WTEE February 2026 Conference
Renewal opportunities for currently practicing teachers
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February 18-20​​
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We are pleased to invite you to our February conference for Waldorf educators! Early Childhood Developmental Movement and Music, begins on Wednesday, February 18th, and continues through Friday afternoon, February 20th. We look forward to you joining us.
Early registration by February 12th: $250 (sliding scale between $325 and $275 thereafter)
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Discounts are available for groups of teachers coming from the same school. Register now!​
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Early Childhood Developmental Movement and Music​
​with Lynn St Pierre, Beth Daly, and Ruth Ker​
​​(in-person with online option available two weeks later)​​​​​​
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Wednesday, February 18th 3:00 pm–6:00 pm
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Thursday, February 19th 9:00 am–6:-00 pm
Friday, February 20th 9:00 am–12:30 pm
These uncertain times call for a deeper understanding of the formative forces present in the child's first seven years. How do we recognize this life body? How do we engage in meaningful ways to strengthen this wellspring for the child and the adult? What does this mean for Waldorf programming and readiness with the young child from birth to seven? With these questions as a basis, Ruth Ker will offer age-appropriate activities for Kindergarten and Parent & Child/Nursery children.
Join Lynn St Pierre and Beth Daly for delightful plays including large movement, dancing hands and health-giving touch for Kindergarten, Parent & Child/Nursery, and Early Grades children. Examples will be given for each of the
different age groups. These games, developed by Wilma Ellersiek, are simple, yet profound in their healing capacity with the young child, and with people of all ages as well! They are so popular, they have been translated into over 20 languages and are played on every continent around the world.
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Spacial Dynamics
We will explore the three planes of space and three spheres of the human body as we strive to come into a healthier relationship with ourselves and one another. This practice can be part of our preparation for being with the children: present, warm, and joyful.
Handwork
We will be needle-felting a seasonal piece to go along with one of our plays.
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​​​​​​​​Ruth Ker has been an early childhood educator in preschools and kindergartens for over forty years, first in mainstream education and then at Sunrise Waldorf School in BC, Canada, where she was a founding teacher. She retired in June 2016 from the mixed-age kindergarten classroom. Ruth is a Board member for the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN), where she serves as the Teacher Education Coordinator for North America. She mentors and visits schools and educators in North America. Ruth participated in both the North American and International WECAN Older Child Research groups and is an international presenter. She is the author/editor of the books, You’re Not the Boss of Me–Understanding the Six/Seven Year Transformation, From Kindergarten into the Grades, and Please Can we Play Games.
Lynn St. Pierre joyfully presents early childhood developmental movement and music, including hand gestures, loving touch, large movement adventures, and singing in the mood of the fifth, as well as Spacial Dynamics® for Waldorf teacher trainings, conferences, and schools around the world. She offers a two-year deepening program for those who wish to carry this work forward. As a certified teacher trainer in both the developmental movement & music for early childhood created by Wilma Ellersiek and Spacial Dynamics®, Lynn enjoys mentoring and working with parents. In the mid-nineties, Lynn came to Waldorf Education as a parent and Specialty teacher of movement and has led Kindergarten, Nursery, and Toddler classes.
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Beth Daly is the Early Childhood Coordinator at Waldorf Teacher Education Eugene and Waldorf Early Childhood Educator at the Eugene Waldorf School. Beth is also the WECAN Regional Representative for Oregon and a WECAN site visitor. Her advanced trainings include Ellersiek Early Childhood Games and Fingerplays and Nurturing the Roots- An Advanced Anthroposophic Early Childhood Therapeutic Training.
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Lunch
Minutes away from WTEE is The Garden on Friendly, located at 2760 Friendly Street. It is an enclosed food court with a variety of choices. Across the street, at 2757 Friendly Street, is Friendly Street Market, a natural foods grocer and a café.
If you bring lunch, you are welcome to find a nook on the campus or eat in the Starflower Kindergarten.
