Schedule & Assessment

The IYTT schedule has been adapted to respond to the opportunities of online teaching whilst maintaining the immediacy of in-person teaching.  The course will be delivered in a modular format providing an immersive and cohesive learning experience, both online and in-person.

Schedule

There are 5 training modules in total.  Modules 1-4 are five days each, and Module 5 is three days.

Modules 1, 3 and 5 will be delivered in London, in-person.  The other dates will be delivered online.

Training days run 9.15 -5.30pm each day.  In addition there will be a mock assessment and a final assessment, which will be externally assessed. Mentoring and supervision meetings will be organised at suitable intervals throughout the course.

The course runs over 12 months, providing well over 200 hours of direct contact with senior yoga teachers.  There will be a maximum of 14 trainees, to ensure plenty of time for individual attention and mentoring throughout the course.

Assessment

All trainees will be assessed on an ongoing basis throughout the course.  We will provide regular feedback and mentoring to help you develop and grow, supporting you as you gain the necessary confidence and knowledge required in your new role as yoga teacher.

All trainees are required to participate in all elements of the course and are required to complete pre-course preparation and reading and a a range of personal research assignments issued during the course.

Written work and personal research

Throughout the course, trainees will be set reading and some written and practical research projects to support their learning.  All trainees are required to demonstrate that they have understood and absorbed the material presented during the course through written and practical assignments. Trainees are required to complete the following assignments and research projects:

• Maintain your own yoga journal to record your personal yoga practice.  This is a tool to encourage trainees to reflect and explore their experience whilst working with breath, meditation, observing, assisting and teaching
• Two philosophy essays, to demonstrate your understanding of yoga philosophy
• Design a comprehensive 6 week course, suitable for beginners. This should be fully annotated and illustrated with stick figures. You will be thoroughly prepared, guided, and briefed for this homework, and will receive clear and comprehensive feedback
• A case study outlining your design and teaching of 10 classes,  showing your teaching plans for each class, together with your reflection on your experience

Teaching assessments

Trainees are encouraged to begin practising their teaching skills as soon as possible, to thoroughly prepare them for the formal assessments, so that they develop into skilful and confident teachers. All trainees are required to teach 10 classes, minimum 10 hours of total teaching time, between Module 1 and Module 5.

To successfully graduate from the IYTT course, each trainee’s teaching skills will be observed and assessed on three separate occasions: twice internally (by Catherine Annis) and once externally (by an independent assessor). There will be ample teaching practice during the course modules to prepare you for these assessments.

1. Mid-term assessment

   The first teaching assessment takes place approximately half way through the course, during Module 3.  All trainees will teach two poses to their fellow trainees.  You will be provided with comprehensive feedback on all aspects of your teaching skills to help identify areas for development.

2. Mock assessment

   For the second teaching assessment, the mock assessment, you will design and teach a 60 minute class to a group of at least 5 students.  The class plan and the class will be reviewed and feedback will be provided to help you identify areas of strength and any areas where you need to develop to meet the criteria to pass the final assessment.

3. Final assessment

   The third teaching assessment is the final assessed taught class.  This is a 1 hour class of your design, which you teach to a group of at least 5 students.  This will be assessed by an external assessor.  Trainees are responsible for arranging their own sample students and for paying the necessary assessment fees directly to the assessor (currently on average £90 per assessment).

This assessment procedure is intended to be rigorous, and is designed to ensure that trainees graduate as confident, well-practised, safe and resourceful teachers, who have the necessary skills to adapt and modify their classes to suit students of all abilities. Trainees will take part in regular teaching practice during the modules and in the periods between modules to ensure they are thoroughly prepared for the assessments. The feedback provided throughout the course and during the assessments will help you develop your teaching skills, build confidence and ensure your teaching is clear and easily accessible, so you become an effective and engaging teacher.

Other requirements towards graduation

In addition to the written homework and assessed classes, each trainee will also be required to complete the following elements outside the modules:

• 60 hours classes / workshops with recommended teachers
• 30 hours documented self-practice
• 20 hours observing
• 10 hours assisting
• 6 hours first aid (approximate)
• 5 hours mentor meetings and professional supervision
• Personal research assignments to underpin your learning after each module

First Aid Course – All trainees are required to complete a basic First Aid course (at their own expense) before they begin teaching students outside the course.

Graduation is only possible once all the above elements have been completed.