); with mentorship
• Contemplative Practice / Inner Life of the Teacher (Practices to Support Inner Health)
• Introduction to Child Development (Evening Lecture)
• Practical & Developmental Movement Activities Over the Years
• Eurythmy

 

Program Directors/Facilitators

Sarah Nelson has been a Waldorf educator and advocate for over 27 years, serving as a class teacher, early childhood educator, pedagogical administrator, mentor, and leader within the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA). Currently, she works with various Waldorf schools while splitting her time between British Columbia and Maui, HI. Sarah holds a bachelor’s degree in adolescent and child psychology from UMass, a master’s in education from Antioch New England, and a Waldorf teaching certificate.

Rubeena Sandhu has been a Waldorf educator and school head for over 25 years. Rubeena’s experience as an adult educator includes serving as faculty member and director of the Grades program at The West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy and as an instructor in Sunbridge’s Elementary Teacher Education program. The Northwest/Pacific Region member of the AWSNA Leadership Council since 2018, and secretary of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada, Rubeena currently works as a certified New Adult Educator and school counselor, helping to support students, teachers, administrators, and parents. She holds a bachelor’s of fine arts degree, a master’s of education in school counseling, and a Waldorf teaching certificate.

 

Location and Schedule

This in-person retreat takes place at Sunbridge Institute, situated on the campus of the Threefold Educational Foundation.

Sunday, July 27: First session begins at 9:00am and runs through late afternoon
Monday, July 28-Thursday, July 31: Sessions begin at 9:00 am and end late afternoon. There will be some evening sessions.
Friday, August 1: Last session ends at 12:30 pm

 

Grounded in Practice Credit Hours

According to AWSNA guidelines for teacher preparation requirements, this retreat fulfills 40 hours and the full Grounded in Practice program fulfills 100 hours of foundation studies as required by some Waldorf teacher training institutes. Contact your teacher training institute to see how this may apply to you.

While Sunbridge does not have a foundation studies requirement, our Elementary Teacher Education program gladly accepts completion of either this 6-day retreat or the entire 10-month Grounded in Practice program for transfer credit or to fulfill supplemental hours.

 

Cost

In-person retreat week only: $1,300 plus a $35 registration fee
Full program (retreat week + virtual sessions — SEE BELOW): $3,200 plus a $35 registration fee
Available discount: 25% off for payments made in CAD

 

Housing and Meals

Read all about options for housing and meals while studying at Sunbridge, and then contact Barbara Vitale at [email protected] for a housing reservation code. On-campus housing goes quickly; we encourage you to make your reservation as soon as possible.

 

REGISTRATION

CLICK HERE for more information / CLICK HERE to sign up

 

FULL Grounded in Practice Program

For those participants wishing to expand upon their in-person summer experience and complete a full Foundation Studies program, Grounded in Practice continues online from September 2025 – May 2026 in twice-monthly learning modules. Incorporating live sessions and interactive assignments, the recurring monthly schedule and curriculum is as follows:

1x/month: Saturday morning virtual session
1x/month: Asynchronous session: personally-scheduled, classroom-centered application of theory, personal research, and application

September

• Activating imagination through vivid descriptions and powerful images
• Sense of coherence – Storytelling (structure, create)

October

• Supporting the development of the senses in your students (12 senses)
• Developmental strategies in light of the 12 senses

November

• Theory: Rudolf Steiner’s Philosophy of Freedom & Theory of Knowledge and why it matters in the classroom
• Sense of coherence is the basis for healthy learning and being as it relates to the “Economy of Teaching”

December

• The cultural life of the school (festivals) and why it matters to your students and to you
• Celebrating nature and ancient wisdom in contemporary ways (The cycle of the year as breathing-process of the Earth)

January

• Direct experience is the basis for good learning
• Phenomenological and symptomatologic approaches to develop imaginative/intuitive capacities

February

• Nurturing a self-activity of your students
• Building a learning community: Classroom behavior guidance

March

• Diverse learners / Differentiated learning / Universal & essential supports
• Connecting with parents: reports, meetings, and collaboration

April

• Assessment and reporting in Waldorf schools
• Creating learning opportunities

May

• Communication / conflict resolution / Restorative justice
• Waldorf school governance: a basis for collaborative educating

 

Questions?
For answers to questions about this retreat or the Grounded in Practice program, please contact the New Adult Learning Institute at [email protected]

For answers to (logistical) questions about studying at Sunbridge, please contact [email protected]