About Sandra

Sandra holds a Masters of Science in Steiner Education (Columbia University), a Bachelor of Child Studies Degree (University of Nova Scotia), and certificates in Waldorf Primary Education, Biodynamic Gardening & Farming, and Drama Therapy.

 

She is currently a Director of the Sydney Rudolf Steiner College and the 'Birth to Three' representative of the Steiner Early Childhood Australia committee.

 

‘Education for all ages’

Her biodynamic work happens at school, backyards and farms, connecting urban and suburban with rural, bringing toogether teachers and farmers, healers and parents, children and adults.

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Experience

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Sandra used her Waldorf training to set up a program at the Children’s International Centre in Ottawa for the YM-YWCA in Canada. She developed skills of working with volunteers from the diplomatic, refugee, international students, resettlement and immigrant populations to create an immersive Children’s International Centre for visiting children to learn.

 

Sandra began a program for adolescents to learn about world issues and apply their interest meaningfully, and a program for immigrant women called ‘Living in Canada and Liking it’. She started a study group on Middle East issues, giving participants an opportunity to gnaw on the issues and find the possibilities for healthy solutions.

 

In the late 80’s Sandra was responsible for Community Development in Ottawa (Canada’s parliament buildings, the Rideau Canal, urban parks, and many small and large businesses, gentrified homes and the homeless of all ages). Sandra worked with the communities creating constructive workshops that brought disenfranchised, NGO’s and business people together.

 

Sandra designed a program for foster children who were released at 16 being expected to get an apartment, pay bills and go to school. They met once a week and the kids would come together, make their own community, develop friendships and share stories. They practised making food together, going shopping, planning, budgeting and nutrition.

 

In 1997, while interning for the Pfeiffer Centre garden with Master Biodynamic Agriculturalist Gunther Hauk, Sandra specialised in developing learning programs for students with classroom learning challenges. She has carried this into her teaching work, witnessing that nature’s spaces are complete with all the lessons that can be applied inside the classroom. Together with other farmers from the Fellowship Community, Sandra developed a farm education program for students from schools and holiday camps from New York City, The Bronx and surrounds to have day visits to the working farm. As the students ate their lunches with the elderly residents, they interacted joyously telling of their experiences. The residents were aglow with this interest. Many groups came repeatedly through the year to ‘experience the seasons’ on the farm.

 

Repeatedly in her teaching life, Sandra has been reminded of her purposeful intention to help people to feel connected to caring for the land as a right and a survival skill.

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Australia

 

In 2001, Sandra was invited to expand her passion for ‘bringing people to the land and the land to people’ to Australia. She began the ‘Working Together’ program at Regenesis with people recovering from substance abuses. She saw the results of participants who after years of damaging their bodies, minds and souls, were transported as they enjoyed chopping, stirring and kneading inside the kitchen, and digging, planting and harvesting in the garden.

 

She also taught biodynamic gardening at the local Southern Highlands Steiner School and created many biodynamic gardening community events.

 

In 2004, Sandra moved to the NSW Northern Rivers region and started teaching in the preschool at Shearwater Steiner School.

 

In 2006 Sandra established her own Home Waldorf Early Childhood Education program. At this time Sandra began her parent education programs to learn about the 'why and how’ of Steiner education. Sandra's festivals were so engaging that families continued their involvement in her home-based community for many years.

 

In 2013, Sandra began her international consulting in early childhood education and biodynamics (Canada, Fiji, China and Vietnam). She considers it a great privilege to assist educators to interpret their landscape and rich culture in ways that are supportive of incorporating Waldorf education and biodynamics.

 

At Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School, Sandra has increased the garden class teaching from 4 primary classes to 8, linking early childhood, primary and high school. A key contributor to the success of these classes has been the engagement of parent volunteers, who are delighted to be ‘in the garden’ learning with their children and the other students.

 

Giving ‘life’ space to grow

 

Community development has always been at the heart of Sandra’s professional and personal life. She has brought her capacity to ‘give life space to grow’ to the endeavours she has pioneered. ‘Working together’ is a concept that she adopted after living on a biodynamic farm centred around care for the elderly in New York. She could see the healing that happened for all the residents of this farm by being active doing meaningful work for the benefit of all.

 

To support self education through ‘colleagueship’, Sandra has started social chat groups for both Biodynamic Gardening Teachers and Playgroup Educators. Sandra’s webinars on biodynamic agriculture classes and early childhood education are also popular learning events. Sandra is also a contributor writer for Early childhood and Biodynamic publications.

 

Sandra leads a lively life in Sydney gardens and afield, leading classes of all ages. Her joyous family life is also centred around nature and practising the domestic arts and sciences with her grandchildren.