Taruna College New Zealand is a centre for Adult Education offering an exciting range of formal and informal holistic courses and subjects inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner PhD. such as: Waldorf Teacher Education, Biodynamic Organic Agriculture, Anthroposophical Nursing, Art of Health and Coaching and Biography Workshops.

Tutors

The Diploma in Rudolf Steiner Education faculty consists of an Education Faculty Director, two Programme Directors and a number of part-time experienced tutors including current or past teachers from the Taikura Rudolf Steiner School in Hastings and other schools and the Hohepa Homes in Clive and Poraiti as well as freelance specialists. Listed below are the staff as at 2010.

The Education Faculty Director is Paul White: Paul has recently joined Taruna from AUT university, Auckland, where he was senior lecturer for the Steiner papers of the B.Ed and Masters programme. Prior to that he took a class through their seven year cycle at Te Ra Waldorf school near Wellington. Paul has taught children of all ages in Steiner, mainstream and international schools over four continents and has been a teacher trainer for a number of years. Paul settled in New Zealand at the beginning of the Millennium but maintains strong ties to his homelands of England and Ireland. He brings with him a wealth of experience and a large collection of really bad jokes.

Diploma in Rudolf Steiner Education Programme Director Maria Melino: B Ed (secondary Art),Dip T:
Maria is also programme director on the Certificate in Rudolf Steiner Education and assistant programme director on the Art of Health programmes at Taruna.  She also provides art tutoring and professional development in art across other programmes at Taruna. Maria has had 25 years of involvement in Steiner education in New Zealand and Australia, working with the curriculum at all age levels. Her specialty area is Art and Art history out of anthroposophy. In recent years Maria has worked in mainstream primary and secondary schools and in creative community projects.  She is active in Education Research and her own Art practise.

Diploma in Rudolf Steiner Education Programme Director Brian Tracey:  
Brian has a rich background in teaching and management of Rudolf Steiner Schools. He has taught at Hohepa [a Curative Home] for 8 years. Then at Titirangi Rudolf Steiner School, where he was the class teacher for 3 graduating classes.
He is currently the Programme Director for the New Zealand Steiner Teacher Certificate Course, which is the In-service Course for 'new' teachers currently teaching in Steiner Schools. In addition, he is the Programme Director for the seminar based Certificate in Rudolf Steiner Education.
 

Tutors include:
Dr Robin Bacchus
Allysen Caris
Joeke de Vries
Robin Gardiner
Dr Jeff Green
Deborah Harmer (Taikura School)
Robyn Hewetson
Van James
Peter Patterson
Juilian Pook
Ellen Schildt van Geest
Robert Simpson
Rosie Simpson(Principal of Taikura Rudolf Steiner School)
Sue Simpson
Marjorie Theyer [Adviser to Federation of RS Schools in NZ]
Julian Thomson (Raphael House Steiner School)
Dan Freeman
Helen Stonehouse
Michal Jaine


Dr Robin Bacchus
Adult Educator for: "Taking Myself On"; Lower school Curriculum; Kingdoms of Nature; Mathematics; Geometry; Forum; Study; Teaching.
Qual: BE(Hons) Auckland NZ. Civil Engineering
PhD Auckland, NZ. Soil Mechanics.
DipEd(Steiner) Emerson College, UK.
Exp: Adult Educator at Taruna College since 1993
8 years Class teacher at Taikura RSS in Hastings from 1985
Upper School specialist in Maths & science at Taikura RSS from 1976.
4 years Upper school at Wynstones (RS) School, Gloucester, UK from 1971.
2 years Consultant Civil Engineer in Auckland, New Zealand.
Interests: People and conversations, self development, anthroposophy, reading, mathematics, geometry and form, music, discovery and learning, skiing, my work, technology.

“Born in Scotland to itinerant rural workers during WW2, I had many homes before my parents settled, on their return to New Zealand, on a large dairy farm south of Thames, which was home until I left it for University.  I started school late at the local rural primary school, was banished for three years to a prestigious boys’ boarding secondary school, finishing with two years at Paeroa College, a new co-ed high school, where I won a national scholarship to University. After a mainly science based education, I had a restricted choice, I felt, at University so I chose civil engineering, which I felt had a human, useful, outdoors side to it.  After several years in a nearly-derelict, rural campus with hostel, I eventually flatted in Auckland with a mate, where I met my wife-to-be, Diana, at a tennis club.  Several years later we married and headed for Emerson College after hearing its founder, Francis Edmunds, speak in Auckland on one of his several visits to New Zealand. 
What I had heard of anthroposophy from my parents could now become my own and was life-changing.  After 4 years at Wynstones School in Gloucester as an Upper school specialist, we moved back to New Zealand to Hastings to help found the High School of the now Taikura Rudolf Steiner School for 8 years.  Four now-adult sons (and two grandsons – Connor, 2y, pictured above) and an 8-year stint as a Class Teacher prepared me to move to Taruna in 1993, when Carl Hoffmann retired.  Every year has been a wonderful learning experience and I have met many wonderful people who have come for a year’s learning experience at Taruna College!"

