My tai chi instructor retired last month. In the meantime, my classmates and I have been practicing in a county park in a more-or-less haphazard, "keeping the class on life-support" fashion.
A few weeks ago, one of the senior students (who, with a senior student in Karate, means to take over the school facility) asked if I'd accept being a "co-instructor" which I found flattering and so I said sure, thinking this meant I'd simply be another senior student who needs to be able to lead the class at the last minute.
Heck, I can do that! BS'ing your way through training on short notice is one of the first things you're taught as an NCO, and in fact, you learn it well before you ever get your third stripe.
About an hour ago, one of the other senior students, whose focus is karate, called me up to tell me not only that I'm going to be leading the class this Saturday (far more advance notice than I'm used to getting) but that I'm also expected to be THE instructor for tai chi!
Hokey smokes - NOW WHAT DO I DO?!
Now I've gotta start looking at getting accreditation from the Yang family, insurance, all kinds of stuff. I don' know nothin' bout teachin' no tai chi!
I mean, I'm gonna do it because I know perfectly well that Yangshi taijiquan will wither and vanish in our region if I don't. But heck - I didn't expect this!
HELP!
gvi
EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
-
global village idiot
- Posts: 142
- Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 9:31 pm
EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
The important things are always simple.
The simple things are always hard.
The easy way is always mined.
- from Murphy's Laws of Combat
The simple things are always hard.
The easy way is always mined.
- from Murphy's Laws of Combat
-
woodenfish
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 7:56 am
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
You sound refreshingly undogmatic — I’d be glad to give your class a go. Perhaps a bit of BS from tai chi teachers is not as rare as you think.
Best of luck
woodenfish
Best of luck
woodenfish
-
Bob Ashmore
- Posts: 754
- Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2005 6:01 am
- Location: Frankfort, KY, USA
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Work with Ken, he should be able to guide you moving forward with this.
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global village idiot
- Posts: 142
- Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 9:31 pm
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Believe me, Bob - he was the first person I thought of!
I'll be bending his ear as soon as I can.
gvi
I'll be bending his ear as soon as I can.
gvi
The important things are always simple.
The simple things are always hard.
The easy way is always mined.
- from Murphy's Laws of Combat
The simple things are always hard.
The easy way is always mined.
- from Murphy's Laws of Combat
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Hi GVI and others,
I find myself in a very similar position with a group of us also practicing in a local park. We have searched for an accredited Yang Family instructors nearby, but with no luck. We have resigned ourselves to continuing our practice together (without a formal instructor) until an alternative becomes available. I would ask that as you move along your journey to find a solution, if you could share what has worked and not worked for you to help guide us. It would be greatly appreciate.
Cheers,
Charles
I find myself in a very similar position with a group of us also practicing in a local park. We have searched for an accredited Yang Family instructors nearby, but with no luck. We have resigned ourselves to continuing our practice together (without a formal instructor) until an alternative becomes available. I would ask that as you move along your journey to find a solution, if you could share what has worked and not worked for you to help guide us. It would be greatly appreciate.
Cheers,
Charles
-
global village idiot
- Posts: 142
- Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 9:31 pm
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Greetings, Charles, and thanks for the kind words!
Everything I've learned about training or teaching anything comes from my experience in the Army. Practically all the training in the Army is done by Sergeants (for brevity's sake I'll use the shorthand term for them - NCOs, for Non-Commissioned Officers). As such, I bring my training techniques from being a Platoon Sergeant to teaching tai chi.
Despite what Hollywood would have you believe, the overwhelming majority of training in the Army does not look like what you see in movies about Basic Combat Training. This is a very special environment, and for many reasons which are too long to go into, we simply can't and won't have such an environment once we get to our Active Duty units, to say nothing of the Reserves or National Guard, who are otherwise civilians 28 days out of a month. Drill Sergeants stay in Basic - they have no place elsewhere. In actual practice, Army training is much like training in any large organization, only with the jargon and culture unique to the military. It is in fact easily adaptable to training and teaching in the civilian world - I've trained Officers in my Masonic Lodge, ham radio operators in my county's club, and so on in addition to the several sessions I've now led in my tai chi class.
So while I'm extremely apprehensive about my skill level at tai chi, I'm not at all uncomfortable with training as such - it's literally the water this fish swims in! In this respect, I can offer the following from my experience as to how I go about teaching any skill.
The first requirement in teaching is that the students must have confidence in the trainer's ability to lead a class. Jedi-level proficiency in the skill is not at all necessary (I've led many sessions where the students in fact train each other), but the trainer must have control of the class environment. This means that the trainer is responsible for the class's agenda, goals and activities, and is chiefly responsible for keeping the class moving along. Oftentimes, classes will degenerate into people discussing things ad-nauseam, getting sidetracked, sharing personal stories and so forth; and it is up to the trainer to gently and non-judgmentally guide the class's attention back on the subject matter at hand. There are times for discussion and sharing among class members, but they should all be focused on the subject, and brought back to the subject once they begin to needlessly stray.
Next, the training must follow a pattern. It need not be rigid at all, but the class and the trainer must all know what's expected either before they arrive or shortly thereafter. In our class, we have the following:
o a bowing-in,
o some qigong,
o work on the solo form, broken down between beginners and intermediate students,
o a section of weapons, push-hands or "self-defense,"
o a group meditation period, and
o bowing-out
This agenda was developed by our school's founder. We are indebted to him for this, and I see no reason to change a thing in it, particularly the bowing-in and bowing-out. These simple ceremonies serve to "close off" the world outside and focus the student on what's happening here-and-now, and at the end, to let the student know that the training is over and they can relax their focus. Every student knows this agenda by the first few lessons. The qigong, what we do in the solo work, and the "open section" are up to the trainer, and good trainers will have something in mind before class begins, and a concise explanation of what is about to happen in each. Conversely, there is nothing so dissatisfying as seeing an instructor go, "Well, whadda y'all wanna do?" See "needless straying" and "sidetracked discussions" above.
