Sheilagh Lane

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Sheilagh brings more than three decades of Waldorf early childhood and lower-grades teaching experience across three countries: England, Canada, and Costa Rica. She’s originally from Scotland and grew up in Peru. Her work reflects a deep commitment to the whole child, a rich understanding of Waldorf pedagogy, and a lifelong dedication to nurturing community through rhythm, nature, and artistry.

Her teaching journey began in London at Sunflower Kindergarten, which she established and led, along with her work at the Rudolf Steiner School in Kings Langley and Rudolf Steiner House. After moving to Canada, she served as Lead Kindergarten Teacher at the Nelson Waldorf School before founding Starseed Kindercottage with her husband Martin, a home-based Waldorf program where she taught kindergarten and carried three classes of children from grade one through grade three over the course of nearly twenty years.

In recent years, Sheilagh expanded her international experience by teaching both kindergarten and grades one and two in Costa Rica. Her time there deepened her cultural understanding and strengthened her language skills—she is fluent in Spanish and brings this as a joyful resource to her work with children and families.

Sheilagh and Martin, raised two children who completed their Waldorf educations and are now teachers themselves, continuing the family’s dedication to human-centered, holistic education.

Martin has long been a supportive partner in their educational work. He brings gifts in organic gardening and seed saving, woodworking with children, Lazure painting, and school maintenance. He has supported gardening programs, woodworking classes, festival life, and building projects in both Canada and the UK. We look forward to the possibility of Martin sharing his practical artistry and land-based skills with our school community in the future.

With her warmth, international perspective, Spanish fluency, and extensive Waldorf background, Sheilagh offers a deeply grounded, joy-filled presence to young children and their families.