08/21/2026
In this fifth episode of Voices of Waldorf Elders, I (Roel Optende) speak with Nancy Blanning, a longtime Waldorf early childhood educator, therapeutic educator, author, editor, and teacher mentor.
Nancy shares how searching for a school for her own children led her to Waldorf education and eventually to nearly four decades of work at the Denver Waldorf School. She reflects on her years as a kindergarten teacher, her training and early mentors, and her later work with movement, sensory development, therapeutic support, and first grade readiness.
Our conversation explores imitation, rhythm, practical work, imagination, and the importance of learning to observe each child without rushing to judgment. Nancy also speaks about the role of anthroposophy and meditation in the inner life of the teacher, the pressures facing younger educators, and why children themselves must remain at the center of Waldorf education.
Nancy is the author of Walking with Our Children, co-author with Laurie Clark of Movement Journeys and Circle Adventures, and editor of collections including First Grade Readiness, School Readiness Today, and Supporting the Sense of Life.
Voices of Waldorf Elders is an oral-history project dedicated to preserving the experiences and wisdom of longtime Waldorf educators for younger and future teachers.
Watch the premiere here:
In this fifth episode of Voices of Waldorf Elders, I speak with Nan...
