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Marin Waldorf School Fathers’ Group 2023-24

Roland Baril, MWS’s 4th grade class teacher, will be leading an ongoing group of up to 20 fathers, meeting approximately every third Monday evening. We will begin on Monday, September 25.  

The Fathers’ Group sessions will endeavor to: 

• Provide a forum to deepen our understanding of effective parenting skills and our roles as fathers, highlighting the importance of the father’s role in his child’s education.
• Offer tools for being a conscious father, through understanding of developmental phases.
• Strengthen connection within the school community by establishing and deepening friendships.
• Increase understanding of Waldorf movement activities to strengthen a father’s connection to his child’s education, and to simply enjoy the fun of playing together. 
• Each meeting will close with an athletic game of Spaceball, so bring your sneakers!

These group sessions are dynamic, informative meetings that encourage sharing of experiences, as we work together to strengthen parenting skills.

Instructor Roland Baril: Roland has led a Fathers’ Group at Marin Waldorf for 2 years, at Summerfield Waldorf School in Santa Rosa for 4 years, and at Greenwood School in Mill Valley for 8 years. He is the father of 2 sons, now young adults, who attended Waldorf schools from grades K-12.

Time: 6:30-8:30 PM., approximately every third Monday,

Dates: 9/25, 10/16, 10/30, 11/27, 12/18, 1/22, 2/12, 3/11, 4/15, 5/13

Location: MWS 4th Grade Classroom and/or private group retreat space.

Fee: $395 course fee for 10 meetings, plus the cost of the book(s). Book(s) may include: “Covering Home: Lessons on the Art of Fathering from the Game of Baseball”; by Jack Petrash;  “The Road to Character”, by David Brooks; “Navigating the Terrain of Childhood”, by Jack Petrash; “Parenting With Spirit”

Registration:  To enroll here or contact Roland Baril, rolandbaril@marinwaldorf.org. Fee is payable via Venmo, or cash or check at first meeting. Payment must be submitted before or at the first meeting. Registration will close at first 20 participants, so register early to secure a place.

About Roland Baril:  Roland Baril was a class teacher at the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs, NY for 15 years, during which time he helped develop the school’s PE/Spatial Dynamics program. In addition to being Chairman of the Faculty and College of Teachers there, he also served as the Leadership Council Rep for the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) from 2004-07. He then served for four years as Lower School Coordinator for Summerfield WS in Santa Rosa before coming to Greenwood School in Mill Valley in 2011 as the Dean of Education/Class Teacher. He joined MWS as a class teacher in 2020. He is in his 32nd year as an educator.  Roland earned his BA (Magna Cum Laude) in History from Sonoma State University, completed his Waldorf Master’s program at Sunbridge College in NY, and a five-year Spatial Dynamics training in New York and Pennsylvania.

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Testimonials for Roland’s Work as a Fathers’ Group Facilitator

I participated in the Fathers' Group at SWSF led by Roland Baril for three years and I can say unequivocally that it strengthened my sense of community, deepened my understanding of Waldorf and provided much needed parenting support. Roland is a skilled and passionate group leader who is equally adept at providing didactic training, facilitating group process and leading fun games and physical exercise. As led by Roland, the groups that I participated in were rich and engaging and served a very valuable purpose.     

- Doug Silberstein, MFT

 

I strongly recommend Roland's Fathers group. It is a critical part of my understanding of the Waldorf Philosophy and what my two sons are experiencing on a day to day basis at school.  Roland made possible for me much more enriching engagement with my family at home.           - Jeff Everage; former NAVY SEAL

 

During this past year I have learned a great deal about the qualities and skills of being a great dad to my six year old son and my twin boys who are three. Roland is an exceptional educator.  He has provided a safe and impactful setting in our group meetings. - John Mutz; candidate for SoCo Sherrif

 

I cannot put a value on the positive effects that Roland has brought to my family and the parenting of my children. Specifically, I appreciate his facilitation style which honors the masculine impulse that we as men are born with but often times is not honored in our culture at large. The topics he brought to our classes were relevant and practical. I would take it again.      - Dustin Deason; General Contractor

 

After 5 years of attending Roland’s Fathers Group, it has become part of the fabric of the year. The insight into fatherhood and the help from both the content covered and the other fathers in the group has been vital in my growth as a parent and person. Roland brings to life the meaning behind a lot of the Waldorf traditions and allows a connection with what your child is experiencing in the classroom which is both insightful and fun. Discussions range from light-hearted to intense and vulnerable in a way that is supported by the trust and integrity within the group and it would be remiss to not mention that every session finishes with a game of Space Ball, where moments of youthful glory are relived. Something for every father.   - Simon Littler, entrepreneur

 

Just being together, sharing experiences, good and bad parenting moments, and providing feedback are all supportive, communal, and empowering. Doing fun things with other fathers (including dad/leader/teacher, Roland), talking about the parenting reading materials, and the physical things we did (I miss Space Ball!) was always something I looked forward to. I gained some valuable and useful insight into my daughter's experience at the school and what I can do to help her through some struggles at home. It's not easy for dads to get together and talk about parenting, and also have fun and get to know each other better. I highly recommend Roland’s Fathers' Group. 

- Rupak Nag, attorney