The Heart of Teaching Full-time Teacher Training Programme
Michael Hall Steiner Waldorf School is one of the most established U.K. Steiner Waldorf Schools. It has experienced and skilled teachers among its staff and as a large school, has a full range of classes in which to host students who wish to become Steiner Waldorf Teachers.
The College of Teachers is committed to supporting the work of the movement in this country by offering the resources of the school for the purposes of training teachers for schools in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We are not able to consider applications from students who reside or wish to teach overseas.
The programme requires a two-year, full time commitment from students. No charge is made to students in the form of course fees.
How is the course structured?
More than 40% of the course is made up of observation and teaching practice in classrooms. The remainder of the weekly timetable comprises group sessions in Painting, Blackboard Drawing, Speech Formation, Eurythmy, Singing and Recorder Playing, Classroom Management, Child Development, Curriculum Studies and the study of the pedagogical lectures and writings of Rudolf Steiner.
The few free lessons are used by students for research and preparation with the school’s library resources being made available to them.
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Students are given 5/6 placements during the course of each academic year. These placements last for 5/6 weeks and are generally in a Lower/Middle School class (6 to 14 year olds) for the period each day known as the Main Lesson. The Class Teacher of the class is assigned as a Host for the period of the placement.
During the placement the student will observe the host teacher at work and familiarize themselves with the pupils and the habit life of the class. The student will be expected to assist in the class and to prepare and deliver elements of the content of the Main Lesson. The student will also be expected to keep daily records of their observations and submit lesson plans when teaching.
Group mentoring sessions each week are led by a course leader. In these sessions there are opportunities to discuss the experiences of individual students in the classroom either as observers, assistants or as teachers. The sessions explore, amongst other things, classroom management, the curriculum, child development, planning and record keeping and other aspects of the teacher’s responsibility within a Waldorf School. Students are introduced to the principles of Formative Assessment and how this should be applied in the Waldorf classroom. They are also assigned individual research projects and asked to submit these in written form accompanied by a presentation.
Opportunities are provided during the year for individual reviews with the course leaders.
Students may be given the opportunity to accompany class trips and outings.
Where possible the course also offers intensive blocks covering Special Educational Needs, Science and Maths.
In addition to the above students are expected to carry out break duties, supervise Homework Clubs and may be required to cover lessons when teachers are absent. They are required to attend weekly Faculty Meetings and Parent Evenings for the classes where they are placed.
In the second year of the training students are required to take up placements in other schools in order to gain valuable wider experience. They are also supported to make applications for teaching positions in Steiner Waldorf schools during the course of the second year.
Application Process
- Prospective students are welcome to attend the Heart of Teaching Open Morning on Thursday 17th March 2022. (Please register your interest by downloading and completing either or both of the forms here and email the form/forms back to [email protected]).
- Applications for the 2022-2024 course must be submitted by Friday 27th May 2022.
- Applicants will be invited to attend an interview following a successful application.
If you are successful in your application and a place is offered on the course to start in the following September, an enhanced safety check will be carried out by the school for which you will be required to complete forms and make available a number of documents.
If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people. – Chinese Proverb