Specialty Teachers
Bree Switzer Music Teacher
Bree is an alumnus of the Nelson Waldorf School, having graduated from
the first Class 8 in 1991. Bree's music training is based
on six years of private flute lessons, ten years of singing in a range
of different choirs, and two years of vocal and composition training
at Selkirk College from 2000 to 2002. Bree completed the Waldorf
Teacher Training program at Emerson College in Forest Row, England
from 2002 to 2004, where she also studied conducting with Danish
composer Gregors Brinch and sang in his compositions choir. From 2004
to 2006, Bree taught Music and English at the Nordstrand Steiner
School in Oslo, Norway. Her other teaching experience includes one
year teaching English in Japan, teaching Classes 1, 3, and 5 Handwork
here at the Nelson Waldorf School, and assistant teaching in the Rose
Garden Preschool, also at the Nelson Waldorf School, in 1999/2000.
Bree has also led several choirs including the Waldorf Community
Choir, a choir made up of teachers and parents at the Nelson Waldorf
School.
Diana Finley Social Inclusion Coordinator
Diana (Danny) was born in Montreal and grew up in Quebec and Ontario. Her degrees are from Queen's in Kingston (BA Psychology), from Ottawa (BEd), and Spokane, Washington (MA Counseling). She has lived in Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and BC, where she taught in the public school system. Finding the right place and Waldorf School for her 2 daughters brought her to Nelson and began her dedication to Waldorf education and anthroposophy. Danny has been with the school for over 20 years in a variety of roles: as a parent, volunteer, janitor, class parent, academic tutor, pedagogical administrator, and faculty chair. Danny finds that working with the children, teachers, staff, and parents of NWS inspires a joy and gratitude for life's many wonders. She enjoys the tonic of the out-of-doors, singing, yoga, traveling, time with family and friends, and her home in the Middle Road Community.
Karin Weidemann Eurythmy Teacher
Karin was raised on a farm near Hannover,
Germany. She graduated from the University of Augsburg with a Masters degree in Sports,
Movement Education, and Social Science. While teaching these subjects to Grades 5-12, she
was exposed to anthroposophy and Waldorf pedagogy during a visit to Canada. A few weeks later
she was enrolled in the Waldorf teacher training course at Emerson College, England. There she
discovered her love for eurythmy. After completion of her Waldorf teacher training, she hoped to
take the eurythmy training, but destiny proved otherwise. The following six years in England were
filled with teaching Kindergarten and Movement Education at the Michael Hall, Forest Row, and
Brighton Steiner schools and a five-year in-service training in Bothmer gymnastics, as well as the
birth of her son. She moved back to Germany, where she taught Grade One and Movement Education at
the Freie Waldorf School, Hannover. After the birth of her twin daughters and a two-year stay in
the United States, she returned to the family farm in Germany, where she worked as a therapist with
children and horses. In 2001, Karin was finally able to do the eurythmy training at the School for
the Art of Eurythmy in Hannover. She then taught eurythmy at the Freie Waldorf School in Sorsum and
was part of the Eurythmy Stage Group in Hannover until she joined the Nelson Waldorf School in
December 2007.
Lisa Bramson Special Needs Coordinator
Lisa is a Nelson Waldorf School
fixture: her two children attended the school; she has been a member
of numerous committees and was a class parent throughout. Lisa was a
NWS Board member and Board chair; she has been involved with the
Learning Enhancement program for almost 12 years. Prior to this, Lisa
worked as a speech therapist for the public school system. Recently,
Lisa has been studying infant movement development. That leaves a
little time for yoga, guitar, skiing and juggling!
Natasha Kraus Handwork/Skills Teacher
Natasha graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of
Arts degree in Psychology and German. She then completed her Waldorf
Teacher Training at the Toronto Waldorf School, where she subsequently
taught a class from first through eighth grade. After a number of
years of travel, teaching, taking courses in wilderness survival, and
a 12-month apprenticeship in biodynamic gardening, Natasha arrived in
Nelson in October of 1998 to take a class from fourth through eighth
grade. Since then Natasha has taught Math, English, and Physics in
the upper grades and Handwork to most of the classes. Natasha was
born in Parry Sound Ontario, on the shores of Georgian Bay. One of
five children, her rural childhood was complete with all manner of
pets, including a beloved Shetland pony. Natasha has a daughter, Mia,
in Class 4.
Rayya Liebich French Teacher
After completing her Bilingual International Baccalaureate in Geneva,
Switzerland, Rayya returned to Canada and pursued her Bachelor of Arts
at McGill University (English Literature Major). After a year of
environmental activism, and a year of traveling and volunteering in
Nepal and India, Rayya returned to school to complete her post degree
Bachelor of Education through the University of Victoria. Her belief
in change and in a better educational model led her to her destiny as
a Waldorf teacher in Nelson, BC. Bringing her passion for languages,
and countless tales from her travels, Rayya teaches French to Classes
1-7. Apart from teaching, Rayya finds inspiration and joy in creative
writing, photography, and the great outdoors.
Vanessa Kuran Movement Education Teacher
Vanessa, our Class 7 Teacher and Movement Education
Teacher for the upper grades, grew up in beautiful British Columbia
near an awe-inspiring granite monolith called "The Chief" in Squamish,
BC. She is the daughter of a Dutch mother and a Croatian father, and
the youngest of five siblings. Vanessa always wanted to be a teacher
and began that journey teaching PE, Outdoor Education, and
Environmental Education programs in her 20’s. Her discovery of Waldorf
Education occurred while she was on a week-long hiking trip in the
Cathedral mountains near Keremeos, BC. Here, she and a friend were
camped next to the grade 9 class from the North Vancouver Waldorf
School. Whilst brushing their teach at the lake, Vanessa and two boys
from Class 9 made each other’s acquaintance. After chatting with the
boys for the better part of an hour she said "take me to your
leader". She then met her first real Waldorf teacher, David Hesketh,
talked Anthroposophy and Waldorf Pedagogy, and the rest is
history. Vanessa went on to do her Waldorf High School teacher
training in New Hampshire, which she completed in 2004.
In her spare time Vanessa takes a strong interest in the out-of-doors,
exploring with her partner Cheryl and their 2 dogs, Chester and
Willow. When not out-of-doors, Vanessa gives in to her renovation
cravings, thus leaving their house in a perpetual state of
"project". And this mirrors her personal journey in every way: One Big
Perpetual Project.