Taproot Teacher Training 2019
A Retreat Experience for Waldorf Homeschoolers August 1-4
Registration is Full...
Registration for Taproot 2019 is now FULL! If you want to be on our Waiting List in case a spot opens up, click the blue button above. And start planning to join us next year!
What If You Gave Yourself a Huge Gift This Summer?
A gift that renewed your spirit, skills, and mission for your upcoming homeschooling year!
What kind of difference would that make on your inner sense of peace and therefore on your children’s sense of connection to you, their teacher?
Just imagine...
You’ve landed in a safe, beautiful environment with other parents who get it.
Imagine learning, unwinding, and re-discovering the unique spark of light YOU bring to your family.
A place where you get to simply be accepted for wherever you are on the Waldorf homeschooling journey.
No right. No wrong. No shame. No judgement. Just mutual understanding for the incredible endeavor we embark on year in and year out as homeschoolers.
You need that reset every summer, dear parent!
At Taproot, you will get to experience all of that self-care goodness PLUS meals prepared by SOMEONE ELSE (done deal, right?), time in nature, hands-on workshops, bonuses, ongoing relationships and support, and more...
You will get to see for yourself the beauty behind the Waldorf method with fresh new eyes.
Circle time. Singing. Puppet shows. Storytelling. Painting. Drawing. Recorder. Main lessons. Handwork.
Basically everything that brightens our world!
Yet at Taproot - YOU are the receiver, NOT the implementer of the lessons...
Sound nice for a change?!
Taproot is a weekend getaway for the devoted Waldorf homeschooling parent who is ready to train up, tune in, and create some lasting inspiration for themselves this summer.
We’ve been doing this for 13 years - you are in for a TREAT! 💜
Homeschooling can feel draining!
There you are, all school-year long, serving, giving, thinking, preparing, setting up, implementing, teaching, cleaning up, reevaluating - and doing it all again and again as the months go by.
Oftentimes for more than one child and grade! (You’re amazing, by the way.)
It’s truly a beautiful commitment to raise and educate your children.
AND… When you Waldorf homeschool, you’re called to bring your full presence to the lessons. Or to at least bring a story and some art materials… :)
It can take its toll though. Homeschooling parents often question whether they are doing the right thing. WALDORF homeschooling parents often feel like they’re not doing enough….
As summer comes upon us, we look forward to the break, to the chance to catch up, and to the chance to plan and address changes for our next homeschooling year.
It’s an exciting time. Summer also goes by so fast...
The mentors and teachers at Taproot are taking a stand for your family.
Our stance is that YOU (and your partner if they’d like to come!) need undivided time ONCE a year where you are supported, refreshed, focused, and CARED FOR.
Taproot brings together Waldorf homeschoolers from all over North America for workshops in the main lessons and lively arts led by a team of experienced teachers, mentors, and homeschoolers.
Together we will sing, create, share stories, learn, hike, and play.
And you get to carry those good vibes and a new community into your life, ready for a new school year and enthused to live your life purpose!
WHAT PAST PARTICIPANTS HAVE TO SAY
“Before Taproot, I really felt like I had just brushed the surface of a Waldorf education. But I was feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about how to move forward. This training really helped me build confidence to continue this journey.”
Moriah
“Taproot has become a place of spiritual learning, a communal family learning haven where I add tools and resources every year to sharpen my skills to become a better parent, teacher, husband, and person. The things I learn do not just apply to homeschooling my children but to enriching all aspects of my life. Thank you for caring enough to make others in the world whole.”
Joe
“The best part of Taproot was developing a community & renewing my spirit. So much more than I expected! I miss everyone & can't wait to go back to Taproot!”
Sarah
“There aren't Waldorf homeschoolers near me, so I loved gathering with like-minded people at Taproot, knowing that there is a support network out there. The singing & self-reflection made it feel like a retreat for me, as well as inspiration for our homeschool year.”
Kylie
“I was able to feel the lessons, the circle times, the finger plays... prior to this, I was reading many books and many curriculums but the way that I was educated growing up was stuck in me and creating a barrier to understanding and feeling the magic that I am to bring to my child. I was stressed and feeling like I couldn't do what Steiner had imagined for educating children. Now I feel like I get it, like it's alive inside of me. What a blessing! ”
Tara
“I learned more at Taproot than I expected, and not just about my homeschool journey. This was a spiritual retreat just as much as homeschool teacher training! ”
Katie
“I left Taproot feeling relieved and empowered, full of inspiration but in a completely non-overwhelming way. I have doable advice as well as a general sense of peace and excitement about these subject areas. It was all so helpful Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! ”
Leah
WHEN: August 1-4, 2019
WHERE: Shaw Retreat Center, Camp Asbury in Hiram, Ohio 44234
WHO: Homeschooling Moms, Dads, and Teachers
WHY: To Experience the Waldorf Method, Main Lesson Blocks, & the Lively Arts. And to Know You're Not Alone!
