Clown Workshops  ~  for Educators  ~  Court Jester  ~  Performances

"With humor, we move onto the path toward
dreaming. Although we remain completely
conscious, moving toward humor is the
beginning of the path to dreaming."
- Rudolf Steiner

Exploring the dream world of the clown helps teachers to develop the imaginative capacities needed to bring the lessons alive for the children. It gives them an actual experience of becoming “childlike without being childish”. This is the playful spirit that spontaneously creates and manages discipline with a smile, while still maintaining ego presence in the classroom.

What does a workshop look like?

Workshops can be from one hour to all day. They are similar to the introduction to The Simple Fool workshops (see workshop descriptions for details) but they also include exercises and discussions that help educators to create inspired lessons and develop spontaneous creativity for the “teachable moment” with their students.

What past participants have said about the work:

“This was a great experience that helped awaken our sense of being in the creative momet.” (Instructor, Wilderness Awareness School)

“Our thirst is great for this kind of mentorship. Enjoyed every moment.” (Instructor, Wilderness Awareness School)

“Now we are eager to practice ‘stepping over the threshold’ of the classroom, being present with the children and being open to what might enter. We will use this work as teachers."
(group response from the Mulberry School, grades k-8)

“The sequence of the exercises flowed well and built, on the one hand, trust and comfort between people, and on the other hand, it consistently raised our consciousness to be able to perceive the “me”, the “other” and what lives in between.” (middle grades teacher, Parsifal Waldorf School)

“Clowning can be a great ice-breaker and an innovative tool for organizational team building. The Simple Fool provided an orientation to clowning at our annual faculty and staff retreat. It was playful, engaging and brought us insight into ourselves and our school. There are many possibilities for application, from retreat to classroom. Clowning is truly a ‘happy medium.’” (administrator, Olympia Waldorf School)

“Thank you so much for bringing us together, helping us laugh, showing us a way to True Self and True Community. With gratitude…” (retreat planner, Olympia Waldorf School)

You always know how to push my comfort zone without making the experience painful. Thank you (grades faculty. Olymipa Waldorf School).

Schools and groups that have hosted The Simple Fool Workshops include:

Olympia Waldorf School, WA; Parsifal Waldorf School, Ottawa, ON; Mulberry Waldorf School, Kingston, ON; Women’s Club of Hollywood CA, Camp Indralaya, WA and The Wilderness Awareness School, Duval WA; The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America; The Seattle Branch of the Anthroposophical Society of North America.