Third, the trainer must display sincere enthusiasm for the subject matter, and project that enthusiasm to his or her students. When I taught a task to Soldiers, I had to be absolutely convinced that they NEEDED to know what I was teaching them, and I had to communicate this need by my actions and the way I presented the material. If I didn't think they needed to know whatever it was, how on earth could I expect them to stay engaged throughout the class, let alone retain what I'd shared with them? Suppose, for example, I was teaching the task of putting on a gas mask - something I could teach well because I'd spent several years as the Chemical Defense NCO for my Company. I had to be passionate about making sure the Soldiers knew how to do it properly, and communicate to them the importance of doing the task better than the standard set by the book. I had to keep them engaged, busy, focused and as motivated as I was - and if that meant me doing silly stuff like wiping my face down with decontaminating solution (pulverized activated charcoal) to get all filthy and have them laugh at me, that's what I did - but to this day, each of those Soldiers REMEMBERS what I'd taught them!
Fourth, the trainer must have respect for his or her students. Each of our students, whether for tai chi or for soldiering, comes to the training session with their own unique experiences, perspectives, pasts, priorities and goals. Each has unique ways of learning and retaining. And each shows up bringing different concerns, troubles, issues and obstacles they have to work past in order to grasp what we want to give them. So each student will learn at a different rate, require slightly different ways of presenting the same material, and will retain different levels of information from one session to the next. A good trainer will acknowledge and accept these differences, rather than try and shoehorn everyone into the same system of learning - a sure recipe for dissatisfaction!
A simple and astonishingly effective way to communicate this respect to the student is to start off each class by reminding the students, "You know more than you think you do." This was easy in the Army, because everything I taught them was usually something they learned from Basic training or from their specialty schools, or something they'd seen or were at least passingly familiar with. It was amazing and rewarding, seeing the difference in the level of engagement and interaction in a class that had been told this simple fact, versus one which had never heard it from their trainer.
You can display this as well as just say it. Every so often, ask a student's input. Have one student do something and ask the rest of the class "Does this look right? How can we make it better?" If the task is simple, teach one in front of the class, have him or her demonstrate proficiency, then have THAT ONE teach the next one, and so forth. Tricks like these enhance participation and instantly validate the students - they always feel better about having shown someone how to do something, even if they were just shown how thirty seconds ago!
Lastly, the trainer must not train above his or her level of competence. Anyone can see through BS and few things will erode confidence in a trainer quicker than when he or she shows they don't know what they're talking about. On the other hand, a trainer who acknowledges their limitations can retain the respect of a student, especially if that trainer knows where to point the student to get to the next level.
If it falls to the trainer to monitor the student's progress over time - as I had to with my Soldiers - keeping simple records is essential. One of my cadre colleagues is knowledgeable in computers and has all kinds of ideas about spreadsheets and so forth. I'm grateful for his expertise, but I don't work like that, so I'm putting together a binder like I used to have for my Platoon, with a page for each student that shows their goals (as they articulate them), their progress and very little else. I don't need billing information or address or - right now - even their last name. I want to be a good custodian of their information, and unlike Soldiers, I don't need to know their hat size or their religious preference
To these I'd add character traits like humble confidence (not being a "bow to your sensei" type), having a way to maintain control of the class environment if you're proved wrong (you will be and you need to know how to react graciously to it), being concise, able to listen and other things that go with being a Quality Human Being. Douchebags make poor teachers, except by negative example.
All of what I laid out applies to tai chi, grenade throwing, soldering radio parts, putting on a Masonic degree or just about anything, and I know this because I've spent the last 20 years applying it. As for the unique aspect of teaching tai chi itself, imma keep my pie-hole shut and listen to the people here with something meaningful to contribute.
Because when it comes to tai chi, I'm still VERY MUCH a student!
gvi
(edited to add) I'd also like to thank you, Charles, for helping me to remind myself of my own advice ("You know more than you think you do"), and focus my mind more fully on the art of teaching, applying it to the skill level I have at this time. You've helped me more than I've likely helped you, and I'm grateful to you.
Everything I've learned about training or teaching anything comes from my experience in the Army. Practically all the training in the Army is done by Sergeants (for brevity's sake I'll use the shorthand term for them - NCOs, for Non-Commissioned Officers). As such, I bring my training techniques from being a Platoon Sergeant to teaching tai chi.
Despite what Hollywood would have you believe, the overwhelming majority of training in the Army does not look like what you see in movies about Basic Combat Training. This is a very special environment, and for many reasons which are too long to go into, we simply can't and won't have such an environment once we get to our Active Duty units, to say nothing of the Reserves or National Guard, who are otherwise civilians 28 days out of a month. Drill Sergeants stay in Basic - they have no place elsewhere. In actual practice, Army training is much like training in any large organization, only with the jargon and culture unique to the military. It is in fact easily adaptable to training and teaching in the civilian world - I've trained Officers in my Masonic Lodge, ham radio operators in my county's club, and so on in addition to the several sessions I've now led in my tai chi class.
So while I'm extremely apprehensive about my skill level at tai chi, I'm not at all uncomfortable with training as such - it's literally the water this fish swims in! In this respect, I can offer the following from my experience as to how I go about teaching any skill.
The first requirement in teaching is that the students must have confidence in the trainer's ability to lead a class. Jedi-level proficiency in the skill is not at all necessary (I've led many sessions where the students in fact train each other), but the trainer must have control of the class environment. This means that the trainer is responsible for the class's agenda, goals and activities, and is chiefly responsible for keeping the class moving along. Oftentimes, classes will degenerate into people discussing things ad-nauseam, getting sidetracked, sharing personal stories and so forth; and it is up to the trainer to gently and non-judgmentally guide the class's attention back on the subject matter at hand. There are times for discussion and sharing among class members, but they should all be focused on the subject, and brought back to the subject once they begin to needlessly stray.
Next, the training must follow a pattern. It need not be rigid at all, but the class and the trainer must all know what's expected either before they arrive or shortly thereafter. In our class, we have the following:
o a bowing-in,
o some qigong,
o work on the solo form, broken down between beginners and intermediate students,
o a section of weapons, push-hands or "self-defense,"
o a group meditation period, and
o bowing-out
This agenda was developed by our school's founder. We are indebted to him for this, and I see no reason to change a thing in it, particularly the bowing-in and bowing-out. These simple ceremonies serve to "close off" the world outside and focus the student on what's happening here-and-now, and at the end, to let the student know that the training is over and they can relax their focus. Every student knows this agenda by the first few lessons. The qigong, what we do in the solo work, and the "open section" are up to the trainer, and good trainers will have something in mind before class begins, and a concise explanation of what is about to happen in each. Conversely, there is nothing so dissatisfying as seeing an instructor go, "Well, whadda y'all wanna do?" See "needless straying" and "sidetracked discussions" above.
