In Their Words: Reflections on Taproot Teacher Training

I always love reviewing the feedback surveys from Taproot. These are honest and heartfelt reviews by participants of our time together at this annual live event, a weekend training experience for Waldorf homeschoolers. Here are some Taproot Teacher Training reflections in their words.

Check out details of the next Taproot Teacher Training here.  Maybe this is your year to join us?

Taproot has been described as being non-stressful and peaceful, small and intimate, very practical and hands-on, providing an abundance of collective wisdom and connections with so many wonderful people on the Waldorf path. What an enriching weekend experience Taproot is for attendees and presenters alike.

But I’m going to let some of the attendees’ and presenters’ words stand on their own:

I loved the format for the Main Lessons workshops. It was so great to really get hands-on and feel like we were the students. It really gave me a feel for what the main lesson should feel like.  –Amber

Taproot training was such a wonderful community to experience. I gained so much as a homeschool teacher, but also as an individual. I came to recognize elements that I needed to incorporate in my day that will recharge and balance. For example, I discovered that I don’t have enough music in my day anymore and need to bring that back to my home. I discovered a lot of myself internally as well gained very valuable tools to and insights to teach my kids. Thanks so much to you and Barbara for all you do and creating this weekend.  -Jennifer

It was all so helpful! I really loved how the presenters made Waldorf homeschooling so practical, affordable, and so much more attainable and sustainable!  -Rachel

I enjoyed the intimacy of the training. The small group made the experience much more memorable and joyful. The atmosphere of the national park, the small group sessions, the rhythm, and of course – the food (LOL) were all a nice surprise.  –Sharon

You can read more on Sharon’s blog here: Taproot Teacher Training. 

Here is a note from one of the Moms:

It has already been a week since we arrived at beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park! Since I returned home, I have been thrown right into the thick of things with soccer camp and appointments, but I just have to say thank you to Jean and Barbara for putting this all together and to Alison, Jodie, Sheila, Royce, and all of the other presenters! It was an unbelievably enlightening and fulfilling weekend, full of so much great information, delightful conversations and new friendships! I know that these days were packed full of so much that will be invaluable this year and for years to come!! I already have plans to block out next year’s dates as soon as I know them, and hopefully my baby will be old enough to just visit at mealtime. Thank you all for loving on her! I cannot thank you all enough!!  -Rachel

And another note I recently received from one of the Dads in attendance:

I must say I miss my Taproot family! The entire experience was an uplifting, spiritual awakening for me that awoke the Waldorf dragon inside of me. I reference the dragon because of his mythical spiritually, power, grace, and ability to generate awe in everything they do and that is how I feel after spending time with the Taproot teachers and participants. I came across this quote today and just had to share it with you because it reminded me so much of you and your approach to Waldorf.
   “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” by William Butler Yeats
I hope you enjoy it and thanks for the blog work, it truly inspires and grounds me every week.  -Joe 

And from a presenter’s perspective:

Taproot was a magical four days that I feel so blessed to have shared with you. Contributing to making Taproot happen was a dream come true. Working in small groups, listening to your stories and insights, holding space for creative expression, ritual, poetry AND doing it with a group that extended such radical acceptance and loving kindness was honestly more than my hands and heart could hold. I have known this is my life’s work for a couple of years now; my experience of embodying it at Taproot has given me the confidence to step up, step out and step into this in a bigger way.  –Sheila who leads Workshops on Inner Work

What more can I say? Barbara Dewey, of Waldorf Without Walls, and I have been doing this work for ten years now and it’s always an honor to hold the space for the group of homeschooling parents who are able to make the journey to Taproot each year.

Please consider joining us next August! We would love to share this amazing journey with you.

Details about Taproot here!