Mentor Training

Pedagogical Mentoring in Partnership

2025

A Prototype of AWSNA’s Pedagogical Mentoring in Partnership Project. Preparing seasoned teachers to become pedagogical mentors working in collaboration with new and developing teachers.

Registration for our new cycle is now OPEN

Begins January 2025

Be the Mentor Everybody Loves!

Become a Mentor to Waldorf teachers working in the classroom. Gather the wisdom of your experience and learn best practices as a pedagogical mentor, coach, and professional evaluator using a fresh perspective and an innovative approach. This certificate program enables you to offer mentorship services to a wide network of schools requesting support for their new and developing Waldorf educators.

Program Overview

A low-residency certificate program for experienced teachers to develop the art of pedagogical mentoring in partnership. This ten-month program offers a comprehensive approach to deepening one’s own capacities in order to better serve practicing teachers in our schools today. 

Through a combination of virtual and in-person training, participants will come together once monthly on Saturdays to work in collaboration with program faculty in all realms of Waldorf education: early childhood, grades, high school, and special subjects. The program will begin on Saturday, January 25, 2025, and concludes on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The program includes a week long in-person residency, to be held in Wilton, NH from Sunday, June 29 – Friday, July 4, 2025.

Who should attend

  • Experienced Waldorf educators interested in learning best practices for supporting our teachers through pedagogical mentoring in collaboration.
  • Individuals interested in cultivating the capacities needed to serve as an internal mentor for their faculty and beyond.
  • Seasoned Waldorf educators and pedagogical chairs ready to take their experience and knowledge to a higher level in an effort to support Waldorf education now and into the future.

Benefits for Schools

  • Help your school thrive by meeting the needs of teachers through pedagogical mentoring in partnership – an economical way to provide internal mentoring at your school.
  • Save your school time and resources by sponsoring one or more of your seasoned teachers to complete this training and share best practices with your school community.

Prerequisites

Individuals interested in applying to this specialized training will have:

  • A deep understanding of Waldorf pedagogy
  • Waldorf teacher training certificate from a recognized institute or the equivalent
  • A minimum of seven years teaching full-time in a Waldorf school
  • A letter of recommendation from their current school
Special Note:   

Colleagues currently not teaching at a specific school are asked to submit a letter of recommendation from each of two schools where they have taught and/or mentored.

Karen Atkinson

Director of Mentor Training

Contact Karen directly with questions about the program.

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What you'll explore

We’ll meet virtually once a month on Saturdays from 12:00-2:00 ET, 9:00-11:00 PT and for one week in-person during the summer, from June 29 – July 4, 2025.

Click the toggle below for the schedule and session topics.

Saturday, January 25, 2025, online
Program Introduction and Presentation on the Seven Life Processes in correlation to Professional Development

with Karen Atkinson Artistic Engagement, with Lyssa Beshears


Karen Atkinson, M.Ed.

Karen is a dedicated educator and leader in Waldorf Education, with over 30 years of experience as an early childhood educator, grade school class teacher, pedagogical leader, and adult educator. A graduate of Antioch University New England, Karen holds a Master’s in Education and Waldorf Teacher Education Certification in both early childhood and elementary education.

Karen’s commitment to Waldorf education extends beyond the classroom. She has served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader on the Leadership Council of the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA) and as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader and Representative for the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). Her work in these roles has focused on fostering collaboration, supporting educators, and promoting the growth of Waldorf education.

Passionate about inspiring and supporting educators and school leaders, Karen is the Program Director of the Mentor Training Program and Renewal Courses, as well as the Coordinator for the Waldorf Leadership Development Program. Through these programs, she provides pedagogical leadership and professional development opportunities designed to meet the unique needs of Waldorf educators and leaders.

Outside of her professional work, Karen is an avid naturalist, hiker, watercolor artist, and natural foods cook. She finds joy in exploring the outdoors and preparing wholesome, health-giving meals for family and friends.


