Professional development for Waldorf teachers and home school parents. Read all about Summer Series 2025.

Taught remotely in real-time, this course offers you an invaluable opportunity to focus entirely on your upcoming sixth grade school year in five days brimming with presentations, discussions, and practical activities.

Under the guidance of an experienced class teacher, you’ll discover ways to enliven your teaching and learn how to approach the blocks so that they may meet the sixth grader in a meaningful and lively way. With the insights of anthroposophy, gleaned through a discussion of child development focusing on your class’s age group, you will get to know the sixth grade child in depth as they enter adolescence.

Along with time and space to consider and hone your skills in such practical matters as main lesson books, block planning, projects and activities, and classroom management, your course will include such key topics for sixth graders—and their teachers—as:

• The gesture of the sixth grade
• Topics in language arts, including poetry, grammar and research papers
• Topics in math, including geometric drawing, business math, and practice classes
• Topics in world history, including Rome, Chinese dynasties, Arab and Islamic empires, the global Middle Ages, and cultures of peace
• Topics in geography
• Introduction to physics, astronomy, and earth science / geology
• Plays, projects, community service, and trips
• Sixth grade assessment
• Parent work and colleagueship

These subjects will be supported by explorations in art, music, and movement, giving you practical tools to take into your school year. In addition, you’ll gain many valuable opportunities for building connections among a community of parallel colleagues from across the country to carry with you throughout your teaching. And participation in an anthroposophical study undertaken by all Grades participants will help enable you to build bridges between colleagues and parents once you return to your school.

Grade-specific resource materials useful for your year, including poems, songs, stories, and main lesson book ideas, will be provided to you electronically.

NOTE: This course is taught with the expectation that you have a foundational background in Waldorf education.

Lead Instructor 

Ashley Mullen Umlauf leads a seventh grade class at Seattle Waldorf School. Born and raised on a homestead in Alaska, Ashley grew up playing in the woods and commercial fishing with her family. She taught public high school for several years in Bellevue, Washington, before becoming a mother to her three children. While searching for an alternative form of education for her young children, Ashley stumbled upon Waldorf education at Whidbey Island Waldorf School and taught there for eight years in the early childhood section and as class teacher, ultimately graduating her eighth grade class. She has been at Seattle Waldorf School since joining the faculty in 2018 as the first grade teacher. Ashley, who especially enjoys creating class plays with her students, watching them grow and develop over the years, teaching a wide variety of ages, and creating strong connections with families, attended the University of Washington, earning a BA in English (with writing emphasis) and a master’s in Teaching in Grades 6-12.

Previous Summer Series Grade Six participants had this to say about their experience:

• Very knowledgeable, inspiring, organized and well-prepared presenter.
• This course exceeded my expectations. I found the lesson planning resources particularly helpful.
• Highlights were the plethora of resources, getting to connect with other Waldorf teachers, and talking about where the 6th graders are at as human beings.
• I thought it was wonderful that each course also came with folders of resources. 
• The educators that were guiding us through the course are all very kind and helpful.
• As a new teacher, I found this course super insightful. It more than met my expectations!

Your course also includes sessions in art with Adrienne Patrick, music with Katey Dolezal, and eurythmy with Alexandra Spadea.

Schedule

This course takes place July 6-11 in a synchronous online classroom. ALL TIMES LISTED ARE EASTERN (NY) TIME ZONE.

Sunday evening
6:15 pm-6:25 pm: Log-in for technical check-in and attendance
6:30 pm-8:15 pm: First session

Monday – Thursday
9:45 am-9:55 am: Log-in for technical check-in and attendance
Sessions run from 10:00 am through 4:45-5:00 pm, with time for breaks and lunch

Friday
9:45 am-9:55 am: Log-in for technical check-in and attendance
Sessions run from 10:00 am through 1:30 pm, with a mid-morning break

Note: Most sessions are required in order to receive a certificate of attendance. Others, such as Q&A sessions with your lead instructor and studio time with your art and music instructors, are optional. You should be prepared to work on course-related assignments outside of your regularly scheduled instructional sessions (including some that may be assigned in advance). Complete schedules will be sent two weeks before your course start date, along with a list of materials you will need to procure for use during your course.

Cost 
$645 includes all resource materials, yearlong access to your Grade Six Google Classroom, and a $55 non-refundable registration fee.

25% discount for:

• Students currently enrolled in a Sunbridge teacher education program
• Sunbridge program graduates
• Payments made in Canadian dollars

Accounts must be in good standing and discounts may not be combined. Qualification for discounts will be verified by Sunbridge staff.  

REGISTER

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

Sunbridge reserves the right to make faculty substitutions when necessary. See registration form for refund policy.