( The Course
The training school started in 1993 with
ten students. Numbers have fluctuated up and down since then and we currently (September 2011) have four full-time students. Training can start in any term – September,
January or April. The course is approved by the Society of
Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT), which is the largest and
longest-established association of teachers of the Technique in this country
and in the world. Graduation from this course entitles our students to apply to
become teaching members of the Society. The training programme lasts for three
years (nine consecutive terms). Class is
from 9.15 – 12.30 five days a week (Monday to Friday). There are three terms
each year: the spring term is 10 weeks long, the summer term is 11 weeks long
and the autumn term is 12 weeks long. We have a week′s half term break in the
middle of each term. Over three years students will complete a minimum of 1600
hours of training, as required by STAT. The daily programme consists of
Class
sessions The open class is the centre-piece of
the course and the most important part of the training. During these sessions
students learn to work by themselves on the principles and practice of the
technique. Meanwhile the teachers present move around the class working with
each student in turn. While much attention is paid to making sure that each
student gets a fair amount of individual attention, the teachers will also work
with students in pairs or sometimes with groups. As the students advance in their work, they
begin to work not only by themselves but also with the other students. This
process is gradual. Since we put such importance on bring able to work on
yourself, students do not start putting hands on straight away. Perhaps during the first year a student
will not do any hands on work, but usually towards the end of the first year
the hands on work begins. At first this
consists of learning to maintain good use while just putting hands on another
student, then gradually there is a progression through
moving limbs to movement through space (standing, sitting, walking, bending,
etc). By the end of the second year students
are usually familiar with most of the procedures they will remember from their
own early lessons. During the third year this work is
developed as the student works for longer periods with the other students, and
then during the eighth term each student will have their own pupil who will
come into class once a week. This will be someone who
has not had lessons before, so that the student has the experience of giving a
first lesson – and then the experience of carrying on from there to give a
course of lessons to their pupil. Hopefully this first pupil will stay with them during their ninth term,
and they will also get another new pupil to work with. So a ninth term student
will be giving two lessons a week in class as well as getting turns from
teachers and working with the other students The whole process is aimed at
emphasising the importance of working on yourself,
both in preparation for working on others and during the course of working on
somebody else. At the same time we also aim to produce students who have plenty
of experience of giving lessons and are therefore competent to go out and
teach. The
tea break The tea-break is an essential part of
our morning, not only because we are in Discussion
time The middle section of the morning
differs according to the day of the week. We also seek to vary what we are
doing from time to time so that it remains fresh and interesting. Current practice is as follows:
Written
work Practical work is the essential part of
any teacher′s training, but written work
can also be helpful. There is no stipulated requirement for written work.
Students are encouraged to get their thoughts about the Technique onto paper
from time to time. This might result in extensive pieces or could just be short
notes or ideas. Many students choose to
keep diaries and notebooks and this is encouraged. Written work can always be handed in for comments
and suggestions, but does not need to be. Anatomy Anatomy is taught by Tim Ainslie.AinslieTim qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist in 1984. He is a member of the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists and has completed a Masters degree in Applied Biomechanics at Strathclyde University. Tim has been a senior lecturer at Oxford Brookes University since 2000, where his specialist subject is the management of musculoskeletal dysfunction at undergraduate and postgraduate level. In his role as clinical education coordinator Tim works closely with clinicians to develop the practice components of the Brookes programmes. He is chair of the national network of clinical education coordinators at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and is editing a practice guide for students and graduate physiotherapists to be published by Elsevier in 2012.
Tim's programme for Oxford Alexander Training School consists of two units, each of three sessions. These are delivered over six whole mornings, three in one term and three in the following term.
The three sessions of Unit One are 1. Bones and Joints, 2. Muscles and Nerves, 3. Posture and Pathologies.
The three sessions of Unit Two are 1. Bones Joints and Manipulation of the Spine, 2. Muscles Proprioception, Postural Control, Trunk and Neck Stability and Muscles of Respiration, 3. Nerves, Posture and Pathologies.
All enrolled students attend these sessions, whatever stage they are in their training, and the whole programme is repeated every other year. Thus all
students will do the course at least
once and some will do it twice.
Staffing The minimum student/teacher ratio (in line with
STAT guidelines) is 5:1. The Director of the
course is present every day except Tuesday when Azize
Stirling, the main assistant teacher, is in charge. There is a small pool of teachers who come in from time to time to assist. Most terms also see one or two special visits, mostly
from senior or well-know teachers. It is
hoped that these arrangements provide a balanced programme of teaching,
combining stability with variety. Teachers The Director of the Course is Stephen
Cooper. He trained in The main assistant teacher is Azize Stirling. Azize trained in We are lucky to have the use of a hall
that was newly built just before the training course started. It is situated in
a very pleasant leafy spot which is nevertheless just inside the There are no formal qualifications
required for joining the course, nor is there any age limit. Students will be expected to have had
Alexander lessons for a reasonable period of time. Generally, prospective
students will visit the course, and this provides a satisfactory way for the
Director to decide whether to offer them a place (and for them to decide if
they want to join). Prospective students are welcome to visit as often as they
like, as this makes the decision-making process much easier. For
students joining in September 2011 and thereafter until further notice fees will
be £1400 per term. So far we have been
successful, when fees have had to rise, in limiting the rise to new students,
so that once someone joins the course they can reasonably expect that their
fees will not go up before they qualify. Fees are payable in advance and in
addition a deposit of one term’s fees is required. Once the student has joined the course this
is not refundable. The purpose of the
deposit is to provide the course with a small amount of financial
security. If a student leaves the course
then a term′s notice is required and the deposit will be used to cover this,
otherwise the deposit will be used to pay for the last term′s fees. To
apply to join the course, or to arrange to come and visit, please contact
Stephen Cooper OX3 8NW Tel 01865 765511 or 07981 323 654 Email: scooper1@btconnect.com www.alexandertrainingoxford.co.uk For further general information about
the Technique, contact: The Society of Teachers of the Alexander
Technique, 1st Floor, Linton House, Tel 020 7284 3338 Fax 020 7482 5159 Email: enquiries@stat.org.uk |