Lyssa Beshears

Lyssa (she/her) brings a lifetime of experience as a student of Waldorf education. She attended the East Bay and San Francisco Waldorf schools. She holds a BA in Geology from Occidental College, an MS in Geological Sciences from Ohio University, and her Waldorf teaching credential from Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training. She holds numerous certificates in Social Justice training through RISE Center for Social Justice at San Francisco University and SF-CESS. Lyssa has worked as a Waldorf early childhood and grades teacher, and in death care. She has three teenage children, the oldest of whom is off at college. Lyssa loves hiking, camping, gardening and crafting. She lives in Oakland, CA on unceded Ohlone Huichin land with her family and their three cats.

Saturday, February 22, 2025, online
Presentation on Breathing in correlation to Professional Development

with Sven Saar
Artistic Engagement, with Lyssa Beshears


Sven Saar

Sven gained his Waldorf Teaching diploma as a very young man. After moving to England, he worked as a class teacher for 30 years, eight of those in Germany. He also taught in the High School, specializing in history and drama. Now he works full time in Teacher Education and is on the faculty of several courses and universities in the UK, Germany, Australia and the US. Sven gives lectures and seminars internationally and works as an active mentor and advisor to schools and teachers in many countries. He is a co-founder of The Modern Teacher: Education as Art (UK) and co-ordinates the Waldorf 360 platform for High School teachers.


Lyssa Beshears

Lyssa (she/her) brings a lifetime of experience as a student of Waldorf education. She attended the East Bay and San Francisco Waldorf schools. She holds a BA in Geology from Occidental College, an MS in Geological Sciences from Ohio University, and her Waldorf teaching credential from Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training. She holds numerous certificates in Social Justice training through RISE Center for Social Justice at San Francisco University and SF-CESS.  Lyssa has worked as a Waldorf early childhood and grades teacher, and in death care. She has three teenage children, the oldest of whom is off at college. Lyssa loves hiking, camping, gardening and crafting. She lives in Oakland, CA on unceded Ohlone Huichin land with her family and their three cats.

Saturday, March 22, 2025, online
Advisory Session and Group Work

with Karen Atkinson and Jason Child
Artistic Engagement, with Lyssa Beshears


Karen Atkinson, M.Ed.

Karen is a dedicated educator and leader in Waldorf Education, with over 30 years of experience as an early childhood educator, grade school class teacher, pedagogical leader, and adult educator. A graduate of Antioch University New England, Karen holds a Master’s in Education and Waldorf Teacher Education Certification in both early childhood and elementary education.

Karen’s commitment to Waldorf education extends beyond the classroom. She has served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader on the Leadership Council of the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA) and as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader and Representative for the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). Her work in these roles has focused on fostering collaboration, supporting educators, and promoting the growth of Waldorf education.

Passionate about inspiring and supporting educators and school leaders, Karen is the Program Director of the Mentor Training Program and Renewal Courses, as well as the Coordinator for the Waldorf Leadership Development Program. Through these programs, she provides pedagogical leadership and professional development opportunities designed to meet the unique needs of Waldorf educators and leaders.

Outside of her professional work, Karen is an avid naturalist, hiker, watercolor artist, and natural foods cook. She finds joy in exploring the outdoors and preparing wholesome, health-giving meals for family and friends.


Jason Child

Jason Child completed his Master’s in music education in 1994, which is about the time he began his serious study of anthroposophy. He has been teaching ever since in schools, both public and private. Anthroposophy has always informed his approach, and he began as music director at the Emerson Waldorf School in Chapel Hill, NC in 2005. Since then, he has taught 1st – 12th grade music, choruses, and bands, and served as both a high school and grade school main lesson/class teacher.  He has also served as college and faculty chair and coordinator for multiple accreditations.

