The Foundation Year provides the spiritual, cognitive basis for future educators. It is a year of self-discovery and self-transformation. Other individuals who have no plans to teach are welcome to join the Foundation Year courses. Foundation studies offer students the opportunity for a deep, comprehensive study of the human being and the world based on Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophical spiritual science. All topics lead the student toward a conscious path of self-development. Work toward an understanding of the connection between the Christ Impulse and the development of I-consciousness, and of future human and world evolution is central to Foundation Year studies.
The Foundation Year or equivalent approved education is pre-requisite to enrolling for the Education Year.
Seminars
In the seminars, we endeavor to lead the students towards a comprehensive image of the human being based on spiritual science. All the topics covered in the Foundation Year are essential steps toward building an ever-deepening understanding of the human being, humanity, and the world. Seminar discussions help the students transform mere knowledge into insight, for only then will they, out of themselves, begin on a conscious path of self-development. The future of Waldorf education depends on striving, insightful teachers.
The seminars typically begin with singing rounds, speech exercises and poetry recitation, followed by questions from the students. The seminars are held in blocks of one to three weeks depending in the subject, one leading over into the next naturally.
Visual Arts
The visual arts exist in the spatial world but are a threshold bridging the physical world and the divine world. Through the arts of sculpture, drawing and painting, as well as studies in art history, students strive to comprehend more deeply the development of human consciousness. Together, with the insights of spiritual science, we build our consciousness of self and the world. The art class meets weekly with several open studio sessions available to practice outside of class time. With their accomplished work, students organize an art exhibition to coincide with graduation festivities.
Singing
First year students are all together in singing class, regardless of ability. Students regularly practice singing exercises at the beginning of each class. They sing a great variety of songs, from simple to complex, from one to four parts, in various languages and genres. Our goal is to bring the group to love singing, with community or alone. The atmosphere is supportive, where students of varying skill and talent are encouraged to work side by side, giving to and learning from one another. At the end of the year, first and second year students join to perform one well-known classical piece together for their graduation.
Recorder
The Foundation recorder class is split into two groups based on their musical experience. One group is comprised of people with little to no musical background who do not read music. This group moves at a comfortable pace which allows ample time for basic music questions and plays simple music. The other group is comprised of people who have have musical experience which allows them to learn recorder playing in a shorter time. Instruction in the second group includes basic music theory, a wider and more varied repertoire, and opportunities to learn other voices beyond soprano. Students have the freedom to move between the groups as they wish, to determine which group best serves their present needs. The two groups merge when they are ready, and at the end of the year perform together at the graduation ceremony.
Eurythmy
Most students arrive with no experience of the art of eurythmy, so the intensive nature of study (three lessons per week, of 45 minutes duration) is important to help them gain an active insight into the individual and social possibilities of etheric movement. Basic introductory work in this year includes:
- Gestures for the sounds of speech
- Introduction to pitch, rhythm and beat
- Work with copper rods to harmonize and enliven students' faculties
- Exploration of simple forms
By the year's end, students should feel comfortable moving both in a group and by themselves. The work culminates in a short group performance of poetry and music for the community during the graduation ceremony.
Spacial Dynamics®
Through an introduction to Bothmer and Spacial Dynamics exercises, students experience the relationship between the human being and space. Students work with posture and experience the three planes of space: frontal, symmetrical and horizontal. They also study healthy movement habits. Spacial Dynamics is the study of the interplay between the human being and space. Through activities such as stretching, balancing, posture work, juggling, acrobatics, tumbling, and children's games, students experience the effect of movement on themselves and others and observe how these interactions affect social, pedagogical and personal situations.
Form Drawing
In the Foundation Year, form drawing is taught experientially. Students are briefly introduced to the purpose and application of form drawing for personal development in areas of concentration, symmetry, and control.
Speech and Drama
Conscious, articulate speech is practiced throughout the year, in every aspect of the program. Seminars begin with approximately ten minutes of speech exercises and/or poetry recitation. When guest speech teachers visit, recorder and seminar classes are given over to speech and/or dramatic work.
After January, the class prepares to perform a play for the community. The play is a child-friendly choice, fairly short and simple. The director, whose main task is to facilitate the play and guide the students in its suitable production, encourages the students to join in the production of the play. The director is experienced in play production, but not a professional in that field. We approach it much as the Waldorf class teacher would his or her class play.