
The Early Childhood Teacher Education Center
at Sophia's Hearth
offering Waldorf Education for teachers
"discovering the wisdom of childhood"
Birth to Three Program




Our WECAN recognized course is an integrated program of study that provides a philosophical, practical, and artistic foundation for the care of young children and for supporting family life.
The Birth-to-Three Certificate program can be completed in 13 months and includes:
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300 hours, over 8 weeks of class time
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A practicum/classroom experience
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Mentoring with and experienced Waldorf Educator
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A collegial approach that builds connections with the cohort.
Classroom time is a three-week residential session each summer and six-day intensives in the fall and spring.
Waldorf education forms the basis of the program, complemented by the work and research of the Pikler Institute in Hungary.
Each residential program module includes core thematic studies of the development of infants and young children. Gifted and devoted faculty lead movement, experiential learning, handcraft, and artistic experiences. Reading, journaling, the art of observation, time for reflection with classmates and support for individual questions arising from each student is integral to the residential modules.
Tuition for 2023-2024 is $12,290.

Is this program for you?
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Are you a teachers who facilitate parent-infant and parent-toddler classes and/or work with expectant parents?
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Are you an Early childhood teacher working with infants and toddlers?
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Are you an early childhood teacher wishing to deepen your understanding of these early years as a foundation to your work with nursery and kindergarten children?
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Are you a childcare provider in a center or home-based care program?
If you answered YES! to any of these
then this program is for you!
"I would absolutely recommend this training to anyone that works with young children. They could really benefit from the experiences and the information that we get here. It is such a great mix of hands-on experiential learning, and also discussion and reading material. It is just so rich. It all comes together, fits together, relates together, and it gives you a really clear picture of what is needed in our work. "
— SHANA RAMIREZ, program participant
Course Themes, Birth to Three
• Waldorf education’s insights into the physical, cognitive, social-emotional,and spiritual development ofthe infant, young child, and family.
• The Pikler Institute’s research and practice in infant and toddler motor development and care.
• The sensory development of the infant, toddler, and young child and the support for its healthy unfolding.
• Creating and supporting play as a primary learning experience for infants, toddlers, and nursery ages.
• Working with parents.
• Creating programs for infants, toddlers, nursery groups, and parent and child programs.
• Embryology
• Studies in anthroposophy, Rudolf Steiner’s philosophy, as a support for the inner development of ourselves as teachers and understanding the relationship between the human being and the world.
• Gender and Inclusion
• Artistic and craft activity: creative speech, singing for the early childhood years, storytelling and puppetry, wool felting and doll making, natural dyeing, a repertoire of songs and games of Wilma Ellersiek just for young children.
• Personal movement capacities in Spacial Dynamics® and eurythmy.
• Mentored practicum.
• Personal research project.