Jason served for ten years on the Leadership Council of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), and is now a mentor, evaluator, and consultant in Waldorf schools throughout North America. He began working in training institutes by starting with the AWSNA teacher training program in Cuernavaca, Mexico in 2017 and continues to present seminars for various institutes in the US and Mexico. Jason has presented numerous workshops and keynotes within and outside Waldorf circles. The father of four Waldorf students, he is an outdoor enthusiast hooked on travel and exploring obscure destinations, whether local day trips or internationally.


Lyssa Beshears

Lyssa (she/her) brings a lifetime of experience as a student of Waldorf education. She attended the East Bay and San Francisco Waldorf schools. She holds a BA in Geology from Occidental College, an MS in Geological Sciences from Ohio University, and her Waldorf teaching credential from Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training. She holds numerous certificates in Social Justice training through RISE Center for Social Justice at San Francisco University and SF-CESS.  Lyssa has worked as a Waldorf early childhood and grades teacher, and in death care. She has three teenage children, the oldest of whom is off at college. Lyssa loves hiking, camping, gardening and crafting. She lives in Oakland, CA on unceded Ohlone Huichin land with her family and their three cats.

Saturday, April 12, 2025, online
Presentation on Warmth in correlation to Professional Development

with Sven Saar
Artistic Engagement, with Chenoa Pelligra


Sven Saar

Sven gained his Waldorf Teaching diploma as a very young man. After moving to England, he worked as a class teacher for 30 years, eight of those in Germany. He also taught in the High School, specializing in history and drama. Now he works full time in Teacher Education and is on the faculty of several courses and universities in the UK, Germany, Australia and the US. Sven gives lectures and seminars internationally and works as an active mentor and advisor to schools and teachers in many countries. He is a co-founder of The Modern Teacher: Education as Art (UK) and co-ordinates the Waldorf 360 platform for High School teachers.


Chenoa Pelligra

Chenoa Pelliga is a Waldorf alumni as well as a certified Handwork teacher with 18 years of teaching both in the USA and in Mexico. Chenoa fell in love with fiber crafts while attending Waldorf school and her upbringing on a biodynamic farm allowed her to raise sheep and really dive deep into all things handwork. She currently splits her time between New Hampshire and Playa del Carmen Mexico where she has spent 11 years at Ak Lu’um Waldorf Community. Chenoa also shares her love for handwork online and offers interactive classes for adults and children worldwide. Chenoa is faculty for teacher training institutes such as YaxKin Formacion Waldorf, Lifeways, and the Threefold Educational Center. Chenoa completed the Mentoring in Partnership program and is looking forward to sharing some practical, meditative, and heartwarming ways to connect with your mentee not just through the thinking realm but also through feeling and willing.

Saturday, May 17, 2025, online
Presentation on Nourishing in correlation to Professional Development

with Sarah Nelson
Artistic Engagement, with Chenoa Pelligra


Sarah Nelson

Sarah Nelson graduated from Antioch New England Graduate School more than twenty years ago. Since then she has taught at Haleakala Waldorf School in Maui, Hawaii, where she worked with students from pre-K to Grade 8. In addition to class teaching, she served as Leader for the Southern California and Hawaii region on AWSNA’s Leadership Council for several years. In 2021, after completing an eight-year journey with her class in Maui, she returned to British Columbia and currently serves as a visiting teacher and mentor.



Chenoa Pelligra

Chenoa Pelliga is a Waldorf alumni as well as a certified Handwork teacher with 18 years of teaching both in the USA and in Mexico. Chenoa fell in love with fiber crafts while attending Waldorf school and her upbringing on a biodynamic farm allowed her to raise sheep and really dive deep into all things handwork. She currently splits her time between New Hampshire and Playa del Carmen Mexico where she has spent 11 years at Ak Lu’um Waldorf Community. Chenoa also shares her love for handwork online and offers interactive classes for adults and children worldwide. Chenoa is faculty for teacher training institutes such as YaxKin Formacion Waldorf, Lifeways, and the Threefold Educational Center. Chenoa completed the Mentoring in Partnership program and is looking forward to sharing some practical, meditative, and heartwarming ways to connect with your mentee not just through the thinking realm but also through feeling and willing.

