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The Training Prospectus Introduction Curriculum Additional Learning Strategies Faculty Materials and Equipment Student Evaluation & the Graduation Process Application and Acceptance Process Tuition Guild Membership " The singular genius of Feldenkrais lessons is that they use bodily movement, actual and imagined, to focus learning at the juncture of thought and action. Sensory-motor differences spaciously attended to in any act create the awareness to free us from compulsion." -Dennis Leri, Feldenkrais Teacher and Trainer Introduction The Feldenkrais Practitioner Training Program offers each participant a doorway into a new and fascinating profession as well as a chance to engage in his or her own process of personal transformation. In discovering a form in which the refinement of movement is used as the tool for developing awareness, Dr. Feldenkrais left behind a legacy, which improves self-esteem and the quality of life. The changes you will experience in your own movement, sensation, thought and feeling will be the preparation for your successful teaching of the Method. The experiential learning forms a firm foundation upon which to build an understanding of the theoretical principles and practical applications of the work. The curriculum addresses all phases of the learning process and grows in complexity during each of the four years. The training is arranged so that each person can develop at their own pace, in supportive conditions. In this non-competitive environment the joy of learning emerges along with special challenges unique to each individual. In the following pages we give you an outline of the Training Curriculum as well as information about the Faculty and Schedule. We hope this will help answer many of the questions you may have about the Training Program. The Curriculum Year One In the first year of the Training program, we will present the fundamental principles of the Feldenkrais Method. The primary emphasis will be on an immersion in Awareness Through Movement® (ATM) as it forms the basis for understanding the Method on the sensory level. In this first level of understanding, each participant will learn to perceive his or her own patterns of movement as well as new possibilities of self- organization. Students will be introduced to Moshe Feldenkrais through selected videos of him lecturing and teaching Awareness Through Movement. Lectures will be given to convey the influences, which shaped his thinking. The hands-on work will be introduced in a non-goal-oriented manner beginning with the basics of skeletal contact, the division of attention between practitioner and client, "listening hands," and guided practices within simple functional motifs. Students will be expected to familiarize themselves with Dr. Feldenkrais' writing, and study groups will be formed to discuss this material between segments. Year Two In the second year of the training, we will go to the next approximation of understanding Awareness Through Movement. The lessons will increase in complexity, and small group exercises will be geared toward preparing the class to become ATM teachers. Special ATM lessons will be given to address the use of the voice. Students will discuss or analyze ATM in terms of the general principles contained within the lesson, the form of the lesson, and the possible functional relevance of the lesson. ATM teaching exercises will be given which focus on different aspects of what is being tracked during a lesson. These exercises will culminate in the students teaching each other ATM in small groups with supervision and feedback. The Functional Integration (FI) work taught in Year Two will continue to lay out basic patterns of movement. The configurations taught will increase in detail and students will need to do more practice outside of class, in study groups and through review sessions with staff. We will begin the translation of ATM into FI work so that students begin to see ATM as a basis for functional thinking. Upon successful completion of the 2nd year of the training continuing students will be authorized to teach Awareness Through Movement. (See student contract for details.) Year Three In the third year of the program, we will continue to explore the relationship between Awareness Through Movement and Functional Integration. We will have several forums to address the questions that begin to arise in regard to teaching Awareness Through Movement. The actual lessons taught during each segment will become more challenging and will ask for an increased precision and kinesthetic sensitivity. This precision will also be demanded in the learning of Functional Integration. The pace at which Functional Integration will be taught will accelerate in Year Three. Themes of crawling, sitting and walking will be addressed. Self-use will be an important theme as students are given the opportunity to practice FI for longer periods of time. Students will begin to understand how the way in which they organize themselves while practicing greatly impacts the learning of those that they touch. Year Four In the fourth year of the training, we will examine the components of an effective lesson. In relation to "Function," the question will be repeatedly asked, "What does this person need to know in order to do this action?" From studying the way any function is built up through a series of smaller components or "learnings," we will prepare the ground for