Terry Fitzgerald
Time-specific teacher education: Applying Alexander’s principles to an organisational habit
This lecture is drawn from my doctoral research into how Alexander Technique teacher education might best proceed in the future. Taking an Alexandrian approach, I begin by suggesting that the time-specific system of teacher training currently used within the Affiliated Societies is an organisational habit acquired over the lifetime of the AT profession. As with all habits, this system should be examined for its continuing usefulness, particularly now that professional expectations are very different from Alexander’s era.
I argue from that the time-specific system is flawed for two reasons. First, it is antithetical to Alexander’s own principles because it is based on quantitative forms of professional education which reflect the Cartesian paradigm of learning that Alexander wanted us to go beyond. Second, it includes no qualitative competency standards. Time-based rules may satisfy administrative ends, but appropriately written competency standards are the means-whereby.
It is possible to write competency standards for beginning AT teachers which satisfy Alexandrian principles and meet contemporary expectations of professionalism. To illustrate this, I draw on best-practice American standards for beginning school teachers. Subject to usage and further research, such competency standards may provide a template for the continuing development of AT teacher education.
Terry Fitzgerald has taught the Alexander Technique in Sydney and London since 1978. He has been involved in AT teacher education for 25 years, most recently as the Director of the Sydney Alexander School teacher education program.
Terry has recently completed a doctorate in Education from the University of Technology, Sydney with a thesis titled "The future of Alexander Technique teacher education: Principles, practices and professionalism". His research included interviewing by email twenty AT teachers, teacher educators and trainees throughout the world.