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REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Susan Gray Weber

As part of its work on behalf of children in the firstseven years, the International Waldorf KindergartenAssociation created a working group to take up theinitiative for the family and the child in its first threeyears of life. The most visible outer work of this grouphas been the planning for the two international con-ferences, titled The Dignity of the Young Child. Athird conference will be offered in July 2004, in Jarna,Sweden.

During the early years of its work, the group wascomprised solely of European Waldorf early childhoodteachers, and arose out of their colleagueship andcaring for the work with very young children. At thattime, there was little support for such work, and manyquestions lived as they continue to do with re-gard to what Waldorf education could offer to suchwork. What insights and practical experiences couldbe developed and shared, so that care for these tinychildren, so vulnerable and in such need in our times,could find devoted and capable care givers as well assupport for their loving, striving parents?

During the first international conference in 1999,which I attended as a working group presenter to-gether with Rena Osmer, there was an invitation fornew members to gather around this core group. Atthat time, I offered my participation as a representa-tive of the work with very young children in NorthAmerica. Since then, I have participated in two meet-ings, first in England and this February in Driebergen,Holland. We had three days for our work and all foundit stimulating, affirming, and inspiring. The work withthe very young child everywhere has strong elementsof isolation, pioneering, and pedagogical questioning.One sees so clearly the very strong ways in which thiswork mirrors the social situation in the world. Thepossibility to share with others has been very impor-tant for each group member.

The groups representation at this meeting in-cluded Germany, Austria, Denmark, Great Britain,Switzerland, the Netherlands, and North America.Our time together included both review and preview

of the international conferences, intensive work withfinancial questions, development of a preliminary or-ganizational structure for the group, and substantivework with the situation of the work in Holland adulteducation, child care, play groups (the formal namefor early childhood groups with children under four),social and political issues in Holland.

Our substantive work included visits to two pro-grams in the local area: a play group for three andfour year olds, and a child care center, de Kroost, aswell as conversations with those leading various adulteducation impulses for kindergarten, small child, andsocial pedagogical therapy trainings. It is good to havea feeling for the questions, challenges, and new im-pulses coming forward in Holland in the context ofthe social, political, and economic challenges of thatparticular place. The spiritual impulse for the youngchild is strong, despite the many forces that seek toimpede the work.

It was an excellent working week. We arrived atgreatly appreciated clarity about our next steps as agroup. We are creating a rich, collegial communitywith many strong and articulate members each ofwhom is doing pioneer work with very young chil-dren. I am extremely grateful to serve as a part of thegroup, and hope to hear from those of you who wouldlike to offer your questions and ideas through myparticipation.

You imagine the work of our groupas a streamingtogether of impulses, insights, and new initiatives com-ing toward the group and then radiating outwardagain an annual pulse from the groups meetings andwoven into the rhythm of conference work, individualinitiatives, and working relationships of the partici-pants in other settings.

Another focus for us now is the development ofadult education work: practicing, sharing, and devel-oping experiential exercises for groups, looking at theneeds we encounter in work with adults.

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We will meet next year at der Hof in Frankfurt wherefor many years, a mantle of protection has been wo-ven around the family and young child, and where awide range of programs are already in place: parentinfant classes incorporating the work of Emmi Pikler,three Waldorf kindergartens, parent seminars andcourses, therapeutic work with children in the firstseven years offered by physicians and educational/curative therapists, and new impulses that are beingdeveloped through the possibilities created throughthe purchase of a new building. Childcare is amongthese new impulses.

Thanks and gratitude to everyone at the February EastCoast Kindergarten Conference from Sophia Project.Over $3,000 was collected for Sophia Project fromparticipants at the conference! The money will be usedfor long-awaited outdoor equipment and toys. We areall looking forward to a wonderful spring and sum-mer outdoors and there will be an article about oursuccesses and struggles in the Fall/Winter Gateways.In the meantime we send our heartfelt thanks for yourcare and best wishes from everyone at Sophia Project.

