November- Author of the Month November 01 2025
Roberto Trostli has turned his attention to collecting his years of experience and organizing it into remarkably helpful books for teachers everywhere. After forty years of teaching in the classroom and founding a high school at the Hartsbrook School, with a special penchant for science in the Goethean tradition, we are delighted to help usher Trostli’s insightful knowledge into the world. Roberto is also a dedicated tap dancer, but this is beyond the scope of his “Author of the Month” status!
Roberto’s classic Teaching Language Arts in Waldorf Schools has become a go-to reference for all Steiner-inspired approaches to this essential subject in school. His work in creating the book, Thy Will Be Done, offers a beautiful description and explanation of the tasks of the College of Teachers in a Waldorf school — inspiring and clear.
Roberto Trostli has published many science books on his own, using “the Waldorf Way” as his signature titling. Waldorf Publications is delighted to carry these here. If you are a Waldorf middle school teacher, these are essential books to have on hand. Trostli spent years in teacher education, specifically building awareness for middle school teachers in the methodology of experiential scientific exploration with early teenagers.
However, the crown jewels of his experience he entrusted to Waldorf Publications, which is a point of privilege for the Library Lady and all at Waldorf Publications!
Home Surroundings the Waldorf Way, A Guide for 1st & 2nd Grade Teachers was published in 2022 and offers carefully explained approaches to early, pictorial, and “scientific” thinking, with the aim of helping first- and second-grade teachers help students feel intimately connected to the natural world around us all. It also establishes important habits of the soul in observational science: reverence and care. In the middle school years, these habits of soul in approaching science contribute deeply to concentration and concentrated thinking.
Trostli’s most recent publications are wonderful for the help they offer teachers—and also parents interested in uncovering what makes Waldorf education magic. For the Love of Language, Grades 1-4, volume 1, and For the Love of Language, Grades 5-8, volume 2, are treasure troves of poetry, verses, quodlibets, and tongue-twisters that build in the young a delight in beautiful language and eloquent expression, a sense of humor, and a capacity for recitation. This capacity for recitation provides a powerful enhancement of a youngster’s sense of self, confidence in expression, and mastery of clear speaking. This contributes to a young person’s development of humble, clear confidence and ego—the valuable kind, not the prideful kind—and a wonderful sensibility.
Roberto Trostli defines these two volumes as “resource manuals for teachers.” However, these are rich and rewarding collections for anyone interested in poetry, versification, speech practice for self-development, and understanding the magic of Waldorf education.
It is with real pride and wonder that we offer Roberto Trostli as this month’s Author to be noticed! These collections are Roberto Trostli’s own, as he states in the early pages of these books; he chose his poems and verses for the children who were entrusted to his care. He encourages all teachers to meditatively ponder the children in their own classes to find the poetry that best serves their needs. One might find a great poem, a favorite of one’s own, missing from the books, or a verse that reflects the race or creed of children in a different class, and Trostli instructs that they be added to your own growing collection! That’s part of the joy and deliberateness of the process of taking on recitation through the grades in any class of children or burgeoning young adults!
Roberto Trostli is retired, which is why he now has time to assemble his collected works and publish them for the good of teachers and parents everywhere. Waldorf Publications is simply thrilled to have been chosen for the task of publication. As the author of this month, we honor him!
