The Primary Steiner Teacher Training Course at Perth Waldorf School
Perth Waldorf School, 14 Gwilliam Drive, Bibra Lake WA
This two-year part-time course is designed for those wishing to develop their skills in and understanding of Waldorf teaching and pedagogy. The course is suitable for graduates new to the art of teaching as well as those looking to further develop and enliven themselves as teachers. It is also extremely helpful to parents of children at Waldorf schools to gain a deeper understanding of child development and to learn strategies to support their children through the different stages of Childhood.
The course focuses on the Primary curriculum and also provides a rich experience in personal development through a programme of artistic practice and a thorough understanding of Rudolf Steiner’s educational philosophy. Drawing, painting, modelling, Eurythmy, music, craft, drama, and movement are all brought in a gentle but powerful way. No experience is necessary only a willingness to learn. Experienced Waldorf teachers will assist you in developing your skills and understandings to become artists in teaching all subjects across the Primary curriculum.
The course will run over two years on eight Fridays (4:30 pm to 8:30 pm), and two Saturday mornings (9.00 am to 12.30pm) each term—except fourth term of each year when teachers’ end- of-year commitments are greater. In the fourth term of each year the course will run over four Fridays and one Saturday morning.
Term one of the course will start on Friday 10 February 2023 and end on Friday 31 March April.
On completion of the course, trainees will receive a Certificate of Completion, which will be highly valuable to anyone seeking employment in Steiner schools. With over 1000 Waldorf schools in 60 countries there is great demand for Steiner-trained teachers.
There are 3 main components to the Course:
- Artistic practice in a wide variety of art forms
- An introduction to Anthroposophy
- The Waldorf Curriculum and its pedagogy
The Arts include:
- Speech Training and Story Telling
- Painting and Drawing/Blackboard drawing
- Sculpture
- Craft/Handwork
- Form drawing and Geometric constructions
- Singing and Music
- Eurythmy
- Creative Writing
- Bothmer Gym
An Introduction to Anthroposophy includes:
- Rudolf Steiner’s Biography
- Goethean methodology as a pathway to spiritual perception
- Spiritual Foundations of the Human Being
- 3-Fold Human Being/4-Fold Human Being
- The Evolution of Consciousness through Art History
- World Evolution in the Light of Anthroposophy
- The Cultural Epochs
- Meditation and Study
- The 12 Senses
The Waldorf Curriculum and its Pedagogy includes:
- The Curriculum in relation to the changing needs of the Child
- Child Development, The 3 Phases of Childhood
- Beginning with Early Childhood we progress through to Class Seven
- Each Term focuses on the major themes of a Class in the Primary Years
- The Temperaments and Child Study
- Imagination in Teaching
- Behaviour Management
- Main Lesson Structure and Breathing
- Parent Nights and Community Building
The Main Text we will be examining is “The Education of the Child in the light of Anthroposophy”
Mark Phillips– Curriculum and Teacher Development Coordinator