watching and analyzing some of Moshe Feldenkrais' FI videos. Students will be supervised giving each other an FI lesson, and this will be followed by a supervised "practicum" in which each student will work on people brought in from the outside community. Students will also have a chance to observe a series of lessons being given by members of the faculty to people from the outside. Also in Year Four, we will spend time discussing how to build a practice. Students will be encouraged to see a few "clients" per week on a no-fee basis to begin to build up experience and confidence. Additional Learning Strategies As part of the Training process, each student will receive three Functional Integration lessons per year. Most of these lessons will be given by the teaching staff. Students will also have the opportunity to have additional Functional Integration lessons at a reduced fee from experienced practitioners and members of the teaching staff. These lessons form an important part of the student's learning. In the last two years of the program, students will be encouraged to watch each others' lessons. Videos of Dr. Feldenkrais giving Functional Integration lessons will also be shown both during and outside of class hours. During the training, we will often make use of problem solving exercises to be done in small groups. These problems give each student the opportunity to develop their thinking capacities and expand their ability to "speak in the language" of the Feldenkrais Method. By working together with others, we form a social atmosphere where collaboration and learning from colleagues becomes possible and enjoyable. We believe that the group will form an important resource base for each member after the Training has ended. We will also make use of study groups to help people stay active and involved in thinking about the work between segments. Study groups will be formed according to geographical convenience. These groups will be organized during the first segment of the Training. Special Review days will be scheduled during the trainings where it will be possible to review some of the FI work shown. There will be an additional fee charged for these days unless they are part of a make-up plan for missed days. "What I'm after isn't flexible bodies, but flexible brains. . . . What I'm after is to restore to each person their human dignity." -- Moshe Feldenkrais The Faculty The faculty of the Toronto Training program includes teachers with an outstanding reputation and many years of experience in teaching teachers of the Method. During each segment, the Trainer will teach the majority of lessons. Assistant Trainers will give FI lessons and participate in small group activities as well as teach ATM to the whole group. The number of assistants present in each segment will correspond to the guidelines set by the Training Accreditation Board of the Feldenkrais Guild. Arlyn Zones, the Educational Director will act as lead Trainer in 50 percent of the program, and Olena Nitefor, as Continuity Assistant, will be present nearly 100 percent of the time. As Educational Director, Arlyn is responsible for the pedagogic integrity of the training program. She will develop the curriculum, direct the faculty, and maintain an overview of each trainee's learning. Arlyn Zones, MA (Theatre Arts), began studying the Feldenkrais Methodin 1977 and graduated from Dr. Feldenkrais' last U.S. Training Program in 1983. She has maintained an active private practice since that time, working with infants, children and adults. She has also taught in schools, clinics, hospitals, as well as giving special seminars for physical and occupational therapists on clinical applications of the Feldenkrais Method for orthopedic and neurological difficulties. Known for her direct and personal teaching style, Arlyn inspires creativity and independence in those she teaches. Having participated internationally in the development of Training curriculums, she uses innovative approaches to learning while seeking to preserve and communicate the classical aspects of the Method. Arlyn was Educational Director for the recently graduated Toronto Feldenkrais Practitioner Training Program and also directs Feldenkrais Resources' current West Coast Practitioner Training in Berkeley, California, as well as co-directing the ongoing Amsterdam International Practitioner Training in Holland. She became an Assistant Trainer of the Method in 1988 and a Trainer in 1994. She has taught extensively in Australia, the U.S., and Europe in more than 30 Training programs worldwide. In addition, she teaches advanced seminars for Feldenkrais Practitioners. Olena Nitefor holds a Master's of Education in Movement from Temple University (Philadelphia, PA, 1980). She graduated from the first Toronto Feldenkrais Training Program (1987) and has since lived and worked in Canada. In her ongoing private practice, she primarily works with adults in long-standing and intractable pain (including injuries sustained in accidents, post surgical pain and movement difficulties, as well as a range of difficulties acquired through "repetitive strain"). Olena has 25 years experience teaching Anatomy, and has spent the last l0 years devising special Anatomy curriculums within the context of Feldenkrais Trainings and postgraduate seminars. In 1995 Olena became certified as an Assistant Trainer and has worked as such in Feldenkrais Training Programs in the U.S., Canada and Europe. She brings to her teaching