Every Monday, the administration staff and teachers at Parkerville Steiner College come together to deepen their understanding of Waldorf pedagogy and its anthroposophical underpinnings. Understanding the developing child from a spiritual perspective and learning how we learn to take in the world and develop meaning in our lives is the foundation of all Waldorf education.

In small groups, we discuss what it means to be spiritual and share our own spiritual journey. It requires a deepening of thought and feeling while being open to other points of view. Often, we carry an unconscious paradigm of how we and the world come to exist, and it can be startling to have our paradigms challenged. It requires flexibility and openness to consider other ways of seeing the world. This work leads to the development of empathy and love for our fellow human beings regardless of whatever their paradigm of belief is.

Coupled with a deep and concentrated study of the developing child and particularly the adolescent, the staff and teachers at Parkerville Steiner College develop the insights and sensitivity of the needs of the young people in their care. Educating adolescents requires a careful understanding of the stages of development that the young people go through, from finishing Primary School to finishing High School. It is the time between childhood and becoming an adult. This developmental work by the staff and teachers at Parkerville Steiner College each week gives them a greater insight into the world of the adolescents in their care and allows them to deepen their relationships with the students.

Staff development is essential to the growth of the culture of Parkerville Steiner College. To have the entire staff enfold the student body with such a depth of meaningful understanding and sensitivity ensures the school becomes a place where young people develop their full potential in an environment of love, support, and positivity. It is a far-sighted process of staff development that works into the future through helping the students develop their hearts, minds, and sense of purpose in the world.

Mark Phillips
Curriculum and Teacher Development Coordinator