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2009 Summer Curriculum Intensive
The Wisdom of Waldorf
2009 Summer Curriculum Development Intensive
Fri. July 17th-Sun. July 19th
Michaelmas
Farm
Ashby, Mass.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
This is a program designed
primarily for parents working with children in a Waldorf home-based environment, especially homeschooling parents and
those working with children in a group setting. Others with an interest in learning how to 'bring Waldorf home'
are welcome to attend. The primary focus will be on content and methodology of the Waldorf curriculum for ages 7-9 (or
Gr. 1-3), with an emphasis on adult development as the foundation for implementation. Note: We will be offering a
more informal 'curriculum day' gathering in August for those who want to explore the Gr. 4-8 content. The dates
will be posted here soon. Please check back!
This program is intensive in nature, a mere 'finger
pointing to the moon, rather than the moon itself'. As our time together is relatively brief, topics will be covered
primarily in a large group format in an overview fashion, with content spanning the grades by subject.
Concrete, practical examples, suggestions, and activities will be included that are based on the direct experience of
those currently 'in the trenches' with this type of work. The overall format will balance lecture, artistic activity,
and group discussion. Our primary inspiration will be drawing upon Steiner's insights on education prior to the development
of the first Waldorf school, as well as his lectures to teachers which, in essence, became the 'original'
Waldorf teacher training.
In this program, we will work efficiently, yet mindfully, with the intention of
offering participants sufficient tools to be able to get started on this path while empowering them to know that
it is entirely possible to accomplish this work outside of the traditional Waldorf classroom. The format and content will best
serve those who come ready to work together as a group and who are willing to strive to bring their full will and
adult consciousness to meet the experience. Participation on all 3 days of the program is required for attendance. Space
is limited to 20.
SCHEDULE
FRI. JULY 17th - Laying the Foundation
12:00-1:00
PM: Arrive anytime during this hour. Feel free to bring your own food and eat a relaxing lunch on site
(beverages provided), visit our animals, or take a walk on the conservation trail next to our property...or simply plan
to arrive after your lunch and be ready to start promptly at 1:00 pm.
1:00-6:00 PM: Friday's
program will touch on 'the essentials' - a variety of topics designed to help lay the foundation for your
Waldorf journey, as well as the rest of your experience while here. Topics will include: creating and maintaining
rhythm in the home, working with festivals, an overview of the 7-year cycles and child development according to Steiner, working
with the temperaments, home organization and how to create a 'Waldorf home environment', and adult development
and inner work. The day will also include a brief artistic activity and ample time for questions. This is an important
day together for all participants, regardless of one's current level of experience or knowledge of Waldorf,
as it will set the pulse for our journey together throughout the weekend.
SAT. JULY 18th - Getting Down to Brass Tacks
and...
SUN. JULY 19th - Putting It All Together
8:45
am - 5:00 PM: Working from, and building on, the foundation set on Friday, the focus of the
work on Saturday and Sunday will emphasize the curriculum content and practical planning. Topics will include:
how to approach the main lesson, an overview of the curriculum content for Gr. 1-3, how to develop your own main lesson content,
working with more than one child (as well as mixed ages), steps to lesson planning, creating a Waldorf group, and suggestions
for supplementary resources and materials. Each day will also offer a brief artistic activity, as well as ample time for questions.
The schedule for both days will be the same, as follows:
8:45-9:00 AM: Opening of Day, Singing!
9:00-10:30 AM: Main Lesson Session
10:30-10:45 AM: Break
10:45
AM-12:00 PM: Special Session (see details below)
12:00-1:00 PM: Lunch
1:00-3:00
PM: Main Lesson Session
3:00-3:15 PM: Break
3:15-4:00 PM:
Artistic Activity
4:00-5:00 PM: Forum, Closing for Day
This schedule is subject
to shift as we fine-tune the program.
Special Sessions
Saturday: By now you know the best teaching springs out of both knowledge
and creativity. YOU are the source! So why not write your own poems, verses and stories this year? Fun and inspiring exercises
and sharing can help you open up to a whole new connection to your main lessons, your child - and your creative self.
