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The Sophia Institute's Mission and Purpose
The Sophia Institute's mission and purpose is to support and enhance the work of schools, non-profit organizations, small businesses, educators, therapists, parents and others working out of the impulse of Anthroposophy. The Sophia Institute provides Waldorf teacher training, adult education courses, Foundation Studies Courses in Anthroposophy and the Arts, online courses, workshops and retreats, renewal courses, consulting services, administrative services, newsletters, puppet theatre, puppetry courses, counseling and publications.
History
The Sophia Institute was founded in 2000 when a group of parents and teachers requested a foundation course in Anthroposophy and Waldorf Education in Viroqua, Wisconsin (USA). Conrad Rehbach, a certified Waldorf teacher with many years of teaching experience in Waldorf grade school teaching, Waldorf High School teaching and therapeutic work in the Camphill Movement, founded the Sophia Institute Foundation Courses in Anthroposophy and the Arts. Within a year's time the first group of students graduated from the course. Over the years a diverse faculty has contributed to the growth of the foundation courses and summer intensive courses, which became successful programs attracting students from a wide radius, and preparing them for Waldorf teaching and/or deepening their understanding of Waldorf pedagogy and Anthroposophy. |
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The Sophia Institute and especially the Foundation Courses in Anthroposophy were originally developed by Conrad Rehbach primarily with an eye towards those individuals who want to become Waldorf grades teachers. Over the years of offering and teaching these courses, we encountered a wide variety of interests, and many of the students were early childhood or Kindergarten teachers, parents of students in the Waldorf schools, grades teachers, high school teachers, people interested in bio-dynamic farming, administrators, fundraisers, development coordinators, etc. All had a deep interest in learning more or deepening their understanding of Anthroposophy.
As we believe in and practice a collaborative learning style, where the group of students, together with their teachers forms a temporary learning community, the contributions that each individual brings to the learning community is an integral part of the learning experience, and determines the course’s direction. The Foundation Courses in Anthroposophy and the other activities of the Sophia Institute have been influenced and shaped by this process of collaboration. |
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The Sophia Institute courses are designed to meet the needs of those individuals who want to develop their artistic abilities, and acquaint themselves with, or deepen their understanding of the basic world-view of Anthroposophy brought by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). The achievements inspired by Anthroposophy can be seen today throughout the modern world. It is attracting those people who wish to work out of new impulses in the fields of agriculture, the arts, education, curative education, social therapy, natural sciences, and medicine. |
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Scholarship Fund
Many people from around the world contact the
Sophia Institute to enroll in our courses but are unable to pay full
tuition. Partial and full scholarship funding is needed to help those
that would benefit from studying the Sophia Institute courses but are
unable to pay full or in some cases even partial tuition. Please
consider contributing to our scholarship fund. Email us for info on
contributing to the Sophia Institute scholarship fund. |
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Sophia Institute Staff, Faculty and Adjunct Faculty
Martha Buche (Early Childhood Education) Jacqueline Beecher (Foundation Studies) Sarah Caldwell (Nurturing Arts) Annette Conlon (Eurythmy) Christine Cook (Foundation Studies) Anna-Jo Doerr (Spatial Dynamics) Anne-Marie Fryer (Painting/Art of Cooking) Ingrid Halverson (Arts) Carole Hanlein (Eurythmy and Therapeutic Movement) Franz Kantgensteiner (Outreach/Marketing) David Kennedy (Manual Arts) Shanon Landis (Early Childhood Education) Mary Ellyn Mattison-Doerr (Early Childhood Education) Aegir Morgan (Foundation Studies) Conrad Rehbach (Administrative Director/Foundation Studies/Publications/Administrative Services) Marjorie Rehbach (Program Director/Remedial Education/Arts/Puppetry/Mentoring and Evaluation/Storytime Friends) Donna Simmons (Arts/Home Environment) Melody Van Hoose (Eurythmy)
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Feedback Forum
" ... we finished the course (and) it seems like quite an achievement. ... I just want to add that the work we have done was supported completely by your program and your help. It has enhanced and strengthened our school community (faculty, administration and parents) enormously. We now know the importance of this work and want to continue next year in some way which is wonderful. I don't know if it is a coincidence but our school enrollment has risen by 40% since we started this anthroposophical work together. Interesting - isn't it? Thank you so much for everything ..." (Christine C., Whistler Waldorf School)
"I have really enjoyed this experience with you as I have grown so much with the course's support. This opportunity came exactly when I needed it and it served me so well as to enable me to get my dream job. Thank you so much for your supporting role throughout ... the assignments were very thought provoking and only further inspired my response to Steiner's writings ... I have recommended the course to many who are interested in becoming Waldorf teachers or who are just interested in learning more about Steiner. Thank you again for a life changing experience." - (online foundation courses student)
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