LifeWays® Early Childhood Certificate Program

Wisconsin October 2023 - October 2024

$225.00 discount if enrolled by September 4, 2023!

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Contact: Emily Witkowski, Student Services Coordinator
(262) 354-5728
Email: EmilyWithLifeways@gmail.com

For full information about this Training contact the Student Services Coordinator

LifeWays Wisconsin  – Schedule for 2023-24 The LifeWays Wisconsin Training is a full-year course, meeting four weeks during 2023-24 as follows. 
  • October 2023 Sun 15 to Sat 21
  • February 2024 Sun 11 to Sat 17
  • July 2024 Sun 7 – Sat 13
  • October 2024 Sun13 to Sat 19
Applications are now being accepted and the class size will be limited.  Scholarships and financial aid are available. Completing the LifeWays Training can open NEW Opportunities for you:
  • Childcare providers in homes and centers
  • Early childhood assistants, teachers and nannies
  • Parents and grandparents
  •  Parent-child teachers
  • Early Childhood Aftercare teachers
  • Homeschool parents.
  • Become the parent or early childhood professional you long to be.
LifeWays students learn from master teachers in 200+ in-class hours over a year’s time. Additionally, mentor-supported independent study enriches learning between sessions. The LifeWays curriculum is divided into four categories:
  • Human Growth and Development – based on the insights of Rudolf Steiner and others
  • Child, Family and Community – home health care practices, unique and beautiful handwork, gardening and meal planning, meaningful celebrations and festivals, self-care and more
  • Program Curriculum – deepening your classroom and in-home practices (artistic and practical, nature and nurture); fundamentals of establishing child care, parent-child, after-school and daily homeschool rhythms; and more
  • Living Arts – learn the Living Arts as developed by LifeWays and the keys to joyful, purposeful living through Practical Activity, Nurturing Care, Creative Exploration and Social Awareness
LifeWays students graduate with a renewed sense of joie de vivre in their daily lives. Strengthened by an amazing view of the developing human being, a lifted experience of personal growth, guidance in establishing successful programs and a sense of being grounded in the practical, artistic and nurturing skills, they tell us over and over again that this training was a life-changing experience for them.
“Today, as we went from painting to snack to working in the garden, I felt so grateful to have had my Lifeways training so I can support my child during these uncertain times. I’m so grateful for this network and the love and care we show for each other.” Amy Jo, LifeWays 2013-14

Housing and Childcare: While LifeWays does not directly provide housing or childcare, we are happy to provide applicants with contact information for local resources.

Meals: Snacks and daily organic hot lunches are included in tuition. Students provide their own breakfast and dinner

Your journey toward joy-filled and purpose-full living begins in October, 2023, won’t you join us in Milwaukee?

Contact the Student Services Coordinator to learn about the application process.

Core Teaching Staff

Laura CassidyLauraCassidy.jpg taught in the Early Childhood Department of Prairie Hill Waldorf School in Pewaukee, WI, for 22 years, 8 of those as a lead kindergarten teacher. She founded the school’s “WonderGarden” preschool and taught in the parent-child playgroup, assisted in grade one, and continues to teach calligraphy to sixth graders. She is a core faculty member of the Great Lakes Waldorf Institute for teacher training.

Laura has a B.A. in English, graduated from the very first LifeWays training with Cynthia Aldinger, and took the 3-Year Gradalis Early Childhood Therapeutic Education Course with Bonnie River, Nancy Blanning, and Lori Clark. She is the mother of three grown Waldorf alumni. Laura has a deep love and is inspired by the fairy tales, her work as a calligraphy artist, and the archetypal artist and healer: Mother Nature.

Cynthia Aldinger founded LifeWays North America in 2001.  Author of the book Life is the Curriculum and co-author of the book Home Away From Home: LifeWays Care of Children and Families, Cynthia has lectured and presented internationally and is pedagogical director for trainings and seminars across the United States.  She served fourteen years on the board of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America.  A former Waldorf Kindergarten teacher, Cynthia received her Waldorf teaching certificate at Emerson College in Sussex, England.  A mother and grandmother, Cynthia’s passion is the preservation of the playful spirit of childhood and helping to create home-like environments that provide the comfort, security and activities found in a healthy home.

Learn to create magical puppet shows for young children using silks, hand-made puppets and natural materials.
Learn songs and lullabies playing the lyre.
Learn watercolor painting for young children.
Study and discuss with one another.

 

Join us!

Financial Aid is Available

We have funds available for students with financial need.  To apply, students should first apply to the training and then fill out the Financial Assistance Form on the website.

Also View all Our Other Courses

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Circle of Hands
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Celebrando: Entendiendo, Creando y Viviendo las fiestas con intención
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Curative Education in Early Childhood
Online, June 16-18, 2023

Using "Home" as the Model in your Program with Rahima Baldwin Dancy
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LifeWays Early Childhood Fundamentals Course
Starting August, 2023 in three locations!

Creating Home Away from Home: A Course for Home Childcare Providers
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Creating Your Family Culture -- An Elemental Approach
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Healthy Home Rhythms
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Living Arts Through the Seasons ~ Archived
Online Archive of past seasons

What They Say…

  • Marcy Andrew

    "I find that I have so much more patience, calm and peace in my relationship to my boys and the other children in my life since our two weeks in Wisconsin [at the LifeWays training].  I really do think it changed something deep within me and the daily practice as well as the reading are continuing to provide inspiration and insight."   Marcy Andrew

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