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| Photo by The Yoga People, used with Creative Commons license |
Yoga teachers are human, and that means they make mistakes—and lots of them! I would know, because after nearly 10 years of teaching yoga off and on (more off than on), I’ve allowed myself to get rusty and made rookie teacher mistakes, erm, more times than I’d really like to admit. There’s the run-of-the-mill “right” vs. “left” mishaps that we all make (and I still make). These aren’t even worth mentioning because they just make us more human and relatable to our students. I happen to believe that’s a good thing. And, then there’s the bigger mistakes that make our students question our knowledge and/or why they’re coming to our classes in the first place. These mistakes make us look unprofessional, take away from your students experience of being present on their mats, and should be avoided at all costs.
That said, if you’re like me and you fall into making these mistakes every now and then (even when you know better) don’t beat yourself up. Remember that this teaching gig is a practice, just like your time on your mat, and it takes time (and lots of trial and error) for things to really click. We don’t expect to be able to touch the soles of our feet to the back of our heads the first time we do a backbend, so why should we expect ourselves to be perfect the first time (or first 3 years) we teach yoga?
Here are 5 big boo boos almost every new yoga teacher makes.
1. Giving too many options. It’s like this. You want your students to know they can make the practice their own, but when you spout out every modification you can think of for a pose (especially those that aren’t relevant to who you’re teaching) your students will get overwhelmed and/or confused. That is, if they’re still listening to you at all. Keep it simple, look around the room, and address the needs of the students in front of you.
See also: A Lesson for Teachers
See also: A Lesson for Teachers
2. Sticking to the plan no matter what. New teachers often stick to their class plan because they’re not sure what else to do (and they’re afraid of making a mistake) even if it’s not appropriate for the people who show up to class. Don’t be afraid to deviate from your plan when it serves your students better. If you were planning to teach one-armed Handstands, but mostly ladies in their 70s who are just starting yoga show up, it’s your job to change your plan. Most people will forgive you if you misspeak or need to bring them into an extra Child’s Pose to come up with your next sequence of poses.
3. Questioning (or apologizing for) your instructions in front of your class. “Sorry, I’m off today. I guess I should’ve had that extra cup of coffee this morning.” It’s one thing to laugh off a mistake in class, it’s another thing entirely to call attention to something most people wouldn’t even notice by issuing a public apology. It makes everyone uncomfortable. Don’t do it.
See also: How to Choose a Yoga Teacher
See also: How to Choose a Yoga Teacher
4. Molding your classes to what you think will attract more students instead of teaching what resonates most with you, and trusting others will resonate with it, too. (Or taking it personally when your classes aren’t full.) Do your thing. Teach what you know. It’s not going to work for everyone, and it’s not supposed to.
5. Treating teaching as a hobby. Even if teaching IS a side job for you, being a yoga teacher is a big responsibility and you shouldn’t take it lightly. It takes planning, creativity, a big heart, and lots of time on your own mat and in trainings to continue your education, and, yes, marketing. You can’t just show up once a week, teach that one sequence you learned in your teacher training, and expect your classes to grow organically. I’m not saying that most teachers do this regularly, but it’s tough out there. It’s easy to get discouraged, fall into a pattern of teaching the same old, uninspired stuff, or sit back and wait for the magic to come to you. Approach every class with the same thoughtful care and professionalism you’d give your day job. Your students deserve your best—never forget that it is EXACTLY what someone needs and it has the power to change lives.
This post was originally posted on Gather; A Yoga Collective.
Read More:
How to Write a Yoga Teacher Bio
Are You Ready for Yoga Teacher Training?
Steal from Your Yoga Teacher: And Other Advice that Sounds Bad
This post was originally posted on Gather; A Yoga Collective.
Read More:
How to Write a Yoga Teacher Bio
Are You Ready for Yoga Teacher Training?
Steal from Your Yoga Teacher: And Other Advice that Sounds Bad
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