Sunday, June 29 - Friday, July 4, 2025, In-Person Residency, Wilton, NH
Presentations, Artistic Engagement, and Group Work on Circulating, Maintaining, and Growing in correlation to Professional Development

with Eric Müller, Martina Müller, and Karen Atkinson


Eric Müller

Eric G. Müller is the director of Teacher Education at the Alkion Center, and a humanities teacher at the Hawthorne Valley Waldorf High School in Harlemville, NY. Born in South Africa, he graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand, before continuing his studies in England and Germany, specializing in drama and music education. He took a class through the 8-year cycle in Eugene, Oregon, after which he moved to the East Coast with his family. He has published numerous books, including novels, children’s books, and books on Waldorf education.


Martina Müller

Martina A. Müller is Co-Administrator and Core Faculty Teacher at the Alkion Center for Waldorf Teacher Education at Hawthorne Valley Association as well as art teacher at Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School in Ghent, NY. Where she has worked for over two decades. She is a graduate of the Rudolf Steiner Schule Bochum, Germany. She studied art and English at Ruhr University Bochum and Emerson College in England, and holds a four-year full-time Waldorf Teaching Diploma from the Institute of Waldorf Pedagogy in Witten-Annen, Germany with a specialization in high school art teaching and art history, as well as a BA from Empire State University. She was on the founding faculty of Waldorf Teacher Education Eugene, OR and taught there for several years before moving to the Hudson Valley. She is an active visual artist exhibiting at numerous venues in the Northeast and the recipient of prizes and awards. She is an internationally published children’s book illustrator and author. To view her work and full resume please visit her website.


Karen Atkinson, M.Ed.

Karen is a dedicated educator and leader in Waldorf Education, with over 30 years of experience as an early childhood educator, grade school class teacher, pedagogical leader, and adult educator. A graduate of Antioch University New England, Karen holds a Master’s in Education and Waldorf Teacher Education Certification in both early childhood and elementary education.

Karen’s commitment to Waldorf education extends beyond the classroom. She has served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader on the Leadership Council of the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA) and as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader and Representative for the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). Her work in these roles has focused on fostering collaboration, supporting educators, and promoting the growth of Waldorf education.

Passionate about inspiring and supporting educators and school leaders, Karen is the Program Director of the Mentor Training Program and Renewal Courses, as well as the Coordinator for the Waldorf Leadership Development Program. Through these programs, she provides pedagogical leadership and professional development opportunities designed to meet the unique needs of Waldorf educators and leaders.

Outside of her professional work, Karen is an avid naturalist, hiker, watercolor artist, and natural foods cook. She finds joy in exploring the outdoors and preparing wholesome, health-giving meals for family and friends.

Saturday, September 13, 2025, online
Advisory Session and Group Work
with Karen Atkinson and Jason Child Artistic Engagement, with Chenoa Pelligra

Karen Atkinson, M.Ed.
Karen is a dedicated educator and leader in Waldorf Education, with over 30 years of experience as an early childhood educator, grade school class teacher, pedagogical leader, and adult educator. A graduate of Antioch University New England, Karen holds a Master’s in Education and Waldorf Teacher Education Certification in both early childhood and elementary education. Karen’s commitment to Waldorf education extends beyond the classroom. She has served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader on the Leadership Council of the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA) and as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader and Representative for the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). Her work in these roles has focused on fostering collaboration, supporting educators, and promoting the growth of Waldorf education. Passionate about inspiring and supporting educators and school leaders, Karen is the Program Director of the Mentor Training Program and Renewal Courses, as well as the Coordinator for the Waldorf Leadership Development Program. Through these programs, she provides pedagogical leadership and professional development opportunities designed to meet the unique needs of Waldorf educators and leaders. Outside of her professional work, Karen is an avid naturalist, hiker, watercolor artist, and natural foods cook. She finds joy in exploring the outdoors and preparing wholesome, health-giving meals for family and friends.

