Teacher Training in 1 month?

Carolina

Hi all,
I have been researching about the Vidya Dham yoga school and am very encouraged by what I have read on here and on their web-site. I am surprised though by their claim that a student, with little practice, can be awarded a teacher certificate in a month. Is this right? And if so, could one teach with this certificate in the West? Seems too good to be true. Thoughts and experiences most welcome.
Thanks...

Sama

Since you are in the UK, you should contact the British Wheel of Yoga regarding their training. A friend of mine in Tanzania is doing her training through them, and it is a TWO YEAR PROGRAM.

A certificate is just a piece of paper saying you have completed a certain program -- it says nothing about your teaching abilities/capabilities. Unfortunately, in the West, yoga teacher "certifications" are sometimes done in weekend courses -- don't even get me started on that....this is the influence of the fitness industry.

After my first teacher training, I realized how much I DON'T know. My trainer told us that you don't know anything as a teacher until you've taught at least 10 years! A friend of mine told me that her trainer told her that for the first 10 years, a yoga teacher should only teach to beginning yoga students.

If one of my students came to me and said they wanted to become a teacher, I would look first at how long they've had their own personal practice before I would recommend a school.

A proper yoga teacher certification will encompass at least 200 hours of training, sometimes more. 200 hours is basic yoga teacher training. In my humble opinion, I can't even imagine going out and teaching yoga after a one month program.

I am a yoga teacher, but I am also a life-long yoga student. I will continue to study for the rest of my life regardless of how many "certifications" I get. That's why yoga is called a "practice", because you practice it for the rest of your life!

You might want to read this article Ready to Teach?

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My India, 2005-2008
BE THE REVOLUTION

girlfromvenus

I second every word Yogagal has written here.......it needs a lot of dedication to become a good teacher over the years, and that hasn't only to do with certificates, but also with making Yoga a part of life and really living the Yoga-path, which also affects one's lifestyle and interactions with others.....

ArjunaWeeping

The question isn't only whether "the course" is good enough, but also whether the course is good enough for YOU?

If someone with years of experience and knowledge turns up at such a course it is just the icing on the cake, helping them develop the confidence to bring out the skills and wisdom within. Then it would be quite possible for someone to do a 4-week course and come out a competent teacher.

If a person turns up with little or no knowledge or experience it is almost impossible to make them a competent teacher in a few weeks.

Only you will know the difference - is this course really going to help yo utransform from a knowledgeable student to an effective teacher? Or are you just going to get a certificate, and fake the rest so you can say you are a 'yoga teacher'?

A hard quesition to answer, ponder it carefully - what do you want to be? Why? How are you going to do it? Will you do a cheap 4-week course and become a "cheap 4-week" teacher? Or will this be the final ray of sunlight that lets the flower of your teaching blossom to the world?

Hope you find the answer, do let us know how things go!

Take care,

Scott

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In Search of Darshan - my trip to Chennai, India in 2005
Scott's Thotts - my meandering thoughts on Yoga and Life...