The Sunbridge Waldorf Elementary Teacher Education program consists of courses in the following areas:

• Basic Waldorf pedagogy and child development
• Subject curriculum and methods
• Inner development of the teacher
• Fundamentals for the teacher
• Artistic development

Students receive the following instruction:

HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES

A thematic examination of the history and philosophy of education in the United States, investigating the following topics:

• Educational philosophers (16th century to present)
• Theories and philosophies of education
• Social, political, and economic forces that influence education
• Contemporary educational movements
• The role of education in society

CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING

A fundamental course that provides a background for Waldorf Education

Topics include:

• The principles of teaching related to the growth and developmental stages of childhood and adolescence
• An in-depth study of Rudolf Steiner’s child psychology
• The relationship between child, nature, inner processes, and classroom practice

FOUNDATIONS OF WALDORF PEDAGOGY

Topics include:

• Building community in the classroom and the school
• Fostering inner development and contemplation
• Researching methods of creating and celebrating festivals with children
• Building resilience, reflection, and resourcefulness into our pedagogical practice
• Examining Steiner’s specific approach to pedagogical professional development

SCHOOL GOVERNANCE

A study of the cultural, sociological, and economic aspects of independent schools in general and in Waldorf schools in particular, including:

• Organization of Waldorf schools
• Levels and phases of school development
• Goal-oriented group work
• Practical work of the Waldorf teacher
• Working with administration, colleagues, and parents

REMEDIAL EDUCATION

Remediation for children in both classroom situations and individual sessions

Topics include:

• Studying the basics of child observation
• Exploring causes for the differences in learning styles
• Practicing some general methods for increasing sensory processing
• Exploring interventions such as classroom activities and therapies

INNER DEVELOPMENT

A study of the anthroposophical path of inner development as related to the life of the teacher

Topics include:

• Collegial relationships and working in a group
• Methods for cultivating daily contemplative practice for self-development
• The effects of spiritual practice on a teacher and his/her relationship with students, parents, colleagues, and self
• Rudolf Steiner’s exercises for meditation
• Working toward developing a conscious, supportive contemplative practice

TEACHING LANGUAGE ARTS

An examination of a Waldorf approach to literacy acquisition in grades 1-8

Topics include:

• The development of writing, reading, grammar, composition, and drama
• The integration of poetry, drama, and art
• The teaching of writing before reading and the effect of this method on the developing child
• An explorative approach to understanding and teaching grammar
• The health-giving importance of drama in the Waldorf grade school and the role of the class teacher as playwright, director, and producer
• Plus: effectively using main lessons; fostering speaking and listening skills in children; understanding the scope of the language arts curriculum; writing and understanding the value of pedagogical stories and birthday verses as healing for children; exploring methods of assessing student learning

TEACHING FORM DRAWING

Topics include:

• How form drawing works on bringing balance into movement through drawing
• The educational importance of freehand, artistic pattern drawing derived through movement
• How form drawing serves as a precursor and support for the learning of cursive writing and the study of geometry
• Practicing drawing various types of form drawings: ribbon, symmetry metamorphosis, geometric, and braided designs for grades 1-5
• How to create a form drawing lesson, encompassing developmentally appropriate ways to present a form to the students

TEACHING MATH

Methodology and content of the Waldorf mathematics curriculum, grades 1-8

Topics include:

• Generation of cardinal and ordinal numbers
• Prime, abundant, efficient, etc. numbers
• Number theory
• Fundamental operations with integers, fractions, decimals
• Business math, banking, introduction of capital, interest, etc.
• Literal numbers, algebra, statistics

TEACHING GEOMETRY

Methodology and content of the Waldorf geometry curriculum, grades 5-8

• Construction of geometric figures, draftsmanship with straight edge and compass, etc.
• Properties of elementary figures
• Basic Euclidean theorems
• Introduction to plane and three-dimensional geometry
• Regular polygons, angle and line bisection, spirals, and geometric progressions
• Pythagorean Theorem
• Finding areas and perimeters of various polygons and irregular forms
• Three-dimensional solids, including the five regular solids
• Golden ratio in nature and art
• Integration with algebra, graphing, etc.
• Perspective drawing

TEACHING SCIENCE

Methodology and content of the Waldorf geometry curriculum, grades 4-8

Topics include:

• Physics, chemistry, earth science, and biology
• How to develop clear scientific concepts directly from demonstrations, experiments, and observation of natural phenomena
• How to develop age-specific curriculum content
• Safety, equipment, and lab technique

TEACHING HISTORY

Methodology and content of the Waldorf history curriculum, grades 5-8

Topics include:

• Different methods of presentation for different age levels
• Biographies as a teaching tool
• Rudolf Steiner’s indications for teaching history
• Creating appropriate lesson material based on the context of child development

