I just returned from the 2nd annual encuentro, or conference of the Waldorf Spanish Teachers Association (WSTA). We were 59 teachers strong, gathered in the eurhythmy room of the Pasadena Waldorf School while a cold, gentle rain fell outside. We had come from all over the United States, and hailed from all over the Spanish speaking world.
Many of us teach Spanish in grades 1–8 in our respective Waldorf schools (both private and charter), but there was a solid high school contingent as well. The photos above are a few scenes from WSTA’s second conference, held 19–23 February, 2017, in Altadena, CA.
In addition to the general alegría of just being among our colleagues after striving alone in our classrooms all year, there were also six practical and foundational workshops, targeted especially for the lower, middle, or upper grades. I led singing in the mornings and also gave a two-hour workshop entitled, “Cantemos: Música Para los Grados Primero a Octavo: Ideas para integrar canciones infantiles a la clase y dónde incluirlas en la lección.”
Here is my handout, which includes suggested songs to use during class in grades 1–8.
More to come…