TEACHER TRAINING
TRADITIONAL
Originally yoga teachers were trained through a long term relationship with an established head teacher. The process took years and it was rare to become a teacher. Like a parent raising children the child parents the next generation similarly. Same with students who become teachers. In the past few decades, after thousands of years of how things were done, now one qualifies through fixed hours. Times have changed and that does not mean the old must continue nor should it be dismissed. There are pros and cons in both approaches.
Originally yoga teachers were trained through a long term relationship with an established head teacher. The process took years and it was rare to become a teacher. Like a parent raising children the child parents the next generation similarly. Same with students who become teachers. In the past few decades, after thousands of years of how things were done, now one qualifies through fixed hours. Times have changed and that does not mean the old must continue nor should it be dismissed. There are pros and cons in both approaches.
Traditionally in the east, from yoga to other esoteric systems, the selection process went beyond physical ability and knowledge. There was something about the character of a student becoming a teacher that was paramount. The reputation of the teacher qualifying a student to teach was also at risk. A balanced teacher understands the process of teaching to be a self practice that is teaching the teacher too The student and teacher grow together.
SATURATION
During the 2015 period yoga retreat students from England and America began complaining about so many yoga teachers not adding value. Some of this stems from students being proposed teacher training as pure beginners. This is traditionally too early for considering a teacher. For this reason I met teachers poorly practiced. Many were not practicing yoga on their own while qualified and conducting classes. This is comparable to a literature professor not reading books by themselves. The depth of any method is never understood without a self-practice. Why is this? This is because the student was not given sufficient time to even be a natural beginner. You must be a true student before becoming a teacher.
During the 2015 period yoga retreat students from England and America began complaining about so many yoga teachers not adding value. Some of this stems from students being proposed teacher training as pure beginners. This is traditionally too early for considering a teacher. For this reason I met teachers poorly practiced. Many were not practicing yoga on their own while qualified and conducting classes. This is comparable to a literature professor not reading books by themselves. The depth of any method is never understood without a self-practice. Why is this? This is because the student was not given sufficient time to even be a natural beginner. You must be a true student before becoming a teacher.
Despite that some of the most amazing yoga teachers I have a deep respect for came from such programs. But they are few in proportion to the whole. Usually these are people who honed their self practice and became their own teacher.
OVERSIGHT
From the traditional approach teacher failures are far fewer due to the years of assisting under an experienced teacher. Traditionally teachers began as the most dedicated and accelerated students to assist such a teacher. The idea that they are training to be a teacher was never considered. Usually they would be in class and assisting thinking of themselves as students only. A student selected to assist in traditional classes was done as an honor. It was due to a level of dedication, good character, and exemplifying class ethos that brought such students to become assistants. A head teacher selected top students to assist not for becoming a teacher. Nor was this because the teacher needed help. Opportunities to assist with teaching was bestowed upon top students enabling them to see the method from a different perspective instilling a deeper practice. Instead of merely practicing and taking instructions the most dedicated were giving instructions. By assisting such student grew the understanding of the method through teaching. Teaching also teaches the student.
TEACHING SOLO
The above mentioned selected for assisting are considered students and there was no fee paid for assisting. Assisting was part of their learning process. After a dedicated time of assisting, undefined by set hours in the presence of the head teacher, then was it permitted to teach a class solo. Eventually the head teacher grows to a point where demand may allow a long term assistant to take on a new class. This traditionally was done without any pay to the assistant. Only after a dedicated period of time did pay become considerable.
The success of the new teacher is hinged on the connected relationship with the head teacher especially while solo. The head teacher remained the teacher of the assistant even when the assistant was teaching solo. Yet the head teacher maintained the ability to walk into the class and take it over at any given time. The head teacher would have the ability to replace the solo assistant at any time. It remained the responsibility of the solo assistant to inform their students who they learned from.
