Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America

Some of the activities of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association in recent years include the following:Research into the needs of children from birth to three, including networking with child care providers and the development of a national center for child care, parenting, and birth-to-three workParticipation in international forums for the development of Waldorf early childhood education, including conferences in England, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands and GermanyDevelopment of training programs for early childhood educators and child care providersPublication of a newsletter, Gateways, which appears twice each yearProfessional development retreats for faculty of early childhood teacher training programs and conferences for early childhood educatorsPublication and distribution of study materials for early childhood educators and parentsHosting an international conference for Waldorf early childhood educators from around the worldCollaborating with sister organizations such as the Association for Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) and the International Association for Steiner / Waldorf Early Childhood Education (IASWECE).Advice, mentoring and consulting visits to new Waldorf early childhood initiativeSSupport for social outreach programs working with children at risk such as the Sophia Project in Oakland, CACollaborative research projects: six-year-olds and first-grade readiness, therapeutic needs of the young child, the development of speech and movement in early childhood, and the renewal of Waldorf early childhood educational practice for the new millenniumDevelopment of mentoring and pedagogical advisory services