Specialty Teachers
Handwork Assistant
Karen Clarke
-
Karen was born, raised, and educated here in the Pacific Northwest.
Karen is deeply influenced by the textures, colors, and the wonder of nature and all its beauty. With an active imagination and passion for creativity, her designs are eco-minded with an emphasis on recycled materials.
When not teaching the children at the Eugene Waldorf School, she teaches fiber art classes at several locations around Eugene, as well as in her studio. She design-develops and supplies product lines for companies worldwide and for her own online store.
She has been involved with the Eugene Waldorf Handwork program for over 20 years and enjoys bringing the art, philosophy, and beauty of sewing, knitting, felting, and crafts of many kinds to children of all ages.
Spanish Teacher
Rachel Hawks
-
Rachel comes from a lifetime of Waldorf education as an alumni of the Portland Waldorf School, kindergarten through 12th grade. Although she began learning Spanish in 4th grade at PWS, she honed her Spanish speaking abilities when she spent a semester of college with School for International Training in Panama.
Upon completing her B.A. in music at Bard College in New York state, Rachel moved to Panama, where she lived in the rural, agricultural town of Cerro Punta and worked with Grupo Orgánico de Agricultores Cerropunteños (GORACE) as a grant writer, translator and organizer, helping promote organic agriculture in an area reliant on chemical use. Rachel has worked as an outdoor educator and field instructor for programs in Austin, Texas; Alaska; California; Hood River, Oregon and the Portland area.
When not teaching Spanish at EWS, Rachel can sometimes be found working as a raft, kayak, bike or snowshoe guide for the Recreation Department for the City of Eugene, or riding her bicycle, playing the banjo in her band The Dirty Dandelions, knitting or working in her garden. Rachel has taught Spanish at EWS since 2012.
Grades Special Subjects
Iyla Hopkins
-
Iyla was one of the first graduates of the Ashwood Waldorf School in Rockport, Maine. She has a B.A. in Anthropology from Emory University and a background in outdoor education. Since earning her Waldorf teaching certificate in 2019, she has taught a variety of specialty subjects at EWS. Iyla has two young children and enjoys riding her bike, gardening, and making music and art.
Eurythmy Teacher
Laurel Loughran
-
Born in Hutchinson, Ks, Alicia started playing violin at the age of 11. While growing her passion for performing and teaching, Alicia received her masters degree in Music Performance, Violin, from the University of Oregon’s School of Music and Dance, with a Specialization in Violin/Viola Pedagogy. Alicia has performed with several symphonies and chamber groups in the midwest and west coast. In 2017, at the age of 19, she made her debut as a soloist with the Salina Symphony. Mora has competed in competitions in the US and Europe. In 2019 she was a prize winner of her universities’ concerto competition. Since graduating, Alicia has established herself as a young string teacher in the Eugene-Springfield area, teaching through ESYO’s String Academy 1 and her own private Suzuki Violin/Viola Studio. Providing music education to the future generations and to those with less access to music education are at the forefront of Mora’s teaching. She believes every child should get the chance to learn an instrument no matter where they come from. Now taking on the role of the new Eugene Waldorf Strings teacher, Ms. Mora is excited and grateful to be a part of the future generations music education.
Strings Teacher
Alicia Mora
-
Born in Hutchinson, Ks, Alicia started playing violin at the age of 11. While growing her passion for performing and teaching, Alicia received her masters degree in Music Performance, Violin, from the University of Oregon’s School of Music and Dance, with a Specialization in Violin/Viola Pedagogy. Alicia has performed with several symphonies and chamber groups in the midwest and west coast. In 2017, at the age of 19, she made her debut as a soloist with the Salina Symphony. Mora has competed in competitions in the US and Europe. In 2019 she was a prize winner of her universities’ concerto competition. Since graduating, Alicia has established herself as a young string teacher in the Eugene-Springfield area, teaching through ESYO’s String Academy 1 and her own private Suzuki Violin/Viola Studio. Providing music education to the future generations and to those with less access to music education are at the forefront of Mora’s teaching. She believes every child should get the chance to learn an instrument no matter where they come from. Now taking on the role of the new Eugene Waldorf Strings teacher, Ms. Mora is excited and grateful to be a part of the future generations music education.
Woodworking Teacher
Atta Turck
-
Born in Germany, Atta grew up in a master furniture maker’s household (his grandfather’s) and was lucky to be taught the craft.
He earned a master’s degree in economics at the University of Munich, added a teaching certificate in adult education and taught in numerous community colleges in Germany, while working on a doctorate.
His life suddenly changed when his father unexpectedly died and he was needed to take over his business for some time before it could be sold favorably.
Prior to coming to the United States, Atta lived nine years in Tuscany, Italy, where he renovated historic country houses, and in turn, began his own woodworking shop, and enjoyed a large garden, a little vineyard, and 130 olive trees.
From there his path led him to Cottage Grove, Oregon, where he opened his own woodshop again, eventually specializing in doors, windows, and some custom furniture.
After a divorce, he took a job as operations manger in a small door import company in Eugene, through which he honed his operational and leadership skills. He soon designed and built as prototypes doors that were then manufactured in Indonesia to be sold on the American market.
The divorce had stirred his interest in mediation and he served as small claims mediator for the Eugene court, worked in community mediation, and for years in restorative justice mediation for the juvenile court system.
Atta had a two year stint in Vancouver, BC, where he joined his second wife, who led a class to their middle school graduation at the Vancouver Waldorf school.
From there the couple was hired by the Waldorf School of Garden City on Long Island, NY. Atta became the woodwork teacher for grades five to twelve, for which he attended the Waldorf high school teacher training at Rudolf Steiner College and many professional development courses in Germany.
Atta has taught at the Eugene Waldorf School since 2010.
In addition to living in Germany, Italy, Oregon, British Columbia and New York, Atta has traveled extensively throughout Europe, the Middle East, India, and North America.
Handwork Teacher
Karen Tyler
-
Karen enjoys the beautiful outdoors and living in the Pacific Northwest, gardening and hiking as much as possible. She grew up in Delaware and spent lots of time traveling the world after graduating from college in Virginia.
She became interested in handwork when her eldest daughter was just a babe in arms. Karen began a sewing business out of her home and quickly expanded her horizons once she learned of all the handmade toys and gifts she could create using recycled and natural materials.
She has held handwork classes for adults as well as various homeschool groups over the years. She has expanded her love of creating into a small traveling booth selling at fairs and markets in the local area.
Karen very much enjoys her work with children, sharing her inspiration to guide them to completing lovely handmade items both useful and beautiful. She lives within walking distance of EWS at her little urban farmstead.