Early Childhood Rudolf Steiner Education:
the foundational years
The first seven years of a child’s life are crucial for their overall development. It requires a nurturing environment full of love, warmth, joy, wonder, and guidance from the educator. As such, the inner attitudes of the educator or the carer are essential. In Steiner/Waldorf early childhood settings, foundations are established for lifelong physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth. This educational approach emphasizes the development of individuality and honors the dignity of childhood. It acknowledges the significance of key milestones—walking, speaking, and thinking—during the first three years of life, and starting with will-focused physical activities in the early years.
This one-year part-time course will offer parents and early childhood educators and teachers in all settings the opportunity to develop new skills and deepen their understanding of Rudolf Steiner education for the foundational 7 years of early childhood. It is also suitable for home-schooling parents, therapists, and anyone who is interested in caring for young children or hoping to seek employment in Steiner / Waldorf settings.
The online course will be live-streamed, allowing you to engage directly with the tutors, who are very experienced Early Childhood Steiner / Waldorf teachers. It will also be recorded for later viewing. There are 2 optional face-to-face workshops (ages 0-3, & ages 4-6) which will take place here on our campus in Warranwood Victoria and include essential classroom elements such as Morning Circle, craft activities, singing, storytelling, puppetry, painting, movement etc.
This course will give you a certificate of professional development hours referencing the Australian Teacher Professional Standards.
Course content and schedule
Course tutors
Leanne has been a kindergarten teacher all of my adult life. I am entering my 40th year of teaching, taking a only a couple of years off to parent my three children. I have had the good fortune to teach at the Melbourne Rudolf Steiner School for 28 years, working across the sector from family play groups, kindergarten and prep.
I love my work, as it embraces a wide breadth of learning and skill set: story telling, parent liaison , festivals, nutrition , gardening , the arts and crafts , environment care and sustainability, to mention a few . There are always new and wonderful things to learn and discover within the curriculum but more importantly with the meeting of new children and their families each year. I have been involved in teacher training here and in India, and have participated in the Vital Years conference. I have also previously been in the association supporting early childhood in Victoria and Australia. In my spare time I have three young grandsons to share in my life.
Katrina has been a social worker in Child Protection before completing a Diploma in Primary Education. While studying and the working as a primary school teacher, she became interested in Steiner education and went on to study part time at the Seminar and to pursue early childhood studies at La Trobe University. Her first job in Steiner education was at Silkwood Steiner School on the Gold Coast as Kindergarten Teacher. After several years she moved to Northern NSW and became the Kindergarten teacher at Rainbow Ridge Steiner School, where she has been teaching for the past 17 years. One of her greatest passions is writing and singing and she was employed part time as the music teacher at Rainbow Ridge for 7 years also. She has merged her love of music and Kindergarten teaching by researching music in the mood of the fifth. She has written several books of songs and morning circles for the Kindergarten and run professional development sessions on using pentatonic music and music in the mood of the fifth in early childhood settings. She has presented workshops at the SEA National Conference the Vital Years conferences.
Jessica commenced her nursing career at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. Working predominantly within the Emergency Department, specializing in paediatrics and then going on to complete midwifery training.
Jessica had the opportunity to volunteer at the Anthroposophical, Monte Azul medical clinic and Casa Angela (Birth Center) in São Paulo, Brazil. She undertook a placement on the paediatric ward at the Filderklinik, Germany where she gained insight into anthroposophical remedies specific to paediatrics.
Her passion for working with and supporting mothers, infants and young children as a midwife and paediatric nurse led to Jessica becoming a Maternal and Child Health Nurse in 2019.
Jessica has worked as an immunization nurse at the Therapy Center for periods over the past few years. She is now also offering Maternal Child Health Nursing visits for families.
Fee and fee policy
Fee
$445 per term
Withdrawing and refunds
- If you withdraw prior to course beginning we will refund any fees paid less a $100 enrolment processing fee.
- If you withdraw after the first session of the course, we will refund any fees paid, less $155 administration fee.
- If you withdraw after the second week, no refunds can be given.
Term dates and time
All sessions on Wednesday evenings, 7.00pm – 8.30pm (Melbourne time).
All sessions will be recorded and be available for viewing until the end of the 6-week term.
Below are 2025 term dates:
Term 1: 26 February – 2 April
Term 2: 7 May – 10 June
Term 3: 30 July – 3 September
Term 4: 8 October – 12 November
Certificate of Professional Development
Our part-time courses come with a certificate of Professional Development hours, subject to meeting the course requirements.
Each evening will be live streamed and recorded. We require your attendance of 100% of sessions, viewed either live or by the recording, in order to gain the acknowledgement of PD hours completed.
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