Module 1 – Beginning Documents and Warm ups

1) The first thing you should do is read the entire document titled “Open the Door to Tai Chi . . . Tai Chi for the Everyday Person.” You will find it below.

This document will give you the history of Tai Chi, explain the benefits and the language of Tai Chi, introduce the principles that you need to teach in order for your students to gain the many benefits of Tai Chi and finally, it will actually show you the moves (or postures) in the form.

2) Watch the Warm-ups and Cool Downs video. This is important as they will be incorporated into each of the class plans, including the beginning class plans.

3) Watch each of the 4 beginning class videos and the Final Moves video. Download the class plans and begin to learn the teaching points for each of the moves.

The Open the Door to Tai Chi system offers four beginning classes for students before they move on to the regular or advanced class. These four classes are each independent of the other. The first five videos in your curriculum are the Beginning Homework videos plus an extra one just for you. The homework videos are meant to support what your students learn in your classes and they are meant as a “start and stop and practice” kind of video. Your actual classes will be 30 minutes long and will involve multiple repetitions of each of the moves included in each class. Because these classes are independent of each other, they all include “hold the ball” and “chi walking.” These are both crucial moves to master as “hold the ball” is a critical transition move throughout the form and “chi walking” is the basis of each move in the form. You will learn the moves from these videos. (And remember, these same videos will be available for you to give to your students! No need to have to reproduce them.) There is a 5th video of “missing moves” for you because you want to give your students incentive to move on to the advanced class and put everything into the form. I have included those missing moves for you to learn, however. Be sure to practice and learn all the moves before you attempt to move on and learn the form. It will make your experience much easier! Remember, we also have a library of all the separate moves for you, as well. Try to practice at least 10 minutes each day.

4) Take the first quiz! There are 25 multiple choice questions in this quiz. Some of them will utilize videos to show movements. You must answer at least 80% of these questions correctly to pass. You will have the chance to review your answers and the correct answers to each question after submitting the exam.

5) Move on to Part 2 and start learning how to put the individual moves together into the flow of the form.
I have included 3 videos of the form for you to practice with and learn from. The first video is the just the first half of the form. Practice these first 11 movements and memorize their sequence before moving on to the second video which is the last half of the form. Finally, I have included the full form so you can practice along with me as you commit the form to memory. It will also be helpful for you to listen to my verbal cues as I go through the form. This helps all of your students as they attempt to complete the form in your classes. (Again, these form videos will also be available for you to give to your students as homework aids!)

6) Take the second quiz! Again, there are 25 multiple choice questions in this quiz. Some of them will utilize videos to show movements. You must answer at least 80% of these questions correctly to pass. You will have the chance to review your answers and the correct answers to each question after submitting the exam.

7) Move on to Part 3 and start learning the foundational principles that will set you apart from other instructors who only know the moves to the form.
Be sure to download the class plans that go with each of the 8 principles. There are 3 done-for-you class plans that go with each of these 8 principles. This gives you 24 class plans to start with as you begin to teach classes. (Plus 1 more bonus class for a total of 25 class plans!)

8) Take the third quiz! There are 35 multiple choice questions in this quiz. Some of them will utilize videos to show movements. You must answer at least 80% of these questions correctly to pass. You will have the chance to review your answers and the correct answers to each question after submitting the exam.
If you have decided to certify with distinction, you will be required to set up a 15-min Skye exam with me. During this exam, I will ask you to perform the form 3 times. The first time will focus on the execution of the moves. The second time, I will ask you to perform the entire form and cue it verbally as if you were leading a class through the form. The third time through the form, I will ask you to pick one of the 8 principles and demonstrate how that principle affects and enhances the moves in the form and how the principle can benefit your students in their everyday lives.