Ethics

I'm doing consciously more than needed - our next reading session is about ethics, and I'd rather take some time to express my thoughts explicitly than to keep them creeping fuzzily around in the back of my mind.

1. WC states (Teachers) “are not justified in intruding into (pupils’) emotions, their thoughts, their feelings, their beliefs, their attitudes.” FM says that "Unduly excited fear reflexes, uncontrolled emotions, prejudices and fixed habits, are retarding factors in all human development. They need our serious attention, for they are linked up with all psycho-physical processes employed in growth and development on the subconscious plane." (CCCI – Chapter 6)
Presumably for a person to change their habit of use these factors FM enumerates have to be change. Do you think it is possible to help people change their pattern of use without dealing with people’s emotions, thoughts, feelings and beliefs?


I don't think it's possible to change a person's pattern of use without dealing with emotions, thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Former factors are an integral part of a person's self. Assuming that an AT teacher could help a pupil to change his/her use of the self without dealing with these factors neglects Alexander's core idea of psycho-physical unity.

The key word in WC's statement is in my point of view 'intrude'. A teacher does not intrude a student's body (like maybe physio's or chiropractors do), so a similar 'soft' and 'guiding' approach is required to deal with thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and emotions.

Psychological studies have shown that changes in attitude hardly change behaviour, but changed behaviour affects attitudes. An AT teacher can create the space to explore different ways to behave (act, do), which in turn changes attitudes, beliefs, etc.

2. If the answer is “no” how might we give these “our serious attention” in a way that doesn’t take us out of our range of what we are trained to do as AT teachers?


Basically, an AT teacher should deal with 'mental' pattern in a similar way to physical patterns, by the use of indirect procedures. We would not treat a broken bone with AT, and severe emotional problems belong to a similar category. When making pupils aware of bad use in thinking, we need the same sensitivity we apply with our hands.

3. If the answer is “yes” then what is the process we take people who suffer from these “retarding factors” through to help them to change their use?

Giving pupils new experiences, having a consistent way of teaching the principles of AT and avoiding 'emotional triggers' are essential to help the pupil to gain more freedom.

4. What does Walter suggest and what are your thoughts?

I would summarize Walter's suggestion about ethics to three major points:
1) Mind you own business
2) Teach the technique as hands-on as possible
3) Don't hesitate redirecting pupils to other sources of help, know your competencies

This doesn't prevent you as teacher from providing just what a student needs to release 'mental holding patterns', albeit with indirect procedures. This can be best achieved in a cooperative, subtle manner, confrontation is counterproductive in most but rare cases.

5. In regard to “unduly excited fear reflexes, uncontrolled emotions, prejudices and fixed habits” and “individual errors and delusions” how does FM propose that we approach these “retarding factors”?


FM suggest to rebuild confidence in the pupil by liberating him/her from the idea of doing this 'correctly', and providing sucessful experiences of deploying satisfactory means-whereby. It is also necessary to improve the reliability of sensory appreciation. The student then has to apply the AT principles generally, and not only for specific situations.

6. If you can accept that some types of beliefs are harmful to a persons use and others not harmful pick an example of a harmful and a non-harmful belief.

Harmful believe: There's a quick fix for everything.
Non-harmful believe: There's more between heaven and earth than science can tell us.

7. If a pupil is undertaking a procedure, treatment or doing exercises, which are clearly impacting badly on their use, what is a teacher’s responsibility? If you decide that it is appropriate for a teacher to give advice in such a case how could this be done?

The advice should be given in a careful manner, by making the student aware of the bad impact of his choice.