Teacher Training in 2020

As we wrap up this turbulent year, we reflect on how this pandemic affected our community. Not only did studio closures affect our group classes and privates but also our teacher training courses. As a leading teacher training center, that has built a reputation for growing quality Instructors, Thicha was not going to let a country-wide lockdown stop her! This week, we chat with our Education Director and Lead Instructor Trainer on her experience on taking these intensive and usually studio-based training courses, online!

How did you feel about conducting some of your teacher training courses online? 

All the courses were planned a year in advance. However, the day before my IMP course started, the government announced the circuit breaker. I didn’t have time to prepare anything. I made the decision to take everything online. I set up a Zoom account and informed all the students.

Teaching courses online gives me the opportunity to explore other aspects of teacher training. The absence of physical interaction has challenged me to find other ways to connect with the students – as well as students connecting with one another. It was challenging in the beginning but in the end, everyone enjoyed their experience. We felt more united and stronger together. This experience has taught me to be more open-minded and be ready for anything to be thrown at you. 

How did you find the experience? 

What I like the most about teaching online is that it gives me the opportunity to explore and find ways to communicate in the virtual world. When teaching in the studio, you take for granted the physical aspect such as facial expressions or physical touch that could replace your verbal cueing abilities. By taking away the physical aspect of it has helped me be more skillful in my verbal cues and I’ve learned to be more patient about it. Sometimes things are easily understood or explained through physical interaction but not being able to express through my body language takes a bit more time to explain verbally. I’ve learned to be more patient and learned to use my verbal cues more effectively.

What did you not like about teaching online? 

I wouldn’t say I dislike teaching online but I’ll enjoy it more if I was able to have physical interaction with my students. I think sometimes words cannot express what you truly mean – our facial expressions, interacting with one another, learning and being present together – it is very soothing. 

What did you learn from the experience? 

I’ve learned to be resilient, adaptable, and the importance of teamwork. Without my business partner, Dennis, who helped set up my online platform and without my admin staff reaching out to my students while getting all the backend ready would not have been possible overnight. This experience has taught us to be stronger together and work together as a team!