• AddressP. O. Box 15609-00503, Mbagathi Nairobi, Kenya
  • Emailinfo@eawaldorf.com
  • Contact +254-722-830549
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Introduction

The East African Waldorf Teacher Development Programme is a part-time, in-house, professional development course introducing the principles and practices of Steiner Waldorf education.

The programme is for serving teachers and interested individuals in East Africa. To date, participants have come from Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Kenya. The programme is offered as a series of modules in a ‘carousel’ format over 3 years and a term.

Generally-speaking, the modules are held in April, August and December each year. The course has two streams – early childhood (0-6+) and primary (7-14+). The modules are residential and, wherever possible, take place outside of term times. The venue is the Rudolf Steiner School, Mbagathi, set on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. The programme runs under the auspices of the East African Association of Steiner Waldorf Schools.

History

The course began in 1997, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. There were 20 students in the first group. In 1999, the programme moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where it became established as an in-house training programme at the Rudolf Steiner School, Mbagathi. For 25 years, the East African Waldorf Teacher Development Course has received funding support from various sources, including Freunde der Erziehungskunst and the GLS Bank.

Teacher Development Course

The training takes place at the Rudolf Steiner School in Nairobi, Kenya (https://steinerschoolmbagathi.co.ke/). The teacher training is spread out over ten modules of two weeks each over the school holidays to enable teachers to take part (March/April, July/August, and November/December).

Each module entails intensive training, homework, study assignments, and a formal written project. Where resources allow, certified mentors supervise teaching practice in the classroom.

Primary

The 'primary school' period includes children ages 6 and up to 14 years old. The 10-module course covers pedagogy, curriculum, and child development topics. Studying Steiner's investigations into the nature of the human being and the connections between humanity and the rest of the world forms the foundation for an examination of these "educational" aspects.

The following themes and subjects are a selection of items that will be covered in the program:

The adventures of the child and adolescent in terms of growth, development, and learning include physical activity, games, and eurhythmy; number, numeracy, and arithmetic; drawing, writing, and reading; and art, music, and craft; history, and geography.

A ‘merry-go-round' design is currently used to run the circuit. In actuality, this entails that a learner can 'jump on' the course at any time and take part in the 10-module cycle from the beginning. Currently, the course will last 3 years and 4 months provided attendance is regular and steady.


Primary Module Breakdown
Module 1: Introduction to the Four Temperaments
Module 2: Changes in the period around the child’s 9th Year
Module 3: The Waldorf Approach to writing & reading in grades 1 & 2
Module 4: Waldorf approach to Mathematics Teaching
Module 5: Grade 3
Module 6: Human and Animal Study Grade 4
Module 7: Plant study


Kindergarten

The kindergarten 10 module course allows the teacher to acquire knowledge on the whole human development from conception to adulthood, though more focus is put on the children between the age of 3 to 6years old. The four foundations of Waldorf/Steiner education are the basis of every module in this training.

• The Three Golden Rules: Receive the child with reverence, educate with love, let them go fourth in freedom.

• The Three Levels of Human Understanding:
Body, Soul, Spirit.

• Child development:
Understanding how a child develops and their need at every developmental stage.

• The twelve senses:
-Foundation senses
-Middle senses
-The higher senses

Module 1: Creating a healthy learning environment
Module 2: Child development
Module 3: The twelve senses
Module 4: Play the work of the children
Module 5: Morning ring
Module 6: Steps towards readiness for learning (the learning child)