Spirited Childhood is a workshop series for early childhood teachers and carers working with children from birth to three years.

The course explores questions such as:

  • What is really important for the young child to meet in their teachers and carers?
  • What are children asking from us?  What are the challenges they bring?
  • Are our tamariki truly being nourished or do we find ourselves just managing them?
  • What is it to create a Korowai of care?
  • What understandings of the young child, of development and well-being can we draw on for our practice from Rudolf Steiner and founder of Simplicity Parenting, Kim John Payne?

‘Spirited Childhood’ is a modular programme with two foundation workshops, that will be followed by a series that explores specific interest topics.   (further details to come).
As a Taruna College programme, Spirited Childhood offers quality, contemporary approaches to adult learning that are engaging, reflective and inspiring.

Learning Intentions

  • Re-imagining and re-enlivening your practice as an early childhood professional
  • Re-examining your daily interactions with children and bringing new eyes to what is important
  • Reconnecting with the hopes and aspirations you had in embarking on your professional journey in being an early childhood teacher or caregiver
  • Exploring and finding resolution to the tensions between compliance, management and warm-hearted care
  • Acknowledging and finding ways to address the very real and contemporary issues that surround children which they bring into our centres
  • Finding pathways to nurture the individuality and particular needs of each child
  • Using insights of Simplicity Parenting to help build healthy connection between the home and care environments.

This course is currently not running but you would be welcome to express your interest in Early Childhood.

Fees

$495.00 per seminar

Programme Director

Traceylee Hooton is passionate about the importance of the early years of childhood and how as childcare professionals we can create ways for children to be nurtured and flourish. Traceylee helped to establish the Four Seasons Waldorf / Steiner Kindergarten in her home town Taupo in 2010. Working with teachers, empowering parents and those working with the young child, Traceylee brings a warm and engaging approach to teaching and learning.  She shares practical ideas drawn from the work of Rudolf Steiner, and also as a registered coach of Simplicity Parenting integrates the principles of Kim John Payne into her work

Venue

Taruna College

Registration and Payment

Choose whether you would like to register and pay now with a debit/credit card, or register and we’ll invoice you or your workplace for the workshop cost.

Student Support

Taruna strives to ensure that the programmes delivered are beneficial to each and every student.  Support is available to all students via the Course Coordinator whilst on-site and in between seminars to ensure that assignments are achievable.  Please contact the office on info@taruna.ac.nz if you need additional support whilst studying from home.

Crystal Bridge Loan Fund

Crystal Bridge was founded in 1991 as an initiative to help students at Taruna College with their course fees, at a time when there was no possibility of government-sponsored student loans. The fund is open to all New Zealanders wishing to undertake study, locally or internationally, based on the work of Rudolf Steiner. Loans are interest-free and tailored to the individual borrower, but are usually repaid over 1-2 years. There is also a fund or gift money, the prerequisite for such a gift being that it benefits a group of people. Donations to the fund are gratefully received.

The Crystal Bridge loan fund makes interest free loans available to students enrolled in Signature Courses at Taruna.

Harry and Rose Goldman Trust – Financial Assistance for Australian Residents

The Harry and Rose Goldman Trust is a registered charity established to provide financial assistance for Australian students who wish to pursue a course of study at tertiary level, or for professional development.
Specifically, the Trust aims to support individuals to participate in anthroposophical studies and courses in the arts: such as painting, eurythmy, speech and drama, biodynamics, medical studies, or other courses will be considered.