Q&A: Teaching Tips-Techniques

In the winter issue, we printed Sandy McAlister’s question, “When teaching, what words or phrases do you use to convey the qualities of “softness and continuity” to your students? Here are some answers:

From Amy Hackenberg, Evanston, IL:

One thing I do at the first lesson is pass around a very silky, flowing violet-colored piece of material I found in the “scrap” section of a fabric store. I ask students to introduce themselves (we sit in a circle) and say one word that describes the cloth. They come up with “flowing,” “soft,” “never-ending,” “smooth,” “silky,” etc. but more important, we can refer back throughout the course to how the cloth felt and how we want our bodies to feel that way during TCC (or anytime!)

From Dale Buchanan, Great Falls, VA:

Words are just words…the translation of softness and continuity should be done by example, by the teacher being soft and continuous with each movement and with the way of teaching. More words will just get in the way and cause confusion.

Next Issue’s Question:

When teaching or doing T’ai Chi Chih, we may appear to focus most of our movement in the front of the body as our hands trace patterns softly in the air. We also focus our concentration on the soles of the feet (or the T’an T’ien). How then do we explain or demonstrate taking into account the back of the body and the balancing and circulating of Chi there?

– Carrie Kinsey
Concord, CA

Teacher’s responses to this issue’s question about teaching tips and techniques and shared teaching experiences will be printed in the next issue.