TT1, Online

MBSR Teacher Training, Level 1 course, TT1 Online, Live and Interactive

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Participant Information 

The Online TT1 will follow the same curriculum, evaluation, assessments and certification as the in-person version. The intentions remain the same: We will be creating a community of practice that comes together to deepen our personal practice, to learn to teach core meditations of the MBSR curriculum and to practice the skills of facilitating inquiry, a key part of the group learning experience. There will be in-depth discussion and exploration of the curriculum of the 8-week MBSR course including the experiential group activities of the lessons and reflection on how to teach these in courses.  

At the end of the retreat, you will have had the opportunity to learn and practice embodiment, inquiry, guiding core meditation practices, adopt professional good practice including trauma-sensitive teaching and group process skills. You will have completed a foundational step in teaching the 8-week MBSR course.

Online Participation 

Online participation shares much of the same conventions as ‘in-person’ participation: You are joining an immersive retreat and you will be as visible in the virtual classroom as you would be in-person. Our virtual classroom will use Zoom, a free video-conferencing tool that is the platform of choice for courses like this one. Zoom is very user friendly whatever your level of experience or comfort. Be assured - if you can click on a link then you can use this tool. Just as we have preparations to make to attend in-person retreats, there are preparations that we need to make in order to ensure we can maximise the immersive experience of this TT1 and complete the required hours of training. 

1. Technical Preparation

You will need:

• A computer or laptop with a high-speed internet connection, with a working camera, so you are onscreen for the duration, microphone and speakers
• To plug directly into the network with a cord rather than using wireless (WiFi), if possible, to ensure appropriate bandwidth
• To be familiar with your computer as we cannot provide technical assistance
• To have a backup or ‘Plan B’ ready should your first choice of computer and network run into some difficulty  
• Zoom – a free video conference application (See no. 5 of this list)

2. Pre-class Checklist

• Be ready to start each session with plenty of time to prepare your computer and to sign into the live classes (no. 6 of this list details the schedule of each day on retreat)
• Check that your computer is working including video, microphone and speakers
• Switch off all notifications from other applications to your computer (e.g. mail, messages, social media etc.)
• Ensure you have created the physical environment, quiet with the support of others not to be interrupted for this time (no. 4 on this list offers more suggestions)
• Mobile phone is on silent with access to What’s App to notify teachers in case of technical difficulties arising
• Personal needs – course workbooks with printed out pages/sections as advised below; blank paper and pens; timer, water, blanket, mat, cushion etc. just as if you were coming to class in person.

3. Responding to Difficulties

As with any class attendance, difficulties can arise that can interrupt our capacity to participate. For example, travel delays or childcare changes, illness etc. For online courses, our difficulties may arise in the form of technical difficulties. In the event of such difficulties:

• Acknowledge this can happen and practice calmly responding!
• Sign out and back in again - this often solves many problems
• If above does not work, let the teachers know you are experiencing technical difficulties by sending a ‘whats-app’ message rather than trying to ‘troubleshoot’ these during sessions
• Use a computer as some Zoom features are less effective on smartphones and tablets

4. Personal Preparation 

The attitude we bring to this experience is key and we need to be prepared to commit fully to the schedule each day for this week, as you would if you were with us in-person. This will require some additional personal preparation of your own physical space so that you can engage with full attention and presence for the duration of this course. We will also support each other in maintaining this commitment as we continue to create our group context for learning when we meet during the course schedule. 

In preparation, consider where you will set up your space and how you will create the physical environment that will support you during this time:

• a quiet, well-lit room, where you can rest your computer screen and be visible sitting, lying down and standing; also free of interruptions and distractions - remember what you see on your screen is what we see too! 
• family support to allow you to join the online retreat (including allowing you full access to your network bandwidth for the duration of live sessions)
• agreements on how to interact with family and work commitments during this time, ie while in session and in between
• access to easy, nutritious meals and snacks

5. ‘Zoom’ Preparation

To sign up for the free Zoom, please create an account via this link: https://zoom.us/ Note: work computer may block such applications.

These short videos offer helpful tutorials:  

• Joining a Meeting: https://youtu.be/TAGiPCJNd3A
• Zoom Tutorials: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206618765-Zoom-Video-Tutorials

Testimonial from Elise:

Hear from Elise who had just finished the ONLINE version of the MBSR Teacher Training course, first level, TT1.

Materials

On receipt of the deposit payment, I will send you the links to the guided Mindfulness MBSR Meditation MP3's and our MBSR Scripts for the pre-course study. We ask that you complete this self-study as it is part of the required training hours and goes towards your graduation certification. Part of this self-study is that we ask you to have a daily formal Mindfulness practice of 30 - 45 minutes per day including a seated Mindfulness MBSR meditation of 30 minutes per day between now and the start date using the provided MP3's. You may find that they are different from the meditation's you have been practising, however, it is important for you to have direct experiential experience of these meditations, prior to learning how to teach them. We also suggest that you have a twice-weekly Mindful Movement or Mindful Walking practice. 

There are also 2 books to read and during the final 8 weeks run-up to the TT1, you will also receive a weekly email from us to help you focus on preparation for the course. 

The MBSR Scripts is one of the documents you will be using during this TT1 Foundation training, please take time to read and absorb the following sections -

• Notes on Guiding Mindfulness Practices and 
• Key Learning and Elements to consider when Guiding.  

During the course you will receive training on delivering the meditations and every afternoon you will practice guiding the MBSR meditations in small groups with assessment and feedback from both your peers and Bodhin, using the Mindfulness-based Teaching Assessment Criteria or MBI-TACs.

The MBSR Teachers manual is another of the documents you will be using during this TT1 Foundation training. For the online version, we will be sending you a digital copy.

Course Details

MBSR Teacher Training Steps