REGISTRATION OPEN FOR 3-YEAR INTENSIVE IN NOVEMBER 2023
Children spontaneously draw figures that reflect their experience of their physical condition: after having broken a leg, the figure's leg will be at a strange angle, or the arms as if they are coming out of the head of the person if there is stiffness/discomfort in the neck-shoulder area, or no hands when there are fine motor challenges.
These examples reveal images of children's experience of their "body geography": how the results of their sensory and movement development of the first seven years have imprinted into the habit body to become an unconscious awareness of their relationship to the body and its parts. It is mainly through the senses of self-movement--proprioception--that this subconscious experience of one's body is developed. The other three foundational senses--touch, life and balance--also contribute. When movements are archetypal--following a universal developmental process--imprinting takes place in a way that the incarnating individual soul recognizes. With efficient imprinting, the child feels at home in the body so can sit, stand and move with ease while learning new gross and fine motor skills on a daily basis.
This development is dependent upon the opportunities the child has to move freely in an environment that encourages exploration, thus furthering opportunities to attempt new activity. Today there are many situations where development is hampered by lack of sufficient protection from too strong sensory impressions.
Join us for a two-day WLS DEEPENINGS conference when we will review important steps in this universal process, examine common hindrances for today's children and look at effective interventions in support of healthy imprinting towards complete development.
Instructors: Joep Eikenboom, Ingun Schneider, M.A., Kris Boshell, M.A.
with Joep & erica eikenboom, ingun schneider M.A. & kris boshell M.A.
Rudolf Steiner and Audrey McAllen explain how development of the physical body is essential in forming the vessel for the incarnating soul and spirit. Audrey told us that the “house” needs its “furniture” and neither works without the other. Joep will clarify how development of the individual structural physical body—universal in its form and function—provides the foundations essential for development of full human consciousness (Consciousness Soul). The difference of this structural in contrast to the constitutional physical body and our roles as teachers in relation to these aspects will be explored.
Steiner’s twofold picture of head and body explicitly describes pictures of the head as “passenger” while the body works through reckoning, spiritual work and learning. McAllen developed this image further for teachers—she described the importance for teachers to bring archetypal movements and gestures to the children in order to develop this “house” for mature human consciousness. These archetypal motions—seen in Extra Lesson movement, painting and drawing exercises—support children’s work to incarnate through an imprinting process that allows unfolding of the mirroring involved in bringing balance between the sheaths. This balance is needed for children to learn with ease. To embody—incarnate—refers to entering into and using the physical body (house) in the way for which it was developed. As this process unfolds, each individual child can strive to fulfil her/his pre-birth intentions for this life at this time and in this place chosen by the child.
Joep will bring a deepened understanding of this process that allows each child to learn and develop with confidence and ease as identified hindrances are addressed. Erica will take us through a hygienic process for painting with magenta, viridian green and black. She will share in this artistic variation the archetypal movements of these colors.
with Joep eikenboom, ingun schneider M.A. & kris boshell M.A.
Part 1: As teachers we meet many children who have various difficulties with memory—kinesthetic, visual, auditory; long-term &/or short-term, working memory.
Difficulties with memory commonly show up as challenges in math, reading, writing, spelling and more. In part 1 of this topic during this 2-day intensive, we will start our exploration of memory with insights from Rudolf Steiner’s indications and share practical classroom activities that focus on identifying gaps/delays, their origins, and interventions to nurture continuing development.
with Joep eikenboom, erica eikenboom, ingun schneider M.A. & kris boshell M.A.
As teachers, we encounter student difficulties with memory presenting as challenges in math, reading, writing, spelling and more. Memory difficulties may vary--they may be kinesthetic, visual, auditory; long-term &/or short-term or working memory.
Rudolf Steiner said that the rhythmic system is the healing element in the human being. If we do not consider the rhythmic system in our approach, our pedagogical work is in vain. Understanding and addressing the rhythmic system is vitally important for building memory.
In part 2, our two-day intensive continues exploring practical classroom activities moving up through the grades, including specific memory painting exercises with Collot d'Herbois art therapist Erica Eikenboom. We will continue to explore how to identify gaps/delays and origins of memory challenges. Interventions that nurture the continuing development of memory, including the importance of sleep in memory consolidation, will be covered.
program overview
What are "Deepenings?"
Deepen your understanding while gaining new insights into the foundations of human development and learn practical pedagogical approaches to classroom learning support to meet the varied developmental needs of modern students.
Content Overview
Rudolf Steiner and Audrey McAllen state that the development of the physical body is essential in forming the vessel for the incarnating soul and spirit. McAllen told us that the “house” (the body) needs its “furniture” (the soul) and neither works without the other. The development of the individual structural physical body—universal in its archetypal form and function—provides the foundations essential for human development to build this "house." Modern children are experiencing difficulties in bringing this development to its completion, and this threatens the possibility of developing full consciousness later in life.
The structural physical aspect of the human being develops in a certain way—it is a process where one level builds upon the previous. Higher functioning is dependent upon foundational functions. McAllen brought Steiner’s insights together for educators so that we can observe developmental readiness in terms of physical development paired with the presenting symptoms of academic and/or behavioral issues. The discovery of underlying causes becomes possible as you learn to observe the neuro-developmental functions of the child that offer lenses for the teacher to discover the child’s inner experience based on the outer expression.
The children come to us bringing challenges which seem to be growing in intensity and frequency as time goes on. We ask, “How do we support them?” McAllen described how teachers can bring to the children archetypal movements and gestures for developing the "house" so mature human consciousness can occur. These archetypal motions support the children’s work to incarnate through an imprinting process that is enhanced and completed by them. This embodying process refers to entering into and using the physical body in the way for which it was developed. As this process unfolds, each individual child can strive to fulfill his/her pre-birth intentions for this life at this time and in this place chosen by the child.
From observations and questions about the children in their care, Waldorf teachers bring both common and unique experiences. “Deepenings” aim to start here—with real experiences in real time paired with pedagogical knowledge—then to go deeper into the pedagogy to penetrate the issues from the very foundations of the process of human development given us by Steiner. We work with real life issues that teachers in the group are facing today and bring clear focus to how the curriculum and developmental picture come together. Our goal is to take you through the developmental layers starting with Foundations and deepening further with each level to "Build the House" and finally, to "Move-in & Maintain."
This hybrid course is made up of a sequence of short in-person meetings for practical work, supplemented by asynchronous work and online communication between sessions. A certificate is earned for completion of each of the three layers. Practical pedagogical approaches to classroom learning support will offer you and your colleagues skills to meet the varied developmental needs of today's classes.
open house 3-year intensive training
Join us for a sample experience of the 3-Year Intensive Training
Sunday, May 21, 2023
10:30am-12:00pm Central Time
Free of charge. Registration required.