Facilitated by Kristin Lee
Sunday: [General
Description: Subject matter will focus on how to work with children of different ages within the same setting (home or
in a group) and at the same time, and also how to bring stories across that meet different ages.]
Facilitated
by Claudine Kaplan
Also on Saturday! An informal
supper (barbecue or other light fare) and opportunity to socialize and decompress with participants will be offered Sat. evening,
immediately following the end of the program at 5:00 pm. If you are staying in the area with the rest of your family
(partner, children, etc.), they are also welcome to join us for supper. Food for registered participants
is included in the program tuition. Food for any accompanying family members will be offered on a donation basis.
Depending on the interest, a film on a related topic (Waldorf, biodynamics, etc.) may also be offered after supper
for those who wish to stay. The popcorn's on us 
Program Facilitators
Brenda
Armstrong is the program coordinator and will also facilitate some of the sessions. She is the founder of the Waldorf
Family Network project and one of the caretakers of Michaelmas Farm. Her formal education and background
includes health education, clinical social work, community organization, group work, meditation instruction, retreat
work, and energy healing. Brenda completed a two-year Foundation Studies course, and has been part of the Chiron initiative at
the Rudolf Steiner Centre in Toronto for the past 8 years, including 3 years as faculty. Formerly in a Waldorf early childhood
school community with two children (now ages 15 and 13), she and her husband started homeschooling both in the
Waldorf tradition when their oldest was 6 years old.
Claudine Kaplan Prior to earning
her M.Ed. and Waldorf certification, Claudine worked at the Weavery of Lukas Foundation, a Camphill Community for adults
with disabilities. She also cooked at High Mowing, a Waldorf high school that her family has been connected
to since the mid-1970's. Claudine has taught at Pine Hill Waldorf School (Wilton, NH), Waldorf-inspired Charter Schools
in California and Massachusetts, and also at The Waldorf School (Lexington, MA). When her eighth grade class graduated in
2001, two families leaving the school asked her to teach their children in Claudine's Concord, MA home. Since then,
she has been running a program with multi-age, multi-lingual, and multi-cultural homeschooled children in her home. Claudine's
own children have attended Waldorf schools, and also homeschooled part of their high school years.
Kristin
Lee is the Executive Director of The Institute for Art and Pedagogy. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Bennington College and a BA with high honors in English and Studio Art
from Connecticut College. Her poetry has been published in major literary magazines. Also a creative director, she teaches
students in English, creative writing and art, and has led teacher development workshops in creative writing and clay modeling.
She is currently in the Waldorf High School Teacher Training program in Wilton, NH. She homeschools her three children.
Other facilitators and program assistants may be added. Please check back for details!
ADDITIONAL PROGRAM INFO AND REGISTRATION
Tuition: $135.00. Tuition includes program (Fri.-Sun.), all meals
and snacks, and all materials. Please contact us about a special rate for couples in the same household.
Children/Child Care: [Update 6/17]: There is now limited
child care available for this program!
A limited number of slots for a child care program will
be available on all 3 days. The child care program will be led by Kirsten Spille-Scott, a Waldorf-trained
early childhood teacher, with some assistance by select teenagers in one and/or both of our families. Kirsten
will welcome any ages (including infants), with the specifics of how this may work best (ie, if you should need
to be willing to step in and out of the intensive yourself to be with your child) to be determined on an individual case basis.
The total number of slots available will depend on how many children of varying ages actually sign up for the
program, balanced with the amount of space we have in which we feel we can host children adequately in a safe and
mindful atmosphere with the proper supervision.
There will be a particular rhythm for the day that Kirsten will
design that is based on the children actually in attendance which will include inside time, outside time, and healthy
snacks. Parents who have children in the child care program should plan to bring a healthy lunch for their children
and eat with them during the scheduled lunch time of the intensive. Participants will receive other details about the
day (what to bring, etc.) when they register their children. The child care program is open to any registered participant
for one, two, or all three days.
Fee: $15.00-$25.00 (sliding scale)
per day, per child (includes snacks)
If you wish to sign up for the child care program, please email us at waldorffamilynetwork@comcast.net and tell us how many children, their ages, and which days you need child care.
