--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "sparaig" wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu wrote: > > > > Patrick Gillam wrote: > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ruthsimplicity wrote: > > > > > >> Ex teachers, Curtis, Turq, others, > > >> how much of the TTC was devoted to > > >> learning to teach? How hard is it > > >> to teach? It seems routine and easy > > >> to me. > > >> > > > > > > I spent every bit of my teacher training > > > courses learning how to teach. We had to > > > memorize most everything, which was hard > > > for me. > > > > > > My TM teacher training took place in > > > three phases: > > > > > > Phase 1 was where we learned to give > > > introductory lectures and conduct the > > > checking procedure. > > > > > > Phase 2 was a practicum in the field, > > > where we presented intro lectures, checked > > > people and administered programs such as > > > seasonal celebrations at the TM Center. > > > > > > Phase 3 was where we learned how to conduct > > > the six steps of teaching that follow the > > > intro lecture: the prep lecture, the personal > > > interview, the puja and instruction, and the > > > three nights of follow-up meetings. > > > > > > Phase 3 took three months, with zero days off. > > > > > > My courses were structured in a no-man-left- > > > behind fashion. Once I passed my tests and > > > demonstrated my mastery of the material at > > > hand, I became a tester for others and helped > > > them pass their tests. Hence, I was always busy. > > > We were all busy. > > > > > > We didn't have a lot of time in the day, > > > either, because we were rounding much of the time. > > > > > > TM teacher training for me was a cross between > > > military service and graduate school. Very intense. > > > I grew a lot. > > > > > I thought that trying to pass memorization > > tests while way up in rounds > > was insane. It seemed to amplify any > > nervousness one might have whereas > > testing down in rounds would have been > > much easier. It was sort of like > > trying to walk a tight rope while drunk.
Maybe so, but everyone managed to pass his tests, thanks in part to the structure described above, whereby people who mastered the material then focused on helping their course mates master it in turn. > Sounds like its own form of testing/training under induced stress. > > Lawson The unstressing did lead to behavior that was perhaps less graceful than desired. One day at lunch during my TTC Phase 3, a few of us were remarking on the clumsiness we were exhibiting, bumping into people and spilling our food. A man in my study group said he had simply resolved to stop behaving that way, and the resolution worked - no more clumsiness. I took my cue from Jeff (his name), and learned a valuable lesson: I could simply decide to behave in a certain way, and that resolution could carry forward into my behavior. No surprise, I suppose, if it's true that consciousness is the foundation of life, and intention gives direction to consciousness.
