Our student body is a diverse group of individuals, representing a great variety of skills, interests, educational and cultural backgrounds, and life goals. The goal which unites them all is that of fulfilling their potential to become a fully self-realized person who inspires and facilitates the same in the children who will eventually be in their charge.
I recently graduated from the Teacher Training and Accreditation Program at the Waldorf Institute of Southern California (WISC), and I immensely enjoyed my time in the program. I have a deep love of learning, which has been nourished by my time in WISC. Each time I have spoken to my father over the last three years, he has asked me what I have learned in the previous week. It has been a joy to recount to him my experiences in painting, archery, woodcarving and doll making. While these things have enriched my life, I have most appreciated the opportunities for personal growth that this education has afforded to me. Through the Anthroposophical studies I have undertaken, I have come to a deeper understanding of my fellow Man and myself. I have, of late, been particularly conscious of the role of destiny and karma in my daily life. This consciousness has changed the way I view and conduct everyday meetings and has led me to, in the words of Steiner’s verse, sharpen my feeling for responsibility of soul. Brandy Steinhilber, 2008 graduate
What stays with me from that day is... enchantment. From the first bell ring to the last step I took in Highland Hall, I felt part of a soft, visible melody. The enchanter of that land, Laura, was walking the notes and the children simply followed. Her calm and gentle voice, her spoken and unspoken words, her light gestures and inner silence unfolded the Past and Present Wholeness and we all entered with... admiration. My inner child smiled, and taken in and on Laura's wings of kindness felt comforted knowing that the Earth's Down is a Down we could soar above. How many worlds did I breathe in that day, I wonder... I was freed from the Earth and the Water, from the Air, and because of that freedom I felt the Fire. Within. "When you are clear, fair and present at the moment, the children learn quickly." Yes, indeed, Laura's words are dressing up the never-ending fairy tale in her classroom. And the moment— a flash of Past and Present dances in her eyes. I remember... a High Land one morning in May. For a moment of time I could feel— I was freed. Margarita Sabeva, 2008 graduate, on her experience of observing Highland Hall Waldorf kindergarten teacher Laura Ferris, May 1, 2007.
At one time I may have thought it was not possible to have an experience in continued education that would speak to my personal development yet stream to meet my peers and future colleagues. It's a wonderful feeling, to discover that learning in an environment that is mindful of a student's unique place in this world is not only an option, but a reality, at WISC. I am tremendously grateful that this gift, in turn, is the vehicle through which I may deliver my students in their paths of learning. I am frequently in awe at the rich variety of subjects and the broad perspectives that enliven our lessons. Yet, the Waldorf curriculum is so simple in its design that it is difficult to put into words and best understood in the realm of personal encounter. I am proud and honored to be a part of this program, and would urge anyone who is considering WISC as an option to explore it further on an experiential level. Deborah Cansler, third year student
Having come to WISC from a background in the visual arts, I was delighted to find that Art is not merely an adjunct to, but a core aspect of, Waldorf education. However, that is only part of the attraction for me. The quality I find most fulfilling is that virtually every subject in the Waldorf curricula, from Science to Physical Education, is founded on and imbued with a holistic, multidimensional view of life. There is a joie de vivre which is sadly absent from many public schools.
Every Waldorf activity contains a deeper significance and fulfills a greater purpose than its surface objective. For instance, creating a toy top with only a block of wood and a few hand tools is a fine exercise in developing woodworking skills. But in a Waldorf classroom, it's also an exercise in exerting the will toward the positive goal of finding one's inner balance— or inversely, finding one's inner balance to focus the will to guide the hands— in the creation of an aesthetically pleasing as well as functional object.
Teacher training at WISC challenges one to 'push the envelope' of one's own personal growth, while providing the tools to facilitate it. For only by our continued growth are we made worthy and able to teach the children. Allen Stovall, second year student
The Waldorf Institute of Southern California 877-394-1444
Our student body is a diverse group of individuals, representing a great variety of skills, interests, educational and cultural backgrounds, and life goals. The goal which unites them all is that of fulfilling their potential to become a fully self-realized person who inspires and facilitates the same in the children who will eventually be in their charge.
I recently graduated from the Teacher Training and Accreditation Program at the Waldorf Institute of Southern California (WISC), and I immensely enjoyed my time in the program. I have a deep love of learning, which has been nourished by my time in WISC. Each time I have spoken to my father over the last three years, he has asked me what I have learned in the previous week. It has been a joy to recount to him my experiences in painting, archery, woodcarving and doll making. While these things have enriched my life, I have most appreciated the opportunities for personal growth that this education has afforded to me. Through the Anthroposophical studies I have undertaken, I have come to a deeper understanding of my fellow Man and myself. I have, of late, been particularly conscious of the role of destiny and karma in my daily life. This consciousness has changed the way I view and conduct everyday meetings and has led me to, in the words of Steiner’s verse, sharpen my feeling for responsibility of soul.
What stays with me from that day is... enchantment. From the first bell ring to the last step I took in Highland Hall, I felt part of a soft, visible melody. The enchanter of that land, Laura, was walking the notes and the children simply followed. Her calm and gentle voice, her spoken and unspoken words, her light gestures and inner silence unfolded the Past and Present Wholeness and we all entered with... admiration. My inner child smiled, and taken in and on Laura's wings of kindness felt comforted knowing that the Earth's Down is a Down we could soar above. How many worlds did I breathe in that day, I wonder... I was freed from the Earth and the Water, from the Air, and because of that freedom I felt the Fire. Within. "When you are clear, fair and present at the moment, the children learn quickly." Yes, indeed, Laura's words are dressing up the never-ending fairy tale in her classroom. And the moment— a flash of Past and Present dances in her eyes. I remember... a High Land one morning in May. For a moment of time I could feel— I was freed.
At one time I may have thought it was not possible to have an experience in continued education that would speak to my personal development yet stream to meet my peers and future colleagues. It's a wonderful feeling, to discover that learning in an environment that is mindful of a student's unique place in this world is not only an option, but a reality, at WISC. I am tremendously grateful that this gift, in turn, is the vehicle through which I may deliver my students in their paths of learning. I am frequently in awe at the rich variety of subjects and the broad perspectives that enliven our lessons. Yet, the Waldorf curriculum is so simple in its design that it is difficult to put into words and best understood in the realm of personal encounter. I am proud and honored to be a part of this program, and would urge anyone who is considering WISC as an option to explore it further on an experiential level.
Having come to WISC from a background in the visual arts, I was delighted to find that Art is not merely an adjunct to, but a core aspect of, Waldorf education. However, that is only part of the attraction for me. The quality I find most fulfilling is that virtually every subject in the Waldorf curricula, from Science to Physical Education, is founded on and imbued with a holistic, multidimensional view of life. There is a joie de vivre which is sadly absent from many public schools.