Tag Archive for: education

Restorative Justice & Waldorf Education

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“We can say ‘Peace on Earth.’ We can sing about it, preach about it or pray about it, but if we have not internalized the mythology to make it happen inside us, then it will not be.”

Betty Shabazz – American Civil Rights Educator

All human beings are valued and relational.  This is a tenet of Restorative Justice and a place where Waldorf Education and Restorative Justice principles completely align.  In Waldorf Education a meaningful bond between teachers and students is essential to both academic success and personal growth.  In Restorative Justice respect, dignity and mutual concerns form the three pillars of creating a cohesive and connected community.

This week the North Shore Restorative Justice Society worked with teachers to help us hold community building circles in an intentional way. Circles are a way people in many cultures have come together as a community to talk about important issues and resolve problems.  Circle process is facilitated through a talking piece, allowing for thoughtful reflection, attentive listening and an unhurried pace.

The objective for circles is that students will feel they have been seen, heard, understood and that they have given and received respect.

Rubeena Sandhu – Head of School

Drama – an example of integration in Waldorf education

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” Speech and drama achieve one of the essential goals of Waldorf Education; to integrate thinking, feeling and willing. With this in mind, it is not surprising that this art form is present in every stage of our curriculum.”

Rubeena, Head of School
In our Early Years programs, creative free play makes use of drama and children become kings, queens, animals and more to complete their imaginative play. In our grades and high school classes teachers deepen main lesson learning with thematically linked performances. Every child in the class participates, uniting the class artistically and socially. Students gain self-confidence, appreciation and acceptance among their peers and completion of performances leads to a shared experience of pride.

Many students will likely never occupy a stage space again after school, but they will undoubtedly have gained a deeper understanding of themselves and human development along with a healthy dose of self-confidence.

Grade 8’s upcoming performance of Much Ado About Nothing marks the first class play of the year and I hope that you join us in celebrating these students’ efforts.

Rubeena Sandhu –  Head of School

Honoring the strength of human will, courage & initiative at Michaelmas –

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“Each student must face their own difficulties in life… and Michaelmas both educates and empowers the children to find the courage to take on and defeat their personal ‘dragons’ and let hope prevail.”                                Rubeena Sandhu – Head of School
There is no mistaking that the time for our annual Festival of Courage or Michaelmas is drawing near!  The weather has changed abruptly, and autumn is upon us. In our school, two different pictures are brought before the children at this time. One is the image of the fall harvest and the other is the image of the hero who tames the dragon.

In common with Waldorf schools around the world we celebrate Michaelmas to find hope and honor the strength of human will, courage and initiative. The festival coincides with equinox, a turning point in relation to light and darkness in the world. Each student must face their own difficulties in life, both internal and external, and Michaelmas both educates and empowers the children to find the courage to take on and defeat their personal “dragons” and let hope prevail.

The students have been busy this week preparing – our youngest students have dyed and sewn capes and crowns; Grade 1 & 2 will bake our bread; Grade 3 & 4 will prepare our soup, Grades 5 & 6 will bake cookies and Grades 7 and up will help set up and serve.

We look forward to having you join us tomorrow – Friday, October 4 at 12:00 to participate and enjoy a bowl of harvest soup!

Rubeena Sandhu –  Head of School

Early Childhood Teacher & Asst. required

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The Whistler Waldorf School is seeking full-time and part-time experienced Early Years Teacher and/or Assistant (s). The Early Years Teacher & Assistant upholds a beautiful, warm environment where the children feel safe and nurtured, creating opportunities for children to experience the world around them through artistic activities, tasks of the household, oral storytelling, singing, movement, and organizing festivals following seasonal rhythms of nature. The posting summaries are below:

Early Years Teacher

Applicants must have an B.C. ECE Teacher Certificate with a licence to practice with the Ministry of Children and Family Development and, ideally, also have a BC teaching Certificate with the Teacher Regulation Branch.

Early Years Assistant

Applicants must have a valid B.C. ECE Asst. Certificate or the ability to qualify for one. 

Further Info. & How To Apply

  • In addition to the above, successful applicants must have: 
    • Training in Waldorf Early Childhood Education or a willingness to be trained.
    • An ability to foster professional relationships between teacher and parents as a mutual working together to support students’ best interest.
    • A desire to work collaboratively with other Faculty and Administrative Staff colleagues
    • A commitment to self-development and a self-reflective practice to ensure personal development to meet the age of the children that are being taught.

Whistler Waldorf School offers a flexible working environment and competitive salary based on relevant education and work experience. For full-time positions, we provide a thorough compensation package including health benefits and insurance, pension, professional development and partial tuition remission for children attending the school.

Please submit your cover letter, resume and three reference letters to principal@whistlerwaldorf.com

Application deadline: Applications accepted until positions are filled.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Elementary & HS Teacher Asst. required

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Whistler Waldorf is currently recruiting for full-time or part time Teacher Assistants to work under a teacher’s supervision to give students additional attention and instruction.

