Teacher Training FAQ

Yes you can! As long as you have had some experience with yoga you can do this Training.

At least one (1) year yoga experience or even another Teacher Training certification is ideal. 6 months is acceptable if you can prove that you had a consistent practice during that time (a letter of approval from your senior teacher/studio owner can work or taking classes at The Sangha Trinidad).

Stable mental health. Training with this intensity can provoke a very emotional and turbulent experience for some. If you are feeling emotionally or mentally unstable, we suggest that you delay your attendance until a future training. Please consider this information and make your decision accordingly.

A good level of physical health.

Due to the intense physical and mental demands of the 6-Week intensive, this training is not suitable during pregnancy.

It is strongly advisable to have the approval of your studio owner when applying to the training. This is helpful for many reasons, particularly because it gives you a chance to connect and build a relationship with your studio owner, receive feedback on your practice, and discuss potential teaching opportunities in the future.

An understanding that teaching positions are never guaranteed after the 6-Week Intensive.

An understanding that this is an intensive program, and as such requires a firm commitment to hard work and enthusiastic participation. Attendance at all classes is mandatory.

A strong commitment to participating in the 10-month distance learning program that follows the 6-Week long intensive.

No. This program is open to anyone...Trinidad and Tobago national or elsewhere.

No. Lodging is not included in this fee. If you need accommodations though, we can try to find you some options and then the rest is up to you.

Absolutely not! This is what the Training is for...to help you deepen your awareness of your own practice. At the end of the day, none of us is perfect...we all have something that we need to work on. What we are trying to help you do, is help others realise their potential, but it doesn't mean that you will be able to do it yourself.

Honestly, just sticking to your practice is the best way to prepare. But don't over think this, just be calm and let the process unfold for you.

Yes. Our program was created using the Yoga Alliance guidelines that were sent directly to us. Once you complete your year, you can apply to be Yoga Alliance Registered. You will be registered as a 500hr Yoga Teacher.

Here's a typical Sunday...
8AM Meditation
8:15AM Class (75mins)
9:30AM Break (30mins)
10AM Posture Clinic (2.5HRS)
12:30PM Lunch
2PM Posture Clinic (2HRS)
4PM Break (30mins)
4:30PM Posture Clinic (75mins)
5:45PM Class (75mins)

Here's a weekday...
5PM The Art of Communicating (60mins)
6PM Adjustments (2HRS)
8PM Break (15mins)
8:15PM Meditation
8:30PM Class (90mins) *please note that the same schedule will apply if it's the morning session.

Ideally having a senior instructor mentor you would be best, but not everyone has that as an option. So the emphasis will be on the feedback you receive from teaching friends...from the classes you create etc. You can even (if you have the ability to), film a class. Essentially you will have to be creative. You can also talk to maybe gym owners or other studio type places and see if they would be interested in you offering classes. At the end of the day, even a senior teacher in another type of exercise program or a gym owner, can identify if you at least have the capability of reaching your audience.

Yes, you can do both. Both the evening and the morning sessions will have the same content so if you needed to, you can do some mornings and some evenings.

We left the last 2 weeks in the last month of the intensive Training to play catch up. We understand that things always come up so there is room to adjust if we have to. And in some cases we will record the sessions so you can review later.

Yoga Alliance is an organization that allows you to be listed that you are a certified instructor. They do not certify you, this is done with the school that you take the Teacher Training from.

In order to be listed, you must be registered with them, which requires the payment of an annual fee.

Here is some more info on what Yoga Alliance is...
1) It is a nonprofit association representing yoga teachers, schools and studios in the U.S. Along with the sister organization, Yoga Alliance Registry, they provide support to the field, and provide a registry of teachers and schools.

2) Yoga Alliance® provides a set of educational guidelines for yoga schools.

3) These guidelines describe Yoga Alliance®'s Requirements for a Registered Yoga Teacher and/school

4) A yoga teacher who registers with the Yoga Alliance Registry earns the title of Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT®) and may publish his or her name online within their website.

5) The role of Yoga Alliance is to emphasize and enforce the rule of mutual respect. They are very supportive of various yoga styles and techniques.

6) The Yoga Alliance helps the public become better acquainted with the benefits of yoga.

7) Their reach is world-wide, although technically they’re based in the United States. Yoga Alliance represents teachers and training programs all over the globe.

8) Schools that meet the Yoga Alliance requirements/guidelines for a certification program are recognized as RYS® schools. And teachers who complete a program with an RYS® school can be listed as RYT® graduates. They are then included in the Yoga Alliance world-wide directory.

9) The Yoga Alliance National Yoga Teachers’ Registry was established in 1999. This registry serves to recognize and promote teachers who meet minimum training standards. Those who do are eligible to receive the RYT® designation.

10) Teachers who graduate from Registered Yoga Schools can receive different levels of designation, depending on how much training and teaching experience they have. Yoga teachers can receive registrations ranging from the 200-hour level to the 500-hour level.

