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Teachers Training Program

Renee Detar

Our Vision:
The art of teaching yoga requires sensitivity, compassion and understanding, as well as lots of practice and technical and therapeutic knowledge. This program is designed for your own essence to radiate through, to communicate your own voice and expression of yoga naturally and with ease.

Non-discrimination Policy & Statement:
We admit students of any race, gender, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin, philosophic and religious beliefs, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded and made available to all students at our school.
It does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin, and philosophic and religious beliefs in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and school-administered programs.

How it Works:
The course work models that of a professional college. (put this in bold please) You take as many hours of classes as you wish per week with Suzette Scholtes.  To get started you apply with an formal email to enter the program and complete an application. The entrance fee is $250 which includes your final exams; certicates, and teaching assessment.  That fee is required before formal training begins.

All hours of study with Suzette Scholtes, these hours qualify for registry with Yoga Alliance and Yoga Studio certification. Suzette has completed over 9000 hours of certified training.

The Yoga Studio is an Accredited and Registered National Yoga Alliance Teacher Training School, with history in curriculum, therapeutics, and integrity. Our goal is to educate teachers of substance in our communities to help improve the quality of life with yoga.

Required studies are:
Anatomy training, philosophy, and methodology (sequencing and contraindications offered during our weekend workshops). Trainings with “senior” teachers or Suzette are strongly recommended.

All hours are cumulative; for example you may file 200 hours then add on subsequent trainings hours for 500 applications later.

The yoga curriculum consists currently of two tracts:

  1. Certificate for Registered Yoga Teacher (200 contact hours)
  2. Certificate for Registered Yoga Teacher (500 contact hours)

These two tracts or curriculums meet the standards set by the national Yoga Alliance’s Registered Yoga Teacher registry. The yoga teacher-training curriculum is interdisciplinary and non-dogmatic. Our program covers the theory and practice of asana & pranayama, teaching methodologies, meditation, philosophy, anatomy & physiology, ethics, and yogic lifestyle. Many of the nation’s top Yoga teachers are a part of the teacher-training faculty, including Aadil Palkhivala, John Schumacher, Doug Keller, Paula Tortolano, and Judith Lasater. You receive a two-tier program:

  1. Certification from The Yoga Studio Certified Yoga Teacher (C.Y.T.)
  2. Registry in National Yoga Alliance (you personally file this)

Our Yoga Teacher Training Program:

Participants will be trained in the following areas:

  • Developing your own practice
  • Learning how to teach yoga
  • Philosophy as related to yoga
  • Energy of the body
  • Anatomy & Physiology as related to yoga
  • Basic Sanskrit
  • Meditation
  • Becoming a Teacher: Ethics, morals, legalities.

Text Books:

  • Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar
  • Yoga: A Gem for Women by Geeta Iyengar
  • Yoga: A Fundamental Course” by Geeta Iyengar or “Yoga the Iyengar Way” and “Relax & Renew” by Judith Lasater
  • An interpretation of your choice of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (recommended: How to Know God by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood)
  • Scientific Keys Volume I: The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga by Ray Long, MD And Chris Macivor
  • Log of elective textbooks or periodical readings on philosophy, pranayama, pregnancy, anatomy, energy body and related.

Requirements:

  • Passing Grade on Anatomy Exam (both 200 and 500-hour)
  • Passing Grade on Final Exam (both 200 and 500-hour)
  • Observation of Teaching a 90-minute yoga class (both 200 and 500-hour)
  • Internship of  8 weeks or more for therapeutics, alignment, sequencing, adjusting, and voice for 500 hour and minimum of 4 weeks for 200 Hours.
  • Workshop Electives with Suzette over the course of one or more years plus weekly classes with both directors.
  • We encourage you to study with Visiting Faculty whenever possible.

Saturday Weekend Elective for 2007-2010:
(Please see website for Visiting Faculty National Training Dates)

  • Pre Natal, Deliver, Post-Partum
  • Therapeutics for High or Low Blood Pressure
  • Fundamentals of Alignment of bones, muscles & joints
  • Therapeutic Yoga for Injured or Aching Backs
  • Therapeutic Yoga for issues of digestion and elimination
  • Therapeutic Yoga for PMS, menstruation, peri and menopause
  • The art and science of safe adjustments
  • Therapeutics for Depression and Anxiety
  • Kuranta Yoga (using wall ropes effectively and with safety)
  • Therapeutics for knees, hips, ankles and feet
  • Teaching safe and powerful inversion asana
  • Karma Yoga and Philosophy of Teaching - Yama & Niyama
  • Meditation Training for improved quality of life
  • Pranayama Practices - Details and Intricacies
  • Sequencing powerful and effective classes for all levels
  • Teaching restorative and gentle yoga for injured or weak
  • Knowing and using appropriate Contraindications for injury and issues
  • Therapeutic Yoga for Neck, Shoulders and Upper Back
  • Therapeutics for arthritis, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune challenges
  • Basic Sanskrit for Asana, pranayama, and teaching
  • Create a Home Practice: Safety and Fulfillment
  • Fundamentals of the Chakra System
  • Advanced Yoga with a Chair