Other Info on Children/Child Care: Babies are welcome! Please note, however, that no
children (whether in the on-site child care program or not) will be allowed in the educational center while
the program is in progress, with the exception of nursing infants/babes-in-arms (aka, infants who who will truly
be in their mother's arms). It has been our experience that it is not at all feasible for wee ones to be crawling
about during programs of this nature, as our work space is limited and the content lends itself to adult activity. For the
sake of the group process and to be fair to those participants who are attending without children, we require that parents
who do choose to attend with infants in tow be willing to step outside of the program space should they become restless and
need a shift in the scenery. Our home will also be open at all times during the weekend should anyone need
a more quiet space to nurse or to relax.
If it happens that your partner or another loving
child care provider will be traveling with you to our area on the weekend of this program and need any suggestions on
family-oriented activities while the program is in progress, please feel free to contact us! Also remember that you would
all be more than welcome to come together here for supper on Sat. evening. The more, the merrier!
Volunteers: [Update 6/17]
Rudolf Steiner was a 'cultural creative', and one who was way ahead of his time when it comes to social renewal. Regarding
his ideas on social law, he wrote:
‘The well-being of a community of people working together will be the
greater, the less the individual claims for himself the proceeds of his work, i.e. the more of these proceeds he makes over
to his
fellow-workers, the more his own needs are satisfied, not out of his work, but out of the work done by others'.
In striving to work more in the direction of Steiner's insights on social law, we encourage those who wish
to support our endeavors do so out of a heart-centered motivation that is driven by spirit, and not purely by economics. As
such, we also work from this end to strive to set fees that are in accordance with this thinking by creating and offering work
that is driven by spirit and out of service to humanity, rather than driven by profit margins and market forces, while
at the same time being of a balanced nature to those whose work must be valued. True balance comes as our spiritual
mission as a community is clear and the contributions unfold from the individuals within it.
Essentially, the
way we work is to set the fees for all of our programs 'at cost' without offering special discounts off
of the registration. This way, everyone pays the same rate and remains on the same economic scale. There is no race for
a limited number of volunteer slots in exchange for discounts, and no one is motivated to volunteer sheerly by economic
forces. Personal freedom is key. If anyone wishes to volunteer in any capacity, they are welcome to do so. We can always use
the support. If volunteering is not feasible or desired for any reason for any program, that choice is always honored.
Current Opportunities to Volunteer for this Program:
-
checking in participants and general help upon arrival on Fri. 7/17 (2)
- greeter for participants on Sat. 7/18
and/or Sun. 7/19 (1; for each day)
- food prep help (2; for all 3 days)
- bringing a healthy AM or PM snack
for a total of 5 people (1-2; for all 3 days)
- bringing a side dish for the Sat. evening supper (3-5)
Volunteering is a great way to support a program, and can also be a nice way to meet and talk with individual participants. If
you would like to volunteer in any capacity, please contact us at waldorffamilynetwork@comcast.net
Lunch and Snacks: Lunch fare is primarily vegetarian,
with any meat and most dairy options on the side. We strive to use organic and/or biodynamic ingredients whenever possible,
some from our own gardens. Coffee and tea will be available during breaks. Snacks are usually light and on the healthy side
(keeping in mind that, on occasion, we consider chocolate to be right up there with carrots ;-) Water is always
available on site.
Resource Table and Vendor Options: There will
be a resource table on site with Waldorf-related books and curriculum materials available for browsing on Sat. and Sun. This
will offer participants an opportunity to get a first-hand look at resources. Also, in an effort to support families
in these challenging economic times, participants will be invited to bring their own related books, curriculum materials,
and/or home-based crafts to sell or trade while they are here. More details on this aspect of the program will be included
in your confirmation.
Program Site: Michaelmas Farm is a developing
center for cultural renewal located in rural Ashby, Mass. We are a small (2+ acres) farm working in the direction of Biodynamics,
and including animals (dairy goats, rabbits, chickens), gardens, and an educational center. Ashby is located in north central
Mass. (Leominster/Fitchburg area), on the NH border (about 20 min. from Wilton and the Pine Hill Waldorf School), and about an
hour west of Boston. Our farm is in a semi-residential neighborhood, with surrounding woods and a nearby conservation
trail.