PERSPECTIVE
My Kung-Fu teacher exposed me to assisting him over 3 years. Eventually I was tasked with running whole classes. I credit my successes to teaching successfully in yoga because of this relationship. As a chi master he demonstrated abilities that made him look super human. His abilities were shown sparingly over 3 years. In his classroom there were no photos of him. Only 1 photo of the head teacher/ grand master was visible who was the head of over 250 schools at that time. Maintaining humility with the teacher and keeping a focus on principles was the goal and not self glorification. Such an approach is traditional and not typical in modern minds. This is an Eastern mindset while Western mindsets immediately reveals their ability and jumps into business for themselves. At the very least acknowledge your teachers. Assistants to the Zen Buddhist monk from My Path Into Yoga were so well developed it amazed me they were not full teachers. Compared to to most coming out of modern teacher training programs they were great.
My Kung-Fu teacher exposed me to assisting him over 3 years. Eventually I was tasked with running whole classes. I credit my successes to teaching successfully in yoga because of this relationship. As a chi master he demonstrated abilities that made him look super human. His abilities were shown sparingly over 3 years. In his classroom there were no photos of him. Only 1 photo of the head teacher/ grand master was visible who was the head of over 250 schools at that time. Maintaining humility with the teacher and keeping a focus on principles was the goal and not self glorification. Such an approach is traditional and not typical in modern minds. This is an Eastern mindset while Western mindsets immediately reveals their ability and jumps into business for themselves. At the very least acknowledge your teachers. Assistants to the Zen Buddhist monk from My Path Into Yoga were so well developed it amazed me they were not full teachers. Compared to to most coming out of modern teacher training programs they were great.
CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION
Yoga with Perumal "Initially" provides certificates of completion and not teaching. A certificate will not cost extra and is applicable as proof of experience and hours logged for other teacher training courses. Certificates of completion will be provided digitally when practicing under the head teacher Perumal Koshy and is comprised of the first 5 lessons from our retreat method. It costs our private lesson fee for the training. Perumal Koshy will teach you virtually or in person. The first 5 lessons of the retreat method provides you insight into the Yoga with Perumal method. Intent for acquiring a certificate of completion must be announced before commencing. After that you must, within 30 days of the last lesson, provide a written explanation on what you learned, why you want a certificate of completion and what your background is in yoga or any other discipline. Certifications from us are digitally forwarded. You have to continue practicing on your own with the videos we provide on the retreat method. You will also acquire 3 months complimentary access to our full video lesson programs.
Yoga with Perumal "Initially" provides certificates of completion and not teaching. A certificate will not cost extra and is applicable as proof of experience and hours logged for other teacher training courses. Certificates of completion will be provided digitally when practicing under the head teacher Perumal Koshy and is comprised of the first 5 lessons from our retreat method. It costs our private lesson fee for the training. Perumal Koshy will teach you virtually or in person. The first 5 lessons of the retreat method provides you insight into the Yoga with Perumal method. Intent for acquiring a certificate of completion must be announced before commencing. After that you must, within 30 days of the last lesson, provide a written explanation on what you learned, why you want a certificate of completion and what your background is in yoga or any other discipline. Certifications from us are digitally forwarded. You have to continue practicing on your own with the videos we provide on the retreat method. You will also acquire 3 months complimentary access to our full video lesson programs.
We are here to grow successful teachers. After completing a certificate of completion an understanding is instilled. This enables Yoga with Perumal to consider you as a teacher under our method. Quality is emphasized over quantity. Our goal is not to create masses of teachers which not normal. There will be no set hours for any individual to become a teacher under our method.
After practicing a retreat method with Mr. Koshy for the intention of being a teacher you will qualify for 1 hour of consulting for creating your group classes and yoga retreats. If you are ready to work with us passing through the initial retreat method program of being a Yoga with Perumal teacher leads to guiding you as a teacher with the full experience of Yoga with Perumal. This will consist of consultation, marketing through our website and continuous liaisons with Perumal Koshy. Our existing channels will work for you and the payment for this will be commission based.
After practicing a retreat method with Mr. Koshy for the intention of being a teacher you will qualify for 1 hour of consulting for creating your group classes and yoga retreats. If you are ready to work with us passing through the initial retreat method program of being a Yoga with Perumal teacher leads to guiding you as a teacher with the full experience of Yoga with Perumal. This will consist of consultation, marketing through our website and continuous liaisons with Perumal Koshy. Our existing channels will work for you and the payment for this will be commission based.
TEACHING STYLE
STUDENT TEACHER
