“If I smile or frown enough, emotion will etch itself into my face and repetitious thought will carve grooves in the fabric of my mind. How then does my body, the sum in form of all my energies, express me? Does honouring it enable me to express more”
Meredith Page
A Three Year Training - Our Course structure
- The training is attended over three consecutive years.
- We offer three terms of 10–12 weeks per year, with a one or two week half-term.
- Our format is: Fridays 9am–4pm and Saturdays 9am–4pm. In addition students have a weekly private lesson followed by 2 hours of self directed study. If you live outside of Bristol these lessons can be taken with an approved Alexander teacher near you.
- Term dates are decided in consultation with the Committee and we do our best to fit in with children’s school term dates when relevant.
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.
Admissions
Applicants will be required to have a good basic understanding of the Alexander Technique, both theoretically and in practical application. You will have had Alexander Technique lessons from a teacher who has attended a three-year, full-time training school.
You will be enthusiastic and interested in learning.
We encourage potential students to visit the school at least once – more than once if possible – before applying for a place on the course. There is no charge for these visits. Visitors are invited to take part in the day’s classes, meet and work with the tutors. Before making an application you are requested to have a private lesson with Caroline, our head of training.
Course fees
Course fees are £1,278.50 per term. Fees are due on the first day of each term.
If any 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
- £1278.50 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.)
- £1,278.50 per term. There is an additional cost for weekly private lessons at £30 per week. This takes the total term fee to £1,650.
- Students pay an extra £150 per year for the external moderation visits. This payment can be broken down into three and paid over the year.
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.
