Gudrun von Selzam

What do I love about the Waldorf idea? I love the gentle approach to life and natural learning. I love the natural, simple toys and materials, silks, wool, bees wax, wood, that help stimulate our imagination and our fantasy. I love the idea of transforming a pine cone into a bird, just by holding it in my hand and making it fly. I love the idea of playing in the mud, of digging in a garden and of learning a poem by listening to it and moving with it. I found all that in Waldorf.

That is why I chose Waldorf courses during my Masters in Education degree, and that is why I wanted to become a Waldorf Art Therapist at some point of my life.

When I first came to Canada I worked as a Visual Artist (mainly silk painting) and was the Arts Project Co-ordinator for a group called Celebration of Women in the Arts. Back then I also co-founded and was very involved in a gluten-free bakery, Kinnikinnick Foods. I am passionate about natural childbirth and have been a birth assistant (Doula) for many years. I have three wonderful children, Robin, Benjamin and Montana, who play a very big part in my life. All three loved attending a weekly homeschooling Waldorf Program and were my parent-tot class assistants in the past years. And there is big love for Live-music, theatre, wild nature, and travelling!

I have worked in various areas of early childhood Arts and Music Education, before becoming involved with the Edmonton Waldorf community. I am now approaching my fourth year of being WESE's Wondergarden Nursery School teacher, I continue to teach parent-child classes, and I will be doing a homeschool Waldorf enrichment program, starting this fall.

The Waldorf philosophy allows me to combine a variety of my passions; age-appropriate learning through art, music, imaginary play and movement,and the use of natural or organic foods, natural, safe materials, toys and art supplies.