Sophias Hearth Family Center in Keene, NH hasbeen awarded a grant of $5,000 from the RudolfSteiner Foundation to create a professional develop-ment course for child care providers, parents and ex-pectant parents, parent-infant program teachers, andother early childhood professionals.

Our first two week course, to be offered this Au-gust, will offer an in-depth exploration of the gifts ofboth Waldorf education and RIE (Resources forInfant Educarers) to the young child and her family.The insights of Rudolf Steiner, Emmi Pikler, andMagda Gerber will live at the center of our work.

The course content will include a focus on thephysical, emotional, and spiritual growth of the child;RIEs special insights into the opportunities inher-ent in the care giving times of diapering, feeding, bath-ing, and dressing; complemented by artistic and handcraft activity. We will explore program models for childcare and parent infant classes. The course will behighly grounded in experiential activity.

The two week course may be taken in its entirety,and either week may be taken alone. This course willbuild on our first collaboration with RIE last June,when Carol Pinto came form Los Angeles to shareher many years of work with Magda Gerber and RIE.The 2001 course brought together Waldorf early child-hood teachers with local child care providers fromthe Keene area, through gifts of substitution and tu-ition assistance supported through a grant from our

The 2004 conference in Jarna will be in July tomake the conference as accessible as possible to thoseactually working directly with the little child. I willserve as a member of the planning group. Many gen-erous organizational and financial offerings have cometoward this conference from the Waldorf educationcommunity in Jarna and from the Swedishanthroposophical community. It is also our hope thatthe impulse for the very young child be embraced andincluded at other international conferences both be-fore and following this conference - for instance, inPrague in 2003.

local Monadnock Community Foundation. It was arich week of sharing and work, and we look forwardto the coming August with tremendous enthusiasmfor this further step.

Sophias Hearth Family Center ReceivesGrant

Thank you! from Sophia Project

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Stories from Home

One of the hallmarks of LifeWays Child Care is thefamily-style approach. By caring for children in smallgroups of varying ages, the childs daily experience ismuch more natural and home-like than the institu-tionalized and program-oriented care that is prevalenttoday. Through the inspiration of Rudolf Steinersresearch in child development and current researchon brain development and the importance of bond-ing, we recognize that this model of care supports thehealthy development of the child.Here are two storiesfrom students in the LifeWays Child Care and Hu-man Development training in Wisconsin. They eachoffer childcare in their homes, and one is preparingto open a LifeWays Center in Milwaukee next year.

From Ursula Wald of Tucson, ArizonaI have a three-year-old girl who had recently been expressingoccasional aggressive behavior. She had taken to beating upthe dolls and saying she was going to smash the babies (dolls).Occasionally she was striking out at the other children seem-ingly unprovoked. Things were changing in her family thatcould have played a role in her behavior. Recently, I addedan infant to her childcare group, and I noticed that all of thechildren have changed somewhat since the baby came. Theyall, including the three-year-old girl, love the baby.Specifically,now when this little girl arrives she immediatelygoes to the baby dolls, gathers them all up, and begins towrap them and care for them.

From Mary OConnell in Wauwatosa, WisconsinIts Wednesday, and in my home day care that means itsTwos-day; not by design, mind you, but the way the sched-ule worked out, I have all two-year-olds this day.

Monroe spends his day as the child development text-books tell you. He enjoys being with the other toddlers, buthe engages mostly in parallel play, looking to the caregiverfor ideas and inspiration. He has trouble sharing toys, and abit of intervention is required to make sure everyone is tak-ing turns. His speech is emerging, but he doesnt talk verymuch with the other twos; mostly just three or four wordsentences to the adult.

Cynthia Aldinger

At circle time the caregiver sings, and Monroe and the otherchildren mostly watch, imitating a few gestures and contrib-uting a word here or there.

