This online workshop is an introductory experience for individuals interested in exploring Grounded in Practice, a new, experiential Waldorf Foundation Studies program designed for:

• Anyone interested in Waldorf education and teaching
• Educators new to the Waldorf movement
• Waldorf community members (admins, staffers, assistant & subject teachers, etc.)
• Individuals looking for a stronger foundation before entering Waldorf teacher training
• Teacher training applicants or students looking to fulfill program prerequisites or requirements

About Grounded in Practice

Launched in 2025, Grounded in Practice is a yearlong Foundation Studies program connecting anthroposophical tenets with practical application to the Waldorf classroom. Under the facilitation of Rubeena Sandhu and Sarah Nelson of The New Adult Learning Institute, Grounded in Practice 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. The full program consists of an in-person weeklong retreat in the summer followed by twice-monthly online learning modules incorporating live sessions and interactive assignments occurring September-May.

The Generative Principles Applied in Grounded in Practice

• 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

Grounded in Practice Foundation Studies is constructed so participants can immediately apply their full program experience to any age classroom, using newly-acquired imaginative and developmental methodologies to form the basis for their own planning, teaching, and assessment practices. 

NOTE: According to AWSNA guidelines for teacher preparation requirements, the full Grounded in Practice program fulfills 100 hours of foundation studies as required by some Waldorf teacher training institutes. Teacher training students should contact their teacher training institute to see how this may apply to them.

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

Stay tuned for more details about this “taster” weekend’s activities!

 

Grounded in Practice 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.

 

Workshop Zoom Sessions

Friday, April 24: 7:00 pm-8:30 pm Eastern Time
Saturday, April 25: 10:30 am-12:00 pm and 12:30 pm-2:00 pm Eastern Time

Sessions will not be recorded.

Cost

$195 (includes a $25 non-refundable registration fee)

25% discount:

• For schools sending more than one teacher or
• For Sunbridge teacher education program graduates or
• For payments made in Canadian dollars

Discounts may not be combined. Qualification for discounts will be verified by Sunbridge staff. 

Free for current Sunbridge program students (plus a $25 non-refundable registration fee; accounts must be in good standing)

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

 

We reserve the right to make faculty substitutions when necessary. See registration form for refund policy.

Sunbridge is a New York State Education Department Approved Sponsor of Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (NYSED CTLE), enabling teachers of any background to choose Sunbridge for their CLTE/CEU professional development credits. Check to see if your state honors our status.