Accommodations: There are no accommodations on site. The
closest hotels to the program site are in the Leominster/Fitchburg, Mass. area (about 10 miles). There are also camping options
in the area. Here is a partial list of options for places to stay. Registered participants receive updated information
directly.
Super 8 in Leominster
Runs about $60.00/night. It's right off the Rt. 2 exit. Busy area, but lots of amenities. There's a Friendly's
next door, and coffee (Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks) nearby.
The Pines Campground
Right in Ashby! Runs about $35.00/night for a tent site. Located off Rt. 31, about 10 min. drive from the program
site. Lots of amenities, including hot showers, camp store, swimming pool.
ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS JUST ADDED! Please note that this is just about everything
in our immediate vicinity for lodging that we are aware of at the moment. Some are thrifty, while some are more luxurious.
It all depends on your taste, needs, and budget. You may also want to check web sites for summer specials. You never
know! You can plug in the address to Google maps to see the distance between our place (278 Allen Rd., Ashby, MA) and the
place you may wish to stay. If you need any help, let us know.
MORE CAMPING Willard Brook
State Forest Rte. 119, Ashby and Townsend, MA $8.00/MA resident; $10.00/non-MA resident
BED
AND BREAKFAST The
Maguire House B & B $145.00-$185.00/night
The Harley House Inn
909 Mass. Ave., Lunenburg, MA $110.00/night
Little River B & B
184 Union St., Peterborough, NH $105.00-$125.00/night
The Jack Daniels Motor Inn
80 Concord St. (Rt. 202), Peterborough, NH $129.00-$139.00/night
HOTELS
Motel 6 Leominster
48 Commerical Rd. (exit 32, off rt. 2, next door to Whitney Fields Mall) $49.99/night
Courtyard Fitchburg
150 Royal Plaza Dr., Fitchburg, MA $109.00/night
Four Points by Sheraton
99 Erdman Way, Leominster, MA $115.00/night
Registration: Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and are considered confirmed by
receipt of both email registration information and deposit.
There
are two steps to your registration:
STEP ONE: Please
submit the following information by email. Include ALL of the information requested, as we will be using this information
to help us to be able to design a program that best meets the specific needs of those attending. All information is for our
own internal purposes only, and will not be shared with any other party.
Submit the completed content
to Brenda at waldorffamilynetwork@comcast.net with the words 'Curriculum Intensive Registration' in the subject line.
- Full
(first and last) name
- Mailing address (incl. zip code)
- Email address (required for confirmation!)
- Phone number (in case email is faulty or we need to speak to you in person)
- Number of children, gender,
and age as of the program date (even if not in Gr. 1-3)
Also, please reply to
these questions (in brief!):
- Are you currently homeschooling? If so, for
how long?
- If you are not homeschooling, what is your interest in this program?
- What is your level
of knowledge and/or experience with Waldorf, if any?
- Feel free to add any questions and/or topics that you would
like to see addressed during this program.
STEP TWO: Once
you have submitted the registration information, then send us a deposit (check only - no PayPal) in the amount of $25.00
(per participant) immediately following.
Make all checks payable to Michaelmas Farm.
Send checks to:
Brenda Armstrong
Michaelmas
Farm
278 Allen Road
Ashby, MA 01431
REFUNDS AND CONFIRMATIONS:
Deposit is 100% refundable if request for a refund is made in writing (by email or snail mail) on or before Wed.
June 17th. After June 17th, deposits are non-refundable unless we
reach the maximum number of participants for this program. All balances due must be paid upon arrival
on Fri. July 17th. Please note that we do not accept any credit cards. Deposit and balance must be paid by check.
A confirmation of registration will be sent via email upon receipt of both the registration information and the deposit.
A more detailed confirmation (including directions and other pertinent program info) will be sent via email late
June/early July.
INQUIRIES: For
any questions regarding this program or registration, please contact Brenda at waldorffamilynetwork@comcast.net
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