Enrollment in this week of courses is limited to those who have a foundational background in Anthroposophy and Waldorf Education. Call 518-672-8008 to inquire.
Shared Responsibility and Leadership in the Waldorf School
w/ Lisa Mahar | Mon-Fri, 8:30-10:30 am
Rudolf Steiner challenges us to love in a way that makes the needs of others the motivation for our actions. As members of Waldorf school communities, we are given the opportunity to embrace and embody balanced, human-centered, and creative leadership forms that truly serve our students, parents, and colleagues. Using presentation, exercises, reflection, and guided dialogue, we will explore the principles that stand behind our organizational forms, consider practices that support our principles, examine the relationship between freedom and responsibility, and develop our own strengths and skills to best serve our school communities.
Lisa Mahar worked for 25 years as the School Administrator at Monadnock Waldorf School in Keene, New Hampshire. She is a founding member of the Administrators Network of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (ANA), is a trained meeting facilitator, and now advises and consults with Waldorf schools in the areas of governance, community building, administrative review, mentoring, visioning, and administrative planning. She is an active member of Leading with Spirit, which offers administrative training, consultancy, and support for projects designed to strengthen the organizational health of Waldorf schools. She serves on the board of the Monadnock Food Co-op in Keene, NH and on the board of the Grand Monadnock Youth Choirs. Lisa is a commissioner for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Commission for Independent Schools.
The 12 Senses – An Experiential Study
w/ Andree Ward* and Lynne Stolfo* | Monday and Tuesday 11 am – 1:00 pm
There are three groups of senses integrated into the united threefold human being of mind, soul, and body. We relate to each other through the Knowledge senses; the world is known to us through the Feeling senses, and we experience our own body through the Foundational senses. [Goethe pointed out that our senses tell us the truth…they can be trusted for they are never wrong.] Our perceptions, sensations, and conceptions are fundamental experiences in a world of Truth, a world which is the foundation of all of our inner and outer experiences. During this course, we will explore the 12 Senses, as introduced by Rudolf Steiner (Study of Man: VIII) through eurythmy and conversation. We will take a close look at the Knowledge Senses, also called the Social or Spiritual Senses. Today, these senses are being called on more and more as the bonds between the individual, the community, and the Earth need continuous strengthening and support.
Balance in Teaching
w/ Patrick Stolfo* and Eric Muller* | Wednesday and Thursday – 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
In this seminar, we will delve into the key topics and wise guidance that was communicated by Rudolf Steiner to striving Waldorf teachers. These lectures were given in 1920 and 1923, soon after the founding of the first Waldorf school in Stuttgart.
– importance of the inner attitude of the teacher
– sculptural and musical forces at work in child development
– the interaction between the physical and soul spiritual
– meditation as a path to creative teaching
– awakening the child through artistic teaching
As time allows, we will also have a look into the second part of Balance in Teaching (Anthroposophic Press [2007]), entitled Deeper Insights into Education. There are seven lectures in all, which will need to be acquired and read in advance of our study together.
Speech and Drama for Teachers
w/ Laurie Portocarrero / Monday – Friday, 2 – 5 pm**
Out of an extensive background and life-long love for both streams, Laurie will bring an array of tools for teachers, such as: the six gestures of speech formation; how to use consonants to build up character; finding the rhythm and musicality of lines; speaking in chorus, speaking individually; creating mood and atmosphere in storytelling; basic stagecraft – facing out, presenting, projecting, speaking to the audience. This course hopes also to awaken in the participants the sense of wonder, warmth and openness through which these Arts can become joyful and meaningful journeys of human-becoming-ness for teachers, actors, students, and audience.
Laurie Portocarrero is an actor, storyteller, drama teacher and director, living in Columbia County, NY. She has studied and taught movement, drama and speech in the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, Australia and China. Her training includes Spacial Dynamics, Eurythmy, Chekhov acting technique, speech formation, singing, storytelling, and Waldorf teacher training. A long-time associate member of The Actors’ Ensemble, Walking the dog Theater, and Threefold Mystery Drama Group, she has appeared in works including Hamlet, The Winter’s Tale, Shakespeare’s Supernaturals, Thornton Wilder’s Three-Minute Plays, Haiku, and Exit the King. She also performs and tours with colleague Glen Williamson two-person plays such as Refugees Tale, The Gospel of John, Aeschylus Unbound, and currently, Fire in the Temple. She has played Maria in Rudolf Steiner’s four mystery dramas, directed by Barbara Renold. Her one-woman pieces include The Power of Imagination, Miriam, Path of Maria, and Timeless Tales of Christmas. Laurie led the workshop series “The Art of Acting, Art of Being Human” through Threefold Educational Center in Chestnut Ridge for seven years. She directs the summer children’s camp “Drama for the Little Folk”, culminating in outdoor performances; directs an annual community reading of The Christmas Carol, and created the Christmas Celebration of Song and Word, bringing together multiple speaking and singing groups to share their gifts with the community. She has directed plays and taught workshops with adults and children of all ages.
**Friday Closing
3:30 pm – Review of Administration Course
4:00 pm – Review of Midday Seminars
4:15 pm – Speech and Drama presentations
4:45 pm – Conferring of Certificates of Completion to Graduating Students
