I recently read this article at yogajournal.com titled "How to choose a Yoga Teacher Training Program". Back a few months ago I remember going through similar feelings of deciding what my expectations of becoming a yoga instructor were and what the different schools had to offer me in terms of scheduling and in the type of program they offered.
Personally, I have ended up placing less emphasis on who my lead instructor is and more on the who the school is and the time frame that the program is set in. I decided I wanted to stay away from more corporate programs that allegedly teach primarily for the money.
Having a few friends who just recently went through teacher training at different studios and each having completely different experiences to tell about, I was sure to listen closely to their experiences and how they felt at the end of their programs. To say that a studio that has a four week intensive program is not a worthy program is unfair. I think these studios should be considered more closely since to solidify the tools needed to be successful in your future goals need to be taught well but in a very short time period.
Knowing that as a learner I need more time to be able to memorize things and make them a natural part of my life and vocabulary, I knew that a four week training program would not be a successful experience for me. So that left me with three schools to consider in the Vancouver area which I could consider to be consistently respectable in their Teacher Training Programs.
Choosing Langara College has always felt very natural for multiple reasons. First I respect the school itself since its primary purpose is meant as a teaching vessel; to provide its students with the skills needed to succeed on their paths through life. I felt that they as a school will cater to different learners and already has the resources to support its students outside the program itself. Also, I have never heard anything but praise from students of Langara, including the one student I happened to meet who couldn't stop praising the school's Yoga program (this was my introduction to Langara in fact!) Finally I have heard that the school consistently attracts instructors from multiple studios as guest instructors. The final and the most major factor is the schools program schedule. The program is set over six months on the weekends, but only every other weekend. To me, this means I don't need to stop working and will also mean that I will still have free time to go on trips, to go skiing, to do what I want. And that means a lot to me.
I have no expectations that this program, or any program will be the one stop solution to becoming a successful teacher right out of graduation. Any teacher out there has had to go through many years of learning and experiences and they are all still continuing to learn and develop.
My favourite quote taken in the article is quoted from Marla Apt, the president of the BKS Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States. She says, "Just because you've gone through the training doesn't mean your training is over... We are always student."
Namaste my friends!
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