Guidance For Those Working with Teachers From Early Childhood Through High School
with Louise deForest

A professional development seminar for experienced Waldorf educators who are either already mentoring teachers or who wish to move into a mentoring role

“All real living is meeting,” Austrian philosopher Martin Buber once famously said. But how can we meet the other in such a way that all our experiences and expertise can enhance the others’ capacities and abilities? How do we build sufficient interest in the other to perceive and reflect back in a meaningful way? And how do we make our years of teaching useful when guiding others?

This seminar, designed for mentors working with teachers across all age and grade levels, is comprised of two on-site weekends and an interim assignment, plus follow-up coaching calls. Through presentation, discussion, group exercises, and role-playing, you will learn:

• How to be responsive to the environment you are working with while maintaining core principles
• How to address diversity of all kinds (gender, racial, cultural, other) to create a more inviting classroom
• Strategies and techniques for building your skills as an evaluator and mentor
• Steps for developing a mentoring program in your school, from paper to practice

Your seminar will include:

• Exploring the role of inner development in your work as a mentor
• Examining your own mentoring style
• Understanding the effect mentoring has on the mentee’s class—and on the well-being of your school

You will benefit from:

• Discussions on mentoring section-specific teachers, led by master early childhood and elementary educators
• Artistic activities
• Coaching calls in the spring and the following fall to track your progress as a mentor and help address any issues that may arise

You will come away with both a solid foundation for your own mentoring practice and tools to help your school build an effective and supportive mentoring program.

Instructor

An international lecturer, Waldorf early childhood teacher, teacher trainer, evaluator, and mentor, Louise deForest travels extensively throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and Europe, supporting teachers, parents, and schools. Currently serving as teacher mentor at the New Amsterdam School, Louise’s professional history includes serving as pedagogical director of the early childhood program at the Rudolf Steiner School, kindergarten teacher at Green Meadow Waldorf School, and co-founder of a Waldorf school in Vermont. She is also board chair of WECAN (Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America) and one of two North American representatives to IASWECE (the International Association of Steiner/Waldorf Early Childhood Education).

Schedule

This seminar has been designed to take place in two parts, occurring over weekends in late January and late March. Participants register for both parts at once; registering for the January or March weekend alone is not possible.

Dates & Times 

January 24 (Thursday) 7pm-9pm
January 25 (Friday) 9am-5:30pm
January 26 (Saturday) 9am-5:30pm
March 28 (Thursday) 7pm-9pm
March 29 (Friday) 9am-5:30pm
March 30 (Saturday) 9am-5:30pm

Cost/Discounts

$945 total for both parts. Includes breakfast, lunch, and mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks on Fridays and Saturdays, $85 non-refundable registration fee, and follow-up coaching calls.

Schools sending more than one attendee will be rebated $125 off the cost of each additional attendee (rebate to be issued after the seminar takes place). Sunbridge program alumni will receive a discounted price (final cost will be reflected on your registration form after you enter the code provided.) NOTE: Discounts may not be combined.

Online registration runs through 11am on Thursday, January 24. If you haven’t registered online by 11:00 on Thursday morning, January 24, and still wish to attend, you may register as a walk-in. Walk-in cost is $960.

Questions?
Contact Penelope-Myles Voss, admissions, alumni, and summer coordinator, at [email protected] or 845-425-0055 x20.

Sunbridge Institute reserves the right to cancel any offering at any time. If Sunbridge cancels, all registrants will be notified and will receive a full refund. If the registrant cancels, he or she will receive a full refund less the non-refundable registration fee.  Sunbridge reserves the right to make faculty substitutions when necessary.