Its Friday, and Monroe is here again, but today with amixed-age group, from infant to five years old. Monroe en-ters the house grinning from ear to ear and approaches James,age three. Hi, James! Want to play cars? Mary get out thecars? I be fire truck, you be dump truck, okay James?

Monroes day continues with exuberant chattering andtrue imaginative play (inspired by the older playmates.) Heeagerly shares toys with the baby, and engages fully in circletime. His whole demeanor has changed! He is confident,interactive, playful, and so proud of himself.

I often think of this contrast between the two-year-oldroom and the mixed-age, family-style care and wish all chil-dren could experience this blend of ages, which allows themto learn from the older children and care for the youngerones. If only every caregiver could experience the joy of watch-ing children grow in a multi-age environment!

In the past year, a solid working group, LifeWaysNorth America, has formed to foster the growth anddevelopment of the LifeWays work. Our organiza-tional home is atRudolf Steiner College in the futureCaldwell Early Life Center. The core group is com-prised of Cynthia Aldinger, Rahima Baldwin-Dancy,Rena Osmer, Rosario Villasana-Ruiz, and NeilWeinberg. Working on the periphery, specifically withthe Caldwell application, are Janet Kellman andArline Monks of Rudolf Steiner College.

Our current focus is on developing materials andconsulting services for individuals and groups thatare establishing home-based or center-based childcareand support for those engaged in parent-infant andparent-child programs. We hope to have our websiteup sometime this spring.We also offer a LifeWaystraining program in Wisconsin and a Care ProvidersCourse Series at Rudolf Steiner College.

If you are interested in being a part of this work-ing group, we would like to hear from you. We meetonce or twice a year. Please contact Cynthia Aldinger(405-447-2365; (caldinger669@cs.com) or RenaOsmer (916-961-2307; rena@steinercollege.edu).

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Rudolf Steiner CollegeFair Oaks, CaliforniaOpening a Childcare Program: The Practicalities.June 27July 2, with Cynthia Aldinger, Rena Osmer,and Margit Ilgen, at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks,CA. This workshop will focus on the practicalities ofestablishing childcare centers of homes including: li-censing questions, community and social skills build-ing; developing parent and employee handbooks;public outreach; developing a board and acquiringnon-profit status. Storytelling and handwork are of-fered in the afternoon. Fee: $400. Begins with 8:00amregistration on Thursday and ends at 12:30on Tues-day. For more info contact Rena Osmer at 9169612307Use of the Lyre in the Waldorf Classroom. June 29with Andrea Pronto at Rudolf Steiner College, FairOaks, CA. Workshop on the basic technique for lyreand pentatonic childrens harp. These instruments,which bring joy and confidence, can become your besthelpers in creating a musical mood. Previous experi-ence with a stringed instrument is not necessary. Fee:$50. Please bring a lyre if possible. Registration be-gins at 11:15pm with class from 2:005:30pm. Formore info contact Janet Kellman at 9169613919.The Healing Art of Dollmaking. July 819 with MaryBowen at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks, CA.Dollmaker Mary Bowen will lead this twoweek morn-ing workshop, guiding the group to handsew a largeWaldorf doll made of natural materials. Woven intoeach morning will be discussions and exercises relat-ing to the growth and development of children B7years. Discussion themes will include play, imagina-tion, toys, and imitation. Questions to be considered:Who is the young child and why dolls? Why is it soimportant for adults to work with their hands anddevelop the will forces that this activity brings? Fee:$175, including materials; limited enrollment; regis-tration at 8:00am on Monday; classes MonFri from9:00am12:30pm. Contact Janet Kellman at 9169613919.Fundamentals of the Waldorf Kindergarten. June

30July 5 with Stephen Spitalny, Elvira Rychlak andHelga Michaels at Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks,CA. Beginning with an exploration of early childhooddevelopment, we will look at the basic ideas and ac-tivities of the Waldorf kindergarten. Main themes willinclude the teachers inner preparation, the practicalwork of the teacher, storytelling, and creating circletimes. Healthy kindergarten rhythm and mood, andthe imitative nature of the young child will also beexplored. Fee: $400. Registration and opening lectureat 5:30pm and first session on Sunday at 7:309:00pm. Classes daily from 8:30am9:00pm. Courseends Friday at 12:30pm. For more info contact Janet

Kellman at 9169613919.