11) Standards for RYS® Designation Schools that register for RYS® designation have to meet specific requirements. They must provide training programs that meet the curriculum guidelines developed by Yoga Alliance. RYS® designated programs must also provide yoga training by qualified instructors.

THE SANGHA TRINIDAD'S POSITION:
The Sangha Trinidad fully supports an organization like this! Is it perfect? No. But for individuals who are new on the scene as instructors you need some way for studio owners to make judgements on potential instructors. Students need a place they can go to for information on schools and/or studios.

It is our opinion, that the people who criticize this organization negatively are for the most part famous/well-known in some way. They have been teaching for years and can easily get away with not being affiliated with any organization.

We also feel that they themselves are over estimating Yoga Alliance's role. Yoga Alliance is very clear that they do not certify anyone. But as a studio that was interested in offering a Teacher Training program, they worked very closely with us in working out our program. They give us some freedom to add in extras, but it was very helpful having a starting point and having them call me direct in Trinidad to discuss what we wanted to offer for the program.

As such, we found it important to register with them and have become a 500hr RYS® School. Once you complete your Training, you will also be able to fully register to be an RYT® Teacher.

The Sangha Trinidad is among the many RYS® registered schools world-wide and currently the only RYS® school in the Caribbean. The RYS® designation symbolizes The Sangha Trinidad's experience, dedication and commitment. This includes their approach to yoga principles, techniques and standards. It also reflects the school’s adherence to the Yoga Alliance Code of Conduct.

The Yoga Alliance Code of Conduct
Those who register with Yoga Alliance must agree to uphold the established Code of Conduct. This code symbolizes acceptance of the ethical and professional behavior required by those who are registered. It is provided as a standard for basic yoga principles. The Yoga Alliance Code of Conduct and various levels of registration are available on their website.

Benefits of the Yoga Alliance
There are many benefits associated with having Yoga Alliance Registration. This type of registration enhances the public’s perception of the yoga school and instructors that teach there. Because it's a centralized location for many listed schools, you can see their profiles, read up on the schools' programs. You can also read up on various teachers, helping students with their decisions before choosing a school and/or teacher. They also have a public feedback forum, where students can post their experiences whether positive or negative. The fees that you pay go toward keeping updated with what's happening in Yoga world, and they offer free webinar sessions that can help with continued education.

Our opinion is, register with them. And if later on you find you don't need the registration...you've made your mark and ready to spread your wings? Then just discontinue paying. But again, we feel that being a part of a centralized organization is truly helpful to those seeking guidance in this crazy filled abyss of yoga studios, schools and teachers.

Yes it is! This program is in place for a reason. You have to remember that a Teacher Training isn't all about the physical. It must include other elements like community. We breakdown our program in terms of Lifestyle, Fitness, Yoga and Sangha (which means community)

Yes we do! We recognise that not everyone has access to this amount of money, but you have soooo much to offer as an instructor. You make up a proposed plan, email it to us and then we see if it can work...we negotiate.

You can pay by cash...always lovely;

by credit card (and we are able to accept credit card payments over the phone) and working on online accessibility as well;

by Linx (but you will have to come to us to do so);

by cheque (as long as it's not rubber *wink*. A certified cheque is preferred if we have never dealt with you;

by direct deposit/wire transfer...just email us for specifics

Believe it or not we have had this issue come up. We can totally help you work around this by doing extra one-on-one sessions. BUT this will require an extra fee, as this is above and beyond the set out hours of Training. Contact us nah? We will be happy to discuss.

The course is 6 weeks and while it is a 500hr Yoga Alliance program, we cover over 750hrs. of work!

The fee is TT$40,000.00 and includes your compact binder...your Teacher Training Bible and other certain course materials. PLEASE NOTE: (Accommodations, OTHER books, food and other supplies are extra)

EXTRA VALUE RECEIVED
While there is a fee of TT$40,000.00, you receive an extra TT$40,000.00 in value in extras as follows:

• **Access to the Mentoring Program value TT$16,000.00 (sitting in classes, reviewing projects, feedback, meetings)
• A Year Pass value TT$5,000.00 which enables you to take as many classes as you like
• Mat and Towel Rentals, plus Free Water Refills value TT$2,600.00
• Rental Space to Practice Teach value TT$8,000.00
• ***Access to Future Workshops minimum value TT$3,400.00
• Social Media Marketing value TT$5,000.00 (FB, Instagram, Twitter, Whatsapp, Email Newsletter, Website)

VALUE = TT$40,000.00

**Access to the Mentoring program is not guaranteed. It's based on your performance throughout the Training and the Director's decision

***Access to future workshops and the whether you are required to pay or not or the amount that may have to be paid, is based on service return to The Sangha Trinidad (i.e. how much you give back in time, support and add to the bottom line)