Waldorf High School Teacher Education
Be the teacher your students need most!
Earn a graduate-level certificate to teach in a Waldorf High School.
Since 1996, practicing and aspiring Waldorf high school teachers have turned to our Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program (WHiSTEP) to deepen their understanding and mastery of this vocation.
Over 200 high school teachers across North America and beyond have successfully completed our program, earning their Waldorf Teacher Credentials.
This certification is recognized by ASWNA and Waldorf high schools across the globe. Participants focus on specialized subject areas, as well as techniques to help ready adolescents for life as mature adults. Our graduates teach in Waldorf schools across North America as well as in Central and South America, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Our team of seasoned high school faculty draws upon the proven track record of Waldorf pedagogy and practices. At the same time, they adapt their courses each year to meet today’s changing societal environment and the needs of today’s teenagers.
Low-Residency and Online Format
As a part-time, graduate-level, low-residency program, WHiSTEP is held over three consecutive Julys. In addition to three summer intensives, trainees undertake two years of independent studies including a research project and internship in a Waldorf high school.
WHiSTEP Dates for Summer 2024:
| 2024 Schedule for the Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program |
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Choice of high school subject specializations:
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Starlight Rays in Darkened Times: Seminars on Contemporary Topics for Waldorf High School Teachers
David Barham, M.Ed.
WHiSTEP Program Director
Have Questions?
Contact David Barham!
Curriculum Overview
As a WHiSTEP student, you will deepen your understanding of teaching adolescents in one or more of six specialized academic subjects in the sciences, mathematics, humanities, and the arts.
Choice of high school subject specializations:
As a student, you’ll explore:
- Fundamental ideas of the threefold social organism that underlie Waldorf education
- Physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of the unfolding human being
- Development of “living thinking” in yourself and in those you teach
- Rudolf Steiner’s foundational work Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Path: A Philosophy of Freedom and its practical applications to teaching in high school
- A phenomenological approach to planning and carrying out your lessons
- How to help each human being live more deeply into the world
Read about Our Starlight Rays Seminar
David Barham, M.Ed.
WHiSTEP Program Director
Have Questions?
Contact David Barham!
Credentials and Career Outlook
Upon successful completion of the program, you’ll receive a Certificate in Waldorf High School Teacher Education recognized at any Waldorf school around the world.
Since its founding, CfA (including its high school program) has been a full member of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA).
With more than 150 Waldorf schools in North America—40 with their own high school—the need for qualified Waldorf high school teachers has never been greater. You can view a list of Waldorf high schools here.
Who Should Apply
- High school teachers wishing to enrich their Waldorf preparation
- Professionals seeking a career change
- Practicing educators
Before you attend, you’ll need:
- A University degree or equivalent diploma
- Some experience working with adolescents preferred
- Preparatory foundational studies in anthroposophy and the arts (available by signing up for CfA’s “Explorations” program here)
- Experience in education and adolescent development
These foundational studies are prerequisite so that applicants come ready to engage in focused study pertaining specifically to the goals, challenges, and responsibilities of high school teachers.
WHiSTEP Faculty
David Barham, WHiSTEP Program Director
Meg Chittenden (Music)
Paul Gierlach (History & Social Studies)
Michael Holdrege (Life & Earth Sciences)
Jan Lyndes (Spacial Dynamics)
Michal Noer (Arts & Art History)
Cedar Oliver (Physics & Chemistry)
Marisha Plotnik (Mathematics)
Laura Radefeld (Eurythmy)
David Sloan (English & Drama)
Debra Spitulnik (Speech)
Nathan Wilcox (English and Drama)
Program Leadership
David Barham, M.Ed.
WHiSTEP Program Director
What our students have said...
I appreciated the way the instructor was able to both keep us on track and let us derail and explore off the track when a question took us on an exploration. I also appreciated observing how he would, after a while, gently redirect us back onto the track.
I appreciated the space we gave this year to talking about making new curriculum decisions and the questions we need to consider in doing this. I feel better prepared to make these decisions moving forward.
The instructor is a pro: practical and inspiring. He structures his classes in a way that requires students to bring their best. He brings great resources that teachers can use in their classrooms immediately.
The instructor wove a tapestry of thinking feeling willing that provided an experiential gateway to the philosophy of Anthroposophy. Cedar has an amazing ability to bend time.
It was disorienting at times, but I feel I needed it to grow.
Watch these videos to gain more insights about the program.
Important Links for Applicants and Students
Below are links to important financial and application information.
Students who wish to withdraw from the program should consult their Program Director. Students may with draw from the program cancel their enrollment in writing at any time and may be eligible for refund. Notice of withdrawal cancellation must be addressed to the Center for Anthroposophy Business Office, P.O. Box 15, McMinnville, TN 37111. Cancellation Withdrawal shall take effect on receipt of written notice. All refunds will be paid by check. To receive a refund (less the registration fee of $850), students must cancel at least 30 days before the start of the program. Cancellations received between 10 and 30 days before the start of a program will receive a credit voucher for future attendance (less a $75 cancellation $50 processing fee). No refund or credit voucher is given for cancellations with less than 10 days’ notice. Failure to attend classes and/or to make complete payment does not constitute official withdrawal.