Jason Child
Jason Child completed his Master’s in music education in 1994, which is about the time he began his serious study of anthroposophy. He has been teaching ever since in schools, both public and private. Anthroposophy has always informed his approach, and he began as music director at the Emerson Waldorf School in Chapel Hill, NC in 2005. Since then, he has taught 1st – 12th grade music, choruses, and bands, and served as both a high school and grade school main lesson/class teacher.  He has also served as college and faculty chair and coordinator for multiple accreditations. Jason served for ten years on the Leadership Council of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), and is now a mentor, evaluator, and consultant in Waldorf schools throughout North America. He began working in training institutes by starting with the AWSNA teacher training program in Cuernavaca, Mexico in 2017 and continues to present seminars for various institutes in the US and Mexico. Jason has presented numerous workshops and keynotes within and outside Waldorf circles. The father of four Waldorf students, he is an outdoor enthusiast hooked on travel and exploring obscure destinations, whether local day trips or internationally.

Chenoa Pelligra
Chenoa Pelliga is a Waldorf alumni as well as a certified Handwork teacher with 18 years of teaching both in the USA and in Mexico. Chenoa fell in love with fiber crafts while attending Waldorf school and her upbringing on a biodynamic farm allowed her to raise sheep and really dive deep into all things handwork. She currently splits her time between New Hampshire and Playa del Carmen Mexico where she has spent 11 years at Ak Lu’um Waldorf Community. Chenoa also shares her love for handwork online and offers interactive classes for adults and children worldwide. Chenoa is faculty for teacher training institutes such as YaxKin Formacion Waldorf, Lifeways, and the Threefold Educational Center. Chenoa completed the Mentoring in Partnership program and is looking forward to sharing some practical, meditative, and heartwarming ways to connect with your mentee not just through the thinking realm but also through feeling and willing.
Saturday, October 18, 2025, online
Presentation on Producing in correlation to Professional Development

with Carol Bärtges Artistic Engagement, with Lyssa Beshears


Carol Bärtges

Carol Bärtges has had a long relationship with Waldorf education; a graduate of the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City, she returned as a young teacher after university. Carol’s two children, Max and Sarah, graduated from the Steiner School as well. For most of her career, Carol has served as a high school literature and drama teacher, with a joyful stint as a class teacher in between. She has, at various concurrent times, played additional roles, such as high school admissions director, college guidance director, upper school chair, etc. For ten years, Carol was a member of the AWSNA Leadership Council, serving as Leader for the Mid-Atlantic region.

Carol has long been devoted to higher education – she attended Williams College and after college received graduate degrees in Comparative Literature from NYU and CUNY’s Graduate Center.  Academic honors include fellowships from the English-Speaking Union at Oxford University, St. Andrews University for Humanities, and more recently a DAAD Dissertation Research Grant for summer study.  Carol is the co-editor of the 75th Anniversary edition of Education as an Art as well as numerous articles on education.  Workshops include, “The Semiotics of High School” and “Authentic Assessment and Accountability in Waldorf Education.”

Currently, Carol is a full-time member of the upper school Humanities department as well as the chair of her school’s faculty development committee and co-chair of the College of Teachers. Her partner of twenty years, Dan Marsch, is an upper school math and philosophy teacher at the school. In her free time, Carol is an avid gardener, hiker, and skier and spends lots of time with her four grandchildren, who live nearby.