her love of Anatomy as well as her interest in the Feldenkrais Methodas a transformational process. Olena will serve as Primary Faculty and Administrative Director of the Toronto program. Larry Goldfarb, CFT, Ph.D., received his Masters degree in Cybernetic Systems in 1990 and his doctorate in kinesiology, the scientific study of movement, in 1995. Larry graduated from the Amherst Training Program (1983), became an assistant trainer in 1988, and a trainer in 1994. He co-directs training programs in Strasbourg, France, and Amsterdam, and teaches ongoing advanced training seminars in the U.S., Australia and Europe. Larry is devoted to broadening the application of the method, especially when it comes to working on the job. His experience includes working with a wide range of people, including bus drivers, bank tellers, groundskeepers, and stock clerks. Through his teaching and his publications (articles, books, audio tapes, and videotapes), Larry has become known for his ability to articulate "the Method" in the Feldenkrais Method . He currently maintains a private practice in Santa Cruz, CA. Jeff Haller, Ph.D., has been teaching for over 20 years. He was a university varsity basketball player, holds a black belt in aikido, and has studied tai chi, yoga and meditation. He received his Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology in 1988. Jeff graduated from the Amherst Feldenkrais Training Program in 1983 and since that time has maintained a successful practice in Seattle, Washington. He became an Assistant Trainer in 1986, a Trainer in 1993, and has traveled extensively teaching the Method. The emphasis of Jeff's work is to use movement for teaching awareness. He creates opportunities for students to discover their patterns of action and to become more self reliant. When Jeff isn't working, you will probably find him in his van looking for new hiking trails and rivers for fly fishing. Mark Reese has a multi-disciplinary background and a graduate degree in Psychology. After his 1977 graduation, Mark did advanced studies with Moshe Feldenkrais in San Francisco and Amherst and on many trips to Tel-Aviv. Mark is one of the earliest and most experienced teacher-trainers, having taught more than two thousand practitioners internationally since 1983. For the past six years, Mark has travelled worldwide collecting interviews and doing research for a comprehensive biography of MoshÈ Feldenkrais, due to be published in May 2005. Alan Questel is a Trainer in the Feldenkrais Method and was personally trained by Dr. Feldenkrais. He has taught at Princeton University, S.U.N.Y. College at Purchase, the New York Open Center and the New Actors Workshop. Alan lectures and teaches at hospitals, colleges and Feldenkrais Professional Training Programs throughout the U.S., Australia, Europe, Japan, Mexico and Canada. Alan directs Feldenkrais Professional Training Programs worldwide and makes his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Materials and Equipment The trainees are expected to acquire a thorough knowledge of Moshe Feldenkrais' written works and are encouraged to purchase and read these books (CAN$150). A supplemental bibliography and recommended reading list will also be provided. All the books will be available from Feldenkrais Resources (www.feldenkraisresources.com) or from bookstores. Most trainees also choose to buy some of the available transcripts of Dr. Feldenkrais teaching Awareness Through Movement over the course of the training. During each segment, some related materials and equipment (a number of Feldenkrais tables and stools, rollers and foam pillows) will be provided for demonstrating purposes and will be available to trainees when not in use by the training staff and practitioners. Trainees who can are encouraged to bring their own tables and stools in the second, third and fourth years. A group order of Feldenkrais tables will be arranged by the end of year one. Table purchases by students who will agree to bring their tables to each subsequent training segment will be partially subsidized by the training program. Estimated costs of recommended equipment: Feldenkrais table (CAN $650 - $1000 plus shipping) and stool, rollers and pads (CAN $150). There will also be extra charges for audio-recordings of the training should students wish to purchase them. Additional Functional Integration lessons and the cost of review days should also be budgeted for. Student Evaluation & the Graduation Process The Educational Director will be responsible for overseeing the development of each individual student. The Educational Director will arrange to meet with each student during the program to monitor personal progress and help identify areas needing further attention. As in any domain of professional or artistic endeavor many years of study and practice are necessary to reach a level of excellence. We believe that the training program offers an excellent foundation for acquiring the necessary skills to become Feldenkrais Practitioners. However, students can expect to spend many hours outside of class studying and practicing in order to fully learn the Method. Upon graduation they will be beginners whose further development can only come through working in the field. Students will be supervised in the teaching of Awareness Through Movement and may be granted authorization to teach after the first two years of the Training. The permission to practice Functional Integration will be granted after