Home as the Model, Life as the Curriculum
On Demand course
developed by Cynthia Aldinger and Mary O’Connell
Educating and caring for children is a task that reaches beyond understanding the child’s physical and intellectual needs. It requires us to think more broadly and deeply, taking into consideration their soul and spiritual development. It calls for us to consider ourselves as the environment from which they soak up the wisdom of the world as they grow. It inspires us to build a space in which they will thrive, and be prepared not only for intellectual learning but for all of life’s endeavors.
In this 4-module course you will discover a meaningful paradigm of care for young children in the modern world. Cynthia Aldinger will guide you in exploring the foundations of care for young children through the insights of Rudolf Steiner, founder of Waldorf Education, and how applying these insights on Life, the Child, the Adult and the Environment creates a form of care and education that is both relevant and critical to truly support the life of the child!
Program Details:
This course also includes a free digital download of Life is the Curriculum: Exploring the Foundations of Care for Young Children through the Insights of Rudolf Steiner, Founder of Waldorf Education.
With full completion of the course, participants may earn a certificate for 15 hours of CE Credit.
Meet the Course Creators
Cynthia Aldinger
Cynthia founded LifeWays North America in 2001. Author of the book Life is the Curriculum and co-author of the book Home Away From Home: LifeWays Care of Children and Families, Cynthia has lectured and presented internationally and is pedagogical director for trainings and seminars across the United States. She served fourteen years on the board of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America. A former Waldorf Kindergarten teacher, Cynthia received her Waldorf teaching certificate at Emerson College in Sussex, England. A mother and grandmother, Cynthia’s passion is the preservation of the playful spirit of childhood and helping to create home-like environments that provide the comfort, security and activities found in a healthy home.
Mary O'Connell
Mary O’Connell works to strengthen child care and reconnect children and families to the natural world and local foods. She is the director of Paradise Farm in West Bend, WI, a LifeWays Representative program. She has worked as a Food Systems/Farm-to-ECE Coordinator for the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, Training Coordinator for LifeWays North America, and Director of LifeWays Early Childhood Center in Milwaukee. Mary graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and has worked as a business coach for child care directors in Wisconsin.