Sunbridge CollegeSpring Valley, New YorkFirst session of the Part-time Early Childhood Train-ing (formerly Associate Early Childhood Training)June 17 July 5, 2002. Applications currently beingaccepted.For further information contact MarjorieBlair at Sunbridge College, 845-425-0055 ext 11.Introduction to the Waldorf Kindergarten. August59, 2002. with Patricia Rubano, Celia Riahi andConnie Manson. For further information contactMarjorie Blair at Sunbridge College, 845-425-0055 ext11.

Rudolf Steiner InstituteWaterville, MaineThe Rudolf Steiner Institute. July 728, 2001, inMaines beautiful Belgrade Lakes country. The Insti-tute offers a wide range of 1, 2, and 3 week courses.This summer our one week course offerings will in-clude: Welcoming Children Into the World: The Child FromBirth to Three with Rena Osmer, The Puppet Pocket StoryApron with Suzanne Down, and Elements of ChildObservation with Bruno Callegaro, MD. Contact theRegistrar, Carol Petrash, at1-800-RSI-5191. Email:steinerinstitute@erols.com , www.steinerinstitute.org

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The Waldorf Institute of Southern CaliforniaNorthridge, CaliforniaCaregiving for the Infant and Toddler July 15-19, 9am.5 pm with Rena Osmer and Hari Grebler. Take aclose look at infant and toddler development and theloving, respectful caregiving practices found in RIEand in Waldorf education.Learn through presenta-tions and observations, viewing videos, and discus-sions. Learn ways to work with toddlers and conflict,sing lullabies, and much more.

Stories and Language in the Early ChildhoodClassroom. July 22-26, 9 am-5 pm with CharlotteDukich and Phyllis Gilmer. Nursery and fairy talesawaken many soul experiences in the child, workingbeneficially right into the body. Background study andpuppetry are included in this week. This course isdesigned primarily for teachers and assistants inWaldorf and other early childhood classrooms. Con-tact theWaldorf Institute of Southern California(WISC), 17100 Superior St., Northridge, CA 91325

Phone: (818)349-6272wisc01@hotmai l .com

Sophia ProjectOakland, CaliforniaInternships beginning August, 2002. Sophia Projectoffers early childhood education, parent education,after school program, respite care and weekend ac-tivities for at risk children. The intern program ismeant for those wishing to work with children throughthe application of Steiner education in a low-incomeenvironment as well as participate in and contributeto the life-sharing component of Sophia House. In-terns and staff live at Sophia House. Attributes neededare a love of children and a commitment to self-devel-opment through engagement with work and people.Internships are for 6 months or 11 months, 11 monthsis preferred.

PAAMIntroduction to Anthroposophical Medicine for Medi-cal Doctors and Medical Students.October 23-27,2002 with Ross Rentea MD and Andrea Rentea MD,Alicia Landman-Reiner MD, and others in East Troy,Wisconsin. This course is part of a two-year, six-week-end training in anthroposophical medicine for MDsand DOs. The entire course will repeat in 20032004.Contact: Diana Clark at Physicians Association forAnthroposophical Medicine (PAAM) 7349309462or paam@anthroposophy.org

