300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training General

Guidelines/Information (2016)
1. Techniques, Training and Practice: 50 hours
Minimum contact hours: 25 hours
Minimum contact hours w/ Lead Trainer(s): 25 hours
This material shall foster an enhanced understanding and
experience through foundational Techniques, Training and Practice
sessions. Topics in this category could include, but would not be
limited to: asanas, pranayamas, kriyas, chanting, mantra,
meditation and other traditional yoga techniques. These hours
must be a mix between: 1) analytical training in how to teach and
practice the techniques and 2) guided practice of the techniques
themselves. Both areas must receive substantial emphasis.

2. Teaching Methodology: 5 hours

Minimum contact hours: 5 hours
Minimum contact hours w/ Lead Trainer(s): 5 hours
Topics in this category could include, but may not be limited to:

Communication skills such as group dynamics, time

management, and the establishment of priorities and
boundaries

How to address the specific needs of individuals and special

populations, to the degree possible in a group setting

Principles of demonstration, observation, assisting and

correcting

Teaching styles

Qualities of a teacher

The student learning process

The Teaching Methodology category shall cover additional

teaching methods and principles, beyond what was covered in
200. See the example topics below to help clarify the differences
between the Techniques, Training and Practice category and the
Teaching Methodology category:
Example Techniques, Training and Example Teaching
Practice Topics
Methodology Topics
The Five Categories of Asana: The
trainee will practice and learn the
key poses in each category of
asana (standing poses, forward
bends, backbends, twists, and
inversions) and will begin to
develop a relationship to both the
form and the function of these
different categories.
Maps of Alignment: Trainees will
achieve comprehension of the
alignment maps for each of the
five categories of asanas through

Principles of Demonstrating
Asanas: Discuss how
effective demonstrations in
class can help emphasize an
alignment or other focus for
the specific pose or
sequence of poses.
Learning Modalities:
identifying your dominant
style, and learning how to
teach based on others
learning styles

observation and experience of

how the poses in each category
share a common foundation, and
how to build upon this foundation

Use of Language and Voice:

Lecture and discussion on
active vs. passive language
and the effective use of
each; positive and conscious
communication, and habitual
speech and communication
patterns

3. Anatomy and Physiology: 15 hours

Minimum contact hours: 10 hours
Minimum contact hours w/ Lead Trainer(s): 0 hours
Special Requirement: A minimum of ten of the above hours must
be spent applying anatomy and physiology principles to yoga
Topics in this category could include, but would not be limited to:
human physical anatomy and physiology (bodily systems, organs,
etc.) and may also include energy anatomy and physiology
(chakras, nadis, etc.). Includes both the study of the subject and
application of its principles to yoga practice (benefits,
contraindications, healthy movement patterns, etc.).

4. Yoga Philosophy, Lifestyle and Ethics for Yoga Teachers: 30

hours
Minimum contact hours: 25 hours
Minimum contact hours w/ Lead Trainer(s): 0 hours
Topics in this category could include, but would not be limited to:

Further and deeper study of yoga philosophies and

traditional texts (such as the Yoga Sutras, Hatha Yoga Pradipika
or Bhagavad Gita).

Yoga lifestyle, such as the precept of non-violence (ahimsa),

and the concepts of dharma and karma

Ethics for yoga teachers, such as those involving teacher

student relationships and community

Understanding the value of teaching yoga as a service and

being of service to others through yoga (seva)

5. Practicum: 30 hours
Minimum contact hours: 15 hours
Minimum contact hours w/ Lead Trainer(s): 5 hours
Topics in this category include:

Practice teaching (does not include assisting, observing or

giving feedback)*

Receiving and giving feedback**

Observing others teaching

Assisting students while someone else is teaching

*Special Requirement: Each trainee must spend a minimum of 5

contact hours of practice teaching as the lead instructor. These
hours may include the time during which the trainee is receiving
feedback on his/her teaching. Time spent assisting, observing
others teaching, or giving feedback to others is excluded from
these hours.

**Evaluation or observation of yoga classes outside of the teacher

training program constitutes Non-Contact Hours.

Remaining Contact Hours and Elective Hours

The Requirements detailed above ensure that all trainees of a RYS
receive training and instruction in five educational categories for
a minimum number of designated hours. The remaining contact
hours (190 hours) and elective hours (170 hours, a combination of
contact and non-contact) are to be distributed among the
educational categories based on our programs focus.

TOTAL HOURS: 300 hours

Total minimum contact hours: 270 hours
Total minimum contact hours with Lead Trainer(s): 135 hours

CONTACT INFORMATION
Jen Jones (Please note all emails, texts, and phone calls will be returned Monday
through Friday 9 6 pm.)
Jenjs29@yahoo.com
314-221-5744
Sally Burgess

wisdom@studiogaiaedwardsville.com
618-779-5378
Weekend outlines will be either emailed or posted on the group Facebook and/or
website page by the Tuesday prior to the upcoming training weekend.
Yoga Alliance
Upon completion of the Studio Gaia 300-hr Yoga Teacher Training, students are
eligible to register with Yoga Alliance. All details for registering with Yoga Alliance
can be found on their website https://www.yogaalliance.org or if you need further
assistance call them at 1-888-921-9642 (toll-free) or 1-571-482-3355.
HOURS
Friday Evenings: 5:30-9:00 pm
Saturdays: 9:00-5:00 pm
Sundays: 8:30-3:00 pm
Upon Arrival
Upon arrival at the teacher training students are to check in with Sally (or her
designee) at the front desk for each session of the teacher training (Friday evening,
Saturday morning, & Sunday morning).

Tardiness
If you arrive late, please wait outside of the room until the centering meditation is
complete.
If you are past 15 minutes late, please make up with a one-hour yoga class & turn in
one-page review.
Also, if you are past 15-minutes late and have not contacted Sally (618) 779-5378
to alert her, the door will be locked. This is for everyones safety and security; we
lock the door once class starts so that everyone can relax and enjoy the session.
Absences
Per Yoga Alliance requirements time missed must be made up hour for hour (ie. If
you miss 3.5 hours, you make up 3.5 hours in yoga classes or workshops). Also, a
one-page review for each class or workshop you attend must be turned in (ie. If you
attend one workshop & one class to make up your 3.5 hours that you missed, you
turn in two one-page reviews.) Review can consist of an evaluation based on the
information or sequence that was presented, voice quality of the teacher, technical
knowledge of the teacher, modifications given, clarity of the instruction, how you
felt prior to the class & how you felt after.

If a student misses more than 18 hours of the training, the student will meet with
Jen & Sally to discuss his or her participation in the Gaia Teacher Training program.
Sally must be informed of all absences. For planned absences contact Sally at
wisdom@studiogaiaedwardsville.com or 618-779-5378. For last minute absences,
call or text Sally at 618-779-5378.
Make-up Hours
Classes/workshops with Jen Jones, Rhonda Mills, Victoria Cornelius, & Jeremy
Henkhaus count toward make-up hours. (There is an additional fee for these
classes.)
All yoga and meditation workshops at Studio Gaia count as make-up. (There is an
additional fee for these classes.)

Outside workshops must be approved by Jen. Contact her at jenjs29@yahoo.com or

314-221-5744.
Payment Plan
If you are on one of the payment plans, please be prepared to make payment on the
Friday of our weekend session. If you make a payment via Pay Pal please notify Sally
so she can make note of it. We happily accept checks, credit or debit cards and/or
cash.
Refunds
If a student must drop the program a refund will be determined on a case-by-case
basis.