by Melanie Mackintosh.
This is a great question, and one that is being asked more and more as many “quick fix” yoga teacher training programs are being offered via places like Facebook Marketplace etc.
Here’s some tips on helping your to decide which course to choose:
What is the most important thing that I should look for in a yoga teacher training program?
Is the yoga school and its program accredited by Yoga Alliance or Yoga Australia? This is extremely important. The accreditation process is thorough, so in choosing an accredited course, you know that you are being trained by industry professionals.
What’s the difference between courses that are offered online v’s those offered in person?
Online courses are cheap. Very cheap. Ask yourself why this is the case? Chances are, these courses are not taught at all … instead, participants receive a pre-recorded/pre-prepared manual of information that they work through on their own. Who is guiding this yoga teacher trainee? No one, and that’s a major disservice to the yoga teacher trainee and their future students. At AYA, we will not employ yoga teachers who have been trained this way. Our yoga teacher trainees are guided in person (and sometimes, in real time on Zoom) for every class. Our teacher trainees receive consistent, ongoing support and feedback from their teachers so they feel supported all the way.
How quickly do you want to start teaching?
At AYA, our 200 hour programs are 4 months and our 350 hour program is 1 year. Both programs are amazing, but we offer two choices to help fit into your lifestyle.
What are the biggest differences between 200 hour and 350 hour Yoga Teacher Training courses?
- Investment – clearly a longer course will be more expensive, so your personal financial situation is important to consider in deciding on the course you can afford
- Learning styles – the 350 hour course may be more appropriate for those people who do not like intensive periods of study or feel like they need more time to absorb information and apply it in their own practice before teaching others
- More subjects to study – the 350 hour course gives you more subject areas to study in the areas of anatomy, philosophy, meditation and some special needs areas, that are not covered at 200 hour level
- More time to refine your teaching skills – the 350 hour course, naturally, gives you more opportunity to practice teaching and to integrate the feedback that you receive from your teachers
What if I don’t live in Melbourne?
Some of our courses have a component that is delivered in real time for everyone, via Zoom. The components that are designed face-to-face in the studio may also be done via Zoom. Sometimes our interstate and international students arrange to be in Melbourne for as much of the face-to-face training as possible. This tends to work well over the weekend training. We have many students who also travel once per week to the studio for face-to-face training. We generally have a course that will suit you, and we can also create bespoke courses if need be.
What else should I consider before choosing a yoga teacher training course?
Some other important questions that prospective yoga teacher trainees ask us are things like:
- Do I have to pay to attend classes whilst I am in training? At AYA, we provide complimentary yoga classes to all of our yoga teacher trainees whilst they are in training
- Will I be individually guided by a teacher? At AYA, we personally guide all of our teacher trainees every step of the way along their training journey.
- Will you help me find a job at the end of my training? At AYA we can help to connect you with many yoga studios across Melbourne. We also have a growing amount of opportunities in areas such as aged care, NDIS and schools where we need teachers who are interested in working across many different groups.
- Do you provide further training courses after I have completed my foundation level studies? AYA is a known centre of professional excellence. We offer extended studies in the areas of Yin, Prenatal/Postnatal, Meditation, Restorative and Youth Yoga. In 2023, we will also be introducing Trauma Informed training.
Are you ready to start your yoga teacher training journey?
If so, book a studio tour and chat with Melanie Mackintosh, our yoga teacher training expert, on 0413 298 132 or at melanie@australianyogaacademy.com