WISC Grades 1-8 Teacher Education Program

WISC’s Grade 1-8 Certification Program is designed to support a wide range of professional backgrounds and life circumstances. Through a blend of in-person intensives, online courses, mentored teaching, and fieldwork, students engage in a rich, immersive training that integrates theory, practice, and inner development.

Both new students and students who are actively working with children in Waldorf settings will find that their classroom work and program studies mutually enrich one another—coursework deepening their teaching practice and lived experience informing their studies. Our in-person intensives take place on weekends (typically Saturdays), and online classes are held Tuesdays after 4:00 pm, allowing students to balance their studies alongside their professional and family commitments.

The WISC faculty is a highly experienced and diverse group of Waldorf educators. In addition to the core faculty, adjunct instructors contribute specialized expertise, offering students a comprehensive educational experience.

Graduates of the program are awarded an official Waldorf Teacher Certificate.

Length and Format

Our Waldorf Grades Teacher Education program is a 25-month, 700-hour program that spans over three summers and two school years.

The 3 summers are comprised of

  • 2 in person grades preparation weeks per summer (6 total)

  • 1 in person early childhood week

  • 1 Practical Arts or Emergency Pedagogy module

  • 1 three-day online mini week per summer (3 total)

The 2 school years in between are comprised of

  • 8 in-person grades Saturday intensives per year

  • Bi-Monthly Anthroposophy studies online

  • Monthly Waldorf Essential Seminars online

  • Monthly Waldorf Enrichment Seminars online

  • 4 Mentoring Monday Book studies per school year

  • 1 in-person ‘Art of Speech’ Saturday intensive per year (2 total)

  • 1 in-person Biodynamic farming Saturday Intensive

  • 1 Threefold Saturday community event per year (2 total)

  • Field work (Observation and practice teaching)

  • One research project per year

    Enrollment to our full Grades Program opens January 2027 for entering the full program on July 1st 2027 (Individual workshops can be taken before enrolling full time and credits apply)

  • We offer a $1,200 early bird discount, for people who apply before May 1st. Tuition assistance available.

Entrance requirements

This program welcomes first time teacher as well as working teachers. All applicants must have earned a high school diploma, have some familiarity with Waldorf education and anthroposophy and be able to satisfy your fieldwork requirements during the course of the program. 

areas of study and experience

We will help guide each new teacher with their development and practice in the areas below

  • Foundational principles of Waldorf education

  • Anthroposophical studies 

  • Pedagogical practices and the Waldorf Curriculum grades 1-8

  • Artistic and handwork activities of Waldorf education

  • Professional and social aspects of Waldorf education

  • Inner holistic development of the educator

  • Independent research

What will you learn

  • To understand the child in depth, through the broader study of human development.

  • To develop skills to practice this understanding in a Waldorf setting based on rhythm, arts, storytelling, music, crafts and imagination.

  • To study together Rudolf Steiner’s philosophy to deepen awareness of the far-reaching effects of a holistic education

  •  To practice tools and capacities for self-development and lifelong research.

Apply

Why join WISC as a full time student?

  • Full-time students are supported on their journey through the program. Individual support meetings happen each semester.

  • WISC helps organizes ‘Field Work’ in the local schools, classroom support visits are included for full tie students.

  • We keep track of the AWSNA course requirements and make sure you stay on track to get certified. Example

  • Full time WISC students get 50% off on our Practical Arts and Emergency and Trauma Training programs

  • 90% of our students get a job before they graduate from WISC

Program Overview

  • Summer 1

    We offer 2 Grades weeks, 2 Early Childhood weeks and a Human Dignity and Diversity week

  • School yr 1

    We offer Monthly in person intensives, weekly online seminars and specialty workshops.

  • Summer 2

    We offer 2 Grades weeks, 2 Early Childhood weeks and a Human Dignity and Diversity week

  • School yr 2

    We offer Monthly in person intensives, weekly online seminars and specialty workshops.

  • Summer 3

    We offer 2 Grades weeks, 2 Early Childhood weeks and a Human Dignity and Diversity week

Summer weeks

The summer weeks can each be taken separately. We recommend enrollment in the full program to get the best experience and the speediest pathway to become a certified Waldorf teacher. It is also the most cost effective option. Sign-up for our summer weeks will be available in May.

We are a local, regional institute where developing a close sense of community provides the foundation of support and growth for personal transformation.

As a member, WISC offers an AWSNA-recognized Waldorf teacher preparation program. Our new full program of 700 course hours (plus Fieldwork) meets and exceeds the 500 minimum hours required by AWSNA. We encourage you to watch the film Waldorf 100 Learn to change the world produced in association with the Waldorf 100 International Forum for Steiner/Waldorf Education.