Lyssa Beshears

Lyssa (she/her) brings a lifetime of experience as a student of Waldorf education. She attended the East Bay and San Francisco Waldorf schools. She holds a BA in Geology from Occidental College, an MS in Geological Sciences from Ohio University, and her Waldorf teaching credential from Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training. She holds numerous certificates in Social Justice training through RISE Center for Social Justice at San Francisco University and SF-CESS.  Lyssa has worked as a Waldorf early childhood and grades teacher, and in death care. She has three teenage children, the oldest of whom is off at college. Lyssa loves hiking, camping, gardening and crafting. She lives in Oakland, CA on unceded Ohlone Huichin land with her family and their three cats.

Saturday, November 15, 2025, online
!ndependent Project Presentations and Program Culmination

with Karen Atkinson and special guest, Torin Finser


Karen Atkinson, M.Ed.

Karen is a dedicated educator and leader in Waldorf Education, with over 30 years of experience as an early childhood educator, grade school class teacher, pedagogical leader, and adult educator. A graduate of Antioch University New England, Karen holds a Master’s in Education and Waldorf Teacher Education Certification in both early childhood and elementary education.

Karen’s commitment to Waldorf education extends beyond the classroom. She has served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader on the Leadership Council of the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA) and as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader and Representative for the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). Her work in these roles has focused on fostering collaboration, supporting educators, and promoting the growth of Waldorf education.

Passionate about inspiring and supporting educators and school leaders, Karen is the Program Director of the Mentor Training Program and Renewal Courses, as well as the Coordinator for the Waldorf Leadership Development Program. Through these programs, she provides pedagogical leadership and professional development opportunities designed to meet the unique needs of Waldorf educators and leaders.

Outside of her professional work, Karen is an avid naturalist, hiker, watercolor artist, and natural foods cook. She finds joy in exploring the outdoors and preparing wholesome, health-giving meals for family and friends.


Torin Finser, Ph.D.

Director of Building Bridges and Waldorf Leadership Development programs, founding trustee of CfA, Director of Waldorf Programs at Antioch University New England, post doctoral certification in Management Development, Harvard, author of 14 books, including Organizational Integrity and Leadership Development.

Click the program flier below to download it

Independent Project

Participants in the program will actively engage in mentoring, as well as keep a journal noting meeting sessions, observations, dialog, and lessons learned, using AWSNA’s Field Guide to Mentoring.

Tuition

Tuition for the 10-month program is $2,550 and includes all online workshops, a week-
long in-person intensive, plus individual guiding sessions throughout the program. (Tuition
excludes travel / lodging for the in-person residency).

Enrollment

Given the high demand for this specialized professional development course and its
interactive nature, enrollment places will be limited. Apply now to secure your spot!

Other Notes

  • Registration deadline – December 15, 2024
  • Financial Aid – Limited scholarships available, please contact program director using the contact form.
  • Cancellations – Requests received at least 30 days before the registration deadline will result in a full refund, less $75 cancellation fee. No refunds will be granted if cancellation is received within 30 days of the program start date or while in session. 

Karen Atkinson, M.Ed.

Karen is a dedicated educator and leader in Waldorf Education, with over 30 years of experience as an early childhood educator, grade school class teacher, pedagogical leader, and adult educator. A graduate of Antioch University New England, Karen holds a Master’s in Education and Waldorf Teacher Education Certification in both early childhood and elementary education.

Karen’s commitment to Waldorf education extends beyond the classroom. She has served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader on the Leadership Council of the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA) and as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader and Representative for the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). Her work in these roles has focused on fostering collaboration, supporting educators, and promoting the growth of Waldorf education.

Passionate about inspiring and supporting educators and school leaders, Karen is the Program Director of the Mentor Training Program and Renewal Courses, as well as the Coordinator for the Waldorf Leadership Development Program. Through these programs, she provides pedagogical leadership and professional development opportunities designed to meet the unique needs of Waldorf educators and leaders.

Outside of her professional work, Karen is an avid naturalist, hiker, watercolor artist, and natural foods cook. She finds joy in exploring the outdoors and preparing wholesome, health-giving meals for family and friends.