Teacher Training Program
Director: Michael Parkinson
1st Assistant: Theodora Kapellou-Parkinson
The teacher training program at the Alexander Technique Centre Vienna was established with the approval of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT) in 1996. Since May 2025 the training program has been approved by the Gesellschaft für F.M. Alexander-Technik Österreich (GATOE). Graduates from this program are eligible for GATOE certification and teaching membership of the society. All GATOE-approved training schools follow strict guidelines agreed upon by the Affiliated Societies of the Alexander Teachnique (ATAS). For full information about GATOE and ATAS please visit their websites alexander-technik.at and alexandertechniqueworldwide.com.
The teacher training program requires students to attend a minimum of 1600 class hours spread over a minimum of 3 years. Each academic year is divided into three terms, following local holidays and mid-term breaks. Classes are held on four mornings per week, subject to change. New students may join the program at the beginning of any term during the academic year. Although no specific academic qualifications are required, it is necessary to have had some personal experience of Alexander Technique before joining the program; either through individual lessons or group classes/workshops etc. Although the classes are held in both English and German, a working knowledge of English is necessary as much literature pertaining the the Alexander Technique is only available in English.
The teacher training program offers ongoing study to graduates from other training programmes. Post-graduate weeks, months or terms are offered subject to place availability.
We also offer the possibility to join the teacher training program for either a half or whole trimester of intensive practical study. Participants who decide thereafter to continue with the teacher training programme may be credited with this time. Please email or call for further details and conditions.
For more detailed information about the teacher training programme (curriculum, fees, term dates etc), please write to Michael Parkinson at: michaelcparkinson@gmail.com or call 0043 676 9414212
Please specify whether you would like to receive the information in English or German.
In accordance with GATOE training course regulations there is a minimum teacher/student ratio of 1:5.The current teaching faculty are:
Michael Parkinson: head of training (Walter and Dilys Carrington, London)*
Theodora Kapellou-Parkinson: 1st assistant (Michael Parkinson, Vienna)*
Sharon Higginson: GATOE assigned moderator (Jeanne and Aksel Haahr,Totnes, Devon)*
*The names in brackets indicate where the teachers were trained.
Michael Parkinson and Theodora Kapellou-Parkinson are members of Gesellschaft für F.M. Alexander-Technik Österreich (GATOE).
Over the past few years we have made a number of exchange visits to other teacher training schools in Europe. Since our visit to Daniela Bottaro’s school in Vicenza, Italy in 2006 we have visited the Brighton Alexander College (Carolyn Nichols), made three visits to the Alexander-Technik Ausbildungszentrum in Munich (Mary Holland/ Alexander Hermann), the Ausbildungszentrum für Alexander-Technik in Berlin (Irmel Weber) and the London Centre for Alexander Technique and Training (Refia Sacks).
We have had the pleasure of visits to our school in Vienna from the school in Belgium (formally ElisabethLangford), and most recently the AT Ausbildungszentrum from Munich (Holland/Hermann).
We also offer the possibility to join the teacher training program for either a half or whole trimester of intensive practical study. Participants who decide thereafter to continue with the teacher training program will be credited with this time. Please email or call for further details and conditions.