Tips for Teachers

Gary Halden, Two Harbors, MN

1. While teaching T’ai Chi Chih we must never stop learning ourselves, no system is complete, and each level of achievement is a stepping stone to the next. Set an example for your students and make them aware of their own sufficiency or insufficiency.

2. Encourage the students faith in her/his own capacity by pointing out demonstrable improvement from week to week. With visual progression in the movements from week to week, she/he will value the increased feeling of well-being and sense of feeling awareness.

3. Never push students farther than they can physically go, give them the opportunity to momentarily sit out if they feel the need, and/or take reasonable breaks throughout your class time.

4. Become acquainted with common feedback from students, especially complaints about muscle aches and pains and help them realize how they can avoid problems. When you hear “My quadraceps are so sore,” remind the student not to lean too far forward or suggest experimenting with a shorter step. “My lower back is killing me” is a sign they are not shifting the weight from leg to leg and are leaning too far forward.

5. No matter how large your class may be, at some time or other during the instruction give each student an individual pointer to let them know you are not just concerned with their progress in T’ai Chi Chih but are concerned about them as a person as well.

6. Work to create a receptive mood for the end result you are striving to attain. Be more interested in the means than the end. In T’ai Chi Chih there is something for everyone and you can never know where or when the seeds you cast out may germinate.

7. Learn to compassionately accept all those who come to you and are willing to try.

8. Have Fun!