187: How to Choose a Yoga Teacher Training with Cecily Milne

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 187: How to Choose a Yoga Teacher Training with Cecily Milne   Description: The first big step that we often take in our journey to become yoga teachers is our Yoga Teacher Training (YTT), and in many ways, much of how we teach is influenced by our YTT experiences. However, not all YTTs are created equal, and some are better than others. Cecily Milne published the blogpost “10 ways to make your yoga teacher training suck less”, and has some pointers on what makes a good YTT.   Cecily Milne is the Founder of Yoga Detour™, which began as a 200HR program, but has evolved since then. Today, Cecily focuses on education within the yoga and movement teaching community, and hopes to provide other professionals in this space with the resources she wishes she had access to as a teacher and business owner. She offers online learning courses as well as in-person training to support others and help them grow as yoga teachers and movement educators.   What sets a great YTT apart from the rest? Shannon and Cecily dig into why many teacher training programs today fail to set trainees up for success, and the top lessons Cecily learned from running her own 200hr TT. Cecily also highlights the importance of diversity and representation teacher trainings, teaching skills and evaluations, and the business aspect of running YTTs. Ultimately, choosing a YTT is all about finding the right fit between the student and the school.   Whether you are brand new to yoga and are thinking about a YTT, or if you are wondering how to put an amazing YTT together, this episode is full of valuable insights.   Key Takeaways: [4:53] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Cecily Milne. [6:41] What does Cecily do and who does she do it for? [8:33] How did Cecily get started with yoga? [10:19] What was Cecily's first 200-hour yoga teacher training like? [12:20] What inspired Cecily to write her article "10 ways to make your yoga teacher training suck less" [14:05] What are some of the most important things to consider when choosing a yoga teacher training? [17:16] Shannon and Cecily discuss how to make yoga teacher trainings more representative and inclusive. [21:18] What are some questions we should be asking when considering a yoga potential teacher training? [23:41] How can we bring up the topic of race and representation in a yoga teacher training? [25:00] Cecily highlights some other questions to ask when considering a yoga teacher training, particularly around the business aspects of being a yoga teacher. [32:36] As much as those taking the training programs, those offering the training programs need to ask themselves why they are providing that program and who it is for. [33:48] Shannon and Cecily discuss where being a part of Yoga Alliance ties in with yoga teacher trainings. [35:29] Accountability should be a big part of a yoga teacher training. Cecily shares how she helps teachers with learning to teach. [39:42] Cecily has had some great success with getting her students record themselves teaching. [41:40] How can teachers deal with the privacy aspect and getting consent from their students to record? [43:10] It is important for students to know what their needs and priorities are in choosing a yoga teacher training, and to find a school that caters to that and is a good fit. [44:08] Shannon recommends that you talk to previous graduates from the yoga school or training program you are considering. [45:06] Get in touch with Cecily via her website to find out more about her work and the training she offers. [46:47] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this interview.   Links: Cecily Milne, Yoga Detour 10 Ways to Make Your Teaching Training Program Suck Less, by Cecily Milne How to Make Your Teacher Training Program Suck Less Cheatsheet Detour Method Synthesis Shannon Crow on Instagram   Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity   Quotes from this episode:   "The program helped me see that there was actually real value to becoming a yoga teacher, and for me that was being able to help people make the most of their experience in their bodies." - Cecily   "I see fewer and fewer programs actually asking people to teach, and asking people to teach and get evaluated for it." - Cecily   "We have to just get more creative with how we structure our programs and how we include different members of faculty." - Cecily