Third, the trainer must display sincere enthusiasm for the subject matter, and project that enthusiasm to his or her students. When I taught a task to Soldiers, I had to be absolutely convinced that they NEEDED to know what I was teaching them, and I had to communicate this need by my actions and the way I presented the material. If I didn't think they needed to know whatever it was, how on earth could I expect them to stay engaged throughout the class, let alone retain what I'd shared with them? Suppose, for example, I was teaching the task of putting on a gas mask - something I could teach well because I'd spent several years as the Chemical Defense NCO for my Company. I had to be passionate about making sure the Soldiers knew how to do it properly, and communicate to them the importance of doing the task better than the standard set by the book. I had to keep them engaged, busy, focused and as motivated as I was - and if that meant me doing silly stuff like wiping my face down with decontaminating solution (pulverized activated charcoal) to get all filthy and have them laugh at me, that's what I did - but to this day, each of those Soldiers REMEMBERS what I'd taught them!
Fourth, the trainer must have respect for his or her students. Each of our students, whether for tai chi or for soldiering, comes to the training session with their own unique experiences, perspectives, pasts, priorities and goals. Each has unique ways of learning and retaining. And each shows up bringing different concerns, troubles, issues and obstacles they have to work past in order to grasp what we want to give them. So each student will learn at a different rate, require slightly different ways of presenting the same material, and will retain different levels of information from one session to the next. A good trainer will acknowledge and accept these differences, rather than try and shoehorn everyone into the same system of learning - a sure recipe for dissatisfaction!
A simple and astonishingly effective way to communicate this respect to the student is to start off each class by reminding the students, "You know more than you think you do." This was easy in the Army, because everything I taught them was usually something they learned from Basic training or from their specialty schools, or something they'd seen or were at least passingly familiar with. It was amazing and rewarding, seeing the difference in the level of engagement and interaction in a class that had been told this simple fact, versus one which had never heard it from their trainer.
You can display this as well as just say it. Every so often, ask a student's input. Have one student do something and ask the rest of the class "Does this look right? How can we make it better?" If the task is simple, teach one in front of the class, have him or her demonstrate proficiency, then have THAT ONE teach the next one, and so forth. Tricks like these enhance participation and instantly validate the students - they always feel better about having shown someone how to do something, even if they were just shown how thirty seconds ago!
Lastly, the trainer must not train above his or her level of competence. Anyone can see through BS and few things will erode confidence in a trainer quicker than when he or she shows they don't know what they're talking about. On the other hand, a trainer who acknowledges their limitations can retain the respect of a student, especially if that trainer knows where to point the student to get to the next level.
If it falls to the trainer to monitor the student's progress over time - as I had to with my Soldiers - keeping simple records is essential. One of my cadre colleagues is knowledgeable in computers and has all kinds of ideas about spreadsheets and so forth. I'm grateful for his expertise, but I don't work like that, so I'm putting together a binder like I used to have for my Platoon, with a page for each student that shows their goals (as they articulate them), their progress and very little else. I don't need billing information or address or - right now - even their last name. I want to be a good custodian of their information, and unlike Soldiers, I don't need to know their hat size or their religious preference
To these I'd add character traits like humble confidence (not being a "bow to your sensei" type), having a way to maintain control of the class environment if you're proved wrong (you will be and you need to know how to react graciously to it), being concise, able to listen and other things that go with being a Quality Human Being. Douchebags make poor teachers, except by negative example.
All of what I laid out applies to tai chi, grenade throwing, soldering radio parts, putting on a Masonic degree or just about anything, and I know this because I've spent the last 20 years applying it. As for the unique aspect of teaching tai chi itself, imma keep my pie-hole shut and listen to the people here with something meaningful to contribute.
Because when it comes to tai chi, I'm still VERY MUCH a student!
gvi
(edited to add) I'd also like to thank you, Charles, for helping me to remind myself of my own advice ("You know more than you think you do"), and focus my mind more fully on the art of teaching, applying it to the skill level I have at this time. You've helped me more than I've likely helped you, and I'm grateful to you.
The important things are always simple.
The simple things are always hard.
The easy way is always mined.
- from Murphy's Laws of Combat
The simple things are always hard.
The easy way is always mined.
- from Murphy's Laws of Combat
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Hi GVI,
Thank you for your reply and the generosity of the information you have shared.
I found your experiences as a trainer and teacher in the Army and how you have applied this experience to teaching tai chi fascinating… once again thank you for the generous reply I have found it most helpful.
As I mentioned in my previous post “We have searched for an accredited Yang Family instructors nearby, but with no luck”. So at the moment we are relying on published resources to learn (e.g. A Yang Zhenduo video and book, the Yang Jun Traditional Form DVD, The Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Essentials book and other online resources) and I find myself struggling to find guidance on ways to develop and assess our Tai Chi skills without a skilled and experienced Tai Chi instructor.
I have ended up acting as the information guide for our group and the area that concerns me most is my lack of experience with Tai Chi. As you put it in your post “the trainer must not train above his or her level of competence” and without the guidance of a skilled and experienced Yang Family Tai Chi instructor I have no idea where this boundary lies. I think I have understood (at a basic level) the material I have resourced but have no access to experienced trainers or schools to validate my belief. I guess what I am asking here is how have you (or anyone else out there) developed and evaluated your practical skills without a skilled instructor to provide guidance as you progress along your Tai Chi journey to ensure what you are sharing is correct?
Also, at a more basic level I would welcome any suggestions on how to create (as you put it) “a pattern” for our session. How long ideally should a session be? How should the session time be best broken up i.e. how long for warm-ups, qigong, working on the solo form (we are only doing the solo form at this stage), etc. Do you (or anyone else out there) know of any Yang Family guidelines for this?
I expect that there are many more questions that I should be asking of myself but this seem to be the most pressing in my mind. GVI, thanks again and any other thoughts or suggestions you might like to share will be gratefully accepted.
Cheers,
Charles
Thank you for your reply and the generosity of the information you have shared.
I found your experiences as a trainer and teacher in the Army and how you have applied this experience to teaching tai chi fascinating… once again thank you for the generous reply I have found it most helpful.
As I mentioned in my previous post “We have searched for an accredited Yang Family instructors nearby, but with no luck”. So at the moment we are relying on published resources to learn (e.g. A Yang Zhenduo video and book, the Yang Jun Traditional Form DVD, The Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Essentials book and other online resources) and I find myself struggling to find guidance on ways to develop and assess our Tai Chi skills without a skilled and experienced Tai Chi instructor.
