Teacher Training - an Introduction

INTRODUCTION

This Training Course gives equal emphasis to the 3 main requirements necessary for a comprehensive teacher training.

1) the ‘technical’ aspect of the work

2) the ‘mental’ aspect of the work

3) the pedagogical aspect of the work

 

the ‘technical’ aspect of the work
this is the ability to use the hands creatively and non-invasively

the ‘mental’ aspect of the work
this includes not only the understanding of the concepts and ability to explain them clearly both verbally and in writing, but also an appreciation of the psychological and emotional impact of increasing involvement in this work

the pedagogical aspect of the work
encourages students to explore and expand their communication skills so they can  creatively teach their future pupils

to understand the ideas upon which the Technique is based and to teach them how to bring these ideas consciously and actively into their daily lives.

The Course itself has been devised as a progression of the students’ ability to work on themselves via an increasing understanding of approximately twenty procedures of the Alexander Technique and other activities. The procedures to be worked on have been developed as a sequence and allocated to a termly programme. When the student has reached a deeper understanding of the procedures and the concepts underlying them, they will start to put hands on fellow students under supervision.

However, as it is recognised that not all  students are starting from the same place, and as it is often difficult for students to monitor their own progress on “non practical” courses, a plan of continuous assessment has been drawn up which will enable the staff to help each student monitor their progress along the route of the course. 

As the New Directions training course is planned to prepare students as fully as possible for a career as a teacher of the Alexander Technique, when students qualify they will have:

  • the opportunity to deepen and develop the work on themselves
  • the opportunity to learn and refine their hands-on skills
  • a knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology
  • awareness of the possibility of psychological and emotional changes both in themselves and in their future pupils 
  • practical experience of how the principles and practice of the Alexander Technique can be applied to  other activities
  • an appreciation of the teaching/learning process itself
  • teaching practice of a course of twenty lessons to a pupil who has had no previous lessons
  • practice of small group work
  • their own publicity material already prepared
  • information on professionalism and setting up a practice 
  • an understanding of the concepts and principles of the Alexander Technique gained through studying and discussing Alexander’s 4 books, and other books and videos on the subject