Deepening the Picture of the Whole Child: Integrating Waldorf Wisdom with Current Sensory Integration Research and Relationship to Neurodiversity

In this 6-part workshop series for Waldorf early childhood and early grades teachers, Sunbridge’s Early Childhood Teacher Education program co-director Nancy Blanning serves as guide for an exploration into sensory development, focusing on how the two streams of Waldorf education and mainstream research complement and confirm each other, and how we can use this knowledge to better help the children in our care.

Presented virtually over Zoom from 1:30 pm-3:30 pm ET from October through April, the series consists of the following sessions:

October 18: The Landscape of the Senses—How does each sense help us live in the body, in the external world, and in the social world with other people? We will look at how we support the Life Sense/Interoception to assure comfort and a sense of security in the body. Here we will recognize the strength of the Waldorf early childhood “curriculum” of rhythm, routine, movement, practical work, and artistic activities in helping to regulate sensory functioning.

November 22: Tactile/Touch Sense—Exploring hyper (extra reactive) and hypo (under reactive) responses as extreme edges of sensing touch. How do we recognize these and respond to these extremes? We will also consider some movement and touching games that invite reluctant children to participate.

January 10: Proprioceptive/Self-movement (Limbs, muscles, nerves, and body-geography)—Exploring the balanced and extreme edges as shown in behavior. How can we offer invitation to strengthening this sense? In-door and out-door possibilities will be suggested. In this session we will also give a brief overview of retained immature movement patterns (infantile reflexes) that often interfere with proprioception.

February 28: Vestibular/Balance—Orientation and security of the body in the three planes of space. How can we offer enriched opportunities to strengthen balance? Balance and proprioception are partners in supporting each other, so we will look at the two together. Continued consideration of retained movement patterns will continue.

March 7: Communicating with Others—What do we wish to communicate to parents and caregivers? How can we do this in ways that build trust and connection?

April 18: Review and Festival of Movement Idea—We will consider a particular scenario of a child in sensory distress and together apply the ideas our study has suggested–and create new ones as well.

Registrants who sign up for both Deepening the Picture of the Whole Child as well as EC Insights, our workshop series held earlier in the day on the same Saturday dates, will receive a discounted price.