Welcome to the website of the Irish Steiner Kindergarten
Association (ISKA), which is Ireland's national voluntary association of
Steiner Waldorf childcare practitioners. Members are based throughout the 32 counties of Ireland.
Associate membership is open to all who support the work of the Association.
The ISKA website is Ireland's primary source of information about Steiner Waldorf
education in early childhood for parents, our members, government and funding
agencies, childcare practitioners and other childcare organisations.
Our activities
ISKA provides support for members as well as responding to the increasing
level of interest in Steiner Waldorf early childhood education more generally in
Ireland. The association has established a programme of workshops on aspects of
Steiner Waldorf education for childcare practitioners and it runs a three-year
part-time training programme (the Early Childhood Education Programme). ISKA
and its activities are supported through the National Childcare Investment Programme.
Kindling Journal available
Kinding, the Journal for the Steiner Waldorf Early Years Education (UK) is
be printed twice yearly (Spring and Autumn) and subscriptions are available from
ISKA. Subscribe online...
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Early Writing and the Nursery School Gender Gap
Here is an article (PDF)
in the UK Independent that describes new government measures designed to
accelerate readiness to write among boys in nursery school. Meanwhile multiple current studies,
described here, indicate
that, by age 11, there is no difference between children who are taught to read at ages 5 and 7!
see list of other articles
ISKA 2009 Winter Newsletter
A new Kindling newsletter is now available. Read it or download a copy
it here.
News from Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America
We have been sent an 'update for members and friends' for January 2010 from WECAN. It contains very interesting
news of conferences, courses, books, activities, and worldwide and regional updates and links.
A copy is available here.
Maintaining our Steiner Ethos in the Context of Government Funding
Saturday, January 23.
This is to give advance notice
that there will be a workshop in Cork City on Jan 23rd looking at maintaining our Steiner Ethos
in the context of Government Funding schemes and the pressures of modern Irish Society.
It will be a full day workshop with speakers on the Government Funding Schemes, Aistear Early
Years Curriculum, Siolta Quality Assurance, Kg responses to such pressures in other countries and
meeting the world while maintaining our integrity.
It is highly recommended for all Kindergarten teachers and committee members and to make that
easier, we are charging not per person, but €30 per Kindergarten group.
Full details will be circulated shortly, in the meantime you can get it in your diaries and
start planning who will attend, lift sharing etc.
A New Foundation Year
One year part-time at Raheen Wood Steiner School, Tuamgraney, Co Clare
Commencing September 2009
Do you want to learn more about the ideas that lie behind Steiner Education?
Maybe you are you wondering: How can I live in a way that really integrates my whole self?
How can I support my children in the face of the challenges of today's world?
How can we build healthy relationships with each other, with the world of nature and the world of technology?
On the Foundation Year we offer you a chance to explore these questions and many more:
An opportunity to learn and grow; international tutors, world-recognised authorities in their fields, and
beautiful natural surroundings at Raheen Wood Steiner National School in East Clare.
The Foundation Year can be taken as a stand alone year for self development or followed by 2
further years training for Steiner kindergarten or class teaching.
The Course fee is €1,850, and application should be made as soon as possible.
For more information, or to enroll, please contact Ruth Marshall:
Tel: 061-473866
or email training@steinerireland.org.
Helle Heckmann's new book:
Childhood's Garden, Shaping everyday life around the needs of young children
is now available through ISKA. Helle is from Denmark and is active in teacher education throughout
the world. For details on her book, which includes a DVD, click
here.
Healing Stories for Challenging Behaviour, a
new book by Susan Perrow
is appreciatively reviewed here
by Ruth Marshall
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