Final (?) note on posture clinics

The posture clinics were long and tedious for sure. Sitting on the floor was uncomfortable and a total drag (strongly advise trail chairs (no legs or hard bits) and advise against camp chairs with metal tubing (several of us were injured trying to maneuver around those inconsiderate enough to bring these in (I have a bruise on both legs from these and a gouge in my left leg from one)) Delivering dialogue day after day was stressful no doubt. That being said, I sincerely doubt that there is a single person who did not benefit from the process. The way that most folks pitched in to help each other was also totally awesome yo! Yes, there were some superstars (no issues in posture clinics and came here knowing the whole dialogue already) that not once aided another person, and it does make one wonder about them as teachers. At the same time there were piles and piles of folks who went out of their way to help. One guy in my team really struggled even toward the end, and this one woman from LA (who could come across as pretty self-serving) worked with him night and day to get him back on track. She really was the right person to help him out, and she gave of herself freely.

I took a lot of notes and paid attention to all feedback, not only my own. Some folks listened to their ipods or talked through every session, which is sad. I think i got more from listening to the feedback for the other 39 people in the room than only my own (law of averages and all of that...) I guess you get out what you put in. I strongly advise future TTs to put forth their very best BUT not to set expectations upon themselves. We are all our own worst critics, and when we beat ourselves down we are not doing anyone any favors. Do. Accept. Learn, and move on.

Karma will ensue.

Posture clinics

After 2 weeks of posture clinics, here is my take on it SO FAR.

Some of the senior staff are simply better than others at certain aspects of the posture clinics.  Out of the folks I have had in my posture clinics the followings ones stand out for me due to them delivering a specific message (or being first to deliver it).

• Martha Williams helped us understand the role of a teacher as it pertained to being up there on the podium. The thing that sticks out for me from Martha's posture clinics is that the teacher is teaching one student at a time.  The dialogue is not plural... it is "kick your leg up", "suck your stomach in".  This was actually very profound for me.
  
• Ren taught us a lot more about being a teacher, what you can and cannot do with the dialogue in order to be successful.
  
• Mike Frayer has scary 6th sense like abilities.  He not only sees what you are lacking in your delivery, but somehow manages to know what part of it you need to hear at that moment.  For everyone in my group the night we had him he managed to pinpoint a focal point and draw them away from what they were obsessing over.  
• Diane Ducharme got us after we had gotten some conflicting messages "you must stand still", "you should make natural movements", etc.  What she reminded us was that this was a laboratory where we would be free to experiment and learn to be our very best teacher-selves.  We should learn to let go in order to find out what works.  If feedback does not resonate as true within you and make you less effective... leave it on the floor.