To apply for teacher training

We are now accepting applications. To formalize your training or for more information, contact Suzette Scholtes by phone at 913/492-9594 or email at Suzette@everestkc.net. Please visit www.YogaAlliance.org for more information regarding requirements for registry at both the 200 and 500-hour levels.

The Yoga Studio of Johnson County Abides by this code in their Bylaws. (Nov./2003.), to read click here.


A Talk to Teachers
By: B.K.S. Iyengar

Teaching is very noble profession. When it comes to yoga, there is a lot of give and take between the student and the teacher involving friendliness and compassion for the growth of qualitative teaching. The teachers and students should remain together as one family without giving any room for misunderstanding. The teachers should treat pupils like their own children and the students should respect the teacher as one respects the parents. We train our children to become healthy and happy, and as teachers we too must take the responsibility to train those who come for betterment of growth in body, intelligence and consciousness. The teachers should learn to be happy if their students surpass them in practice and teaching.

When teachers are conducting classes, the participants and the teachers have to communicate as well as commune with one another in friendliness to build up good rapport. In the case of personal problem, which prevents the teacher from presenting accurately as required, it is better the teacher explains his or her physical drawbacks to them and then conducts the class. The teachers can still guide them in practice, especially where they lack understanding.

The student also should appreciate the honesty of the teacher. A friendly approach will definitely increase a good relationship between them. In my life I have been both and done both. Some explain well but cannot show; and some do well but cannot explain. Both are good tools for understanding. If one is blind to practice, the other is blind to theory, whereas both are needed in teaching. Have confidence to bring the theory and practice so that they are in rhythm with each other just as a blind man with legs a lame man with eyes might help each other to move from one place to the other.

Learning yoga is combined venture for teachers as well as students. Each student has to learn to observe the structure of his body, its movements, actions, and its contact with mind. On the other hand, the teacher has to know the capacity of each student and teach in such a way that his capacity increases. The teacher has to teach the art of connecting body with mind. The student can understand and appreciate only when he understands his limitations and the teacher uplifts him a little further.

The students should not create misunderstanding or barriers between two teachers. The teachers as well as the students should remember that they are doing yogasadhana as followed by me. The branches may be separate but the root is one.

The body is not a machine which can be hammered to get the position in a day. As a student, you should take good points from the teacher and practice. Understand the teachers and accordingly listen to what they are teaching.

As teachers you have to see the good and you have to express to the participants how to do the good or at least a little better, rather than pointing out the small mistakes here or there. This way the teachers and the students probably develop a better quality of seeing and better quality of understanding. This qualitative way of seeing and understanding will be great help to both.

Teachers should not teach something which does not come in the frame of the subject. They should not teach or talk about what has no relevance to yoga. Te teachers should not misdirect students.

As a teacher you should learn to tune the ears of every student so that they learn the art of listening. Be clear to give good background of basic teaching to make them develop stability. Observe and ensure for yourself that what they do and what you asked them to do was synchronized. Often, you say something and the students do something else because they do not listen to you attentively.

The teachers should focus on those parts of the body where the students do not respond. See that they activate those parts. Do not proceed further unless they get the hold of them. Give an emphasis on their weak point. Let those ideas circulate in them, to be grasped.

Teach first what the students can see and feel, then proceed gradually on to points which they do not feel.

As a teacher, do the homework to analyze and practice on your own body and mind before rectifying mistakes. Decide what points are to be given to them so that they can attain what is not yet attained. Use yourself as a helping hand to help others.

The ideal relationship of mater and pupil is based on a healthy way of teaching and approach to life. Yoga is about associating and putting together the objects of self and Self. Establish proper communion, good communication and relationship. Teachers and students should proceed and progress hand in hand without giving any chance for misunderstandings. Always remember that the subject of yoga is greater than, and above, all of us. We are mortals but yoga is immortal.

Resoruce: Astadla Yogamala Volume 3

 

 

   
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