Waldorf Teacher Training in Sonoma County
Founded by Don Basmajian in 1990, Center for Educational Renewal as been inspiring new teachers for more than 30 years! Our students are immersed in the arts, in study and in classroom practice. Courses are deeply rooted in Anthroposophy, and grounded in the modern world.
“Anthroposophy intends to be a living presence: it wants to use words, concepts, and ideas so that something living may shine down from the spiritual world into the physical world. Anthroposophy does not only want to impart knowledge; it seeks to awaken life.”
-Rudolf Steiner
The basic ideas from Rudolf Steiner form a living picture of the human being, the earth, and the cosmos from which a living image of human development can develop. Out of this image Waldorf teachers educate children. An intensive study of Dr. Steiner’s works is continued during the four years of the teacher training. His ideas are not meant to be taken as fact, but through one’s own power of thought and feeling, the student must wrestle with new ideas and concepts, and make them his or her own.
History
The first Waldorf school began in Germany in 1919 when industrialist, Emil Molt, asked Rudolf Steiner, the Austrian philosopher, scientist, artist, and educator, to develop a school for he children of the workers in his factory. Dr. Steiner gave indications for a curriculum that would prepare young people to meet the challenges of the future. Steiner taught teachers how to observe children physically, emotionally, and spiritually and to create meaningful lessons filled with living pictures that would deeply touch the students in their hearts, minds, and bodies. Today there are over 800 Waldorf schools worldwide with over 100 in North America.
The Arts
The integration of the arts and academic subjects is a unique feature of Waldorf schools. Art matures the soul of the adult as well as the child. Art can awaken the human being to the secrets of life. Every person, even those who feel they have no artistic ability, has the possibility of awaking a sleeping creative artist within! Throughout the four years, classes are given in painting, drawing, music, speech, drama, spatial dynamics, and Eurythmy.
The Waldorf School
Waldorf education places as much emphasis on creatively as it does on academic content. Indications given by Steiner serve as a catalyst for teachers to begin to develop a deeper understanding of the subject to be taught and to work in freedom out of one’s own creativity to develop their lessons. The teacher training course will explore the Waldorf curriculum in kindergarten, lower school, and high school and will strive to awaken a reverence for beauty and a sense for truth in the teacher.