STAT Accreditation
The Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT) oversees a number of 3 year full-time teacher training programmes, both in the United Kingdom and abroad. Courses are approved by STAT after a process of evaluation, and are regulated through a system of annual monitoring.
The Bristol Alexander School has undergone an additional process of evaluation, and have had our unique weekly training format of 2½ days validated by STAT.
Admissions
Applications to join our course are invited from individuals who are already committed to learning the Alexander Technique for their own personal development. Prior experience of individual lessons is expected. Prospective students are encouraged to visit training courses by arrangement, and to have lessons with the course director before considering a formal application.
Curriculum
We encourage an open and enquiring attitude to learning and teaching the Alexander Technique so that graduates have confidence in their ability to continue to learn for themselves, confidence in their ability to teach the Technique to individuals and small groups and be able to give introductory talks and workshops.
Our training approach is a mix of small groups and whole class sessions.
One weekend a year is a 3-4 day residential in Wales. We are fortunate enough to have the use of a beautiful, large house on the sea front in Newport, Pembrokeshire. From here we can walk on the coast, the hill behind and on the beach. Exploring Alexander ideas in everyday life situations.
Daily activities
- Students work with tutors, each other, and individually to explore their experience and application of the principles of the Alexander Technique and the ways in which they interact with their environment.
- Practising using the hands. Students separate into small groups with a tutor twice a week to accommodate the different stages of acquiring these skills. 2nd and 3rd year students work with other students and have a one-to-one session each week with a tutor. 3rd year students also give supervised lessons to members of the public and students of the Music Department of Bristol University.
- Teaching Activities and Games. These sessions develop teaching skills that can be incorporated into an Alexander lesson.
Weekly activities
- Study of F.M. Alexander’s books and other relevant literature. Anatomy, physiology and body mapping. Lectures, discussion, hands on, reading and written work.
- Movement and teaching games.
- Discussion groups and talks on Alexander’s principles, related topics.
- Communication and presentation skills: these sessions happen at the Training School and at Bristol University.
- In the 3rd year information is shared and discussed on the teacher/pupil relationship and on setting up a teaching practice.
- 3rd year students also get the chance to work under supervision with the general public who visit the school for weekly lessons.
Home study
Students will spend approximately 4-6 hours a week studying outside school time. This will include a variety of activities such as:
- Studying F.M. Alexander’s books and related texts and summarising each of the books
- Studying anatomy and physiology, including written work.
- Preparing presentations.
- Defining Alexander Principles.
- Reviewing and comparing books on the Alexander Technique.
- Develop self-awareness by keeping a 21-day diary twice a year throughout the training course.
- Video study.
- An Alexander project on a topic of special interest to you of at least 3,000 and no more than 5,000 words.
- Keeping a Journal of your experiences throughout the 3 years
Placements
All our third year students have the chance to work regularly with the music students of the University of Bristol.
Course fees
Course fees are £1650 per term. Fees are due on the first day of each term.
If a student has a period of financial difficulty, we are able to accept payment in installments in advance.
Fees are subject to annual review. As a non-profit association, we run a careful budget and aim to keep the fees as low as possible.
Total Fees Payable
- £1650 Enrolment Deposit i.e. the last term’s fee. (The only fees payable for the last term are any increases in the termly fee, over and above the enrolment deposit already paid.)
- £1650 per term.
Qualifying
Tutors meet twice a term to discuss students’ progress, after which feedback is given to each student.
Students are asked to complete self-assessment forms each term.
Students will be assessed by the school’s external moderator towards the end of each year. The moderator’s role is to assess students’ progress and to advise the head of training and the student.
The decision to put students forward for qualification is the responsibility of the head of training, in consultation with the training staff. The moderator and one other external assessor make the final decision on students’ suitability to graduate, any student who is not considered to be of a standard to teach the Technique after three years may continue their studies until they reach the required standard.
On graduation students will receive a certificate from the School. If graduates wish, they can apply for membership of the Society of the Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT) or Alexander Technique International (ATI).
Students undertake not to give unsupervised lessons in the Alexander Technique until they are qualified.
How we work
The School is a non-profit association, of which all tutors and current students are members.
A requirement of the association is that we have a committee of four members. We ask all students to be a member of the committee for a time during their training.
The head of training is responsible for teaching staff, curriculum, accepting and putting students forward for qualification, and overall decision-making.
Small print
On acceptance of an offer, potential students sign a contract. A non-returnable enrolment deposit of one term’s fees must be paid within four weeks of the offer. A copy of the signed contract and a receipt for the enrolment deposit is confirmation of a place on the course.
Postgraduate Training
Teachers are welcome to join us for Postgraduate Training. Postgraduates can join in with the regular programme, but will receive attention appropriate to their level of experience. Fees are proportional to attendance time.
