Yoga Teacher Training – The Importance of Certification & Registration

The Truth about Yoga Teacher Training Certification:

Based on our research, there are no rules or regulations in most countries for being able to teach Yoga. This includes Western nations like the US, UK, Canada, the European Union or even countries like Japan and Australia.

What does this mean for you?

You are welcome to choose a program of your choice, so long as it offers you Yoga Teacher Certification.
Please Note: It would seem from the above that the concept of “International” Certification is a myth and there is no relevance to the concept of seeking “International” Certification.
Yoga Alliance, IYF, BWY and Others So, where do Yoga Alliance, the International Yoga Federation (IYF), BWY and other smaller bodies offering Yoga Standards come in? These bodies are self-created Registries that have devised standards for Yoga teachers. Being registered with them implies that as a teacher or school, you meet the standards of yoga teaching as devised by them.

Please Note: These Registries are independent bodies and it is NOT mandatory to be registered with them to teach in their countries or any country for that matter. Unfortunately, an impression seems to have gone around that it is necessary to be on their registries to teach.

So, is it Useless being on these Registries? Not so. Whatever be the motivation for creating standards, the fact is that these Registries are an attempt to bring some “method in the madness” of Yoga teaching even though the criteria and method employed to determine this is debatable. Indeed, several yoga teachers – especially the senior and experienced ones – argue the very need for the method as espoused by these registries. They argue that yoga is to be taught as a lineage; as a kind of hand me down from Master to student. Nevertheless, the fact is that being on these Registries can be useful in several respects.

Benefits of being Registered

1.Increased Job Opportunities: Several (not all) Studios insist on a teacher being registered as a prerequisite for the job on offer.

2.Guarantee of “Authenticity”: In the absence of any alternative methods of evaluation, prospective students have only such “authenticity” stamps to base their decisions on which class to join.

3.Better “Business” Prospects: When teachers on such registries start their own Teacher Training programs, their students are automatically entitled to receive a “registered” teacher status without much additional effort. This push-effect dramatically increases the prospects of getting more students for the Teacher Training Course.

4.Future of Yoga: Much as some may dislike, many of these Registries are trying to influence Government and Professional bodies to recognize their standards as the minimum requirements for Yoga teaching eligibility. In the absence of any alternatives, coupled with the enthusiasm of Registries to push their case, it seems that authorities would succumb in the interest of the safety of their citizens. So, perhaps joining these registries may be beneficial.

Disadvantages & Caveats:

1.Expensive: It is believed that many Registered Schools & teachers charge unreasonable and exorbitant fees for the “badge” that they hold. Innocent and uninformed students, expecting the “badge” to be everything get ripped off without reaping any commensurate returns in the future.

2.Exploitation: There are also reports of such schools having teachers “for Free” and students complying to meet the requirement of adequate teaching hours experience.

3.Poor Instruction: Ironically, these Registries are encouraging the spawning of “teachers-on-paper”. This is the very opposite of what was intended. Many of the senior teachers, teaching far before these registries even came into being, refuse to acknowledge, leave alone become a member of them. On the other hand, young, relatively inexperienced, professional and tech savvy enough to manage paperwork are increasingly making it to the Registries. This is a dangerous trend in which the innocent student can suffer greatly.

Institute for Teacher Training

The domain of education in India is undergoing significant changes for some years now.
Post Independence and for several decades after that education was considered solely the prerogative of the central and state governments.

While government remains a dominant player still, several private organisations including those with corporate backing have gradually come into this space.
This has brought in several changes – especially for teachers who form the backbone of the domain.

Unlike in the past, when people opted for the teaching profession merely because it was ‘noble,’ teachers now get — ongoing training; opportunities to interface and exchange knowledge and ideas with others from the community (including international) — in seminars, conventions, workshops; clearly defined career growth paths and higher remuneration.

A significant difference between government school teachers of yesteryears and modern-day teaching professionals is in the last two points – monetary benefits and career growth – which are interlinked as well. Both of these have been made possible by the revolution that has hit the Indian Education System.

A lot more research and training has now started going into sustaining and growing teachers throughout the time that they spend in education.
Many institutes have come up with focused training programs for teachers in various disciplines.

One such is Inspire Education, an Education & Training Services organisation based in New Delhi.   

Inspire Education was founded in 2009 by educators who had first-hand experience of challenges faced in conventional classrooms.

Their own struggles at keeping their students engaged and focused; joys at trying innovative techniques to teach particularly difficult topics; successes at building happy learners led them to think of how they could use their experience to help other teachers.

The Inspire methodology thus merges pedagogical understanding with practitioner’s insight. It has been built by teachers who understand the potential as well as limitations of the function. It is based on the assumption that learners of today are the professionals of tomorrow. Teachers therefore need to hone skills in learners that prepare them for their future responsibilities.

Knowledge not only leads to intellectual development; it is life-changing and encompasses social, economic, emotional as well as spiritual well being.   

Inspire has built several preschool & primary school training programs for teachers – intended to enhance their knowledge, skills and make best use of their role in the classroom.  
The programs empower teachers with an understanding of learner perspectives that not only helps them in teaching better, but aids in transforming classrooms from four-walled spaces into rich learning environments.

The training modules are designed to include extensive involvement from the participants.
The purpose is not to lecture teachers, but to help them find ways to develop their potential and subsequently help learners find theirs.

The effects of the training program are thus deep impacting and long-lasting.

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