Pasadena Waldorf High School Physics Teacher Honored

Educator Recognized for Excellence in Teaching

Pasadena Waldorf High School visiting science teacher Dr. Paolo Carini received the Herbst Foundation’s Excellence in Teaching Award earlier this year. A private foundation based in San Francisco, Herbst recognizes teachers who engage students in critical and creative thinking, inspire a joy of learning which results in breakthroughs to higher levels of academic achievement, challenge and inspire students to achieve more than expected, and exhibit high personal and professional standards and professional development.

Born in Rome, Italy, Dr. Carini earned his bachelor’s degree in physics at the University of Rome and his Ph.D. in physics at Stanford University. He received his Waldorf teacher certification at the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training and has served as a faculty member in that program for the past eight years. He is a founding faculty member of the San Francisco Waldorf High School. 

Dr. Carini will be teaching the Physics Block in science to our first freshman class this fall. Below are excerpts from remarks he made when accepting the Herbst Foundation’s award:

“We [in Waldorf education] believe in the values of a multidimensional education, where no subject is less important than another and where all breathe together like well-tuned instruments in a large orchestra, always supporting each other with the purpose of facilitating the intellectual, emotional and physical development of our students. Yes, the whole IS more than the sum of the parts!

 “As educators, we know that our main job is to remove obstacles to help the students to fulfill their destinies… How can [a Waldorf education] really help the students discover and fulfill their goals in life? My answer always goes back to this: by developing a genuine interest in the students as human beings and a compassion for their struggles; in other words, we develop our capacity to love… Given such lofty ideals, we find success is hardly something that can be measured by standardized tests and often the benefits of our work manifest later in life. It is reassuring to have a well-known, outside institution like the Herbst Foundation recognize that indeed [Waldorf Schools] are moving in the right direction.”