I have ended up acting as the information guide for our group and the area that concerns me most is my lack of experience with Tai Chi. As you put it in your post “the trainer must not train above his or her level of competence” and without the guidance of a skilled and experienced Yang Family Tai Chi instructor I have no idea where this boundary lies. I think I have understood (at a basic level) the material I have resourced but have no access to experienced trainers or schools to validate my belief. I guess what I am asking here is how have you (or anyone else out there) developed and evaluated your practical skills without a skilled instructor to provide guidance as you progress along your Tai Chi journey to ensure what you are sharing is correct?
Also, at a more basic level I would welcome any suggestions on how to create (as you put it) “a pattern” for our session. How long ideally should a session be? How should the session time be best broken up i.e. how long for warm-ups, qigong, working on the solo form (we are only doing the solo form at this stage), etc. Do you (or anyone else out there) know of any Yang Family guidelines for this?
I expect that there are many more questions that I should be asking of myself but this seem to be the most pressing in my mind. GVI, thanks again and any other thoughts or suggestions you might like to share will be gratefully accepted.
Cheers,
Charles
-
global village idiot
- Posts: 142
- Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 9:31 pm
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Very good questions. Again, I can best answer from my own experience as a trainer generally - where those with experience training tai chi differ from my perspective, I am wrong and they are right - PERIOD.
Your situation is challenging; however, I'd venture to suggest that you are adding an additional layer of challenge that may or may not be necessary. Specifically, you are looking for a Yang-family accredited instructor. Of course all things being equal, that's the ideal; however, it strikes me that you're making "ideal" the enemy of "good enough."
I'm not accredited and won't be for another few years at the earliest. It takes a serious commitment of time and no small amount of funds to do so, for reasons which become apparent when you read the requirements - I should add that this is exactly as it should be. The art and its stewards have an interest in its reputation, and are right to guard that reputation jealously.
That said, there may be capable teachers in your area who have made the decision that it makes no financial sense for them to get accredited - my own school may make that decision for me; in which case I'd have to do so out of my own pocket (I'm not anticipating compensation for a while).
Using myself as an example, I've made it clear that I'm very apprehensive of my own skill level in tai chi. I should qualify that. I'm apprehensive of it among this learned assembly and in the company of those who are demonstrably far more capable than I am. I would also add that this apprehension arises from my desire to see the art taught as well as it possibly can be taught - it offends my conscience to think that I might degrade the quality of Yang tai chi collectively through my ignorance.
But not everyone has this on their consciences - change the perspective slightly, and my skill level appears somewhat different...
About 3 years ago, I started calling around the area looking for a school. First person to pick up the phone was a lady next town north of me, who teaches tai chi in a place that is primarily a yoga classroom. Yes, we do tai chi, she said. "What family's style do you do, ma'am?"
"We do tai chi."
"I see. Do you do push-hands?"
"What's that?"
"Push-hands, the interactive portion, y'know?"
"We do tai chi."
See where this is going?
It takes no great mental effort to imagine this sort of tai chi instructor. She does a solo form (which I haven't bothered going to observe) which may or may not be Yang, Chen, Wu or Who-Knows-Who? There is much she's not merely leaving out but which she's very likely perfectly ignorant of; and though I wouldn't go quite so far as to call her a charlatan - it may be her clients have no interest in it - I don't think for an instant that she's teaching tai chi as capably as someone here could.
I'm comfortable in claiming that I understand the art better than she does, and not nearly as well as those here. My previous instructor - the one I ended up with - was not accredited either (nor, in fact, were any of my previous teachers going back to the 90s), but he, my previous teachers, my colleagues and my own efforts & study got me to where at the very least I know what I don't know. In other words, I've improved and grown. He and those before him got me to the level of being able to teach the basics, and get students ready for better instructors than I am at present.
So with the understanding that people who are more experienced than I should be deferred to, I'd recommend your group find an instructor who can at least get you to his level. In the meantime, use the guidance I gave you and accept a status of "first among equals." In doing training thus, you must rely on a "consensus" model far more than a more expert teacher would - "How's this look, y'all? Look carefully - I might be missing something." This method has the added benefit of building group cohesion.
Creating a "pattern" for a session is relatively easy, but it takes some time. You must take into account how much time you have overall - our classes generally run 1-1/2 hours, seldom longer than 2. Depending on the age and expectations of your classmates, you may wish to make it 2 hours but you can't really get much productive work done in under an hour. The way our class works, qigong is the warm-up; if we want to do anything additional, we show up early and do it ourselves. Bowing-in and bowing-out for us take but a moment and need not be factored in. If I had to "reinvent the wheel," I'd give warm-up 15 minutes at the beginning and meditation 10 minutes at the end, leaving 75 minutes out of the 90 I have at my disposal, which I can divvy up between solo and partner/weapon time as I please. This is not Yang family guidance - this is GVI showing how he makes a training schedule.
I would also add that it's been my experience - as well as that of the rest of the Army - that no one can stay focused on learning a single task for more than an hour at a time without a break. Soldiers in training take breaks every hour, and it helps them retain what they've learned in the last 50-55 minutes better than if they just charged ahead for one solid block of time. You'll note in the pattern for our class that several different things happen in the 1-1/2 hours we have. If you're doing only the solo form, you'll begin to see a "point of diminishing returns" if you work on one thing for close to an hour. You may wish to focus on one aspect of the form for a while, and then mid-way through (after a short "segue" to get their minds out of one mode of thinking and into another) introduce another aspect for the rest of the session.
I'm glad to help, though I'm sure I'm not the only one in this exchange who would welcome the input of those who actually DO this stuff for a living!
gvi
<edited to add> How do you know what you're doing is right without a teacher to evaluate you? The bad news is you probably can't. There will be habits you've inculcated that you'll have to unlearn. Accept it - I had to unlearn many bad habits from my first teacher. It's part of growing, and fear of making mistakes will hamper growth far more than the mistakes themselves. We seldom learn anything from our successes.
Your situation is challenging; however, I'd venture to suggest that you are adding an additional layer of challenge that may or may not be necessary. Specifically, you are looking for a Yang-family accredited instructor. Of course all things being equal, that's the ideal; however, it strikes me that you're making "ideal" the enemy of "good enough."
