Becoming a yoga teacher requires that you know more than just performing a beautiful "down dog." Yoga schools provide instructors with information on the yogic lifestyle and its benefits. Each school ensures that instructors are able to teach a safe and effective yoga class for all participants. Guidelines for teacher training depend on the school you plan to attend. If you're considering a particular yoga school, visit the school or its website to review its guidelines. If you live in the United States, the Yoga Alliance provides guidelines for teacher trainings and lists Yoga Alliance approved schools throughout the country.
Yoga Alliance
The Yoga Alliance is the education and support organization for yoga in the United States. It ensures that consumers get a certain standard of yoga instruction. It supports a variety of yoga styles and traditions and in September of 1999, it created a teacher registry to recognize teachers whose training satisfied its minimum standards. The Yoga Alliance also offers a registry of schools that meet its 200 and 500-hour teacher certification requirements. Schools that satisfy or exceed Yoga Alliance requirements may register as a Registered Yoga School, or RYS. Note that just because a school is not registered with the Yoga Alliance doesn't mean the teacher training program is inadequate.
Contact Hours
A yoga school may require that students complete a certain number of contact hours. Contact hours are time spent with a faculty member of the school, not time spent in yoga class. Some schools have required reading for teachers. Contact hours provide teachers with the opportunity to ask questions of faculty regarding reading material. Also, if there is information that a school considers pertinent for instructors, it's often covered during these hours. Contact hours vary depending on the school.
Educational Requirements
The Yoga Alliance lists educational requirements that schools should cover during teacher training. Teachers learn techniques such as asanas or poses, meditation, chanting, and mantra. They learn how to practice each of these techniques and how to teach them to class participants. A deeper understanding of yoga is gained through the study of yoga philosophy, lifestyle and ethics. The human body and its anatomy and physiology are covered. Special attention is given to body systems and the effect of certain asanas on organs or systems of the body. Energy anatomy is covered with discussions of chakras and where they lie within the body. The practicum component of teacher training provides students the opportunity to teach a class and receive feedback from faculty and other teachers in training.
Non-contact hours
Outside resources are provided to support teacher training. Information is relevant to yoga and may cover anatomy and physiology, among other things. Assessments, tests or class discussions provide a deeper understanding for students. Group activities where teachers-in-training get together for practice are common for yoga schools. Classes are also evaluated outside of training in written or oral format. Class evaluations count toward credit for teaching methodology or practicum.
Continued Education
Yoga schools require that teachers complete continuing education every two to three years to maintain certification. Continued education enhances teaching ability and keeps teachers up-to-date with the latest trends and developments. Practicing with registered teachers with more experience or attending a yoga conference are other ways to stay current. There is also a wealth of information online regarding new research. Writing for publication or producing your own yoga video also afford new opportunities for teachers beyond the classroom.
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