Sophias Hearth Family CenterKeene, New HampshireInfants and Toddlers: How They Do Grow! March22 and 23: Friday evening, 79 p.m., Saturday, 94:30 p.m. with Susan Weber and Jane Swain Cost:$65, includes snacks. As parents and teachers, we arecontinuously amazed at the growth and development,the many changes of infants and toddlers. How doesthe human hand develop its miraculous abilities?What experiences that we provide for the child willenhance these potential gifts? What important expe-riences precede the childs learning to walk?This weekend conference will focus on the very youngchilds physical development in the first two years andthe ways in which it is the foundation for all of life:how our intellectual capacities and social relationshipsunfold out of these first experiences. This conferenceis for every parent who wants to help her child growin the healthiest way, and for teachers who want togain more insight into their work with very youngchildren.Waldorf Remedial Insights for Early ChildhoodTeachers. April 26, Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m.5 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.1 p.m. with presentersConnie Helms, Kristina Frm Morrill, and JaneSwain. Cost: $375. Designed for our Waldorf EarlyChildhood teacher training students, this five-daycourse welcomes practicing early childhood teachers.The course explores the foundations for remedial in-sights through a study of the bodys relationship tospace and how the child develops these relationships.In addition, the course focuses on the ways in whichthe childs spatial relationships form the foundationfor all social and cognitive learning. Participants willstudy both teacher-directed and free movement in play,circle time, and outdoors. Case study and practicalexamples will be part of each dayFestivals of the Spring and Summer: Weaving aThread through the Season. July 13, 9 a.m.5 p.m.with Helle Heckmann. Cost: $200 including twosnacks each day. The young child lives fully in therhythms of the natural world: springs freshness andautumns harvest, the light and dark of sun and moon.Through the celebration of the festivals of the year,we weave a thread of light that brings joy to the childand her family, building community as we do so. Inthis three-day conference, we will work in large andsmall groups to explore the spring and summer festi-val season. Lecture, slides, song and crafts for four

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festivals: Carnival, Spring, Whitsun, and St. JohnsDay will enrich our understanding of the cycle of theyear and create beauty around us. Helle will shareher rich study and experience of festival celebrationwith families and young children. At the weekendsconclusion, we will each have a new awareness of howfestivals lead one to the next, both inwardly and out-wardly.Music and StoryDelight for the Young Child. July1214, Friday evening, 79 p.m., Saturday, 94 p.m.,Sunday, 91 at the Monadnock Waldorf School Nurs-ery Kindergarten in Keene, with Connie Manson.Cost: $125, including two daily snacks. Music andstory are the stepping-stones into literacy for the veryyoung child: the sounds and pictures of language, therhythms of speech and song create the foundationfor all language development. Every parent and earlychildhood teacher can bring song and story into dailylife, and can initiate the life long love of languagethat underlies all communication. Working with sea-sonal themes, this weekend workshop will developstorytelling and puppetry skills, and participants willcreate music with voice and simple instruments. Pup-petry demonstrations, watercolor painting, creationof a scarf marionette and handkerchief puppet willbe included.An Introduction to Waldorf Early Childhood Edu-cation. July 29August 2, Monday through Friday 94 p.m. at the Monadnock Waldorf School NurseryKindergarten in Keene, with Betsi McGuigan andJames Hillier. Cost: $375, including two snacks eachday. This is a week of exploration into Waldorf earlychildhood education, focusing on the child from fourto seven years of age. Waldorf early childhood educa-tion is a developmentally based approach that placesa strong emphasis on the value of play in the develop-ment of the childs cognitive and emotional capaci-ties. This week will explore the integration of practi-cal work, language arts, play, movement, music, pup-petry, and environmental education to create a rich,joyful experience for young children. Each day in-cludes morning talks, practical and artistic experiencesfor use with children, and generous time for discus-sion and questions. This course will be of interest toparents, grandparents, prospective teachers, and earlychildhood professionals.The First Three Yearsof Life. August 12 - 16 and 19 -23 with Carol Pinto of RIE, Connie Manson, JaneSwain, and Susan Weber at Wilson Pond, Swanzey,