I'm not accredited and won't be for another few years at the earliest. It takes a serious commitment of time and no small amount of funds to do so, for reasons which become apparent when you read the requirements - I should add that this is exactly as it should be. The art and its stewards have an interest in its reputation, and are right to guard that reputation jealously.
That said, there may be capable teachers in your area who have made the decision that it makes no financial sense for them to get accredited - my own school may make that decision for me; in which case I'd have to do so out of my own pocket (I'm not anticipating compensation for a while).
Using myself as an example, I've made it clear that I'm very apprehensive of my own skill level in tai chi. I should qualify that. I'm apprehensive of it among this learned assembly and in the company of those who are demonstrably far more capable than I am. I would also add that this apprehension arises from my desire to see the art taught as well as it possibly can be taught - it offends my conscience to think that I might degrade the quality of Yang tai chi collectively through my ignorance.
But not everyone has this on their consciences - change the perspective slightly, and my skill level appears somewhat different...
About 3 years ago, I started calling around the area looking for a school. First person to pick up the phone was a lady next town north of me, who teaches tai chi in a place that is primarily a yoga classroom. Yes, we do tai chi, she said. "What family's style do you do, ma'am?"
"We do tai chi."
"I see. Do you do push-hands?"
"What's that?"
"Push-hands, the interactive portion, y'know?"
"We do tai chi."
See where this is going?
It takes no great mental effort to imagine this sort of tai chi instructor. She does a solo form (which I haven't bothered going to observe) which may or may not be Yang, Chen, Wu or Who-Knows-Who? There is much she's not merely leaving out but which she's very likely perfectly ignorant of; and though I wouldn't go quite so far as to call her a charlatan - it may be her clients have no interest in it - I don't think for an instant that she's teaching tai chi as capably as someone here could.
I'm comfortable in claiming that I understand the art better than she does, and not nearly as well as those here. My previous instructor - the one I ended up with - was not accredited either (nor, in fact, were any of my previous teachers going back to the 90s), but he, my previous teachers, my colleagues and my own efforts & study got me to where at the very least I know what I don't know. In other words, I've improved and grown. He and those before him got me to the level of being able to teach the basics, and get students ready for better instructors than I am at present.
So with the understanding that people who are more experienced than I should be deferred to, I'd recommend your group find an instructor who can at least get you to his level. In the meantime, use the guidance I gave you and accept a status of "first among equals." In doing training thus, you must rely on a "consensus" model far more than a more expert teacher would - "How's this look, y'all? Look carefully - I might be missing something." This method has the added benefit of building group cohesion.
Creating a "pattern" for a session is relatively easy, but it takes some time. You must take into account how much time you have overall - our classes generally run 1-1/2 hours, seldom longer than 2. Depending on the age and expectations of your classmates, you may wish to make it 2 hours but you can't really get much productive work done in under an hour. The way our class works, qigong is the warm-up; if we want to do anything additional, we show up early and do it ourselves. Bowing-in and bowing-out for us take but a moment and need not be factored in. If I had to "reinvent the wheel," I'd give warm-up 15 minutes at the beginning and meditation 10 minutes at the end, leaving 75 minutes out of the 90 I have at my disposal, which I can divvy up between solo and partner/weapon time as I please. This is not Yang family guidance - this is GVI showing how he makes a training schedule.
I would also add that it's been my experience - as well as that of the rest of the Army - that no one can stay focused on learning a single task for more than an hour at a time without a break. Soldiers in training take breaks every hour, and it helps them retain what they've learned in the last 50-55 minutes better than if they just charged ahead for one solid block of time. You'll note in the pattern for our class that several different things happen in the 1-1/2 hours we have. If you're doing only the solo form, you'll begin to see a "point of diminishing returns" if you work on one thing for close to an hour. You may wish to focus on one aspect of the form for a while, and then mid-way through (after a short "segue" to get their minds out of one mode of thinking and into another) introduce another aspect for the rest of the session.
I'm glad to help, though I'm sure I'm not the only one in this exchange who would welcome the input of those who actually DO this stuff for a living!
gvi
<edited to add> How do you know what you're doing is right without a teacher to evaluate you? The bad news is you probably can't. There will be habits you've inculcated that you'll have to unlearn. Accept it - I had to unlearn many bad habits from my first teacher. It's part of growing, and fear of making mistakes will hamper growth far more than the mistakes themselves. We seldom learn anything from our successes.
The important things are always simple.
The simple things are always hard.
The easy way is always mined.
- from Murphy's Laws of Combat
The simple things are always hard.
The easy way is always mined.
- from Murphy's Laws of Combat
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Hi GVI,
I appreciate your comment that I maybe “ …adding an additional layer of challenge that may or may not be necessary. Specifically, you are looking for a Yang-family accredited instructor”. And, I fully acknowledge your comment that with “… all things being equal, that's the ideal; however, it strikes me that you're making "ideal" the enemy of "good enough."
The reason I have described what I was looking for as a ‘Yang-family accredited instructor’ was my experiences 12-months ago when I began my search for a school to attend. Over this period I have explored a number (if not all) the schools and instructors in a 90km (60 miles) radius from home.
What I found was that many of the instructors I spoke with and classes I attended; the instruction presented was very superficial with no exploration of Tai Chi theory or the ‘internal’ art form. I have concluded that in my country (or at least in the regional area of the country I live in) the most popular forms of Tai Chi taught is what is commonly referred to as ‘Moving Meditation Tai Chi’ were the focus is on a series of external choreographed moves with no discussion of the ‘internal’ art form.
I did come across one school in my area that purported to teach Yang Family Tai Chi which I attended for several months (3 times a week). However, in a session of 75 minutes, the Yang Family Tai Chi component averaged 8 – 12 minutes in duration (only the 16-Form was taught), the remainder of the class was focused on completing what felt like as many different sets as possible e.g. Lotus, Lohan Warrior, Shibashi, Wild Goose, Longevity all presented as a set of ‘external’ choreographed moves with no instruction on the ‘internal’ aspects of the sets.
Whilst I felt some what frustrate with this I came to realize what you expressed in your last post, that “…may be her clients have no interest in it…”. However, having said all this, I am grateful to this group for having made aware of Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan, but I wanted more than this group offered.
So this is were I find myself now, with a small group of like-minded people (wanting more than what is currently available in our area) exploring Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan and practicing in a local park. I will continue my search for Tai Chi instructors who will present more than the foot and hand movements of a form.
