ATON
On this site you will find information on training to become a teacher of the Alexander Technique, at the Alexander Techniek Opleiding Nederland (ATON) training course, situated in a suburb of Amsterdam called Amstelveen.
Teachers Training
The objective of the training-course is first and formost the training of people wishing to become a teacher of the Alexander Technique. At the same time it is possible for people, who have lessons, to visit the course in order to deepen into the Technique, say for some days or any other length of time, without wanting to become a teacher. ATON offers also regularly, get togethers.
The Process
First: The training program enables the student to teach in an independent, trustful, explorative and open manner of teaching. Second: Through working on yourself, both on the training-course and outside it, you will discover more and more about the principles of the Alexander Technique.
Impact
During the three years of training you will be busy physically as well as mentally and emotionally as well as spiritually. You will notice smaller or bigger changes on one or more of these levels. All through this intensive process of change you need an environment of security and support in order to come closer to yourself and be able to remain with the principles of the Alexander Technique. You can count on personal attention for your process.
Group size
Personal attention is very essential to instruct the Alexander Technique well. That is why ATON chooses for a small number of students. The group of students (first-, second- and thirdyears together) consist of no more then twelve students.
The Teachers Team
The teacher-student ratio is maximal 1 to 5. The teacher team consist of three senior teachers. Our team is supplemented by teachers of our network and newly-qualified students. Regularly teachers from abroad and from here, with a specialisation, will be invited.
Alexander Technique developments in practise
ATON closely follows the developments in the field of the Alexander Technique through taking part in rural and international meetings. The teachers work on deepening and exchange of experience in teaching, between themselves regularly and besides that with newly qualified teachers and other colleagues. ATON keeps in touch with the application of the Alexander Technique in practise.
About Alexander Techniek Opleiding Nederland
Alexander Techniek Opleiding Nederland (ATON) was founded in 1987 after approval by the English professional society: The Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT). Since 2003 ATON is under the jurisdiction of the Dutch Society of Alexander Techniek Leraren(NeVLAT). See for more information www.nevlat.nl.
The Dutch Society maintains contact with other sister-societies in the world about the standards of quality on teacher training-courses. In particular the English Society stood at the basis of setting the standards of the training policies. The policies developed by the STAT are taken over by the international sister-societies.
Any question so far? Do get in contact with us, we happily answer your questions.
Admission, Design and Costs
Are you motivated to follow the training to become an Alexander Technique teacher and to use it for your personal development? Are you at least 21 years old and have at least 15 lessons experience recently with the Technique? If so, we like to get to know you better.
Admission to the training
At first we will invite you to come and taste for 3 or 4 days, the training-course, then the admission procedure consist of a personal talk, some private lessons and the filling in of a questionnaire. After that we discuss together with you whether ATON indeed is the right place for you. If so, we will ask you to sign an agreement.
Multilingual Education
Partly because of international guest teachers, and partly because of english books and articles and the fact that we train also foreign students, both english and dutch are spoken.
Content of the Training-course
The training lasts at least three years, each 35 weeks, with 4 mornings a week of 3.5 hrs. per day, but with a total of at least 1600 hours and consists of 80% practical Alexander-work and 20% theory. This intensity and continuity heightens the deepening and effectiveness of the Technique.
The first year is in the light of learning to think, react and function from the Alexander Technique principles point of view, the Use of the Self. Before you learn to work on other people you will profound/ learn about the basis of the Technique.
The second year you will refine both your own development as well as the manual skills and the physical procedures of the Technique.
The third year you will integrate what you learned in the first and second year up to working independently first on fellow students and then on others.
Daily Program
The daily returning program are directed to the basic skills of the Technique: - An individual lesson of 15 or 30 minutes - Exploring - together what happens when moving - Learning about the use of the hands - Self-activity and at a later stage working on others - Studying Alexander’s books and related articles
Additions to the daily program are, amongst others:
- Anatomy and physiology from an Alexander Technique point of view
- Voicework
- Starting and organizing your own practice
Moderation
In their 6th and 9th term students will get a visit by a moderator. This is a teacher from outside the school with many years of experience in teaching. With an independent point of view, the moderator gives the student important feedback in their personal development in the Technique and as a teacher to be.
Costs The costs are € 7.500,- per year. It is possible to pay per term at € 2.500,- .
Right of changes reserved.
ATON is registered by the Centraal Register Kort Beroepsonderrwijs (CRKBO). Because of this registration the training-course is exempted of being liable to pay value added tax (VAT). (see www.crkbo.nl.)
Any question so far? Do get in contact with us, we happily answer your questions.
