Early Childhood
Education Programme

3 Year Part-Time Training Programme
Study Centre: Raheen Wood School, Tuamgraney, Co. Clare
For more information, contact the Course Directors.

Foundation Year beginning
September 2008 now enrolling

Introduction
This three year part-time training course in Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Education is offered in response to an increasing demand in Ireland for trained kindergarten teachers and a growing interest in Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Education more generally.

Foundation Year
The Foundation Year is designed as an orientation year for the kindergarten training but is also stands as an autonomous one year introductory course in anthroposophical studies and will be of interest to those looking for an introduction to the work of Rudolf Steiner combined with a foundation course in the arts. It will also serve as a necessary foundation for those wishing to undertake a variety of anthroposophically based training courses in Bio-Dynamic Agriculture, Curative Education, Class Teaching, etc. For further information about the Foundation Year, there is a brochure and a flyer, or you may contact the Course Directors.

Course Structure
The course itself will take place in Co.Clare with the eight weekend sessions throughout the year and three five-day sessions at Halloween, Easter and in early July. All three years will have largely similar structures with the following elements:

• Guided study which will involve attendance at an evening study group. Where possible study groups will be established in different localities for this purpose
  
  
• Weekend sessions There will be eight weekend sessions throughout the year. Each session will start at 7.30pm on Friday evening and will end at 5.30pm on Saturday.
  
  
• 5-day Residential sessions - in the course of the year there will be three longer residential sessions. Each session starts at 9.00am on Tuesday and finishes at 5.00pm on Saturday. These 5-day sessions coincide with school holidays in October/November, April and June/July.

Years One and Two
These two years focus on child development in the first seven years and will prepare students to work within a Steiner Waldorf Kindergarten. Themes include: creative play, simple crafts, storytelling, puppetry, seasonal festivals, practical work in the kindergarten, child observation, health and parenting issues, work with the angels and inner development. These two years also include a minimum of 8 weeks observation and practice in Steiner Waldorf kindergartens.

Entry to second year is dependent on successful completion of the Foundation Year or the equivalent.

For more details on the Course Content, Dates and Times, Registration etc., contact the Course Directors at training@steinerireland.org.

Cost
The Foundation Year costs €1500 per annum (although this may rise along with inflation).

Registration
To apply for a place on these courses, please contact the course directors to request a brochure and application form at training@steinerireland.org.

New! ECEP presents
Open Courses
for Easter 2008

Five days : 25th - 29th March
9.30am - 5.30pm

You are welcome to join the students on the Early Childhood Education Programme for five days of classes on interesting and creative themes:

Introduction to Anthroposophical Medicine
with Dr Maria Van der Berg, Northern Ireland

Watercolour Painting
Wet-on-wet painting; the colour circle, trees, and moods,
with Dick Bruin, Nederlands

Eutony
Find a new relationship to your body, relieve blocked areas and improve your breathing rhythm, blood circulation and muscle tone.
with Helene Roitinger, musician and eutony therapist, Austria

Introduction to artistic speech
Breath, pronunciation, and speaking intentionally,
with John Nixon, Belfast

Cost:
€75, each topic (5 days) or €300 for the full week’s programme.

A cooked lunch is available each day at a cost of €8.

Prior booking essential
For more information or to book a place please contact training@steinerireland.org.