Continuing Education for Caregivers and Preschool Teachers

Hi Jolie,

Thanks for your question. LifeWays is creating an understanding of and support for relationship-based care for the first seven years of human life. The LifeWays Center in Milwaukee welcomes children from a few weeks to 5 or 6 years in family-style "home rooms". In the course of the week there are Parent-Child gatherings with toddlers as well as Kindergarten gatherings for the older children.

Here at Spindlewood, we now include several 3-year-olds in the kindergarten morning. One of our 6-year-olds call it her "mixed-up-age kindergarten" :). One of the things I love about it is how the older children learn to respect and care for the younger ones. Yes, it can be challenging, but the blended ages bring such richness and humor to our days. The parents are grateful that siblings can share the same experiences, and be together in the same small school setting. One of the things that has surprised me is how the older children, perhaps especially the 6 year olds, have appreciated a more nurturing and nourishing approach. You can read more about it in Re-inventing Spindlewood http://waldorf2.intercast-media.com/2006/07/reinventing_spindlewood.html.

Because LifeWays training involves monthly contact with a mentor especially chosen for each student, there is built-in support for each individual student's life and work.

The April LifeWays weekend in Maine is a stand-alone session focusing on all of early childhood, as well as care of the caregiver. Another aspect of LifeWays training is that we focus not only on creating Home for body, soul and spirit of the young child, but also for our own home life.
Be well!
Susan SilverioNortheast LifeWays Early Childhood and Human Development Training105 Proctor RoadLincolnville, ME 04849207-763-4652