WHiSTEP Class of 2026 Alumni Profiles
Three graduates of the Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program on where they teach, what they learned, and what they hope for.
Bama Mattson (WHiSTEP Class of 2026)
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I’m originally from Alabama, I’ve lived in California since 1994.
Are you teaching?
Yes
If so, what school and what grade?
I teach High School Practical Arts at The Waldorf School of Orange County in Costa Mesa, Ca.
What led you to Waldorf Education?
When my son was entering Kindergarten, we were originally planning on homeschooling but we met some people who were going to Journey Waldorf School. We went and immediately felt at home and I became very interested in all things Waldorf. So I studied all the things, became a helper at the school. Around that time, I met some folks that were starting a public charter Waldorf school in Huntington Beach. I jumped on board with them, helping in any and all ways of getting approved and up and running. During this time I became the handwork teacher for 1st - 5th grade. The high school position opened up at WSOC and I jumped on that and now I’m entering my 4th year there.
What is the most important thing you learned at Waldorf Teacher Training?
That we as teachers are not alone. We are all doing such important things in our little Waldorf bubbles. It has been so valuable to be learning and studying alongside such wonderful people. The knowledge I’ve gained from my teachers and the other students is priceless.
What did you enjoy the most/share a favourite memory or experience.
Where do I even start? I have so many wonderful memories & experiences that I could write a whole story about it. It’s just a joy to be up there on the hill with everyone and knowing that we all have a common goal to become even better teachers than we already are. I’ve gotta say, mornings are the best when everyone comes in for coffee and breakfast; we have those moments to check in. Did you sleep or not? Who’s excited for what’s happening that day… making plans for the weekend etc… Lots of great conversations happened around the breakfast table.
What are you most looking forward to in the coming year?
I’m really excited to see what amazing art is going to come out of my room this year. New freshmen are coming in so it’s going to be great getting to know them. It’ll be exciting to see how 10th grade has grown, How 11th grade will be settling in and then the seniors, it’s a small but mighty group this year and we have big big plans for their self portraits!
What are your hopes for the future of Waldorf high school education?
I hope that “we” continue talking about how important Waldorf High School is. This is not an 8-year education, it really is a full circle from kindergarten all the way through high school. I hope that our high schools continue to grow and meet each student where they are in their journey to becoming strong, independent people that can boldly walk out into the world.
Laura Hacker (WHiSTEP Class of 2026)
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I am originally from Memphis, Tennessee, but have lived in Ontario since 2007. This fall, I will be going to work with the Village Forest School, a small Waldorf-Inspired K-9 forest school in Cerrina Monferrato, in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy.
Are you teaching? If so, what school and what grade?
After thirteen years of teaching at Trillium Waldorf School in Guelph, Ontario, this fall, I will be teaching predominantly grades six through nine in English, alternating blocks with my Italian co-teacher. We will teach our first block together, focusing on the geography and geology of the area of Monferrato. We are excited to explore the idea of connection with the land through observation and artistic practice with these adolescent students who come to the school from many places in Europe and North America.
What led you to Waldorf Education?
I took my first child, who is now eighteen years old, to the parent and child program at Trillium. A few years later, the school was looking for a French teacher. My MA degree is in French studies, and when I realized I would get to teach grade school students to recite poems by Baudelaire and Victor Hugo, I was sold! I loved integrating artistic work, singing, dancing, and storytelling with vocabulary, conversation, and grammatical work. After years in academia, I felt myself come back to life in ways that had been asleep for years.
What is the most important thing you learned at Waldorf Teacher Preparation?
I learned a few important things in teacher training. First, I learned the transformative social power of working with others earnestly through eurythmy. Secondly, I learned the importance of maintaining an open gesture in the face of big questions or ideas. Neither relationships nor judgements can be forced; both require inner work and will produce fruit when the time is right.
What did you enjoy the most/share a favourite memory or experience.
One afternoon, regular classes were cancelled so that four of our teachers could present on topics in math, physics, English, and history, all springing from the early nineteenth century. The teachers created a colourful and diverse picture of questions that were living at that time. I will miss the annual hike up Mount Monadnock and the chance to observe the landscape with other folks who are interested in paying attention to the details. Two years in a row, we found tadpoles living in puddles at the top of the mountain!
What are you most looking forward to in the coming year?
I am looking forward to putting what I have learned in our program about working with adolescents into practice. I have been equipped with various tools and questions to carry about creating space for these young people to find a meaningful path for their own futures. I’m also looking forward to hiking and eating delicious food.
What are your hopes for the future of Waldorf high school education?
My hope is for more connection among teachers and schools. Learning from experienced teachers and hearing about colleagues’ experiences is always inspiring.
Elise Woodward (WHiSTEP Class of 2026)
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I have lived in several areas, but have been in Southern California for over 20 years now. This is really home for me, I’ve built my career, my family, and my whole creative life here.
Are you teaching? If so, what school and what grade?
I teach at the Waldorf School of Orange County. I teach mostly high school, but also middle school art, and ceramic projects with all the grades. On top of that I also teach an adult community ceramics class, so I get to work with students from age 7 all the way up to adults, which is a pretty unique rhythm to my week.
What led you to Waldorf Education?
I wanted to teach art and ceramics at a place that truly valued the arts and acknowledged the importance of art education. So many schools treat art as an elective or an extra, and I was looking for somewhere that saw it as essential to how a child grows and understands the world. Waldorf was that place.
What is the most important thing you learned at Waldorf Teacher Preparation ?
I learned how to not only be a better teacher but also a better human. Learning to work with others, to really listen and collaborate rather than just deliver a curriculum, changed how I show up in the classroom and outside of it.
What did you enjoy the most/share a favorite memory or experience?
Eurythmy with Laura was so beautiful and beneficial. It was one of those experiences that reminded me why movement and art matter so much in this kind of education, not just as subjects but as ways of being present.
What are you most looking forward to in the coming year?
I’m looking forward to being class sponsor for the Class of 2030 as they start high school. There’s something special about walking alongside a group of students for the long haul and watching them grow over four years. I’m also excited to keep developing the ceramics program and to see where my own studio work takes me this year.
What are your hopes for the future of Waldorf high school education?
I hope Waldorf high schools continue to protect the space for the arts as core to the curriculum, not an extra. As more families look for alternatives to traditional schooling, I hope Waldorf education can grow while staying true to what makes it work: real relationships between teachers and students, and a curriculum that develops the whole person, not just test scores.