Main Teachers
Arie Jan Hoorweg is founder and director of Alexander Techniek Opleiding Nederland
I followed the 3 year training-course in London from 1975 untill 1977 inclusive with Walter* and Dilys Carrington. After my training I was teaching privately for 9 years when I started in January 1987 the training-course for teachers-to-be in Holland. Besides my work as a teacher-trainer on ATON, I teach yearly on different training-courses in South-America. Further along do I teach privately (at my home) in Amstelveen, Alkmaar and Utrecht. In Alkmaar do I work with a psychologist, mostly with people with burn-out. In Utrecht we form with 4 colleagues the Utrechts Alexander Techniek Instituut voor Musici (UATIM), where we teach the Alexander Technique to many students of the Conservatorium. The A.T. is included in the curriculum of the Utrechts Conservatorium. Also do I regularly give workshops and work on a project basis with dancers.
*Walter Carrington had his training with F.M. Alexander from 1936 till 1939. He assisted Alexander till his death in 1955, after which he took charge of the training-course and run it till his death in 2005.
Anna Koolen is teaching at ATON, since July 1999.
I like helping people and organisations, finding back their compassion and direction by teaching to stop with undirected power, or the discipline of effortless in practise. My method of work is based on the Alexander Technique. Beside that I have a lot of experience with diverse psychology techniques, on qualities, dealing with differences, empowerment, spiritual visions, meditation- and visualisation techniques. My background: more than 25 years of experience as an independent entrepreneur, among others in the roles of: policy advisor, writer and project manager (at GGZ, Overheid and Zelfhulp), trainer personal and / or team coach. I teach the Alexander Technique since 1999 at my practise in Rosmalen and on location.
Wilberd Bakker is teaching at ATON since 2000.
I studied math at the Free University in Amsterdam and singing at Sweelinck Conservatorium. Besides teaching math, I sang for ten years in the Dutch Vocal Ensemble and conducted several choirs. I teach the Alexander Technique at my practise in Deventer. See also: www.eristijd.nl
About the Alexander Technique
One has to make a change in the manner of use to raise the standerd of general functioning. — F.M. Alexander (1869-1955)
De Alexander Technique owes its name to its founder, the Australian F.M. Alexander. He worked as a recital artist until he was no longer able to do his job due to voice problems. No doctor was able to familiarize him with this problem, other than taking a rest, which did not help. As a result, he started investigating what was wrong and what he himself could do to remedy it, and so came to his findings empirically. This led to his psycho-physical re-educational method.
Alexander started teaching his technique in the nineties of the 19th century. Thanks to the generation that has worked with him, his experience and knowledge have been passed on to us and greatly enriched in the last century. In the Netherlands, the method is mainly known to musicians, stage artists, etc. At the scientific level, the Dutch Nobel Prize winner Nicolaas Tinbergen devoted a good part of his speech to the acceptance of the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.
Individual Lessons
Alexander had found a method applicable to most common problems of daily life: the problem of habitual misuse of the self, of thoughtlessness. — Walter Carrington MSI 1996
From a lost/reduced psycho-physical balance to effortless movement
We often get so caught up by the fast and busy lives that we hardly spend any more time on ourselves. This leads to that we become aware (too)late when our bodies literally suffers from stress and/or overload. Small kids react and move efficiently in a natural and light way. In the course of years the efficient and light working coordination between the cooperating (balance)mechanisms (read: think, want and feel) become unbalanced and with that the musculoskeletal system loses its subtle working, and with that, has to do more to keep us upright, in one way or the other. The seemingly effortlessness of moving in small children slowly declines and changes unnoticed into a stiffer way of moving, which can clearly be seen in adults. We will not get this coordination, with its associated subtle muscle activities or control back, by simply doing more exercises or trying harder. As that is, reinforcing the present or habitual way of reacting in processes like thinking, willing and feeling (the use of ourselves), these have gotten us into problems in the first place. That means at a basic level nothing has changed, only at a superficial level.
Alexander discovered that our (automatic) reactions are the key to let the subtle cooperating mechanisms work uninterfered with. When we do not try to do our best, our reactions to impulses (from within and outside us) will get the space to work more efficient. Support of the body and movement will happen seemingly effortless. Through the technique Alexander developed, our body will get back the original possibilities of the subtle cooperating (balance) mechanisms.
What do you learn?
Alexander Technique lessons are based on simple, but thorough principles. You will work on conscious coordination in action. The teacher teaches you to stop with immediate, irrelevant and often u Unconscious physical and mental reactions, which will give you time and space for conscious direction of your body, brain or yourself.