Allysen Caris
Position
Adult Educator for: Creative Writing; History in Evolution of Consciousness

Qual: BA English History, BA(Hons) English, Cape Town, 1966
MA English, UCLA, USA 1968.
Emerson College education course 1975
Exp: Lecturer in English in Cape Town University '68 to '72.
Class teacher (5-8) then Upper School English, Ilkeston, UK.
English teacher, Michael Park School, Auckland '86 to '90
English and Drama, Raphael House RSS, Wellington, '91 to '01.

Interests: Adult education, Storytelling, poetry writing and reading, painting, reading, music, comparative religions, yoga, swimming, travel, languages, other cultures.

“I was born in Zimbabwe, Africa, of Scottish parents.  My love of stories and drama was encouraged by this childhood - all Africans are instinctive storytellers.  At an early age I was troubled by the white man's role in Africa and have always felt something of an outsider in the sense of not belonging solely to one place.  My travels and education have taken me from Africa to England, Europe, America and now here.  All this has helped to give answers to my big question: what is it to be fully free, responsible human being in this day and age?  I have searched many spiritual paths, Eastern and Western, but the discovery of anthroposophy some 30 years ago gave me the spiritual and philosophical basis on which I stand.  I am passionately committed to helping people become creative in the realm of words [storytelling, poetry] and take great joy in seeing people tap into the wellspring of creativity within them."

Joeke de Vries

Adult Educator for: Art – painting, drawing, modelling.
Born in Holland in 1954.  Trained and taught as state school teacher from 1976 to 1981.
“I met Waldorf Education during my teacher’s training and felt a strong pull towards it.  After disillusionment in the sate system I embarked on an Artistic Therapy Training at “De Wervel” in Driebergen, graduating in 1985.  this wonderful anthroposophical training led to experiences of Art Therapy in Psychiatry and Curative Education in “Camphill Christophorus”.
In 1986 I came to New Zealand to work at Hohepa School, working with children and adults with special needs as an Art Therapist, Art Teacher and 3 years as a class teacher. 
Since then I have also been involved in Adult Education at Taruna College: part-time Carrying Tutor of the Kairos Art Therapy Training until 1996.  Part-time Art Tutor of Diploma in Rudolf Steiner Education programme, the Early Childhood faculty, the Anthroposophical Nursing training, Art of Health programme.
I am also a practicing and exhibiting Painter.  I live in Havelock North with my wife Jennie and three children Emil, Florian and Beatrice.”

Adult Educator for: Art – painting, drawing, modelling.

Robin Gardiner
Adult Educator for: Spinning and Weaving

“I went To Ardmore Training College 1961-62 and after teaching for a few years I married and shifted to our farm at Crownthorpe, learning to spin and weave about 30 years ago, before my children went to school. Since then I have been spinning, weaving and knitting at home, and teaching at the local schools. Three years ago we moved off the farm to live at Te Awanga. Now I am enjoying doing both here at Taruna~ and selling my spinning and weaving at exhibitions and at The Gallery at the Mission. Each week I have a group that meets at my home to spin, knit and weave.
Robin will be assisted in the tuition of Spinning and Weaving by her friend, Pat Cooper.

Dr. Jeff Green
Adult Educator for: 'Physiology for Teachers'

"I was born and raised in the suburbs of London.
One of three children I had a very happy, dreamy, uncomplicated childhood.  When I was 9 I almost died in a car accident and became very different after that.  Much more academic, awake and motivated.
I came across Anthroposophy at 18 while working in a children's home and got to Emerson College for a year to do the Foundation Year before starting medical training.
After finishing my training I wanted to pick up the earlier threads from Emerson so I came to New Zealand in 1986 to work at an Anthroposophical medical practice in Hawke's Bay.
Initially we were house parents at Hohepa Poraiti.
Over the last 20 years I have worked in many medical different situations both Orthodox and Anthroposophical.
I'm married to Mary and we have 3 children. We still live in Hawke's Bay and I still work a variety of jobs in the area as well as some School Doctor work around New Zealand."