And, like you stated; I would also “…welcome the input of those who actually DO this stuff for a living!”.
Once again GVI thank you for your feedback and comments they are greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Charles
I appreciate your comment that I maybe “ …adding an additional layer of challenge that may or may not be necessary. Specifically, you are looking for a Yang-family accredited instructor”. And, I fully acknowledge your comment that with “… all things being equal, that's the ideal; however, it strikes me that you're making "ideal" the enemy of "good enough."
The reason I have described what I was looking for as a ‘Yang-family accredited instructor’ was my experiences 12-months ago when I began my search for a school to attend. Over this period I have explored a number (if not all) the schools and instructors in a 90km (60 miles) radius from home.
What I found was that many of the instructors I spoke with and classes I attended; the instruction presented was very superficial with no exploration of Tai Chi theory or the ‘internal’ art form. I have concluded that in my country (or at least in the regional area of the country I live in) the most popular forms of Tai Chi taught is what is commonly referred to as ‘Moving Meditation Tai Chi’ were the focus is on a series of external choreographed moves with no discussion of the ‘internal’ art form.
I did come across one school in my area that purported to teach Yang Family Tai Chi which I attended for several months (3 times a week). However, in a session of 75 minutes, the Yang Family Tai Chi component averaged 8 – 12 minutes in duration (only the 16-Form was taught), the remainder of the class was focused on completing what felt like as many different sets as possible e.g. Lotus, Lohan Warrior, Shibashi, Wild Goose, Longevity all presented as a set of ‘external’ choreographed moves with no instruction on the ‘internal’ aspects of the sets.
Whilst I felt some what frustrate with this I came to realize what you expressed in your last post, that “…may be her clients have no interest in it…”. However, having said all this, I am grateful to this group for having made aware of Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan, but I wanted more than this group offered.
So this is were I find myself now, with a small group of like-minded people (wanting more than what is currently available in our area) exploring Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan and practicing in a local park. I will continue my search for Tai Chi instructors who will present more than the foot and hand movements of a form.
And, like you stated; I would also “…welcome the input of those who actually DO this stuff for a living!”.
Once again GVI thank you for your feedback and comments they are greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Charles
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Greetings,
Hmmmm. There is certainly merit in getting accredited. However, the question is always to what and to whom? Traditionally, there was arguably no such thing. The accreditation of the teachers typically followed the path of, he was taught by so and so, and who was taught by so and so, etc. until it got to a recognised master. Choosing who bestows you the accreditation needs some thought, if you seek such certification. The International Yang Family Taiji Association certainly would have credibility as the lineage and reputation is beyond dispute. However, there are other organisations that set themselves up as certification bodies, could bear with closer scrutiny. Unfortunately, many the unwary might be seduced/conned by them.
However, not having "accreditation" does not mean a teacher is deficient. Rather, he or she is probably "old school" and being knowledgeable and proficient is based on years of training, practice and study. My teacher was not "accredited", but then, he was taught by Tung Ying Chieh and Tung Hu Ling.
One thing that is problematic about accreditation is in respect to those taught by a master from a different lineage. For instance, even though the form I practice is the "same" as that taught by Master Yang Jun, it is sufficiently different in parts that it would not be seen as fully compliant to that practised and taught by IYFTA. However, in naming convention and form execution, it can be clearly recognised as being the 103 postures Yang Family Long Form.
By the way, we all remain students of Taiji to the end of our days, as we never stop learning and improving.
Take care,
Frank
Hmmmm. There is certainly merit in getting accredited. However, the question is always to what and to whom? Traditionally, there was arguably no such thing. The accreditation of the teachers typically followed the path of, he was taught by so and so, and who was taught by so and so, etc. until it got to a recognised master. Choosing who bestows you the accreditation needs some thought, if you seek such certification. The International Yang Family Taiji Association certainly would have credibility as the lineage and reputation is beyond dispute. However, there are other organisations that set themselves up as certification bodies, could bear with closer scrutiny. Unfortunately, many the unwary might be seduced/conned by them.
However, not having "accreditation" does not mean a teacher is deficient. Rather, he or she is probably "old school" and being knowledgeable and proficient is based on years of training, practice and study. My teacher was not "accredited", but then, he was taught by Tung Ying Chieh and Tung Hu Ling.
One thing that is problematic about accreditation is in respect to those taught by a master from a different lineage. For instance, even though the form I practice is the "same" as that taught by Master Yang Jun, it is sufficiently different in parts that it would not be seen as fully compliant to that practised and taught by IYFTA. However, in naming convention and form execution, it can be clearly recognised as being the 103 postures Yang Family Long Form.
By the way, we all remain students of Taiji to the end of our days, as we never stop learning and improving.
Take care,
Frank
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Greetings Charles,
Just noticed that you are also in Australia. Where? If you are in Melbourne, we might touch base. However, I am unfamiliar with the availability of Taiji teaching in the other cities and states. Even in Melbourne, few teach the traditional Yang Family Long Form. Some groups make claims but do not stand up to closer scrutiny.
Take care,
Frank
Just noticed that you are also in Australia. Where? If you are in Melbourne, we might touch base. However, I am unfamiliar with the availability of Taiji teaching in the other cities and states. Even in Melbourne, few teach the traditional Yang Family Long Form. Some groups make claims but do not stand up to closer scrutiny.
Take care,
Frank
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Hi Frank,
Thank you for your comments.
Yes I am from Australia. But unfortunately not in Melbourne, I am in NSW, a bit under 2-hours drive from Sydney. I have also found in my area, as you expressed that “…few teach the traditional Yang Family Long Form. Some groups make claims but do not stand up to closer scrutiny”.
I also acknowledge your comments about the “…merit in getting accredited” and fully accept your statement that “…not having "accreditation" does not mean a teacher is deficient”. I am aware that in a previous post I did state that I was looking for a ‘Yang-family accredited instructor’. I believe what I was trying to express is that, I am “…wanting more than what is currently available in our area… [And] I will continue my search for Tai Chi instructors who will present more than the foot and hand movements of a form”.
What has surprised me, given the popularity of Tai Chi around the world is the absence of well thought out ‘self-directed’ learning programs for those of us without direct access to an experience instructor. I fully understand as many have expressed in other forums the importance of attending formal classes and working with experienced instructors. However, what if that is not an option?
