An in-person retreat serving teachers as either a stand-alone Grounded in Practice course or as a prelude to the full Grounded in Practice program. 

Sunbridge Institute is excited to be sponsoring a six-day opening session of Grounded in Practice, an immersive, hands-on foundation year program in Waldorf education presented by the New Adult Learning Institute.

GROUNDED IN PRACTICE 

The New Adult Learning Institute’s Grounded in Practice program connects anthroposophical tenets with practical application to the Waldorf classroom. This experiential program integrates Steiner’s anthroposophical principles for teachers, Martyn Rawson’s Generative Principles, and a picture of child development explored through the arts and teacher preparation practices.

Program participants can immediately apply their Grounded in Practice experience to any grade-level classroom, using newly-acquired imaginative and developmental methodologies to form the basis for their own planning, teaching, and assessment practices. 

Generative Principles:

• Waldorf Education takes the spiritual dimension seriously
• Sense of coherence is the basis for healthy learning & well-being
• The quality of the teacher’s preparation influences the quality of learning
• Students need to be ready to learn and they need time to learn
• Learning is a rhythmical process
• Learning processes are structured over time
• Block teachings strengthens learning dispositions over time
• Direct experience is the basis for learning
• Activating the imagination through vivid pictorial descriptions and images is another powerful starting point for learning
• A phenomenological approach enables the organic growth of knowledge
• The teaching must be artistic
• The self -activity of the students is essential to the learning
• Good teaching and learning depends on the development of the senses
  

Retreat Curriculum:

• Introduction to Anthroposophy as it Relates to Understanding Human Development (Morning Lecture)
• Introduction to the Arts Through the Years (Painting, Drawing, Singing)
• Introduction to Rawson’s Generative Principles (5 Vignettes)
• Advisory Planning Time (Toward Your Personal Aims); with mentorship
• Contemplative Practice / Inner Life of the Teacher (Practices to Support Inner Health)
• Introduction to Child Development (Evening Lecture)
• Practical & Developmental Movement Activities Over the Years
• Eurythmy

 

Facilitators

Sarah Nelson has been a Waldorf educator and advocate for over 27 years, serving as a class teacher, early childhood educator, pedagogical administrator, mentor, and leader within the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA). Currently, she works with various Waldorf schools while splitting her time between British Columbia and Maui, HI. Sarah holds a bachelor’s degree in adolescent and child psychology from UMass, a master’s in education from Antioch New England, and a Waldorf teaching certificate.

Rubeena Sandhu has been a Waldorf educator and school head for over 25 years. Rubeena’s experience as an adult educator includes serving as faculty member and director of the Grades program at The West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy and as an instructor in Sunbridge’s Elementary Teacher Education program. The Northwest/Pacific Region member of the AWSNA Leadership Council since 2018, and secretary of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada, Rubeena currently works as a certified New Adult Educator and school counselor, helping to support students, teachers, administrators, and parents. She holds a bachelor’s of fine arts degree, a master’s of education in school counseling, and a Waldorf teaching certificate.

 

Location and Schedule

This in-person retreat takes place at Sunbridge Institute, situated on the campus of the Threefold Educational Foundation.

Sunday, July 27: First session begins at 9:00am and runs through late afternoon
Monday, July 28-Thursday, July 31: Sessions begin at 9:00 am and end late afternoon. There will be some evening sessions.
Friday, August 1: Last session ends at 12:30 pm

 

Grounded in Practice Credit Hours

The full Grounded in Practice program fulfills 100 hours of foundation study according to AWSNA guidelines for teacher preparation requirements.

While Sunbridge does not have a foundation study requirement for our students, our Elementary Teacher Education program gladly accepts completion of either this 6-day retreat or the entire 10-month Grounded in Practice program for transfer credit or to fulfill supplemental hours.

 

Cost

In-person retreat week only: $1,300 plus a $35 registration fee
Full program (retreat week + virtual sessions — SEE BELOW): $3,200 plus a $35 registration fee
Available discount: 25% off for payments made in CAD

 

Housing and Meals

Read all about options for housing and meals while studying at Sunbridge, and then contact Barbara Vitale at [email protected] for a housing reservation code. On-campus housing goes quickly; we encourage you to make your reservation as soon as possible.

 

REGISTRATION

Registration deadline is July 15.

CLICK HERE for more information and to register.

 

FULL Grounded in Practice Program

For those participants wishing to expand upon their in-person summer experience and complete a full Foundation Studies program, Grounded in Practice continues online from September 2025 – May 2026 in twice-monthly learning modules. Incorporating live sessions and interactive assignments, the recurring monthly schedule and curriculum is as follows:

Week 1: 2-hour virtual session
Week 2: 2-hour independent exploration
Week 3 & 4: Repeat the cycle with a new topic

September

• Activating imagination: Storytelling (structure, create)
• Teaching as an art
• Imaginative thinking

October

• Phenomenological approach
• Direct experience is the basis for good learning

November

• Supporting the development of the senses in your students
• Nurturing the self-activity of your students

December

• Theory: Rudolf Steiner’s Philosophy of Freedom & his Theory of Knowledge: Why it matters
• Sense of coherence as a necessity for learning and being

January

• Classroom behavior guidance
• Developmental strategies

February

• Diverse learners
• Differentiated learning
• Universal & essential supports

March

• Waldorf school governance: a basis for collaborative educating
• Connecting with parents: reports, meetings, and collaboration

April

• The cultural life of the school and why it matters to your students and to you
• Celebrating nature and ancient wisdom

May

• Communication / conflict resolution
• Restorative justice
• Kim John Payne’s Integrative Education

 

Questions?
For answers to questions about this retreat or the Grounded in Practice program, please contact the New Adult Learning Center at [email protected]

For answers to (logistical) questions about studying at Sunbridge, please contact [email protected]