Observation Hours - Let's Discuss
Here’s a question I’ve been pondering.
Why do Pilates teacher training programs seem to universally agree that 200 hours should be dedicated to passive observation.
I never understood where that number came from or when it started. It was after my time as a student. Call me old school. But I can tell you that the day I signed up for teacher training in the early 1990's was the day I started teaching on the floor. No, I didn't know the order or the anatomy or really, anything but I assisted. I helped. I stood close by and fetched whatever was needed. I laced straps. I cleaned equipment. I spotted whoever needed a spot. Provided a stretch here and there and made myself useful every minute I was there. I took orders. And I was grateful for it. And all the while I WAS observing. Observing while doing. Observing so much more than one angle could provide. Observing all the nuance of teachers and clients and equipment and the studio itself. There is no way NOT to observe if you are DOING. So I guess I’m not clear why the passive act of observation was somehow parsed out. If I’m being real with you - I probably feel the least like a Pilates teacher when I’m passively observing. Sitting on the floor taking notes is hit or miss as a learning tool. Active observation… that’s different.
Don't get me wrong. Observation in and of itself, is incredibly valuable - but I'll stand up for experiential learning any day of the week. When we built our program we chopped up the 200 and followed my own program where I logged in closer to 75 observation hours over the entire program. At that time there wasn’t a breakdown so we just logged hours and what we did. I'm sharing this for a few reasons. One is that I feel strongly there are too many systems that get mimicked and repeated in our industry (and the world) without anyone asking "Why?". Second is because I would challenge any one looking at teacher training to ask the hard questions. And really there's only one hard question - “Why?”
Why is the program structure what it is.
Why is the program cost what it is?
Why are the program hours what they are?
There should be no accidents in the design of any training program. We work hard every day to continually assess, reassess and redesign our program to deliver the best we can for our teachers to be. The responsibility is simply too huge not to take seriously.
So what do you think about the standard 200 hour observation requirement?
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