Deborah Harmer
Adult Educator: Lower School Handwork
 “My childhood years were spent in rural areas of the North Island of New Zealand and I enjoyed a multitude of farming rhythms ~ milking cows, harvesting, caring for animals in wild weathers and having wide expanses to explore and play in with my sister and brothers.
 I attended many schools as my family gradually made its way south to Hawke's Bay from Mangawhai and my four years at Queenswood Rudolf Steiner School were the longest stretch at any one school.  After finishing school I trained as a teacher in windy Wellington which I love.
 My first teaching position revealed some inadequacies and I travelled to Emerson College, England to study Waldorf Education.  There I embraced anthroposophy as my spiritual path for this life.
 While teaching in Vienna I met the Rhythmical Massage which Rudolf Steiner developed with Frau Dr Wegman and completed the training in South Germany, where I worked in clinics, as well as in Hawke's Bay on my return to New Zealand. 
When, in 1993, my daughter began Kindergarten at Taikura Rudolf Steiner School, Waldorf Education became a focus again and I was very glad to take up my present position of teaching Handwork in the Lower School because crafts of many kinds have always have been part of my life.”

Adult Educator: Lower School Handwork

Robyn Hewetson
Adult Educator: "Taking Myself On"; Creative Speaking, Storytelling; Speech and Drama, Parsifal; Shakespeare as Bearer of the Consciousness Soul;  Member of Faculty Carrying Group

Qual:  Graduated w Distinction; North Shore Teachers College [3] 1970
Auckland University, Education and English 1970
Diploma of Waldorf Education, Emerson College [2] 1975
London School of Speech Formation [3.5] 1979
Exp:  15 yrs District Manager, Combined Insurance, USA;
5 years High Mowing School, New Hampshire, USA:
Class Teacher, Michael Hall School, Sussex, UK;
4 years Teaching in State Schools in New Zealand
“From the time I could talk, I told stories; language was always my first love.
I made puppets and gave shows to neighbourhood children and when I went to school I wrote plays and "press-ganged" my class-mates into acting in them. I "directed" before I knew my times tables. I was accelerated through school and graduated top of my class at teacher's college by the time I was 18.   I soon became disillusioned with State School Education and began searching for solutions.  I met Waldorf Education at age 20. I left New Zealand and went to England to train at Emerson College. There I found Speech Formation and after completing the education course and teaching at Michael Hall I went to study with Maisie Jones in London. My life led me to live in the United States for 21 years where I raised my family. When they were grown I returned to New Zealand to live in a Curative Community and to serve Speech Formation here. Taruna has been a home for my spirit and an opportunity for my work. I hope to encourage an enthusiasm for the all the arts of the spoken word and an awareness of the importance of training the ear as well as the eye. My passion is to teach people to speak by heart."

Van James
Visiting Adult Educator for: Waldorf Art curriculum.

Van James is a Hawai’i-based educator, artist and writer, a graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute (BFA), Emerson College in England, and the Goetheanum Painting School in Switzerland.  He teaches art at the Honolulu Waldorf High School, is co-director of the Kula Makua - Waldorf Teacher Training Program, is editor of Pacifica Journal, and chairman of the Anthroposophical Society in Hawai’i.
As an artist, he has exhibited in Europe, the United States, in Japan and in Hawaii where his work has received awards and is found in numerous private collections. He is active as a freelance graphic designer and has written numerous articles for journals and magazines. He is the author of four books including the award winning Ancient Sites of O’ahu: Archaeological Places of Interest in the Hawaiian Islands, published by Bishop Museum Press. Other books are Ancient Sites of Hawai’i, Ancient Sites of Maui, Moloka’i and Lana’i, both printed by Mutual Publishing, and his most recent book Spirit and Art: Pictures of the Transformation of Consciousness, published by Anthroposophic Press/SteinerBooks.
Van James lives on the island of O’ahu, is married with four grown children and two grandsons.

Peter Patterson
Adult Educator for: Inner Path of the Teacher, Philosophy

Qual:  BA(Hons) Durham University, 3 yrs, 1954
Steiner Teacher Training at Stuttgart Teacher Seminary, 1 yr, 1958
Exp:  1960 à present: Class and Specialist RSS Teacher in Wynstones (Gloucester), Bristol (UK) and Michael Park (Auckland) RS Schools

"I was born in central London but studied in the far north of England at Durham: music composition and music history. I did music post-graduate work on Bartók's string quartets in Freiburg and London.Later I did the Waldorf teacher training in Stuttgart. Since then I have taught in six Rudolf Steiner schools in Europe and New Zealand. My passions include the planet Earth and all other worlds, the human mind (and all other minds) and travel, especially in Asia."

