“The course and its participants really exceeded my expectations in providing a sequence of discussions and presentations that addressed so many of my questions, and did so in profound ways. Phenomenological science was taught to us phenomenologically—a series of experiences and strategic discussions. I think about what I now take back with me and am amazed…. I think I found a way to teach real things to my students.”

“I felt rejuvenated, empowered, and enlivened.  I came away from the week’s experience with answers to questions that have gnawed at me for a long time. I have been able to intellectually understand the reductionist vs. the holistic approach, but now I have rich images living within me that are more rewarding than just “knowing”.  The image that sprang to mind as Craig was talking about Kurt Goldstein was someone taking a heart out of a body, hooking up tubes to the arteries, pushing up and down on the muscle, and as the blood started to squirt out exclaiming, “yup, it is only a pump!”.  Jon brought us through experiences in observing, and with rich language, allowed me to develop new insights into how to provide an environment in which the students can internalize phenomenal experiences.  The rhythm, flow, and preparation John brought to the week were powerful for me. Henrike’s exacting descriptions of the optical phenomena really helped clarify concepts and put much of what I thought I knew into a new perspective for presenting it to students.
“The different parts of the day flowed well and provided a breathing rhythm that mad the experience invigorating. Too often my experience has been that conferences exhaust the participants because of the pace. This week has left me with plenty of material to contemplate and meditate on until next summer without beating me up.”

“In one week you more vividly illustrated all that teaching is than my last nine months in a traditional graduate teaching credential program. It was breathtaking from this standpoint and I will encourage anyone who really wishes to understand what it means to teach and how to most effectively go about doing so to take your course.”

“Overall, I felt that this course lifted the conglomeration of ideas, “indications,” and methods of Waldorf education, which live within me as in a file cabinet, and brought for me an experience of a living thinking, of real imaginations, that can serve me in my teaching. Specifically, and significantly, my previous concept of the “threefold lesson” was actually brought to life, in the sense that I now feel I have a picture of the processes underlying such lessons, and that, rather than having an external regard for the benchmarks that are supposed to be met in a lesson, I have a feeling for the quality, the mood, the internal “physiology” of a healthy lesson. Actually, I have a clearer picture of what constitutes a “healthy” lesson that lives in my imagination.”    

“Incredible course. The best I have ever been to. Watching three masters at work, showing me, through their process, how I could teach. Jon—describing the 2-day rhythm, then pointing to key steps and taking us through the purpose of the step and how to meet that purpose. And, impromptu, doing an impressive recall of what we worked and what detracted from my learning experience. Craig—a brilliant demonstration of the results of his work with the eye, in preparation for teaching. While I have been to many seminars, it is infrequent that I have seen him present his work/preparation. Watching sets a bar, a reminder of what I am striving for in preparation for teaching. Henrike—working through the physics group to show us how concepts (living) can build on one another and flow together to a portrayal or characterization of a “real” image. And then what an example of how to engage the physics “students” and give them such a successful experience, while still giving the rest of us a look at the flow and depth of her work. These are just some examples of my learning through example, learning from watching masters, and learning from starting to consciously penetrate the processes.”

“I got a lot out of the various experiences/activities taking us through observation, judgment and concept as a group so we could benefit from each other’s perspective. These activities, when coupled with the facilitators’ thoughtful direction, helped draw awareness to how I may enhance my own teaching work and personal growth on a more conscious path of intention. Our follow-up to the optics presentations was especially powerful. I really benefited from the focused awareness toward each sense and different combinations of sense, in how they affect my thinking.”

“It seemed like a good mix of lecture/discussion and observation/experience. Hearing different people’s experience of the same phenomenon helps greatly in understanding the students’ perspectives. I also enjoy and learn from experiencing different teachers’ ways of presenting topics and phenomena—not only the three group leaders , but the participants as well…. This course helped me think about/understand goals of teaching, 2-day rhythm, process vs. endpoint. I would have liked to spend more time on this aspect. The course also gave me a better idea of what sort of teacher I want to be five or ten years from now, not that I can’t take things I learned here and work with them immediately, but more in continuing my own development as student, teacher and scientist to help guide my students in their development.”

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