Rising Grade 1: Welcome, Ms. Markus!
We are so happy to introduce you to Deborah Markus, next year’s Grade 1 teacher for the class of 2036.
Ms. Markus holds two Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Rutgers University as well as a Master’s Degree in Education for Middle School Curriculum and Instruction from Drury University. She earned her Waldorf Grades Teaching Certificate from Micha-el Institute in 2011. She has over 16 years of teaching experience in Waldorf Schools, including 14 years as a Class Teacher at Micha-el School.
We’re excited for you to get to know Ms. Markus!
What are your interests/passions outside of school?
I’m an avid traveler and investigator of global history, culture, and spirituality. I prefer a slow, mindful approach to travel which has prompted me to live, work, and study in several cities around the globe, including Heidelberg, Chiang Mai, Limassol, and San Francisco. Here in the Portland area, I like to hike, camp, do yoga, dance, and attend the symphony. Despite these occasional adventures, I’m mostly a homebody who enjoys reading, cooking, genealogy research, playing board games with my adult children, and obeying the orders of my two cats.
What is something that our community might not know about you?
Right after graduating from Rutgers, I had an unexpected 10 year stint in the business world. I crammed as much of my stuff as I could fit into the hatchback of my little Chevy Sprint and drove from New Jersey to San Francisco with a half-baked plan to gain California residency and apply in-state at UC Berkeley to get my master’s degree. To make ends meet while accruing residency months, I took a temp job at a legal publishing company and landed in the world of marketing. After a few years there, I got a job planning events and marketing campaigns for an art gallery. These experiences inspired me to open a wedding planning business that I operated for several years until my children started approaching kindergarten age – which led me into my next work adventure and true vocational calling.
What inspires you about Waldorf education?
There is so much to love about Waldorf education, and 15 years in I still feel the thrill of inspiration regularly. I appreciate the deep intentionality of the curriculum, the freedom to craft lessons that uniquely meet each group of students, and the focus on nurturing the spiritual health of everyone in the school community. The most inspiring part, however, is when I’ve taught a good lesson and can feel the vibrant community energy in the classroom. The sense of purpose this feeling gives me is why I come back day after day and year after year.
What do you look forward to working on with your new class in the fall?
Grade one is foundational in so many ways. It is a precious time to plant seeds, create rhythms, and form relationships with care and intention. Along with all the firsts like sitting at desks, creating main lesson books, and performing a class play, the most important of all is creating a healthy learning community. I am keen to foster a culture of respect, trust, and curiosity in our class and build authentic long-term relationships with my students, their parents and my colleagues.