Julian Pook
Adult Educator for: Music in Evolution of Consciousness

Studies:  Royal College of Music, London, '61 to '65 (ARCM teaching diploma, '63)
Emerson College (based on Rudolf Steiner's work) UK, '68 to '70.
Exp: BBC training orchestra, Bristol, '66 to '68
Tutor at Emerson College (music, Foundation Course) '71 to '83.
Regional musician, northern Norway, '83 to '88.
Teacher of woodwind instruments in schools and privately, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand from '89.

“My father was an orchestral musician (viola/violin), so I grew up with music, learning piano, recorder and later the oboe.  An inner journey began from age thirteen, taking me through various spiritual approaches to life, through to age 21 when I met anthroposophy and felt I had "come home".  Although not a visual artist, I came to appreciate these more deeply through organising art trips to Italy with Emerson College students for ten years.  During a sabbatical year I came to Australia and New Zealand in '82, emigrating to New Zealand in '89.  the history and tradition of Europe was within me, but I no longer needed it to be outside.  I came to New Zealand for a fresh beginning.
I am involved with the Hawke's Bay Branch of the Anthroposophical Society, currently chairing its committee and acting as local representative to the Council.  An ongoing task in the Southern Hemisphere is the attempt to celebrate seasonal festivals more consciously within anthroposophical life.  In the Northern Hemisphere, seasons and Christian festivals "fit" so well that it is easy to take them for granted.
An abiding "inner fire" is the longing to be able to contemplate Rudolf Steiner's verses more deeply in English, in English sound and flow.  I am not a German speaker, but since my student days at Emerson College, I have not stopped trying (with help) to render Rudolf Steiner's mantric creations into English, particularly The Soul's 'Calendar."

Ellen Schildt van Geest
Adult Educator for: Eurythmy

Born in DenHaag (Netherlands) Ellen gained a Degree in Fine Art.  As a mother of 4 children she started an Anthroposophical orientated evening school for young adults on early child hood, home economics and handcraft – doll-making.  She was involved in founding a Biodynamic co-op for the village families ,and later a Steiner School. 
She immigrated to Hastings, New Zealand for a school that was starting an upper school.  After a diploma from the first year of Taruna’s Preparatory Course for Rudolf Steiner School Teachers, she joined the upper school staff and became the art and craft teacher, taking Art History and book-binding.  During her sabbatical year she went to Dornach and joined Gerard Wagner’s painting school and worked on the art curriculum for lower and upper school.  This was followed by Diploma in Eurythmy from Dornach and a Diploma in Curative Eurythmy from Peredur in England. She founded an Art Department in the Basel (Switzerland) international school, teaching art up to I B level.  Currently back in New Zealand she has a private practice, teaches Eurythmy in Taruna and curative eurythmy in the local Steiner school, during teachers’ seminars and medical conferences.

Robert Simpson
Adult Educator for: Musicality

“I was born in 1948 and grew up on an apple orchard near Nelson. This environment with its forms and seasons and moods helped develop in me an abiding love of nature. I studied languages at university and set about living  a hippie lifestyle, supporting myself in various jobs but mainly through making craft jewellery.
Around 1980 I settled in Hawke’s Bay. I met and married Rosie (who works at Taruna).  Through her I met anthroposophy, and the work at Hohepa with people with special needs. After a life challenging illness I took up teaching at Hohepa where I have worked since 1984. There I learned of the power of music to reach the children with whom I was working and resolved to explore that. After studying music therapy in curative communities in Holland I returned to begin that work at Hohepa which I have enjoyed greatly over the last 15 years.
I am strongly involved in the cultural life of the Hohepa community, and otherwise particularly enjoy a bit of golf, sailing, being out in nature, playing music, and travel.”

Rosie Simpson
Adult Educator for: Lower School, Modelling, Nature and Ecology; Member of Faculty Carrying Group

Qual: Diploma of Teaching.

 “I was a teacher at Taikura Rudolf Steiner School in Hastings from 1997 to 2004, making the journey from Class One to Class Eight.  I loved teaching and children and feel a great enthusiasm and gratitude for the richness and colour of the Waldorf curriculum and for what I was asked to be a teacher.  It was a great pathway of self-education and discovery.  For 16 years prior to that I worked with children in need of special soul care at Hohepa Homes as a Curative Educator, house-parent, co-ordinator and staff trainer.  These children taught me what it was to be human and to understand and celebrate the diversity of human condition.  During this time I developed an interest in therapeutic approaches to the whole person.  I sees myself as an “artist-teacher   I love to read, to paint, to travel, to play a bit of golf.  My tasks at Taruna College include co-ordinating and teaching on the Teacher In-Service seminars and helping to carry and teach on the Art of Health course.  I have been a member of the Programme Carrying Group for the Diploma in Rudolf Steiner Education for some years and look forward to teaching on it for the first time.”
In 2004 Rosie was a recipient of a regional National Excellence in Teaching Award.

