Autumn 2023

By Ruth Olson

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~ Anais Nin

My teaching journey began when I visited Ecole Parsifal School in Ottawa, Ontario, looking for a school for my son. While immediately drawn to the Acorn Kindergarten, I saw my own clear reflection in the teacher. Within three months, I had left a lucrative technology position and enrolled in the Waldorf Teacher Training Program at Antioch New England. Since then, I have co-founded a Waldorf-inspired school, taught an eight-year cycle at Green Meadow Waldorf School, graduated three of my own Waldorf “lifers,” and most recently served as the Lower School Chair at Rudolf Steiner School in Manhattan.

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I joined CfA’s Waldorf Leadership Development (WLD) program to support my transition from the classroom into administration. The combination of virtual and in-person classwork and an impressive line-up of speakers helped me develop skills to support my daily administrative work.

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Strategies for work-life balance, the art of delegation, and establishing professional networks were just a few of the interesting topics of this course. Virtual seminars were enlivened with song and even virtual eurythmy. We learned about pedagogical leadership, taking initiative, board clarity, and how the physiology of the human heart can be seen to mirror Waldorf education.

Many of the participants became friends and are now trusted colleagues who offer a community of support to buoy each other in our separate schools.

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The WLD training prepared me to navigate both the smooth sailing and turbulent waters that come with leadership at any school. Through dynamic teaching, engaging with unique presenters and invaluable artistic engagement, WLD candidates develop the skills they need to thrive in the vast and vital sea of Waldorf education.

The next cycle of this mostly online program will start with an orientation session on Saturday, May 11, 2024, from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm EDT. Click here our website for details about the registration.