I'm thinking of returning to school for waldorf training (I'm a licenced ECE already). I've been thinking about this for a few years as I love the philosophy behind waldorf but last time I looked into it, it was no longer being offered on the island.
So instead I was going on with my plan to open a nature based, waldorf inspired family care centre that I've been toying with for the past two years. After working in daycares for the past 10 years, I'm appalled at how much plastic there is and how many chemicals go through a centre. And don't even get me started on the amount of garbage from disposable diapers. I shudder when I think about it!
As a parent, I want what's best for my children but when it comes to selecting childcare for them... there is nothing that even remotely resembles what I want for my child. So I want to give parents the option of a greener toxin reduced childcare centre. Imagine children using real cups and spoons instead of the cheap ikea plastic ones, no sippy cups, cloth diapers, safe toys made from natural resources, real open ended props that encourage the use of their imaginations, chemical free cleansers and curriculum that teaches children about their impact on the earth, in a real family based care setting.
But then I went back to the waldorf education website for the island and guess what... they're offering courses again! And the schedule isn't bad at all... 2 weeks each July and a week each Spring and Fall for two years starting in 2011. Which means I can still open the childcare centre in my home but just hire out for those 4 weeks of the year and it wouldn't be such a stretch in the type of care I'd be providing.
NOw just to come up with the $4400 tuition by next May. :S
so exciting. Nanaimo needs this ASAP. Hope you can get your training and open soon!
ReplyDeleteI'm very excited about it too! A friend of mine just opened a great family daycare with the same philosophies so changes are happening with childcare in Nanaimo! yay!
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