REGISTRATION: $595
HERE'S WHAT YOU GET...
An All-Inclusive Weekend
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Four days of workshops with EXPERIENCED HOMESCHOOLERS AND MENTORS of Waldorf homeschoolers.
- ALL workshops, accommodations, meals, and snacks for the entire weekend. Your REGISTRATION is ALL-INCLUSIVE!
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TWO eBOOKS on Waldorf homeschooling:
- Homeschooling with Waldorf: Getting Started by Barbara Dewey
- Waldorf Homeschooling Simplified: Your Toolkit for Grades 1-8 by Jean Miller
- MP3 RECORDINGS and songsheets of all the songs we sing at Taproot.
- All sorts of goodies including on-site GIVEAWAYS and COUPONS from some wonderful Waldorf suppliers.
- Small, intimate workshops providing HANDS-ON TRAINING and support. (Plus we're all at camp together! So you'll get to chat with presenters and new friends over tea, snacks, walks, and meals.)
- Membership in a private FACEBOOK GROUP where you can coordinate travel plans before Taproot, and ask questions after you return home.
- An invitation to an online Meet & Greet and Waldorf Q&A in July before Taproot even begins.
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BONUS DISCOUNTS!
- 10% off Mentor Sessions with Jean
- 50% off Jean's Plan It Out online course & coaching program
JOIN US!
Come enjoy the beautiful Shaw Retreat Center and learn alongside other Waldorf homeschoolers.
You'll leave with new homeschooling friends!
The magic of Taproot is the warmth and community, support, great conversations and laughter that emerge during this four-day weekend.
This training is designed for you as a homeschooling parent or teacher of a small group to help you apply Rudolf Steiner's philosophy to your own unique needs.
The registration fee includes all workshops, dormitory accommodations, meals and snacks for the entire weekend, Thursday through Sunday.
The Camp Asbury staff provides a delicious menu of meals using local and/or organic ingredients where possible. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian options will be available.
Let us know about food allergies and we will do our best to work with them. For other special dietary needs, you may need to bring food to supplement what is offered.
The Shaw Retreat Center is set in the woods, surrounded by a spacious deck, hiking trails, and an outdoor fire circle.
Nursing babies are welcome with a participant caregiver who can step out if the child becomes disruptive. We are unable to provide childcare.
Think of Taproot as a learning retreat for Mom (and/or Dad)!
OUR LOVELY LOCATION
The Shaw Retreat Center at Camp Asbury in Hiram, Ohio
OUR SCHEDULE
Thursday, August 1st to Sunday, August 4th
Our long weekend together begins on Thursday, August 1, 2019. Please plan to arrive between 1:00-3 :00 pm Thursday afternoon. Our opening workshop begins at 3 :30 pm.
On Sunday of our weekend together, we will finish up around 1:30 pm.
You can find a schedule and a sample listing of workshops below.
We build the actual schedule of workshops around the needs of participants. So you will get to select your actual workshops in June.
THURSDAY 8/1
Arrival & Snack (1:00-3:00 pm)
Opening Workshop (3:30-5:00 pm)
Centering Ourselves & Making Journals
Dinner (5:30-6:30 pm)
Evening Program (7:00-8:30 pm)
Puppet Show & Conversations About Our Waldorf Journeys
FRIDAY & SATURDAY 8/2 & 8/3
Morning Walk (7:30 am)
Breakfast (8:00-9:00 am)
Morning Workshops I (9:00-10:30 am)
Morning Workshops II (10:45-12:15)
Lunch (12:30-1:15 pm)
Group Circle (1:30-2:15 pm)
Afternoon Workshops (2 :30-4: 00 pm)
Snack & Free Time (4:00-5:30 pm)
Dinner (5:30-6:30 pm)
Evening Program (7:00-9:00 pm)
Drama in Small Groups & Campfire - Friday
Waldorf LIVE! Sharing & Campfire - Saturday
SUNDAY 8/4
Morning Walk (7:30 am)
Breakfast (8:00-9:00 am)
Morning Workshop, Closing Circle & Ritual (9:00-11:30 am)
Lunch (Noon-1:00 pm)
Departure (1:30 pm)
OUR PRESENTERS
And What They Offer
Jean Miller
As the homeschooling mother of three now grown children, Jean has loved sharing stories through the years – reading, telling, and dramatizing stories. Over almost 25 years of homeschooling, she’s savored the stories as the vehicle for teaching new content, the stories integrated into teaching history, and all of the creative ways of combining stories with the lively arts. Plus of course time outdoors and circles of song and movement.
