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 "While the Iyengar tradition is a very methodical approach, it is not intended to be a rigid approach. There is a huge amount of freedom within its structure. As a teacher trainer, I want students to understand not only the method and its structure but also the freedom and the creativity that is at the root of the Iyengar tradition." Sharon Conroy LEARNING TO TEACH IN THE IYENGAR TRADITION Click here to download a Registration Form. Overview Starting this fall, Sharon Conroy will begin a one year teacher training program for teachers, aspiring teachers, and serious practitioners. All classes will be held at Yoga On 30A, in Grayton Beach, Florida. The Teacher Sharon Conroy is certified as a Junior Intermediate III teacher and has been practicing yoga for over twenty years. In 1989, she opened the first Iyengar Yoga Center in New Orleans and taught there until Katrina. As the first certified teacher in Louisiana, Sharon apprenticed a number of students who eventually became teachers. She has also conducted occasional teacher training weekends, in both Louisiana and Florida for over ten years. In addition to her practice of asana and pranayama, Sharon is dedicated to studying the yoga sutras. Over the past two years, she has written articles on the sutras for the IYASE newsletter and also for the IYNAUS newsletter, Samachar. This writing has become a practice of its own and has deepened her understanding of yoga philosophy. Sharon studies in Pune with the Iyengar family on a regular basis and was there most recently in January, 2007. Watching B.K.S. Iyengar teach the sutras as he instructs his senior students is one of her favorite activities at the Institute. Sharon will conduct this teacher training under the guidance of Patricia Walden who has encouraged her to begin the program. Patricia believes that teacher training is part of Sharon's dharma. The Students This program is open to teachers, aspiring teachers, and serious practitioners who want to deepen their understanding of the Iyengar tradition. To participate, you need to- During the teacher training program, you and the other students will each- The Goals Sharon's goals for the students in this teacher training program are fourfold- 1. To develop a regular home practice of poses to include those on the Teacher in Training syllabus as well as some of the important poses from the Introductory syllabus. 2. To deepen their understanding of the principles upon which the Iyengar tradition is based. 3. To develop a basic understanding of yoga philosophy as detailed in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras 4. To learn how to teach the poses on the Teacher in Training syllabus by teaching each other The Importance of Practice When we practice, we teach our own body yoga. In this way we begin to penetrate inward. One of this program's most important goals is to help each participant establish and deepen their practice of asana and pranayama. In the Iyengar tradition, when we begin to teach others, we teach from our own practice. This means that we teach from what we've learned in class and made our own through a regular, attentive practice of the poses. Developing a regular practice is the foundation for all teaching. However, it's not always easy to establish this practice. It takes time. The yearlong teacher training will help participants establish a regular practice. The Underlying Principles To the beginning student, it can seem like the Iyengar tradition is all about points and props. It takes awhile to understand that these are simply tools to accomplish something much more profound. The second goal of the program is to help participants discover, articulate, and make use of the primary principles underlying the Iyengar method in their own practice as well as when they teach. For example, one primary principle is working from the ground up. We are taught from the ground up. When we practice, we need to instruct our own body in this same way. When we begin to teach, we follow this principle to instruct others. Other important underlying priniciples are alignment, working with oppositional forces, sequencing, and timings. Yoga Philosophy B.K.S. Iyengar teaches classical yoga based on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, a work which was compiled over 2,000 years ago. By studying, chanting, and memorizing some of the most important sutras, students will become more knowledgeable about the principles underlying classical yoga. Homework assignments and class discussions will focus on how the yoga philosophy that is being learned relates to our own practice and daily lives. Teaching There are 32 poses on the Teacher in Training syllabus. These are the poses that B.K.S. Iyengar wants his teachers to study first and then teach to their students. Over the course of the year, participants will have many opportunities to study and teach these poses. They will also learn how to teach the poses using the Iyengar method's format of demonstration, instruction, observation, and correction. What You Will Be Doing B.K.S Iyengar wants us to explore poses with an open, spacious mind, like a curious child discovering the world through play. It's possible to approach teacher training in this same way. Each weekend, there will be a variety of activities with many opportunities for participation and problem-solving. There will also be ample time to ask questions and clarify your understanding of our work. Over the course of each two day weekend, you will- Reading and Homework You will be given assignments to complete between classes. The homework will include reading and writing assignments to further your understanding of the Iyengar tradition and yoga philosophy. Another important component of the homework will involve your home practice. Assignments will be given to help you explore the poses with greater awareness and openness. By getting to know the poses in many different ways you prepare yourself to teach. The required texts for the program are- Light on Yoga, Light on Pranayama, Light on the Yoga Sutras, and Light on Life by B.K.S. Iyengar, and Yoga in Action: Preliminary Course by Geeta Iyengar. Weekend Schedule We will meet on the following seven weekends- October 6-7, 2007 November 17-18, 2007 January 12-13, 2008 February 16-17, 2008 March 15-16, 2008 April 19-20, 2008 May 17-18, 2008 We will meet each day from 10:00AM-6:00PM. There will be a one hour break each day for lunch. Cost and Registration The training program consists of 98 class hours, and its cost is $1,470. To reserve a place in the program, please fill out the registration form and mail it with a deposit of $250 to Sharon Conroy, P.O. Box 1751, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459. Please make your check payable to Yoga On 30A. Half of the balance, $610, will be due no later than September 15, 2007. The remainder, $610, will be due no later than December 31, 2007. Accommodations Grayton Beach is nestled between two state parks on the Florida panhandle. Its beaches have been repeatedly rated as the best in the continental United States. Sharon will coordinate students finding housing. There are a number of homes facing the state park that can be rented by the day in the off-season. They are located about 1/2 mile from Yoga On 30A and 1/4 mile from the beach. Sharon has a downstairs apartment at her house that can be rented, and there is also a wonderful bed and breakfast in Grayton Beach. If students share a house, the apartment, or a room at the bed and breakfast, accommodations should be available for about $75 per person per night. Housing may also be available with local yoga students. If you have some flexibility in your schedule, consider staying over Sunday night to enjoy the beach after the training. Getting to Grayton Beach If you're flying, regional airports are located in Panama City and Fort Walton Beach, both about 1 hour from Grayton Beach. If you're driving, Grayton Beach is a 4.5 hour drive from both Atlanta and New Orleans. Teacher Training- Year Two Sharon plans to continue the teacher training with another year that will begin in the fall of 2008. In order to participate in the second year, you must have completed the first year. Is the Teacher Training Preparation for Assessment? The first step to becoming an Iyengar certified teacher is to learn what is offered in this one year program- how to teach the method B.K.S. Iyengar has created. When students complete this year long program, most will need time to practice working in the ways they have learned. And, most will benefit from a second year of training if they plan to become a certified teacher. Once a student has practiced what they have learned and teaching in the Iyengar tradition comes more naturally, then they might be ready to seriously consider going up for assessment to become Iyengar certified. Getting ready to be assessed is best done under a mentoring teacher once she/he says you're ready, or in a teacher training specifically designed for that purpose. While there is no question that this one year program will move a student in the direction of becoming an Iyengar certified teacher, it is not designed to prepare students for assessment. That comes later. For anyone who is interested, Sharon will conduct an optional evening session towards the middle of the teacher training to give students an overview of certification and assessment. You will have an opportunity then to ask questions about that process and receive guidance on how to proceed if that's what you want to do. For More Information If you have questions or would like to speak to Sharon personally, please email Sharon@YogaOn30A or call 850-231-1758. Click here to download a Registration Form. |