Duties expected:

Teacher assistants typically do the following:

  • Reinforce lessons presented by teachers by reviewing material with students one-on-one or in small groups
  • Enforce school and class rules to help teach students proper behavior
  • Help teachers with record keeping, such as tracking attendance and calculating grades
  • Help teachers prepare for lessons by getting materials ready or setting up equipment, such as computers
  • Help supervise students in class, between classes, during lunch and recess, and on field trips

 Qualifications requested: 

  • Completion of Grade 12
  • A recognized Post-Secondary Special Education Assistant Certificate or the ability to qualify for one.
  • Preference given to a Degree/Diploma in a related field, and/or extensive experience in an equivalent field.
  • Excellent communication skills in English, both oral and written
  • Any experience using techniques of Applied Behavior Analysis, Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training (e.g., CPI or MANDT), Completion of POPARD coursework, the ability to speak a second language and a Workplace First Aid Certificate are considered to be an asset.

Whistler Waldorf School offers a flexible working environment and competitive salary based on relevant education and work experience. For full-time positions, we provide a thorough compensation package including health benefits and insurance, pension, professional development and partial tuition remission for children attending the school.

Please submit your cover letter and resume to principal@whistlerwaldorf.com

Application deadline: Applications accepted until positions are filled.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

The Three Fundamental Forces in Education: Balance in Teaching

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Dear Parents and Guardians,

100 years ago, society and education had moved towards a more differentiated system, separating sciences from the arts, the arts from morality, and athletics from academics. Today, finally, educational systems all over the world are “catching up” to Steiner’s observations that separating these fundamental spheres of activity for children could be detrimental to their healthy development, and in fact, advocated that it is in their union that learning becomes an art, and education becomes a vital healing force in a young person’s life.

Rudolf Steiner mentored teachers, and called teachers to task, ensuring that their teaching incorporated a balance and integration of the arts, and sciences. This was, and still is, a fundamental basis for Waldorf Schools.

100 years ago Rudolf Steiner emphasized that the Waldorf approach was a great deal more than simply the application of a teaching method. His new art of education was born out of a knowledge of the growing child as a holistic being – embodying body, soul, and spirit.

This year is the 100th anniversary of Waldorf Education and we believe that one hundred years is only the beginning. In celebration, we will be highlighting the breadth of our curriculum over the course of the year and warmly invite you to join!

Rubeena Sandhu, Head of School

Changing seasons; Back to School rhythms

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The return of the school year brings us all together again while the summer days are coming to a close.  As the sun rays diminish we now begin to turn inward, and can be excited and challenged to turn also, to the fiery warmth of our school community in the fall.  The turning of the leaves are a beautiful vision, yet can be a symbol of a cyclic transitions within a familiar environment: the returning rhythms of school, the bustle of after school programs, homework and packed lunches, the complexity of old relationships and the challenges of new ones.

As the leaves turn, let us honour our students, our children, our colleagues and ourselves. As we adjust to the changing season, let us turn to each other as partners, and enjoy each other in another school year of growth and development for all.

Rubeena Sandhu, Head of School

We still have spaces for K, Gr. 1-3

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We are currently accepting applications for the 2019-20 school year for Kindergarten, Grade 1-4, 8 and High School Grade 11 & 12. 

“I invite you to learn more about our unique educational approach. With small class sizes and an emphasis on strong student/teacher relationships, Whistler Waldorf fosters the development of creative thinking, self-confidence and an enthusiasm for academic learning.” 

Ms. Rubeena Sandhu – Director of Education

Offering an extensive tuition adjustment for qualified families. Learn more here.

Email Admissions to book a personal tour or find out more about our admissions process.

Early Childhood Appreciation Day

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Today, we celebrate Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day, a day where we recognize the commitment, hard work and passion of our early childhood educators in BC. To witness young students get excited about going to school is remarkable, and it is because of the positive relationships and inclusive environment that our early childhood educators create in and outside the classroom.

Our students are fortunate to have dedicated staff contribute daily to their overall development and well-being. Through play-based and child-centered teachings, our early childhood educators bring age-appropriate programming that promotes each child’s physical, cognitive, language, emotional, social and creative development.

I would like to thank all of our early childhood educators for teaching and nurturing our early learners in the critical development states of life, for preparing our students for life-long learning and emotional well-being, and for creating a space where each student can experience a sense of belonging.

– Rubeena Sandhu, Director of Education

Experiential Learning in Waldorf Schools 

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Students at Whistler Waldorf School participate in a wide range of experiential learning activities. Experiential learning in a general sense, is the process of learning through experience. It is important to note however, that experiential learning in Waldorf Schools is not limited to creating projects or visiting a farm. If any of you have ever been moved by a compelling story, an eloquent song or a powerful play, you will understand the power of imagination for enhancing learning connections, and as an “experience” in its own right. 

Waldorf schools intentionally incorporate a broad and balanced range of imaginative, creative, and kinesthetic experiences within the academic program. Yes, even content like coding can be taught imaginatively. At the same time Waldorf teachers maintain a keen awareness of a lesson’s meaning and relevance for a student’s senses, feelings and cognition so that they are actively engaged at each stage of their development.  As Henry Barnes, a long time Waldorf teacher once wrote, “When children relate what they learn to their own experience, they are interested and alive, and what they learn becomes their own. Waldorf schools are designed to foster this kind of learning.” 

– Rubeena Sandhu, Director of Education