NH. Cost is $375 per week, or $700 for twoweeks.Sophias Hearth Family Center will offer an indepth professional development course for child careproviders, parents and expectant parents, parent-in-fant program facilitators, and other early childhoodprofessionals.The course content will include a focuson the physical, emotional, and spiritual growth ofthe child; RIEs special insights into the opportuni-ties inherent in the care giving times of diapering,feeding, bathing, anddressing; complemented by ar-tistic and hand craft activity. We will explore pro-gram models for child care and parent infant classes.The course will be highly grounded in experientialactivity. The lovely Wilson Pond setting will offer swim-ming and canoeing in our free time!

PuppetryNAARPA Presents: A Festival of Puppetry. No-vember 8-10 with Suzanne Down, Jennifer Aguirre,Connie Manson, Janene Ping, Deborah Bogart,Pamela Dalton, Renate Hiller, Anna Vargas, and oth-ers. in Harlemville, NY. A Festival of Puppetry willencompass the four major aspects of the pupptry arts:Pedagogical, Artistic, Therapeutic and Social pup-petry. The weekend includes puppetry presentations,workshops, and performances. Media featured in pre-sentations and performances will include table andhandkerchief puppetry, silk marionettes, shadow pup-pets, apron puppetry, felted puppets on harnesses,Sicilian rod puppetry,and hand puppets inspired bythe work of Gisela Biddleston. Contact Anna Vargasat 845-356-3028.Felting Extravaganza 2002 June 8,9, 2002 withSuzanne Down in Boulder CO. This immersion inwet wool felting crafts includes wool dyeing, creatingseveral magical felted treasures, leading up to creat-ing a detailed fairy tale tapestry. - Contact. SuzanneDown 303-776-0937

Therapeutic Puppetry Conference. June 21,22,23,2002 with Adola McWilliam Master Curative Educa-tion Trainer and Suzanne Down in Boulder Colo-rado. Adola will lead us in the study of the archetypal12-fold curative clock of human conditions. Out ofthis understanding we will explore working with pup-petry in a healing way.Contact. Suzanne Down 303-776-0937

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Heart and Hands Therapeutic Storytelling and Pup-petry Intensive. July 18,19,20,21, 2002 with NancyMellon founder The School of TherapeuticStorytelling and Suzanne Down Director Juniper TreeSchool of Story and Puppetry Arts in New England(exact location to be determined.) We will explorehow working with these creative arts builds up heal-ing and empowering forces within the immune sys-tem for ourselves and the children we workwith.Contact. Nancy Mellon 603-654-2982 andSuzanne Down 303-776-0937Northwest Early Childhood Puppetry WorkshopTour. August 15-30, 2002 with Suzanne Down inNorthern Washington, Vancouver and VancouverIsland. An offering of early childhood puppetry work-shops in numerous communities in the northwestcoastal area. These welcome teachers, parents, coun-selors, librarians, anyone in your communities whowork with children.Contact. Suzanne Down for in-formation and bookings. 303-776-0937

Puppetry Conference on Silk Marionette Theater.October 11,12,13, 2002 with Suzanne Down, Jenni-fer Aquirre, and others at the Sierra Waldorf School,Jamestown California. An exploration and deepen-ing of the silk marionette theater work including per-formances, hands-on exercises on gesture, movement,staging and choreography, puppet making. Conntact.Suzanne Down 303-776-0937 and Jennifer Aquirre209-532-5098The Felting Needle Wool Crafts Festival 2002. Oct.26,27, 2002 with Suzanne Down and other wool fi-ber artists in Boulder CO. A weekend immersion indelightful, seasonal felting needle wool crafts to makefor young children, and how to bring them to lifewith poem and song.Contact. Suzanne Down 303-776-0937Puppet Theater Training applications are now be-ing taken for the next series beginning June/July 2003Contact Suzanne Down Director Juniper Tree Schoolof Story and Puppetry Arts 303-776-0937