The Technique teaches you to gain conscious and constructive controle over the use of yourself. You learn to tackle the causes of complaints in a new way. You do not fixate on the complaint, but you direct your attention on unlearning irrelevant responses or inefficient use of your muscles, in different situations. De hands of the teacher are an important aspect in letting you clearly experience, that by creating mental space, you subsequently, can choose to prevent the current, often fixed (movement)patterns, to come about. Verbal instructions help too in this process.
What outcome can you expect?
Some positive results; prevention of unnecessary and unjust reactions, through which you will get more freedom of choice in how you like to be with an appropriate and more efficient use of your muscles, in different situations.
After a number of lessons pupils experience themselves as more quiet and restful, in more exciting or tense moments too. Also they may hear often that they have grown, become taller. Figurative, as the Alexander Technique brings about a change in how you stand in life. Literally, as the Alexander Technique prevents or solves unnecessary shortening of the muscles. Most people value the Technique because one can take one’s own responsibility for one’s own well being, actively.
For whom is the Alexander Technique?
The Alexander Technique is for everybody who is interested in reacting and moving more efficiently. For people who have neck-, back- and shoulder complaints or other complaints, which are caused by wrong habits or stress.
People who have to make partial or subtle movements, either in their daily activities or by profession, like musicians. Find in the Alexander Technique a good relief or support. Musicians, dancers and actors experience even more perfection in their reaction and movement patterns through the Technique, which by practising harder and more not would have accomplished.
Similarly, people with physically demanding professions, achieve less physical complaints with less and with better controlled muscle strength.
For people with psychological complaints, the Technique will bring possibly more psychological rest. (We do not claim to work as psychologists).
Lessons in the Alexander Technique.
Lessons in the Technique are most beneficial on an individual basis. You learn the Technique through the hands of the teacher in combination with verbal instructions. At first you achieve result through undergo and experience the Technique. Repetition is necessary in order to break habitual patterns. As you go along you will notice that the principals of the Technique will come home to you in your daily activities.
Mostly after a demonstration lesson or a few lessons, you will notice the difference. For a longer lasting and more established effect you need a series of 20 to 50 lessons. After this series of lessons you will be able to apply the principles of the Alexander Technique in your daily life. After that, as required, you can take the od lesson to remain conscious of the principles.
What does it cost?
A lesson cost anything between € 35,- and € 60,- (incl. vat), depending on length of time and experience of the teacher. Would you like to book a lesson or do you have questions? Please, do contact us .
For an overview of teachers in the Netherlands or elsewhere in the world:
On this website you find more information on training to become a teacher in the Alexander Techniek.
More Information
Books by F.M. Alexander:
“Man’s Supreme Inheritance”
F.M. Alexander
ISBN 09525574-0-1
Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual
F.M. Alexander
ISBN 0575-03938-8
The Use of the Self
F.M. Alexander
ISBN 0-575 03720-2
The Universal Constant in Living
F.M. Alexander
ISBN 0-9525574-4-4
Alexander Technique Bookshop: www.alexandertechnique.com/bookshop
Backpain study: http://www.nevlat.nl/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/bmj-article.pdf
The Dutch professional society: NeVLAT
English society : STAT
Bekijk ook eens deze video’s over de Alexander Techniek van DavidReedMedia op YouTube
Bekijk ook eens deze video over de Alexander Techniek op YouTube
Contact
Location
The school is situated in a quiet and a lot of green quarter of Amstelveen, a suburb to Amsterdam. With good public transport and car (free parking), it is within easy reach.
Addresss
Straat van Gibraltar 34 1183 GW Amstelveen
Telefoon: + 31(0)20-645 29 16 e-mail alexandertechniek@hoorweg.demon.nl
Openbaar Vervoer:
Get to Amsterdam Zuid/WTC and take tram 5 in the direction of Amstelveen-Binnenhof, get of at the stop Zonnestein. Cross the tramrails and walk to the roundabout in the short distance, go straight across it and after the supermarket turn right. You are now in the Straat van Gibraltar, look for number 34.
Car:
Route A9, take exit nr. 4 called Ouderkerk a/d Amstel, Amstelveen.
Coming from the direction of Utrecht, turn right at the end of the exit and turn right, then at traffic lights turn left, then at the second set of traffic lights turn right, you are on a dual carriage road and turn right at the next traffic light. A 100 meters and you have a roundabout, go straight across it and turn right at the next road. You will find Straat van Gibraltar in front of you. Look for nr 34.
Coming from the direction of Schiphol(airport) take exit nr. 4, turn left at the bottom of the exit, at the second traffic light turn left, then at the second set of traffic lights turn right, you are on a dual carriage road and turn right at the next traffic light. A 100 meters and you have a roundabout, go straight across it and turn right at the next road. You will find Straat van Gibraltar in front of you. Look for nr 34
Routebeschrijving / Directions
Kaart
