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Sunbridge Institute – Waldorf Teacher Education, Chestnut Ridge NY
Waldorf teacher education program at Sunbridge Institute – Chestnut Ridge NY

Teacher Education

 

Sunbridge Institute’s teacher education programs work out of an understanding of education and human development as a process of self-education in community. Our teacher education classes are designed to provide opportunities for self-education in a supportive social, collegial context.

 

Teacher education at Sunbridge Institute includes a deep exploration of child and human development; development of a teacher’s contemplative capacities; exploration of pedagogical approaches and skills; studies in the arts; courses that develop abilities for working in a group of colleagues; and practical learning or mentored teaching in the classroom with experienced teachers.
 

Our programs are designed to draw upon and build creative capacities, developing the thinker, the artist, the scientist, the poet, the environmentalist, and the musician that lives within each of us, just as Waldorf educators draw upon and nurture these capacities within each child.

Programs Offered

At Sunbridge, you can prepare to become a
 

For highly experienced Waldorf educators wishing to apply their educational and professional background toward earning a Sunbridge diploma we offer an Early Childhood Completion Track and Elementary Completion Track. Graduates of our Early Childhood, Elementary, and High School programs who hold bachelor’s degrees from regionally-accredited institutions may apply their Sunbridge studies toward earning a fully-accredited MEd or MALS from Empire State University of the State University of New York.

Format

 

Sunbridge’s teacher education offerings are low-residency, requiring infrequent, yet sustained on-campus study. This format accommodates working adults and allows for an important give-and-take between time in a Sunbridge classroom and time in a Waldorf teaching setting, each enhancing the other. This schedule also makes it possible for students from all over the country—and the world—to enroll here, broadening and enlivening our student experience. Our Early Childhood, Elementary, and High School diploma programs are designed to be completed over the course of 25 months, while our Completion Tracks are designed to be completed in 13 months. Each of these diploma programs is comprised of both on-campus and online coursework, while our specialized subject certificate programs  (Elementary Music and World Languages & Cultures) require one three-week-long, on-campus summer study and one week-long teacher observation in the following school year. Please see our individual program pages for specific formats and schedules.

Enrollment Cycles and Admissions

 

All of our diploma programs (Early Childhood, Elementary, and High School Teacher Education, including our Completion Tracks) enroll every summer.  Our two specialized subject offerings (Elementary Music and World Languages & Cultures Teacher Education) alternate every-other-summer enrollment. Applications are posted October 1 of the fall prior to enrollment. Please visit our separate program pages for specific enrollment dates as well as information on our admission requirements and application process, including special instructions for international students.

Student Body


Students coming to Sunbridge represent a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and interests. Many are already working in Waldorf classrooms, while some are brand-new to teaching (or to Waldorf teaching). Some are young people embarking on their first career; others are more seasoned adults, many looking to make a mid-career change. Some are Waldorf school graduates themselves and some are Waldorf parents inspired by their children’s experience. Many students come to us from a background in other educational philosophies.

Former careers of recent Sunbridge students include:
 

  • Social worker

  • Veterinarian

  • Public school principal

  • Artist

  • Attorney

  • Pharmaceutical sales rep

  • Actor

  • Small business CFO

  • Chef

  • Speech therapist

  • Pediatrician

Career Outlook


There are nearly 1,000 Waldorf schools and 2,000 Waldorf early childhood programs located throughout the world, including about 170 Waldorf schools and 250 Waldorf early childhood in the US, plus additional initiatives, early childhood programs, and charter schools that incorporate aspects of Waldorf education. However, with only 12 AWSNA (the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America)-affiliated Waldorf teacher education centers in all of the US, Canada and Mexico, there are not nearly enough newly-credentialed Waldorf teachers graduating each year to meet the nationwide and worldwide need for qualified English-speaking Waldorf teachers. A diploma from one of these Waldorf teacher education institutes is a virtual guarantee of a Waldorf teaching position.

A majority of Sunbridge program students are offered Waldorf teaching positions prior to their Sunbridge graduation; by graduation time, virtually everyone wishing to teach in a Waldorf school has been offered a job.  

Sunbridge’s teacher education programs are fully recognized by AWSNA, and our Early Childhood Teacher Education Program is also fully recognized by the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). These credentials give your Sunbridge diploma worldwide status. However, because specific licensing requirements and/or government regulations for teachers vary from state-to-state in the US and from country to country, it is important to research these appropriate regulations and requirements.

Find Out More


If you would like to further investigate Waldorf education and Waldorf teaching, Sunbridge’s Waldorf Weekend workshop and Meet & Greet info sessions are great opportunities for you, as is our Introduction to Waldorf Early Childhood Education Summer Series course.  See our Events Calendar for upcoming dates of these and other relevant workshops, courses, and events.

Visiting a Waldorf school in your area is also a good way to learn more about Waldorf teaching. Most Waldorf schools offer opportunities for visitors to attend admissions events that include tours, lectures, presentations, and class observations.  Check AWSNA for listings of Waldorf schools in the US and across North America or WECAN for listings of Early Childhood programs.  

If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact our admissions office at 845-425-0055 x720.

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