Alexander’s Teaching Procedures Revisited

As an usher at Britain’s National Theatre in the 70s, I could often be found in a dark corridor doing ‘monkey’ - with my hands creeping down the wall. 

I was diligent. 

Then later, I found out - through my second training with Majorie Barstow in the late ’80s - that a teacher can also explore Alexander’s discoveries through “activity teaching”. In this case, you let the student choose the content of their lesson.

It was a revolution.

After 10 years of lessons around movements in and out of a chair - with the obligatory table turn tossed in - in 1986 I pivoted to starting every lesson by asking my student what activity they were curious about or having a problem with.

When you start teaching this way, it quickly becomes dangerous for your ego. Because students do not have the same constraints on their thinking that we do. You might find that a strange statement, but looking over my teaching career, I see how constrained I was in the ways I permitted myself to communicate Alexander's Discovery.

Some things were off-limits. For example, a student request:

“I have trouble getting on with my mother.”

Well. I mean. What?!

How do I construct a lesson around that?

I will look foolish. I am not a therapist; I am not trained as a counsellor. Yet your student - by even bringing up the topic - has a more flexible and expanded view of how you can help them. It may trouble you, it doesn’t trouble them. 

Yet.

So do you cut them off? Save your Self embarrassment?

Ego - hiding within a story of ‘being ethical’ - says: “Don’t do it. Make an excuse. Avoid.” Activity teaching is an ego challenge - and a creative challenge too.

So what would you do when confronted with a request like that?

***

S: I have trouble getting on with my mother.
T: I understand. Where are you when that happens?
S: Often it’s on the phone.
T: Did it happen recently?
S: Just this morning in fact. It was awful. I get so frustrated.
T: What were you doing when she rang?
S: I was in the kitchen having breakfast.
T: Show me.

Organise her at a table, get her to use her smartphone - she probably brought it with her.

T: Say some of the things you said to your mum this morning...

And the student bends over, wraps one leg around the other, pulls back their head and starts croaking into the phone. And the mess in her coordination is wildly apparent.

***

Your job is to use Alexander's Discovery to help a person do whatever they want - providing you have no legal, ethical or moral objections. Anything - I mean ANYTHING - can be enhanced, deepened and evolved by exploring how the head/spine relationship is influencing your ability to do want you want to do; or have what you want to have.

Have a good year teaching!