Jean’s Workshops:
- Language Arts & History for Grades 1-4
- Language Arts & History for Grades 5-8
- Nature Study
- Group Circles
Rebecca Christie
Rebecca has always had a passion for numbers, patterns, sequences, and art. A former Industrial Engineer turned homeschooling mom of four, she found the one course she never had the opportunity to take in school, “The Art of Math, the Math of Art," inside the Waldorf curriculum! She will integrate the lively arts into math and science and will give you tips on combining lessons for multiple grade levels.
Rebecca’s Workshops:
- Math & Science or Grades 1-4
- Math and Science for Grades 5-8
- Conversations with Rebecca and Amber
Amber Sharipov
As a Waldorf-inspired homeschooling mother of five children, Amber has loved the teaching and incorporation of art and handwork into every subject and lesson block, as well as teaching weekly Waldorf-inspired art lessons to neighborhood children. Amber has taught kindergarten at home three times, and this year coming up will be her fourth.
Amber’s Workshops:
- Watercolor Painting
- Crayon Drawing
- Kindergarten
- Conversations with Rebecca and Amber
Sheila Petruccelli
Lured by the promise of better crayons for her boys, Sheila Petruccelli found a path to her soul at the heart of Waldorf Education. Homeschooling with Waldorf inspired her to explore many different healing modalities that eventually led to her certification in spiritual direction and her work at The Haden Institute. Sheila brings a layered approach to the rituals, workshops and one-on-one sessions she leads at Taproot, drawing on dream work, creative practice, soul symbology and intuitive expression. All of this depth work is tempered by an embarrassingly loud laugh, too much coffee and real life with teenaged boys. This will be her 14th year homeschooling and her 4th year teaching at Taproot.
Sheila’s Workshops:
- The UnWorkshop
- One-on-One Sessions
Jodie Mesler
Jodie Mesler of Living Music brings teaching music to life with her hands-on workshops. Learn how to play a starter wind instrument, write songs, and make a music plan while making lots of music together.
Jodie’s Workshops:
- Teaching Music
- Making Music Fun
Alisha Fiddler
Alisha always has a handwork project in her bag and often gives impromptu lessons to curious strangers. After attending the Applied Arts program at Sunbridge Institute, she taught handwork at Urban Oak School for five years. These days, Alisha is exploring the fiber arts traditions of various cultures while finishing her nursing degree. She is eager to share her love of handwork at Taproot.
Alisha’s Workshops:
- Knitting for Beginners
- Felted Finger Puppets
- Weaving Pouches
WORKSHOP POSSIBILITIES
- Language Arts & History for Grades 1-4
- Language Arts & History for Grades 5-8
- Math & Science or Grades 1-4
- Math and Science for Grades 5-8
- Watercolor Painting
- Crayon Drawing
- Kindergarten
- The UnWorkshop (developing an inner work practice for yourself)
- Teaching Music
- Making Music Fun
- Nature Study
- Knitting for Beginners
- Making Felted Finger Puppets
- Weaving Pouches
- Conversations with Rebecca and Amber
Presenters
Jean Miller
Homeschooling Mentor
Jean Miller is the mother of three and has been on the Waldorf homeschooling journey for almost 25 years. She has a Master of Arts in Teaching and has taught in public and private schools, homeschooled her own children and led small groups. Jean has studied and practiced Waldorf methods since 1992 by attending numerous local and national conferences and trainings, read extensively, planned and implemented many lessons. She now presents at conferences and workshops around the U.S. Jean founded Waldorf-Inspired Learning to help others on this path and she mentors homeschoolers around the world. She lives in northeastern Ohio with her husband (they are now empty-nesters!) where she loves to sing, read, hike and cook.
Rebecca Christie
Rebecca is the mother of four and has homeschooled her children since the beginning. The former industrial engineer discovered Waldorf the year her eldest was born when her husband, Rob, bought her You Are Your Child’s First Teacher as a Christmas gift! They have been on this incredible homeschooling journey ever since. Rebecca also teaches at Lilac Children’s Garden, a Waldorf-inspired homeschool group in Rochester, NY, as well as Confirmation classes at her church. She enjoys learning about new things, traveling with her family, reading, and yoga. She has attended Taproot many times as a participant and is excited to be teaching again this year.
