teacher training | shopping guide | shop around

By this time you should have a clear understanding of your own motivations and needs, and you can begin prioritizing your options. Make a list of the programs you are considering based on geography, program type, length, cost, and any other criteria important to you. Once you’ve accomplished this, it’s time to comparison shop. Below are some of the areas you’ll want to evaluate before making your choice.

Program Intention:

• What is the program's stated intention?
• Does the program seem to have been well thought through?
• Does it seem to be motivated by spiritual liberation, teaching yoga-based exercise, or simply making money?

Admission Requirements:

• What are the admission criteria?
• Is there a practice prerequisite?
• How does the price compare with other programs?

NOTE: When comparing prices, make sure you are evaluating programs with the same number of hours of instruction. For example, a 200-hour program should be much less expensive than a 500-hour program. But also know that program hours vary wildly; one 500 hour program may involve many more hours than another. If in doubt, calculate the cost based on the per hour cost of instruction.

Course Curriculum:

• What are the credentials of the course designer?
• Does the program seem concerned with student development or simply running people through a course of study?
• Is the course geared toward transformation or simply the imparting of intellectual knowledge?
• Are mentoring opportunities an integral part of the program?
• Is the curriculum rooted in an established tradition?
• Does the course of study include all of the elements you feel a well-versed yoga teacher should be knowledgeable about?
• What level of certicication does the course proved you (200-hour, 500-hour, or more)?
• Is the program recognized or sanctioned on a national level?
• How does the course curriculum (including hours devoted to each topic) compare with other programs?

Teaching Staff:

• Take classses from the course director and primary teaching staff.
• Does the teaching style speak to you?
• Are you comfortable with the teachers and their style?
• How are students treated by teachers and staff?
• Are these people you would like to emulate?
• Spend time with whoever will be teaching the bulk of the classes.
• Are the teachers and course director accessible, and genuinely interested in the students?

Studio Environment:

• How does the studio feel?
• What kind of people seem to be drawn to the studio?

Course Director:

For thousands of years, teachers have tested prospective students prior to accepting them, and at the same time prospective students have tested the teacher. This time-honored tradition protects both the teacher and the students. Getting to know your primary teacher is more important than any other single factor. Ask questions. Some questions to ask:

• What is the goal of yoga?
• How is this goal relevant to my everyday life?
• If yoga is spiritual discipline, why so much focus on the body?
• What is enlightenment?
• How does performing physical postures bring about the enlightened state?
• What are the major pitfalls that students must be alert to?
• How can one make yoga accessible to persons with strong faiths in other traditions?
• What is the role of the teacher?
• What does the teacher impart that can't be obtained through books or self study?

Be thoughtful with your questions and ponder the answers. Don’t just accept whatever is given and don’t be fooled by baseless spiritual rhetoric. Take notes, and ask more questions if the teacher’s answer isn’t clear. In many cases, the most obvious answer might not be the most mature answer, so think the answers through for your self. If you still don’t understand, ask more questions. Don’t be shy or intimidated. This is a test drive and you want to make sure you’re getting what you need.

In today’s fast-food culture influencing even the teaching of yoga and the training of yoga teachers, the wise and careful selection of a teacher training program is more important than ever. As with everything in life, there are no guarantees. But with a thoughtful approach and proper preparation, you will greatly increase the chances that your teacher training investment will be a richly rewarding experience.