Foundation Course:

On Site and Distance Learning

In order to understand Waldorf inspired education, knowing the basics concerning anthroposophy and the understanding of human development and the world that it presents is important. This is why Micha-el Institute students begin their studies with the Foundation Course, unless they have completed a similar course elsewhere.

Our Foundation Course, taught on-site in the Portland, Oregon area or as distance learning through Zoom, is a one-year course with weekly classes (lectures and discussions, and artistic activities) held during the school year plus a 4-day, on-site summer conference. There are almost no out-of-class assignments for the Foundation Course. 

The on-site school year classes meet on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 pm PST, while the distance learning school year classes meet on Thursdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm PST.  Both are organized into 7 blocks of 4 classes each, 28 classes all together. Each block has its own theme such as Child Development, An Overview of Spiritual Science (Anthroposophy), Festivals and Storytelling, The Basics of Early Childhood, Eurythmy and Goethean Science or Three-folding, and Art in the School. Classes cover fundamental and essential elements of Rudolf Steiner’s ideas on these topics and others. This is an ideal course for those who want to start or enhance their journey with this style of education or just learn about this world perspective.

The 4-day Foundation Summer Conference is held in person in the Portland, Oregon area, usually in August.  It can be attended before or after taking the school year classes; or, in the midst of them, if a student joins the Foundation Course after the beginning of the school year and finishes the classes in the following school year. The Foundation Summer Conference can also be attended without joining the Foundation Course. (Click here to learn more about this year’s Foundation Conference).

1 Year Program cost: $1,750