St. Scholastica's College, Manila, in collaboration with the Institute of Practice-Based Research (IPF) in Switzerland, provided a Master of Arts on Steiner/Waldorf Elementary Education.  Block 4 on Foundations of Education and Guidance and Counseling were held last May 11 to June 6, 2009 from 1:30-4:00pm at the SSC-Archives Museum, Subiaco located at Pablo Ocampo corner Sandejas St., Malate, Manila.  Orientation for new participants was also conducted last May 4-8, 2009 from 8:00am-5:00pm. 

Ms. Anna Rainville, a Professor at the Waldorf School of the Peninsula, Los Altos, California, and part of the Teacher Training and Summer Public School Institute of the Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks, CA, provided a Bridge Course (Blocks 1-3) on the Foundations of Steiner-Waldorf Education last May 11-June 6, 2009 from 8:00am-12:30pm.  Block 1 dealt with “The Child in the Light of Spiritual Science”, Block 2 on “Kingdom of Childhood” and Block 3, which focused on the “Study of Man.”  Ms. Rainville stated that Steiner-Waldorf Education covers the three (3) parts of a human being: 1) thinking (intellect);  2) feeling; and 3) doing (physical development).  One of the participants shared that this is a paradigm shift in teaching because of adding spiritual aspect in the process of learning.   

Prof. Adelaida Villegas, the current OIC of the SSC Department of Education, completed the Introduction, Blocks 1 & 3 and became one of the professors of Block 4 (SSC Education courses).  She shared that this holistic education provides a totally different perspective of what she was exposed to.  “The assimilation of the body, soul and spirit can be developed through the integration of arts in the curriculum or the total development of a human being.”  She added that thought processes among children will be developed through movement and speech.  Some of their activities during the Masteral Studies included a lot of movements and singing.  

SSC-Manila has offered Master of Arts in Education major in Steiner/Waldorf Elementary Education for SY 2008-2009.  The College is working it out that the said MA program will be accredited by IPF.  Guest professors were endorsed by the Institute.  This was participated by the parents and teachers of Waldorf Schools in the Philippines and selected sisters from the Priory.  Certificates for every block were likewise given.