The Vault

Excerpts and bonus material from Volume 3 No. 7: Schools of Thought Issue (Purchase here)

Training Course Evolution (pages 13-18)

Five training course directors were interviewed for this hard-hitting article about evolution of the FM Alexander training model. Some are holding steadfast to the tried and tested formula from the past 50 years, others are looking into options to make their courses more affordable, convenient and contemporary. Some excerpts follow:

 

Page 14, on regulations:

David Moore [School for FM Alexander Studies Melbourne, Australia] says: David Moore

“Financially [the STAT criteria of] 1:5 doesn’t work. If it doesn’t work financially then it doesn’t work in the long run and directors burn out as they are subsidizing the school with their private work. It wasn’t until our school reached 20 trainees that the director was properly remunerated. If we are much under that it just doesn’t work. It also allows us to be able to employ highly experienced visiting Alexander teachers––often from overseas––and to employ specialist teachers in the areas of anatomy, neurology, counselling and communication for occasional lectures or classes. We have also been able to raise the fees for our regular teachers but they still fall short of what they should be getting.”

Jamie McDowellJamie McDowell qualified as a teacher in 1980 under Don Burton. He has been a co-director of the Fellside Alexander Centre in northern England since 1996, which began as an independent school under the guidance and charisma of Burton in the mid 80’s. McDowell had a decision to make when he took the school over:

“I really didn’t have [Don Burton’s] sort of reputation or experience that would suggest that it would be successful if I [kept the school unregulated] and I needed the support of a professional organization and, you know, the credibility that that gives you. And so, Michael Hardwick and I decided that this was going to be a STAT-approved training course, and that means we comply with a set of regulations.”

But even McDowell agrees on the teaching ratio dilemma: 

“It’s not feasible. It limits the financial and economic feasibility of this project. We do it…but it doesn’t work. It doesn’t deliver everything I want, you know…my car has seen better days and none of them with me.”

 

page 15, on recognition of prior learning:

 

Carolyn NichollsCarolyn Nicholls directs the Brighton Alexander Technique College (BATC) in the UK. Her time and financial investment into acquiring accreditation via The Open College Network (South East Region) of the UK has been substantial. The accreditation allows graduates to accumulate course credits towards further academic study. Nicholls says: 

“…this qualification…gives you credits––a particular academic level.  And these credits are like currency in the academic world.  So, you can take these credits and you can go to a university and say, ‘Okay, you’re offering this master’s degree and I’ve got these credits. Can you recognize them?’”

This new development is a step in the direction of bringing Alexander training into alignment with other educational institutions on a competency basis and literally drags the training of Alexander teachers out from the “deep isolation and perhaps a little professional conceit” as suggested by McDowell, and brings it towards recognition by academia. Government recognition may not be looked upon as a benefit by all sectors of the Alexander community, but if from recognition comes acceptance and from acceptance grows demand, perhaps a yellow brick road is appearing thanks to the pioneering work of the Nicholls and Moores of the training community. 

BONUSES
Interview with Jamie McDowell, recorded 22nd January, 2010 : 56 minutes

MP3 File
Interview with Carolyn Nicholls, recorded 5th January, 2010 : 58 minutes

MP3 File
Interview with Tommy Thompson, recorded 4th January, 2010 : 62 minutes

MP3 File

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