Principal of Taikura Rudolf Steiner School 2007

Sue Simpson
Adult Educator for: Eurythmy

Qual:  Trained Eurythmist, Nurnberg Eurythmy School [4] 1981
Exp:  1982-93, 98 Rudolf Steiner School Hastings teacher Eurythmy, German, Class 1 to 3;
1994-8 Moscow Eurythmy Academy: Eurythmy Training and Pedagogical courses.
1981 Glenaeon RSS Sydney: teacher Eurythmy;
1984-93 and from 2001: Adult Eurythmy for Teacher training and BD course at Taruna College.
Principal of Taikura Rudolf Steiner School from 2001to 2006

“As a part-time tutor at Taruna, I teach eurythmy.  In 1981 having completed my eurythmy training in Germany, I returned to the Southern Hemisphere and eventually New Zealand where I took up my career as a eurythmy teacher.  Prior to eurythmy I worked as a registered nurse in Australia, England and Germany.
Destiny led me to Taikura Rudolf Steiner School, Hastings.  There I worked with children ranging from Kindergarten to class 12 (3 to 18 yrs).  In 1992 I journeyed to Russia where for four years I worked mostly in the Eurythmy Academy and supported young eurythmists into teaching.
In 2001 I accepted the fulltime management position as principal of Taikura and held it for seven years.  Throughout the years I was grateful to maintain a balance to this work through regular eurythmy classes with children, sessions at Taruna and artistic work.
At the close of 2006 I stepped back from the school to take on the position of General Secretary for the Anthroposophical Society in New Zealand.  This year I will be tutoring more in Taruna.  My work will involve travel both overseas and throughout New Zealand.  I have the possibility to provide workshops on anthroposophy, eurythmy and education.”

Marjorie Theyer
Adult Educator for: The Young Child

Qual:  Registered Teacher 153832;
Early Childhood 100 points NZQA
Steiner Teacher Training, Emerson College, Sussex, 2 years 1967;
Montessori Diploma, UK, 1 year; 1965
Teachers Certificate, NSW, 1954
Exp:  Adviser and Coordinator for Federation of Rudolf Steiner Waldorf Schools in New Zealand Kindergarten and Early Childhood Training;
30 years teaching in Rudolf Steiner establishments for normal and abnormal children aged 4-19 years, also disabled and intellectually handicapped adults.
Mother of 2 children.

 "I have been working in Waldorf Education for about 40 years - started in 1965 - Kindergarten, Class-teaching, maladjusted (emotionally disturbed) children, children, and adults with special needs.  For the past 12 years I have been teaching adults both here in New Zealand and in various Asian countries.  I have been working with the Teachers Preparatory Course and the Early Childhood Kindergarten Training Course here at Taruna College for the past 10 years.
 As well as the above I am Adviser to the Federation of Rudolf Steiner Waldorf Schools in New Zealand and as such I travel around New Zealand visiting the 20 or so centres of education at least 3 visits in every 3 years, giving advice and help where needed in any part of the education, management, trusts and with the parent community.
 I have two adult daughters who both had Steiner education and one grand-daughter at present in the Steiner Day Care - Seven Dwarves - in Hastings.
 I am always available to help students find their way for practicum or future placement in schools in New Zealand."

Julian Thomson

Adult Educator: High School.
Geography and Sciences Teacher in Raphael House High School, Lower Hutt.
“I have been an upper school teacher at Raphael House since arriving in New Zealand from England in 1994.  My main subjects have been biology and geography, along with some others such as health, physical education, art and horticulture at various times. I have also been involved with many camps and outdoor activities in the bush and mountains, including taking small groups of students to do scientific fieldwork on the Tasman Glacier near Mount Cook.
Alongside my classroom teaching, I have been active in a lot of the curriculum development of the Upper School, as well as the development and implementation of the Steiner School Certificate Qualification in conjunction with the other three Steiner High Schools around New Zealand.   
For the last few years I have become increasingly involved with research on glaciers and in Antarctica related to climate science.  In 2007 I am teaching part time at school, and otherwise working in an ice core processing laboratory in Lower Hutt as well as on various surveys of glaciers in the Southern Alps with Victoria University Wellington.”

Adult Educator: High School.

Geography and Earth Sciences Teacher in Raphael House High School, Lower Hutt.