Be a Superior Teacher

I feel that anyone teaching T’ai Chi Chih has a personal duty and obligation to continue to qualify themselves by improving their understanding and refining their performance of the art, through time. To impart something as profound as T’ai Chi Chih we must comprehend and embody the essence upon which it is based, as comprehensively as possible.

It is a relatively easy matter to earn accreditation to Teach T’ai Chi Chih, but this accomplishment should be seen only as a beginning, as far as qualifying to teach well. It is a foundation upon which to build increasing proficiency in an ongoing manner. This is a process of self-discovery, through continual nurturing and willing discipline.

I have found that superior teachers of T’ai Chi Chih do the following:

• Practice daily and experiment with the movements regularly, by performing them for extended periods, at various speeds and in different combinations of sequential order.

• Offer classes regularly to a variety of groups, with the intent of facilitating the learning process of their students as efficiently, thoroughly and lovingly as possible.

• Attend teacher accreditation courses for review, at least once a year.

• Contemplate the written words of master practitioners past and present, on a regular basis, for deeper understanding and application.

• Cultivate humility and live the T’ai Chi principles as well as possible.

– Steve Ridley
Denver, CO