This week’s course will be taught remotely in real-time. For those who would prefer attending in person, this course is also being offered on campus from June 23-28. Read all about Summer Series 2024.
Open to everyone, including current and prospective early childhood educators, parents, grandparents, and caregivers.
Join us for a wondrous journey! In this comprehensive course, you’ll explore the essential elements of Waldorf early childhood education. Through the guidance of highly experienced Waldorf early childhood educators you’ll delve into child development; learn about rhythms, transitions, and the cycle of the year; explore the importance of play; examine the inner development of the teacher; experience circle time activities, lessons in handwork, art, and movement, and the essentials of a morning in a Waldorf early childhood setting; and develop a true practical understanding of Waldorf early childhood education. A perennial Sunbridge summer favorite, this rich and extensive course has launched many early childhood careers.
Watch Lisa talk about this course.
Instructors
Lisa Miccio, lead, is founder, director, and parent & child playgroup teacher at The Berry Basket Playgroups and Family Programs in Warwick, NY; she also sits on the Sunbridge Board of Trustees and provides professional development training and mentoring of teachers new to nature-based early childhood education. From 2022-23 Lisa served Acorn Waldorf School as the Neighboring Tree Project Specialist, overseeing a grant-funded AWS initiative that aimed to create community partnerships with local early childhood educators, schools, and centers. She taught kindergarten at The Waldorf School of Garden City, where she chaired the DEIJ committee, from 2017-2022, and for a dozen years prior was on the faculty of Green Meadow Waldorf School, where she taught in and served as a co-chair of the early childhood section, directed the early childhood admissions and family programs, and was a member of the Collegium, the Collegium Committee, and the Board of Trustees. Lisa’s teaching experience also includes teaching and mentoring in the Kathmandu (Nepal) Waldorf Kindergarten. She holds a BA in English from the College of Charleston, an MS in Elementary Education from CW Post, Long Island University, and an MS in Waldorf Education from Sunbridge College. She is the mother of two Waldorf-educated sons.
Motria Shuhan is the founder/director of Acorn Waldorf School in Accord, NY, where she serves as lead teacher in the Oaks Mixed Age Kindergarten. Prior to Founding AWS, she spent nine formative years at the Mountain Laurel Waldorf School, working in the nursery and kindergarten and serving as pedagogical chair for three years. Motria also serves as a mentor and educator in Sunbridge’s Early Childhood Teacher Education program. With a special interest in the art of puppetry, Motria has staged shows for conferences, festivals, and other community events. She completed a three-year Advanced Therapeutic Course for Early Childhood Educators in Denver and her Waldorf Early Childhood training at Sunbridge College.
Rie Seo teaches kindergarten at The Waldorf School of Garden City. Before joining the WSGC faculty, Rie served as the aftercare lead teacher at New Amsterdam School. She also led nursery and parent/child programs at a Waldorf-inspired Japanese Saturday Program in Brooklyn and was the founder and lead teacher for outdoor Waldorf-inspired parent/child classes in Queens. Rie earned her BA in drama from Tamagawa University in Tokyo, Japan; her MFA in theater design from NYU Tisch School of the Arts; a certificate in early childhood education from LifeWays; and a diploma in Waldorf early childhood teacher education from Sunbridge.
Meggan Gill became Sunbridge’s director of education and organizational culture in 2021 and is also a member of the Sunbridge teacher education faculty. A member of Alma Partners and a specialist in diversity, equity, and inclusion, she is also an active committee member and workshop presenter for AWSNA and WECAN. Meggan’s teaching experience includes most recently serving as lead toddler teacher at City of Lakes Waldorf School and, from 2009-2020, serving on the faculty of the Brooklyn Waldorf School, where she led parent-and-child and kindergarten classes and was active on the Faculty Council. Prior to joining BWS, she taught kindergarten at the Olympia Waldorf School and parent-and-child and nursery classes at the New Amsterdam School. Meggan, who originally hails from the Pacific Northwest and is a certified yoga teacher, earned her undergraduate degree in health sciences from The Evergreen State College and her certificate in Waldorf early childhood education from Sunbridge.
Participants who took this course previously had this to say:
- Amazing. This is one of the best courses I’ve taken in my life.
- I am beyond grateful.
- The class was a fun mix of lecture, break-out groups and experiential learning.
- It was well structured, the faculty was exceptional and held each class with knowledge, joy and humor. I appreciated the opportunity we were given to be broken into groups, discuss topics and get to know more about the participants.
- I found the topics engaging, loved the puppetry and am thankful for the library of music!
- I really enjoyed attending lectures and the articles that were provided for homework. It was great to dive right in and begin learning more about Waldorf EC. I found everyone to be very passionate and present in the program. I found that I got something out of every class.
- It was an incredibly insightful and grounding experience.
- Not only am I walking away with tools in my pocket, but with a growth and awareness in myself that I was not expecting.
- Lisa is wonderful. I have never met a teacher who in five days would be able to change a group of strangers in such a profound way.
- I really enjoyed Motria’s way of sharing information, her patience and fluid way of moving through topics. It is clear that she is very passionate about her work and enjoys sharing that with others.
- I loved Rie’s ability to bring you into the work (regardless of it being on zoom.) She is clearly passionate and I enjoyed her lessons.
- Meggan’s class was so helpful and insightful. There were so many things about circle time that I didn’t fully understand and this course really helped me learn. I really appreciate the openness, humor and warmth that she brings to the class.
- The entire course was so nourishing and fulfilling. It gave me more than I ever expected. I would suggest this course to all teachers and parents interested in deepening their knowledge in Waldorf EC education. It was truly eye-opening.
Schedule
This course takes place June 16-21 in a synchronous online classroom. ALL TIMES LISTED ARE EASTERN (NY) TIME ZONE
Sunday evening
7:15 pm-7:25 pm: Log in for technical check and attendance
7:30 pm to 9:00 pm: First session
Monday-Thursday
9:45 am-9:55 am: Log in for technical check and attendance
Sessions take place between 10:00 am and 4:30 pm (including breaks and lunch)
Friday
9:45 am-9:55 am: Log in for technical check and attendance
Final session takes place from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Note: Participants should be prepared to work on course-related assignments outside of their regularly scheduled instructional sessions (including some that may be assigned in advance). A complete schedule will be sent two weeks before your course start date, along with a list of materials you will need to procure for your handwork classes.
Cost
$615 includes all resource materials, yearlong access to your 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.
**Materials**
You will need to procure these materials before your course begins.
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.