TEACHING GEOGRAPHY

Topics include:

• Teaching of geometry in the context of its importance in the Waldorf curriculum
• The geography curriculum and methods for teaching it in the classroom
• How this subject connects all other disciplines in the curriculum
• Socio-economic aspects of geography
• Building geographical imagination

FINE ARTS

Topics include:

• Developing techniques in a number of different art forms that teachers need for the classroom, including:
  • Clay modeling
  • Watercolor painting
  • Crayon drawing
  • Blackboard drawing
• Color theory
• The importance of art in education
• Self-expression as a means to personal growth

SCULPTURE

Topics include:

• How to deepen and extend a student’s faculties for experiencing and creating forms
• Using wood and clay, working with form as an expression of spiritual qualities
• Modeling human and animal forms in wood and clay

TEACHING MUSIC

A practical introduction to the music curriculum in Waldorf schools

Topics include:

• Songs for the classroom appropriate for different grade levels
• Practicing teaching songs and working on improving one’s own voice
• Major, minor, and pentatonic scales
• Theory, notation, and note reading
• Vocal qualities and musicianship skills required of the Waldorf teacher

SPEECH ARTS

Topics in this experiential course include:

• Speech techniques and abilities applied to storytelling and the recitation of verses and poetry
• Speech exercises for the teacher
• Choral recitation
• Lyric poetry and drama
• The artistic use of speech in the classroom

HANDWORK

Topics include:

• An understanding of the handwork curriculum and how it is practiced in a Waldorf school
• Knitting, sewing, and craft techniques in making a variety of simple soft toys
• Fostering skills and capacities through the creation of simple handwork projects

GARDENING

Topics include:

• How to cultivate a young child’s relationship to nature through gardening
• Hands-on lessons accompanied by a study of understanding basics of life processes in the rhythms of the earth, the planets, plants, and animals
• Cosmic and terrestrial factors influencing plant life
• Introduction to landscaping principles as pertaining to creating a school gardening
• Organic/biodynamic gardening

SPACIAL DYNAMICS

A movement class exploring the interplay between human beings and space

Topics include:

• Bothmer Gymnastics games and exercises
• How a Waldorf school curriculum relates to these exercises
• Experiencing the sense of self within the context of community
• Games for each grade of the elementary school

EURYTHMY

An introduction to the study of expressive movement

Topics include:

• Eurythmy’s relationship to the sounds of speech and elements of poetry
• Sounds of speech and the study of colors in movement
• Gestures for musical tones
• Intervals, scales, major, and minor chords
• Melody and rhythm
• Geometric forms
• Concentration exercises and rod exercises
• Pedagogical eurythmy
• The eurythmy curriculum through the grads

CHORUS AND RECORDER

Topics include:

• Communal and Baroque choral singing
• Musical repertoire appropriate for community and classroom singing in a Waldorf school, selecting the cycle of the year (seasons, festivals)
• Family of Baroque recorder (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)
• Pedagogical purposes of playing these instruments in Waldorf classrooms
• Techniques for introducing the flutes to each grade level including stories, games, and songs
• Techniques worthy of imitation and exploring appropriate repertoire and methods

STUDENT TEACHING

For students who are not yet practicing Waldorf teachers (“pre-service”), an essential component of the program in each of years two and three is to complete four consecutive weeks of student teaching in an AWSNA-affiliated Waldorf school with an experienced Waldorf elementary teacher.

MENTORED TEACHING

Students who are currently-practicing, full-time Waldorf class teachers (“in-service”) receive a two-day visit in their classroom setting during each year of the program by a Sunbridge mentor who is a highly experienced Waldorf elementary teacher. These visits are accompanied by two hours of telephone conferences as a precursor and/or follow-up to the visit, and includes a self-evaluation. Ideally, this mentor will remain the same for the length of the program. These mentor visits are intended to support new teachers while they are in the Sunbridge program and are not intended as evaluations.

Over the course of the three years, mentored teachers are also required to spend two additional practicum weeks in a classroom other than their own and in the presence of an experienced Waldorf teacher.

OBSERVATION

All students (pre-service and in-service) are required to observe in a Waldorf classroom for a minimum of five days as follows: One full day in early childhood, three full days in elementary, and one full day in high school. Pre-service teachers are required to complete these five days in year one of the program. In-service students may complete the observations over the course of the three year program. Pre-service students are also required to observe for an additional two weeks in either one or two grades one-eight classes, spending a minimum of five consecutive days in one classroom at a time. These two full weeks of observation can take place at any point during the three years of the program. This brings the total observation requirement for pre-service students to three weeks.

Sunbridge Institute reserves the right to make faculty or course substitutions when necessary.