demonstrating a basic level of competency and may be granted after completion of the entire Training Program. Upon graduation, students become certified by the Feldenkrais Guild of North AmericaÆ to teach the Feldenkrais Method. If students miss more than the maximum allowed number of class days -- five days in any given year and a total of 10 days in the entire training -- they must make special arrangements with the Educational Director. These arrangements may include being required to make up class time in another training program at additional cost. Furthermore, the Educational Director reserves the right to ask any particular student to receive further training before being considered for graduation. You are responsible for making your own inquiry regarding all local laws, licenses, and regulations that may effect your ability to practice the Method, both in terms of teaching group classes and individual, hands-on lessons. Any additional requirements that must be met in order to practice in a specific country or state are entirely your responsibility. We suggest that you check with local, provincial, state and national laws or regulations which govern the practice of hands-on work where you live. The Application Process There are three key steps in the application process: Complete the application form. (Click here to download it as a pdf, or contact us to request one in the mail. Mail the form, along with your $75 application fee (non-refundable). You should hear in four to six weeks whether or not you have been accepted into the program. Once accepted, you will receive a student contract. Sign it and return it within 30 days of receiving it, and include a deposit of $250 on your first year's tuition. The contract outlines the training's responsibilities to trainee, the trainee's responsibilities to the training, and various regulations that have been established by the Feldenkrais Guild of North America about the use of the Feldenkrais service marks. We recommend that you also arrange to meet the Educational Director, Arlyn Zones, in person before the start of the Training Program. Arlyn will be teaching weekend workshops in Toronto in the Fall (October 16 - 17, 2004) and the Spring (April 9 - 10, 2005). Opportunities to meet with her can be arranged during these times. Training Schedule Year 1: Five Segments , June 13 - Friday, June 24, 2005 (10 days) ...Note: There will also be a second start session which will run from ...Saturday, Sept. 10, through Wednesday, September 14, 2005 (5 days) and continue ...Saturday, Sept. 17, through Wednesday, September 21, 2005 (5 days). Monday, Sept. 26 - Friday, Oct. 7, 2005 (10 days) Sunday, Nov. 20 - Thursday, Nov, 24, 2005 (5 days) Saturday, Mar. 25 - Thursday, Apr. 5, 2006 (10 days) Year 2: Four Segments Saturday, June 3 - Wednesday, June 21, 2006 (15 days) Saturday, Sept. 23 - Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2006 (10 days) Wednesday, Nov. 29 - Sunday, Dec. 3, 2006 (5 days) Monday, Mar. 19 - Friday, Mar. 30, 2007 (10 days) Year 3: Four Segments (last one merges with first of Year 4) Monday, June 4 - Friday, June 22, 2007 (15 days) Monday, Sept. 24 - Friday, Oct. 5, 2007 (10 days) Wednesday, March 26 - Sunday, April 6, 2008 (10 days)* Monday, June 2 - Friday, June 6, 2008 (5 days) Year 4: Four Segments (first one merges with last of Year 3) Monday, June 9 - Friday, June 20, 2008 (10 days) Monday, Sept.29 - Friday, Oct. 10, 2008 (10 days ) Wednesday, Feb. 4 - Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009 (5 days) Monday, Mar.16 - Friday, April 3, 2009 (15 days) * This segment runs through the weekend, so the days off will be Monday and Tuesday. Tuition The yearly tuition for the Toronto Practitioner Training Program is $5,000 Canadian Dollars per year for years one and two and $5,200 CAN per year for years three and four. (Click here for exchange rate.) The fees may be paid in installments corresponding to each segment of training and are due 30 days before the beginning of each training segment. Guild Membership The Feldenkrais Guild of North America is the major educational and regulatory body of the profession. The Guild does the following: Provides educational services to the public about The Feldenkrais Method Ensures standards of practice and adherence to the code of professional conduct for practitioners/teachers Accredits training programs and certifies practitioners, trainers, assistant trainers Protects and preserves the Feldenkrais work though its service marks Publishes a directory and a journal annually and a quarterly newsletter Promotes the profession while maintaining the standards and meaning of the Feldenkrais Method Organizes yearly professional conferences in North America Promotes regional development through regional newsletters. Canadian Practitioners have their own newsletter We encourage trainees to join as student members (CAN$50 per year) so they can receive Guild publications and get another window into the profession. Upon graduation from an accredited training, new practitioners/teachers can join the Guild as practitioner members for reduced rates. Guild membership is not required for certification as a Feldenkrais practitioner/teacher, however in order to maintain their certification and the right to use the service marks and logo, graduates will need to meet the Guild's ongoing certification requirements and either maintain their membership in the Guild or pay a yearly certification fee to the Guild.