Experience the heart of Waldorf education in our Adult Education Series! These engaging classes are designed to deepen your understanding of human development from childhood to adulthood.  These classes will take you on a journey through the stages of child development and explore how the Waldorf curriculum is thoughtfully crafted to support each stage of a child's growth.

Spanning 9 engaging sessions, this course is part of the Association for Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA) Pilot In-Service Teacher Training (PITEP) for Waldorf grades teacher certification through the Great Lakes Waldorf Institute. Whether you're an educator, a parent, or simply curious about the Waldorf approach, this series offers a unique opportunity to deepen your knowledge and join a vibrant community of learners.

Location

The Waldorf School of St. Louis, Community Room

814 Bell Ave, St. Louis MO, 63119

Cost

These courses are free for all who are interested. We are always grateful for donations to support this program. If you would like to contribute, please click here. Thank you for your generosity and support! 

Registration

For planning purposes, please sign up using this form. Some Saturday sessions require the attendance of Friday sessions. Please see details in the registration form. 

Please contact Michiyo Kishi (mkishi@waldorfstl.org) with any questions.

• Session 5 - Friday, January 17 & Saturday, January 18 - 9: 12 years old by Jessica Raterman

• Session 6 - Friday, February 28 & Saturday, March 1: 12-14 years old by Chris Jent

• Session 7 - Friday, March 14 & Saturday, March 15: 14-21 years old by Chris Jent

• Session 8 - Friday, April 11 & Saturday, April 12: Three Soul Forces and Child Study Part I by Daniela Sales

• Session 9 - Friday, May 9 & Saturday, May 10: Three Soul Forces and Child Study Part II by Daniela Sales
  
  

About Program Director and Presenters

Michiyo Kishi - The Waldorf School of St. Louis Unit Two Presenter, PITEP Local Coordinator Michiyo, has taught various early childhood classes from infant through Kindergarten for 19 years at The Waldorf School of St. Louis. She completed Waldorf early childhood teacher education training at Sunbridge Institute and LifeWays. For further study, she finished Nurturing the Roots: A Three-Year Therapeutic Education Course for Early Childhood Educators. She values being a part of the Waldorf movement and serves as a mentor for a training institute, a WECAN site visitor, and an AWSNA liaison. 

Jessica Raterman - The Waldorf School of St. Louis Unit Three Presenter, Jessica, joyfully completed a full cycle with her most recent graduating class, guiding them from first grade through eighth grade. She has started a new, enriching journey with a new cohort of first graders this fall at The Waldorf School of St. Louis while finishing her journey with the last half of her combined class. Before joining the WSSL faculty, Jessica shared her love of music as a teacher within the Illinois public school system and spent many years fostering musical talent through private piano lessons. She is a certified Waldorf teacher, having completed her training with the Arcturus Waldorf Teacher Training Program (now the Waldorf Teacher Institute) in Chicago. For several years, she has been an active member of the care committee, a supportive body dedicated to nurturing the holistic development of each child. 

Chris Jent, The Waldorf School of St. Louis Unit Three and Four Presenter, Chris Jent, is an alumnus of the first graduating class of Shining Rivers Waldorf School / The Waldorf School of St. Louis in 2006. Chris has been teaching at WSSL for 10 years, first as a middle school block teacher and then as a class teacher since 2019. He currently teaches a combined Grade 4 / 5 class. He completed the Waldorf elementary teacher training program at Great Lakes Waldorf Institute.

Daniela Sales - The Waldorf School of St. Louis Unit One and Five Presenter, Daniela Sales, led by her passion for Waldorf education carried on the wings of goodness, beauty, and truth, continually strives to create, explore, and work with students, families, and colleagues. She has been teaching in various capacities as a class teacher and parent educator since 2011, and is currently serving as Pedagogical Advisor at The Waldorf School of St Louis. Daniela completed the Waldorf Teacher Certification program at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks. She has earned a Ph.D. in Traditional Naturopathy and MS I Natural Health at CCNH. On her path of continued professional development, Daniela has completed the first year of the certification program focused on Education Support and Healing Education with the Association for Healing Education in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Lori Kran, PhD. - PITEP Educational Coordinator, Dr.  Kran, has a wealth of educational and administrative experience in Waldorf education. She served as the pedagogical director at Shining Mountain Waldorf School from 2021 - 2024 and continues to teach adults, in person and virtually. Dr. Kran was a class and high school teacher at the Cincinnati Waldorf School and an adjunct professor at Northern Kentucky University. She enjoys serving AWSNA Institutes and initiatives and is a member of the DEI task force.