I would love to hear the thoughts of experienced instructors out there on how those wanting to learn and develop their Tai Chi skills might progress, without access to experienced instructors or good curriculum? Until then, I find myself developing my own program of study for myself, and the small group I practice with.
Frank, once again thank you for your comments and I would welcome any suggestions you might have on good groups or organisations around Australia that I might be able to tap-into to support our groups Yang Family Tai Chi journey.
Cheers,
Charles
Thank you for your comments.
Yes I am from Australia. But unfortunately not in Melbourne, I am in NSW, a bit under 2-hours drive from Sydney. I have also found in my area, as you expressed that “…few teach the traditional Yang Family Long Form. Some groups make claims but do not stand up to closer scrutiny”.
I also acknowledge your comments about the “…merit in getting accredited” and fully accept your statement that “…not having "accreditation" does not mean a teacher is deficient”. I am aware that in a previous post I did state that I was looking for a ‘Yang-family accredited instructor’. I believe what I was trying to express is that, I am “…wanting more than what is currently available in our area… [And] I will continue my search for Tai Chi instructors who will present more than the foot and hand movements of a form”.
What has surprised me, given the popularity of Tai Chi around the world is the absence of well thought out ‘self-directed’ learning programs for those of us without direct access to an experience instructor. I fully understand as many have expressed in other forums the importance of attending formal classes and working with experienced instructors. However, what if that is not an option?
I would love to hear the thoughts of experienced instructors out there on how those wanting to learn and develop their Tai Chi skills might progress, without access to experienced instructors or good curriculum? Until then, I find myself developing my own program of study for myself, and the small group I practice with.
Frank, once again thank you for your comments and I would welcome any suggestions you might have on good groups or organisations around Australia that I might be able to tap-into to support our groups Yang Family Tai Chi journey.
Cheers,
Charles
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global village idiot
- Posts: 142
- Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 9:31 pm
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
There may be others with more meaningful experiences than mine, and they should be deferred to. If it's any help, however, I'll share my own story of how I progressed without an experienced instructor.What has surprised me, given the popularity of Tai Chi around the world is the absence of well thought out ‘self-directed’ learning programs for those of us without direct access to an experience instructor. I fully understand as many have expressed in other forums the importance of attending formal classes and working with experienced instructors. However, what if that is not an option?
The short answer is: I did my best tai chi for the time being.
Search through my posts - particularly my earliest ones - and you'll see my periods of formal instruction, up until the last three years or so, were brief and infrequent. The vast portion of my time was self-directed, with no one even to work with, to say nothing of a proper instructor. The closest thing I had to such an instructor during much of this period was occasional interaction with a coworker whose idea of tai chi looked less like tai chi and more like something out of a cheesy 1970s Kung Fu movie - though it was still apparent the intent was there.
As a result, the first few lessons I'd take with subsequent instructors were spent unlearning many poor habits built up over time.
It would be easy to regret these lessons as time wasted catching up, but a better perspective suggests itself. The time used up unlearning didn't merely show me "what right looked like," but also (and this is especially helpful now as I'm an instructor) what wrong looks like, why it's wrong, some idea how it comes about and best, how to fix it! These "mistakes" turned out to be very valuable, since I can spot things which some of my peers who have only been taught one way (and hence never had to unlearn anything) either can't spot or are at a loss how to correct.
Fast-forward to a few months ago when it was my great good fortune to be put in touch with an instructor who is no less than a disciple of Yang Jun himself. I've since spent about five hours training with him and I've learned more in those five hours than I had in the previous year!
I remember walking out of the studio after our first session together thinking to myself, "And here all along I thought I knew how to do tai chi." My colleague said the exact same thing out loud when he came for the second session, and he's been under our retired instructor for the last ten years!
But guess what? We do know how to do tai chi. We did before we met him, only now we do it better. What we had was our best tai chi for the time being, but it improved. we're still doing our best tai chi for the time being, but we both have lots of room to improve.
And then THAT will be our best tai chi.
All this to say that, as long as you're giving it your best effort, it's okay to make mistakes and inculcate habits you're going to have to get rid of. If you're doing your best tai chi for the time being, you're doing tai chi!
Moving on...
The difficulty in producing an entire self-directed course of instruction can perhaps best be understood by comparison. Imagine, for example, being assigned the task of producing a radio program that teaches Asian immigrant couples how to dance the polka.
We'll assume you know how to polka (which you should - it's the happiest music in the whole world). You, as the instructor, would of course know how to do the dance, and very likely be able to describe it coherently - but can you do it in such a way that someone who's never seen it and has no cultural connection to it could do so based on your descriptions? Further, let us suppose that you know every possible mistake someone could make. What you can have no way of knowing, though, is which mistakes are being made by which couples listening to your radio broadcast. And as they can give you no feedback, they have no way of knowing whether they're doing it right, despite trying their best.
Sound like a tall order?
For your part, you have at your disposal several books and a video or three, so the comparison is imperfect. I've made it purposely absurd mostly for humor's sake, but also to illustrate an important point. The difficulty in making a course such as you describe is precisely because the instructor must not only anticipate every possible mistake - of which there are a vast and subtle multitude in tai chi - but also perform the flatly impossible task of knowing which mistakes you're making, as you make them, without you being able to tell or show him or her. That barrier of space and time prevents such a course from ever existing.
Do your best, learn from everyone you can, and proceed in good faith with the fundamentals always in view. In this way, you'll still be doing your best tai chi for the time being, and the habits you'll ultimately have to unlearn will be easier to correct.
gvi
The important things are always simple.
The simple things are always hard.
The easy way is always mined.
- from Murphy's Laws of Combat
The simple things are always hard.
The easy way is always mined.
- from Murphy's Laws of Combat
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Greetings all,
The question is how can you learn Tai Chi if you don’t have a qualified teacher nearby from who you can take regular lessons? Here are some rough ideas, the success of which depends on what kind of learner/student you are, how good a learner/student you are, your resources in time and money, and issues of the spirit.
If you don’t have a teacher nearby for regular lessons, you can travel to seminars or to take irregular extended lessons, e.g., once a week, once a month, or once a year. Quite a substantial amount of my learning has taken place through travel to seminars, and I would consider at least two of those to be life changing.
If you can't travel to a teacher for one or more extended lessons, you may be able to induce one to travel to you. I have been on both sides of such arrangements, both paid and unpaid. At one point, a number of us were making regular six-hour regional car trips to train push hands with each other over a day or two.