Amber Sharipov
Amber is the mother of five and has been Waldorf homeschooling for the past 8 years. She understands the challenge of homeschooling with a large family and working with multiple grades. Amber has degrees in history and art, and appreciates the way that Waldorf-inspired curriculum and philosophy bring such beauty to learning in the home and to family culture. In her free time, she enjoys sketching, hiking, handwork, and playing with her children.
Sheila Petruccelli
With an artist’s eye, a mystic’s heart and a Jersey girl’s attitude, Sheila brings 12 years of homeschooling experience coupled with her spiritual direction certification to Taproot. She believes inner work to be not some secret curriculum of the soul, but rather a unique path that must be defined by us, not for us. Her own path includes walking in nature, recording her nightly dreams, exploring the mysteries of heaven and laughing like hell. You can count on her to always have a smudge stick, a pack of oracle cards, her journal and more candles than probably allowed under local fire codes. She loves poetry, collage and chai lattes.
Jodie Mesler
Jodie is the owner of Living Music. She is known for her Waldorf music and for her music curriculum, The Magic Flute. She and her husband make their living performing original music rooted in American folk, blues and jazz throughout Georgia. They started teaching music lessons when their children were born. Jodie homeschooled them based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, and during that time she developed her music curriculum for her children and other families. Rays of Grace is her newest piano music found on iTunes, and this year she released Playful Pentatonic Piano, which is a new mini-course to jump start the piano.
Alisha Fiddler
Alisha is the mother of four and was a Waldorf-inspired homeschooler for over ten years. She attended the Applied Arts program at Sunbridge Institute and taught handwork at Urban Oak School for five years. These days, Alisha is exploring the fiber arts traditions of various cultures while finishing her nursing degree. She always has a project in her bag and often gives impromptu lessons to curious strangers. Besides handwork and her children, Alisha enjoys hiking, reading, music, and practicing mindfulness.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If your question is not answered below, please feel free to email [email protected]!
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Can I bring my family and children with me to Taproot?
Unfortunately, we do not have a children's program or childcare. Think of Taproot as a retreat for Mom (or the primary homeschooling parent)! Nursing babies are welcome with a registered participant familiar with the child who can step out if the baby becomes disruptive. With a very active or vocal baby, or with a nursing toddler, it is best to come with a companion (think Grandma or Dad) and register both of you so that your child also gets the attention he or she needs. If you wish to travel to Ohio with your family, please look into other accommodations nearby and then register at the commuter rate as we do not have sleeping accommodations for families or children. Another possible scenario is for the family to stay elsewhere together, register Mama at the commuter rate and register Papa (or Grandma) for Meals Only and have them join us for meals (a good time for nursing the baby!)
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When is the deadline for registration?
The registration deadline for Taproot 2019 is July 15th. Or when we fill up, whichever comes first. We encourage everyone to get their registration is as soon as possible because we build the schedule around the needs of those attending.
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Can I pay by check rather than credit card?
Yes! You can pay by check. Just email [email protected] and she will respond with the address for sending the check. Then Jean will send details for creating a login to the learning platform that has all additional details.
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What is the Cancellation Policy?
If you need to cancel your registration, your registration fee will be refunded minus a $25 processing fee up until July 1st. During the month of July, 50% of the registration fee is refundable. There is no refund within seven days of the event.
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What do I need to know if I plan to fly to Taproot?
You have two choices of airports. Both Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) and Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) are good choices, and both are less than an hour from Camp Asbury. To get from the airport to the Shaw Retreat Center at Camp Asbury, we suggest you rent a car or share a ride with other Mamas who will be coming. You could share the cost of a rental car or arrange for a driver. We suggest posting in the Facebook group your desire to share a ride from the airport along with your arrival and departure times. Please keep in mind that you will need to pack and bring your own bedding and towels with you to Taproot. Or partner up with a buddy who's driving and can bring bedding for you.
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Do attendees ever drive to Taproot together?
Yes! We have had participants meet new friends this way! If you would like to try coordinating rides with others from your area, please join the private Facebook group and post there.
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Are there camping facilities near the Retreat Center?
There are not any camping facilities on site, but there are two campgrounds within a twenty-minute drive. Punderson State Park is a wonderful place for families to stay and offers a lodge, cabins, and camping facilities.
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Are there any scholarships or discounts?
We offer an early bird discount until March 15th. And a discount for returning Taproot alumni. We also have two Taproot Assistants who come for a reduced fee. (The Assistants have already been selected for Taproot 2019.)