The teaching process

Chapter 7 The teaching process



CHAPTER CONTENTS


While the learner is doing the exercise 243

Instruction 244

Further ways to improve your teaching 245

Teaching Pilates is a bit like teaching somebody to play the violin. You can observe Nigel Kennedy in concert but this will not teach the skills required to play the violin. You could also come up with a list of the characteristics of a good violin player, such as in time, in tune, right notes, expresses emotion and so on, but this will not enable anybody to play the violin. A more technical list about how to hold the violin, how to hold the bow, how to tune the violin, which fingers to use for which notes and so on might be more useful. But watching a master at work, and giving information about what a good violin player does are not enough to teach somebody how to play the violin. The problem is the same in teaching Pilates.


If imparting information and watching a master are not enough, how can Pilates be taught? Many teachers of Pilates may know what to do instinctively, but looking at it in a more theoretical way may be helpful for those who are just beginning or for more experienced teachers to reflect on what they do.


I shall start with a basic model of skills training:


image Describe how to do the exercise/demonstrate how to do the exercise

image Watch the learner do the exercise

image Give the learner feedback/instruction

image Ask the learner to do it again.

This is a well-accepted model of skills teaching for adults. Skills are taught by breaking them down into their components and by the learner practising and working on each component incrementally. Of course you do not have to go through just one cycle. After the learner has done the exercise again you may want to provide further feedback/instruction. And you may want to start in the middle, by watching the learner. Overall, the goal of this model of practice and feedback is that the learner gets a bit better every time.


This teaching cycle can be further analysed under the following headings.


image While the learner is doing the exercise:
– Assess the standard

– Identify the problems

– Select one (or a limited number) of elements to comment on

image Instruction:
– Explain the element you are going to comment on

– Describe how to do it better, and/or

– Demonstrate how to do it better, and/or

– Guide the learner to do it better using tactile cues

– Ask the learner to do it again.

The rest of this section will break down and elaborate on these ideas.



WHILE THE LEARNER IS DOING THE EXERCISE


In a mat class or a studio class you will have only a short time to watch the learner’s performance. During that time you will have to analyse the way the learner is doing exercises and decide what should be worked on. The quality of your teaching will depend on how well you assess what is happening and prepare to comment on it.



ASSESS THE STANDARD


Your teaching must be appropriate to the standard of the learner. Each learner will have a unique mix of understanding, experience, skill and ability. Some learners may, for instance, have a very good theoretical understanding of Pilates but not be able to reflect this in their own bodies. Others may have a lot of experience but have been taught in a very different way elsewhere. You need to make a judgement about the learner’s standard so that your teaching can be directed to this.



Identify the problems


Identify where and why the learner is having difficulties and how the learner might improve. You will need to go beyond thinking about what the learner is doing wrong and start to think about why the learner is doing it wrong. In this way you should be able to identify specific problems which can be worked on and which cause the difficulties.


For example, the learner may be having difficulty with mobilizing specific vertebral joints during spine flexion and extension. You will need to go beyond this to thinking about the underlying causes. These might, for example, be postural faults and/or faulty abdominal muscle length, strength and recruitment. Thus, by recognizing and then addressing the underlying problems, spinal mobility may be improved.



SELECT ONE ELEMENT (OR A LIMITED NUMBER OF ELEMENTS) TO COMMENT ON


There is no point in telling the learner everything at once. If too much information is given, learners will be unable to take it in. In addition, there is a danger of making the learner feel inadequate. How should you go about choosing what to comment on?



Fundamental


Try to choose something which is fundamental and may underlie other problems. Choosing a small detail which is really only a manifestation of more fundamental problems will be of much less help to the learner.


Suppose, for instance, that the learner is having problems with neck tension and strain during exercises performed in the supine position. Then the fundamental issue that might need addressing is that of poor resting head, neck and upper spine alignment. The answer may be found in taking time to prepare for exercises and in doing so paying attention to details such as correcting the head/neck position with appropriate supports, checking body alignment, etc. Attention to these fundamental issues may help to avoid many different problems during exercising.



Recurrent


Think also about whether the topic you have chosen is a recurrent problem for this learner. Obviously you will be better able to do this if you have worked with the learner on a number of occasions. Clearly working on recurrent problems which may manifest themselves in different ways in different exercises will be much more beneficial for the learner.



What would help the learner improve most


A further guide in deciding what to comment on is to think about what is holding the learner back most. What single element would help the learner to improve most? If you are uncertain of the answer to the question you may find it helpful to think back to the underlying Pilates exercise principles. They will very often provide an answer.



Appropriate to a learner of that level


Make sure that you are dealing with something that a learner of that standard should be able to understand and apply. For a learner at a basic level it might be appropriate to concentrate on issues such as enhanced body awareness, good body alignment, correct breathing patterns, pelvic floor and abdominal muscle control, etc. so as to improve core stability, spine mobility and overall musculoskeletal function. For an experienced learner with good body awareness and movement integration skills you might want to concentrate on challenging mental focus, breathing patterns and dynamic control of posture, alignment, spine mobility and stability.

Related posts:

Health and safety Anatomy review – the upper limb Anatomy review – the torso, lower limbs and feet Upper body, stretching and overall joint mobilization exercises Common medical conditions and problems Good posture and how it can be achieved

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Sep 12, 2016 | Posted by in MANUAL THERAPIST | Comments Off on The teaching process

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