If travel either way is impractical, I have heard a number of people who have endeavored to establish virtual relationships through things like Skype to provide feedback and instruction. I have not done this myself, but have wondered if I could do it. If you are very interested in that, I can try to find someone in the Association who would be willing to do that or maybe consider it myself. A key issue here is the ability to establish a bond of trust and emotional compatibility.
If you can’t arrange any kind of interactive teaching, you will have to rely on books and videos and message boards like this one. Be careful that you do not try to assimilate teaching or training methods from different teachers that may not be compatible.
If you are going to do the Association’s forms, I would also strongly encourage you to join the association to get access to the magazine and some of the other study materials, such as the student handbook. The cost is not high. Even if you don’t do the Association’s forms, there is still probably much useful material.
All the above options can be mixed together, but an additional one that pervades them all is the ability to learn how to self correct. This is not easy and takes diligence and attention.
Master Yang seems to have been stressing self correction more and more in recent seminars. At the most recent one, for example, he went through a long discussion of how to handle the breath and how to use the breath to check the correctness of your posture. I have mentioned a few of these before, but would be happy to describe a few exercises if desired.
I don’t have time to talk about what to study without a teacher, but hope to be able to post within the next few days.
I hope this is helpful.
Take care,
Audi
As I mentioned in my previous post “We have searched for an accredited Yang Family instructors nearby, but with no luck”. and I find myself struggling to find guidance on ways to develop and assess our Tai Chi skills without a skilled and experienced Tai Chi instructor.
I think there are two sides to this issue: the how and the what. Let me address the how first.I would love to hear the thoughts of experienced instructors out there on how those wanting to learn and develop their Tai Chi skills might progress, without access to experienced instructors or good curriculum? Until then, I find myself developing my own program of study for myself, and the small group I practice with.
The question is how can you learn Tai Chi if you don’t have a qualified teacher nearby from who you can take regular lessons? Here are some rough ideas, the success of which depends on what kind of learner/student you are, how good a learner/student you are, your resources in time and money, and issues of the spirit.
If you don’t have a teacher nearby for regular lessons, you can travel to seminars or to take irregular extended lessons, e.g., once a week, once a month, or once a year. Quite a substantial amount of my learning has taken place through travel to seminars, and I would consider at least two of those to be life changing.
If you can't travel to a teacher for one or more extended lessons, you may be able to induce one to travel to you. I have been on both sides of such arrangements, both paid and unpaid. At one point, a number of us were making regular six-hour regional car trips to train push hands with each other over a day or two.
If travel either way is impractical, I have heard a number of people who have endeavored to establish virtual relationships through things like Skype to provide feedback and instruction. I have not done this myself, but have wondered if I could do it. If you are very interested in that, I can try to find someone in the Association who would be willing to do that or maybe consider it myself. A key issue here is the ability to establish a bond of trust and emotional compatibility.
If you can’t arrange any kind of interactive teaching, you will have to rely on books and videos and message boards like this one. Be careful that you do not try to assimilate teaching or training methods from different teachers that may not be compatible.
If you have any questions about any of the materials, feel free to post them. No question is too small, silly, or stupid to ask. One advantage of having an Association dedicated to this particular form is that the form(s) should be identical at all schools around the world down to very small details.So at the moment we are relying on published resources to learn (e.g. A Yang Zhenduo video and book, the Yang Jun Traditional Form DVD, The Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Essentials book and other online resources)
If you are going to do the Association’s forms, I would also strongly encourage you to join the association to get access to the magazine and some of the other study materials, such as the student handbook. The cost is not high. Even if you don’t do the Association’s forms, there is still probably much useful material.
All the above options can be mixed together, but an additional one that pervades them all is the ability to learn how to self correct. This is not easy and takes diligence and attention.
Master Yang seems to have been stressing self correction more and more in recent seminars. At the most recent one, for example, he went through a long discussion of how to handle the breath and how to use the breath to check the correctness of your posture. I have mentioned a few of these before, but would be happy to describe a few exercises if desired.
I don’t have time to talk about what to study without a teacher, but hope to be able to post within the next few days.
I hope this is helpful.
Take care,
Audi
Re: EGAD! The fools want to put me on cadre - NOW WHAT?!
Hi Audi,
Thank you for your post and for sharing your ideas and experiences.
The thought of virtual instruction is an intriguing one, which I would be happy to explore further. As I mentioned in a previous post (September 25) my search for a local instructor has not been successful, but I continue to search further a field for workshops and seminars that might compliment my studies.
In the meantime I am developing (and continually modifying) a ‘self-directed’ learning package for our small group using the “instructor – Study Guide’ and the ‘Tai Chi Chuan Essentials” books from the members section of the association website as a rough guide. However as much of the information in these two documents is very general in nature (from a curriculum perspective) I am continually looking for information on learning objectives, lesson plans, self assessment techniques and resources to supplement our study package.
Audi, to that end you mentioned that:
Once again, thank you for sharing your ideas and experiences it is greatly appreciated. And I will look forward (when you have time) to read your posts on
Charles
Thank you for your post and for sharing your ideas and experiences.
The thought of virtual instruction is an intriguing one, which I would be happy to explore further. As I mentioned in a previous post (September 25) my search for a local instructor has not been successful, but I continue to search further a field for workshops and seminars that might compliment my studies.
In the meantime I am developing (and continually modifying) a ‘self-directed’ learning package for our small group using the “instructor – Study Guide’ and the ‘Tai Chi Chuan Essentials” books from the members section of the association website as a rough guide. However as much of the information in these two documents is very general in nature (from a curriculum perspective) I am continually looking for information on learning objectives, lesson plans, self assessment techniques and resources to supplement our study package.
Audi, to that end you mentioned that:
Self-correction plays an important part in our ‘self-directed’ learning package and I would welcome any ‘exercises’ or literature on self-correction specific to Tai Chi that you may have available.Master Yang seems to have been stressing self correction more and more in recent seminars. At the most recent one, for example, he went through a long discussion of how to handle the breath and how to use the breath to check the correctness of your posture. I have mentioned a few of these before, but would be happy to describe a few exercises if desired.
Once again, thank you for sharing your ideas and experiences it is greatly appreciated. And I will look forward (when you have time) to read your posts on
Cheers,what to study without a teacher…
Charles