Tell Me Somethin' Good... or at Least Helpful...

I am diligently trying to grow and improve as a teacher.  If you have taken my class even once, please take some time to inform me about your opinions and interests regarding me and my classes. 

Link to Survey.

Namaste Y'all!

Experience

Yoga is popular.  And regardless of the age of Yoga in its many forms (we are talking thousands of years old), there is a modern emphasis on asana practice and its physical health benefits.  I believe that people have a right to choose what parts of Yoga they want or don't want, and that those people will likely find benefit whether they are practicing rigorously in a 100 degree room or sitting still on a cushion.  And I think the benefits they are seeking are the benefits they will reap, if they use discernment to determine which method will suit them best in getting there.

One perceived pitfall of Yoga's popularity is that most anyone can teach Yoga.  The typical student is looking for the most convenient, most enjoyable class they can find.  The teacher of the class they find may or may not be equipped to deal with that particular person, on the particular day they walk into that particular classroom.  This is influenced by many factors, including but not limited to:

• the student's prior experience practicing yoga
• the student's individual needs (injuries, emotional considerations, etc.)
• the student's expectations of the class
• the student's level of attentiveness to what is being presented
• the teacher's experience with teaching
• the teacher's education
• the teacher's individual strengths and weakness
• the teacher's expectations for the class
• the teacher's attentiveness to what their students are doing in class

I can recall an embarrassing number of times when I was unprepared to handle a student because of any of the above reasons, and most Yoga teachers will likely agree that those moments haunt you.  For example, the time someone told me they had a slipped disc and I told them deep forward folds were just fine, since it didn't look like they shouldn't do it.  Or the time I couldn't stop thinking about the fight I had with my boyfriend and barely looked up from my mat while instructing potentially dangerous poses.  The time someone asked me why I teach it that way, when so-and-so teaches it another way - and I didn't know the answer.  Ick.

I started teaching Yoga way before I had training.  And guess what?  I still run into students today that tell me they LOVED my classes and they pursued Yoga long after I was gone because of the impression I gave them.  Have students injured themselves in my class?  I really hope not. Not that I know of.  Have I failed to provide the most accurate instruction or answer to students at given times in my teaching?  Absolutely.  However, the first time a student challenged me on why I taught something a certain way, and I didn't have an answer, you better believe I looked it up.  And I asked around.  And I tried different approaches.  And I changed they way I taught it, because I found out the way I was doing it was not the safest, most effective way.

Since those beginning days of my teaching, I have trained and studied a lot.  Not counting the endless hours of personal exploration, reading, being on my mat, and talking to peers and mentors, I have at least 500 hours of documented training and study.  And as of this month, I have more than 1000 classroom teaching hours.  One way that teachers can bolster their credibility is to register with an organization such as Yoga Alliance, proving that they have met or exceeded standards that have been agreed upon by "people who know Yoga".  I have been a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) for 4 years now, and with my 1000 hours of teaching, I am now qualified as an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (ERYT).  Hooray for me!

Despite debate on how efficacious organizations like Yoga Alliance are at ensuring the kind of quality control they intend, I like having something to show to my students and employers that will vouch for the hard work I have put in.  And I like being held accountable to the title of "Experienced".  This title, to me, is a pledge that I am doing my best to provide the best Yoga I can to my students.  I think in a world of popular Yoga, the best service I can do as a teacher is to keep offering credibility to it.  This does not mean that I believe teachers who do not have a certification or a registration or a title are not serving Yoga as a whole.  There are highly experienced teachers who have never and will never pursue a title of any kind.  Personally, I like being very explicit about the seriousness with which I approach my teaching and practice.  So, I am labeled and I like it.

What does this mean for the student?  I have learned a lot in a 1000 hours of teaching.  I have learned to better handle an inexperienced, injured or inattentive student.  I have learned to better handle my own weaknesses and distractions.  I hope my students will have confidence that I will give them the best of all of that experience.


For new teachers: keep doing the best you can.  The experiences you both love and hate about teaching will lead to your being a better version of yourself each and every class.

Experience in action!