Update & What's Next | Online Yoga Teaching and Teacher Training
August 30, 2021
Dear Community,
We have exciting and important updates regarding the status of online yoga teaching and teacher training standards.
As the world continues to transition to more and more online connection and engagement, so does the teaching and practice of yoga.
In our ongoing commitment to foster quality, safety, and equity in yoga teaching as well as meet the needs of the broader yoga community and evolution of the times, we are using sound research, data, and proven methodologies to adapt our standards to the online environment. These developments will not only expand the accessibility of yoga for practitioners, but also:
- Provide more ways for Registered Yoga Schools (RYSs) and Registered Yoga Teachers (RYTs) to reach more students;
- Support RYSs in creatively delivering educational content that is personalized and unique to their community/lineage/style; and
- Offer trainees and students the opportunity to gain a more expansive view and experience of the breadth and depth of yoga around the world
Here is the latest…
Online Teaching and Teacher Training Updates
In case you missed it:
RYSs who qualify and apply for the 2021 RYS Online Teaching Exemption (OTE) may hold 100% of their trainings online throughout the end of this year. Originally open through September 30, this application deadline has since been extended to December 31, 2021. This means if you are an RYS who is interested in holding a teacher training program that begins and ends this year in an online or blended format, you still have the opportunity to do so.
If you would like to start a teacher training program this year with a 2022 or 2023 end date, you will need to apply to the forthcoming 2022-2023 Online Teaching Application, as detailed below, in addition to the 2021 OTE.
What’s next—Online Teacher Training in 2022 and 2023:
If you are an RYS or potential RYS preparing future teacher training programs and would like to host them online or in a blended format, we will be opening the 2022-2023 Online Teaching Application on October 4, 2021, which includes new requirements. This serves as a bridge to the RYS requirement to up-level to the Elevated RYS Standards by December 31, 2023. Information regarding Elevated 300 and 500-hour Standards, as well as specialty credential information, will be arriving prior to the end of this year.
Perhaps the most important thing to note is what this all means for your RYS teacher training program timeline, as well as which requirements are applicable to you.
View RYS Online Teaching Requirements here.
Teacher’s Corner:
“Anything new or important I should know as an RYT?”
Easy, short answer—nope! You may continue to teach or receive Continuing Education (CE) credit online at your convenience. Use our Directory to find Continuing Education Providers (YACEPs) that offer both online education of interest and access to you, or an online RYS program. Search by yoga style, language, scholarship opportunities, and more.
The Ethical Commitment
All member credentials are rooted in the Ethical Commitment, which unites us around shared principles and fosters safe and respectful guidelines for the profession of yoga teaching. To review and agree to this commitment if you have not already done so, visit your Membership Dashboard today!
Already teaching in-person or thinking about it? Welcome back!
While the world continues to toggle between different phases of reopening, we encourage all yoga professionals to follow their local, state, and federal safety guidelines and regulations. Soon, you will be able to review and download a forthcoming Back to Flow Toolkit, which will provide public health guidelines for safely teaching and practicing in-person. In the meantime, review re-opening and recovery recommendations on yourya.org.
Need to find something quick? Check here:
In order to uphold the integrity of Yoga Alliance credentials, we regularly assess our policies and procedures and may incorporate additional changes to existing and future standards requirements.
If you have any other questions regarding the status of your credential or online teaching and teacher training requirements, please review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) or contact our Member Support team by calling 1-888-921-9642 or emailing us at info@yogaalliance.org.
Your Yoga Alliance