What draws you to the Waldorf approach to education? And in particular, to teaching in the High School (which is somewhat unique for Waldorf education)?
As a child, I attended the Detroit Waldorf School and graduated from Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School. Even as a teenager, and especially as a college student at Haverford College, I recognized that something in my education had helped me develop in a unique way. As an educator, I know that the developmental and integrated approach, which recognizes the profoundly human connection to the arts and to nature in all elements of learning, are essential to the healthy and balanced development of young people today. The Waldorf High School represents the completion of a Waldorf education, with the intention of educating for a person’s whole life. I love teaching young people who are so open to the world, and the depth and integrity of what my colleagues and I bring through our work together continues to inspire.
You have children who are Waldorf graduates and have been teaching in Waldorf High Schools for nearly 30 years. In your opinion, what differentiates these Waldorf graduates from their peers?
My three children all attended Kimberton from preschool through high school. They, like other Waldorf graduates, are uniquely prepared for college in ways that reflect their individuality and their own strengths and interests. They know how to learn and are not afraid to find their own opinions and approaches to the material. They are creative in their thinking and have a capacity to tackle new projects fearlessly, whether it be advanced analysis of cancer research using A.I., building an architectural model of a building, or learning a new language, and they know how to work with other people. The world needs Waldorf graduates now more than ever.
You are also a Waldorf graduate. In what ways did this education benefit you, post-graduation?
I experience the fruits of my own education every day in my love of learning, my joy in creativity and art, and my understanding of the different stages of human development. My experience as a student in a tight knit class helped me understand both the value of each individual and the importance of living in community, as well as the inevitable tensions that these can bring. I also attribute to my Waldorf education my enduring curiosity about the world and how people live, which, for example, inspired me to travel to Central Asia with a small group of educators last summer to learn about the Silk Roads and post-Soviet culture and history. Here is a link to my recent talk, if you are interested. Back in the USSR: Travels in Post Soviet Central Asia
In your opinion, what makes our school unique and special?
Kimberton offers the wisdom of Waldorf pedagogy as well as academic rigor and an amazing arts program. Our place-based environmental studies program and the integration of outdoor education and immersive educational experiences are also unique features of our curriculum offerings. In the high school, we have an accepting and supportive student and teacher community. We are blessed to have a preK-12 Waldorf school here at Kimberton.
