Contributors to The Wonder of Childhood

DeAnna L’am (B.A.) speaker, coach, trainer, is author of Becoming Peers – Mentoring Girls Into Womanhood. Her pioneering work has been transforming women and girls’ lives around the world for over 20 years. DeAnna helps Moms, Grandmas, Step-Moms, Aunts, and all women with a special girl in their life — to become empowering role models for their girls. She specializes in helping women reclaim their cycle as source of inner guidance and spiritual renewal, and trains women to do this work in their communities.

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Lisa Boisvert Mackenzie is the Editor and Publisher of The Wonder of Childhood and has spent the past fifteen years with one of her own children in early childhood (under seven years of age.)  She was blessed with a wondrous, rhythmic and outdoor childhood on the coast of Maine. Lisa has worked with children and their families for the past twenty two years, initially as a homebirth midwife. Lisa’s home based program The Children’s Garden began twelve years ago on a remote tropical island in the Pacific Ocean. Lisa’s current focus is on Waldorf early Childhood in the home, supporting parents who wish to parent out of the picture of the child from Waldorf education and supporting teachers and care providers who wish to offer programs in the home. She lives with her family in Vermont. Lisa blogs at Celebrate the Rhythm of Life and hosts a discussion groups for parents of young children here.

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Carrie Dendtler is author of The Parenting Passageway blog, a resource for peaceful parenting,  and a Waldorf homeschooling mother of three children ages 10, 7 and 2.   As a neonatal/pediatric physical therapist, lay breastfeeding counselor and board-certified lactation consultant, Carrie has observed, worked with and counseled thousands of families.  Her time working with families and especially with parents of children with special needs has given her a unique perspective and foundation through which to view not only the importance of attachment but also the framework of Rudolf Steiner’s Twelve senses and the seven year cycles as a foundation for a healthy childhood.   She is a member of the Anthroposophical Society in America and is currently enrolled in a Foundation Studies program.  She has been married for nineteen years to her wonderful husband, and most enjoys spending time with her family in nature.

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Lisa Grubbs runs Clove Hill, an In-Home daycare and Parent/child program in a small cottage on a wooded acre of land in Colleyville, Texas.  She began her journey into Waldorf education before she was even aware of Waldorf.  It was a seed that was rooted in her as a child and would surface occasionally throughout her life until the time was ripe. Lisa began her Waldorf teacher training at The Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, Ca. in 2007. She carried the knowledge back to Dallas where she began her work to bring more awareness of Waldorf education to the area by offering free community puppet shows and handwork gatherings to families and their children. Her passion is her family, children, teaching, learning, creating, gardening, exploring, music and traveling to far away places. You can follow Lisa and her work through the Meetup boards below as well as through her website.

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Connie Helms  works in private practice as an Extra Lesson teacher in Vermont with children, adolescents and adults at Balance in Childhood. She is a consultant to Waldorf schools in the U.S., mentors Waldorf remedial teachers and serves on the board of the Association for a Healing Education. Connie is the mother of three young adult children who attended Waldorf schools from nursery through grade eight. She can be reached by e-mail  at conniehelms@gmavt.net or telephone 802-660-0555.

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Emily Milikow lives in Israel with her husband and two young boys (4- and 7-years-old).  She has a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT.  When she had her first son, she felt the strong need to slow down and focus on her family.  She is now Waldorf home-educating her children and is training under the developmental psychologist Dr. Gordon Neufeld (“Hold On To Your Kids”) to be a parenting coach via the Neufeld Institute.  Emily shares about her days at Flowing With My Ducklings. You may find her Article here.

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 Christine Natale discovered Rudolf Steiner and his work at age 16 through a summer job in the Biodynamic Gardens at the Threefold Community in New York. After two years of community college in the area, Christine embarked upon a two year journey with her mentor, Rene Querido.  Lucky enough to be in a small training class, Christine was able to intern at the Sacramento Waldorf School from the first of December through June with full block training experience in almost every grade and Kindergarten. Christine taught for about ten years, primarily in the Kindergarten, with one year taking a combined Fourth and Fifth Grade. During this time, she has given many lectures to the public, produced puppet theater and festival productions, co-directed young schools and been an active resource for Waldorf parents and their children.

More recently Christine has been focused on her writing. She has produced an extensive collection of children’s stories and articles on Waldorf Education and is in the process of self-publishing them. Christine brings a variety of skills in all of the arts, such as Waldorf Watercolor Painting, Crayon Drawing (and its interpretation), Handwork, Music, Drama, Puppetry, Storytelling and much more. She has a broad and deep base of knowledge of Anthroposophy and Waldorf Education, as well as a good familiarity with other educational systems and methods and an ability to draw connections and to build bridges of understanding for people who come from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Christine’s Book of Fairy Tales can be found here. Christine’s Blog, Straw into Gold can be found here.

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Brandy Nichols educates her three children using the Enki curriculum at their home in the Iron Mountains of Virginia.  She spends her days baking, knitting, sewing, taking lots of walks, and studying Waldorf education.  You can follow along at her blog, Young in the Mountains.

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Stephen Keith Sagarin, Ph.D., is Faculty Chair, a cofounder, and a teacher at the Great Barrington Waldorf High School in western Massachusetts, where he teaches history and life science. He is also a former teacher and administrator at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School and the Waldorf School of Garden City, New York, the high school from which he graduated. Dr. Sagarin writes, lectures, mentors teachers, and consults with Waldorf schools on teaching and administration. He is an associate professor and former director of the M.S. education program in Waldorf teacher education at Sunbridge Institute, New York. He is the former editor of the Research Bulletin of the Research Institute for Waldorf Education and has taught history of education at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City; human development at the City University of New York; and U.S. and world history at Berkshire Community College, Massachusetts. Dr. Sagarin has a Ph.D. in history from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in art history, with a certificate of proficiency in fine art, from Princeton University. He is married and the father of two children, Andrew and Kathleen. His wife, Janis Martinson, is Chief Advancement Officer at Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He blogs at  What is Education? You’ll find an Interview and news of Steve’s book here.

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Maureen Wheeler is a Certified Holistic Health Coach and owns It’s All Connected Natural Health & Living. She received her training at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. Maureen coaches individuals and families looking to improve their health and well being through whole food nutrition, cooking classes and natural lifestyles. She lives in Charlotte, Vermont with her chef husband David and their sons, Ian in the 9th grade, Ross in the 7th grade and Finn in the 4th grade at the Lake Champlain Waldorf School. Connect with Maureen at It’s All Connected or her FaceBook Page