online Foundation Studies Program

The Sophia Institute Foundation Studies and Waldorf Certificate Program are similar to the Foundation Studies and Waldorf Certificate Programs offered by other Waldorf Teacher Training Centers in the USA and Canada. Our courses prepare students to teach in Waldorf grade schools, Waldorf Kindergartens and preschools, and Waldorf high schools. Our graduates receive a certificate and have found work in Waldorf schools or other Anthroposophical organizations. Foundation Studies students have also transferred successfully into other teacher training programs and have received full credit for the courses taken at Sophia Institute. The completed Foundation Studies (or equivalent) are required for enrollment in most Waldorf Teacher Training programs.

The Foundation Studies form a complete unit. A student may elect to only complete the Foundation Studies or may progress to other programs after completion.

The Sophia Institute courses are designed to meet the needs of those individuals who want to develop their artistic abilities, and acquaint themselves with or deepen their understanding of the basic world-view of Anthroposophy brought by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). The achievements inspired by Anthroposophy can be seen throughout the modern world today. It attracts those people who wish to work out of new impulses in the fields of agriculture, the arts, education, curative education, social therapy, natural sciences, and medicine.

Foundation Studies in Anthroposophy and the Arts, while providing a background for those wishing to become teachers in Waldorf Schools, also offers the same opportunity to others who are interested in learning more about how they may work in the world, guided by a foundation in Anthroposophy. In the Foundation Studies broad themes of the essential nature of the human being and human development are taken up on many different levels.

The Sophia Institute, and especially the Foundation Studies Program, were originally developed primarily for those individuals who want to become Waldorf grades teachers. Over the years, we encountered students with a wide variety of interests: early childhood or Kindergarten teachers, parents of students in the Waldorf schools, grades teachers, high school teachers, people interested in bio-dynamic farming, administrators, fundraisers, development coordinators, etc. They all shared a strong interest in deepening their understanding of Anthroposophy.

We believe in and practice a collaborative learning style, where the students and teachers together form a temporary learning community. The contribution that each individual brings to the learning community is an integral part of the learning experience, and determines the course’s direction. The Sophia Institute Courses and activities have been influenced and shaped by this process of collaboration. A great inspiration for the creation and work of the Sophia Institute was given by Tamara Slayton (1950 – 2003), Waldorf educator, author, and workshop leader. We were fortunate to learn from Tamara during the formative years of the institute, and regard her as one of our guides. She was especially skilled in facilitating and nurturing temporary collaborative learning communities, in both adult education and in teaching children, that strive towards the experience of spiritual insights in a participatory and inclusive style.

The Foundation Studies Program includes 2 semesters (14 credits). Allow for 3 to 6 months per semester. Extensions are permitted, and may be requested on an individual basis.

Foundation Studies Program / Courses Outline

1st Semester / 7 credits

1. What is Anthroposophy? An Introduction / 1 credit

This course introduces students to specific themes and aspects of the Anthroposophical world-view, including an introduction to the teachings of its founder, Rudolf Steiner. The course offers an overview of Rudolf Steiner's life and work, his teachings, the philosophical and psychological foundations of Anthroposophy, and the way Anthroposophy can be seen at work in our modern world: in education (Waldorf or Rudolf Steiner Education), curative education and therapy (Camphill Communities and curative homes), the arts (Eurythmy, architecture, painting, etc.), medicine (Anthroposophical Medicine), agriculture (Bio-dynamic Agriculture), and social issues (Social Threefolding). More ...

2. Foundation Studies/Core Studies / Part 1 / 4 credits

The Foundation Studies/Core Studies / Part 1 constitute a 4 credit unit and include an in depth study of the seven Life Phases, Rudolf Steiner's biography, significance, life and work, and culminate in a step by step approach of working through the vast content given by Rudolf Steiner concerning the path to knowledge, or the path of self development as given in Anthroposophy. More ...

3. Art 1: Art of Needle Felting / 1 credit

Using a single, barbed needle borrowed from commercial felting machines, wool fibers are tangled and compacted by repeatedly jabbing the needle into the fibers, forming three-dimensional felt sculptures bound only by one’s imagination. In contrast to traditional felt making methods that use water and friction, needle felting is also known as dry felting. More ...

4. Art 2: Art of Storytelling / 1 credit

Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge." Yet, in the current climate of testing and even our own desires to teach our children “well," we are missing a great opportunity to foster the growth of this vital tool, imagination, in favor of filling our children with information rather than a sense of creativity. For most of human history wisdom was ... more ...

2nd Semester / 7 credits

1. Anthroposophy in Everyday Life/Practical Training in Thought / 1 credit

This course concern itself with specific lectures given by Rudolf Steiner under the heading "Anthroposophy in Everyday Life". The course addresses how the insights of Anthroposophy can be applied to practical aspects of our lives, change our thinking and feeling, and help us with the task of self-development. This course are of interest to anyone who wants to ... more ...

2. Foundation Studies/Core Studies / Part 2 / 4 credits

The Foundation Studies/Core Studies / Part 2 are a 4 credit unit and - like the rest of the second semester - will deepen and complete the Foundation Studies. While in the first semester of the Foundation Studies the focus is on biography, self development and the path of knowledge as given in Anthroposophy, the focus of the second semester and the ... more ...

3. Art 3: Art of Drawing / 1 credit

Learning or developing further the art of drawing is foremost an exercise in improving our observation skills. Drawing basic forms (like the ones pictured to the right) will help you see correctly. As you look at an object, no matter how complicated it may seem, the first step is to reduce it to its basic shape. Once this "seeing" of the shape is established, you will be ... more ...

4. Art 4: Art of Watercolor Painting / 1 credit

Mastering the fundamentals and various approaches to watercolor art is challenging and rewarding. Students enrolled in this course will learn about watercolor painting techniques for landscapes and portraits and more, through step-by-step tutorials and creative challenges. Enjoy learning how to paint with watercolors! In Waldorf education there is an emphasis on ... more ...