ACI
Teacher
Training 7

In this Teacher Training course from the Asian Classics Institute, we will do an extensive exploration of the commitments that a bodhisattva makes both to living beings and to themselves, to create a more prosperous and healthy world. There are 64 of these commitments, oftentimes called vows, that help a bodhisattva plant the most powerful seeds in care of others. They are a recipe to bring about an impactful change in the world, as well as to bring each of us to higher states of spiritual evolution.

This course is based upon Master Asanga's root text and its commentary called The Highway for Bodhisattvas (Jangchub Shunglam) by Je Tsongkapa. Topics include: the definition and types of bodhichitta, types of morality and vows, how bodhisattva vows are taken, an explanation of the eighteen root bodhisattva vows and forty-six secondary bodhisattva vows, the four factors needed to break a bodhisattva root vow, how bodhisattva vows are lost, how to keep your bodhisattva vows well, how to restore your bodhisattva vows, and the benefits of keeping bodhisattva vows.

After the course, we will celebrate and take the bodhisattva vows together in a ceremony together. 

ACI Teacher Training 7 then takes all this knowledge and helps you to learn all the necessary skills to teach it accurately, accessibly, and relevantly to your students. The training consists of a total of ten classes that are held over two weekends in June and July. In addition to the primary classes, we will host ten teaching workshops to hone your teaching and presentation skills. The prerequisite to join is that you have completed at least five ACI courses, including ACI 7 (homeworks, quizzes, meditations, final exam, and certificate) before you begin.

In addition to the theoretical and pedagogical presentations of this ACI course from certified ACI teachers, our training gives you the direct opportunity to practice teaching the material to your peers and a teacher training assistant. You will receive immediate feedback during these fun and interactive workshops to improve your mastery towards becoming a teacher. And as you develop proficiency in core teaching competencies – such as structure, language accessibility, and real-life applications – we will also spend a significant amount of time on how to analyze your students’ learning styles and how to engage them in ways that allow them to integrate the teachings quickly, effectively, and accurately into their lives. All of these together will help you become a better teacher, directly reaching your students’ hearts and inspiring them to have success in their lives and in their spiritual journeys.