April 14, 2009
Dear Colleagues,
The economic crisis that has dominated the media for several months has cast its shadow over the Waldorf movement. Unfortunately, it is the teachers who bear much of the burden: faculty salaries are being cut, and funds for ongoing teacher education are being withdrawn.
With this in mind, it is with a sense of urgency that I write to you about our two very affordable Essential Conferences in the summer of 2009. A conference for teachers entering Grade One will take place from June 20 – 22 and a Grade Three conference will be held from June 25 – 27. The conferences will be held on the grounds of Kimberton Hills Camphill Village in Kimberton, PA. They will be led by Eugene Schwartz, one of America’s most experienced class teachers, and Raine Springer, who has taught at the Kimberton Waldorf School.
As the dates indicate, each of these conferences is three days in duration. A generous gift from an anonymous donor has allowed us to lower our already modest tuition. The relatively short span of the conferences and the low overhead of our site allow us to charge a tuition of only $350 – now only $300 -- the lowest conference fee in North America. Because you take care of your own food and lodging you can shop around for the best quality and prices, significantly increasing your savings.
Each conference consists of twelve lectures by Eugene and six artistic workshops led by Raine and Eugene. As the conference name indicates, we make every effort to present the most essential aspects of each grade. Our theme is “Know What. Know How. Know Why,” and we place great emphasis on the “How” and particularly the “Why.” Rather than give recipes, we try to give teachers the tools with which they can confidently craft their own main lessons. It is very likely that you have a colleague who has attended one of our past Essential Conferences; please ask them about their experience.
Camphill Kimberton Hills, the conference site, lies on nearly 200 acres of biodynamic farm and pastureland. It is surrounded by rolling hills, a working farm, and numerous stone buildings that date to the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This uniquely serene setting will provide a healthy counterpoise to the intensity of the conferences. Please visit our web site at www.essentialwaldorf.com and click on “Kimberton, PA Conferences for Summer, 2009.” Our web site has conference schedules, as well as information on our fees, directions to Kimberton, and registration forms. If the web site leaves any of your questions unanswered, please contact us at the phone number above. We have also included schedules for both conferences and a flyer; please post them if possible.
Sincerely,
Eugene Schwartz