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Believe it or not I taught my first full-length class—with real, live students—and I survived! My students survived, too. I'm happy to report there were no broken bones, no strained muscles, not even a bruised ego as far as I could tell (of course, how do you really know?). I'm happy to have this milestone out of the way, and can't wait to do it again!
Of course, not everything went smoothly. I completely forgot what I was doing on one occasion, and I started to lead the class into a pose sequence on the same side two times. By the end of the class I had given up completely on keeping up with right and left. Instead I referred to the "front foot" or the "other arm," which was surprisingly effective.
My class was beginner-oriented, so it attracted some of my co-workers who haven't done much yoga. (Yes, we do have a few yoga novices at Yoga Journal.) This was such a blessing because it seemed like, for the most part, when my instructions were unclear someone spoke up to ask me what the heck I was talking about. This was a great learning experience because it helped me realize where my language was strong, and where it needed more work—everywhere. It was very different because prior to this, my teaching experience had consisted of guiding other teacher trainees, who intuitively knew what I meant even when it differed from what I actually said.
Teaching beginners was challenging, too, because I found it really hard to gauge how much help to give them. On one hand, I wanted them to have a positive experience, to feel like they were getting the poses, and to just enjoy the class without feeling like they were being picked on every second. On the other hand, I wanted to guide them to feel the pose more completely by helping with foundation and alignment in each and every pose. It was hard for me to find the right balance of instruction for the beginners, so I tried to focus on one thing per pose (spreading the fingers in Downward-Facing Dog, keeping the spine long in forward bends, etc.) I have a new appreciation for teachers who specialize in mixed-level classes; it's incredibly hard to cater to all your students when they're at different levels. I'm hoping it's an art I will master (or at least become competent in) with more experience?
I thought some of you might be interested in the sequence I tried to teach. Please share any advice on sequencing for beginning students. Here's how it went down:
In other news, my test and graduation are in a couple of weeks. So if you don't hear from me for a while, it's because I'm studying my anatomy.
This week, I’ve been preparing for my very first attempt at leading a group of students through an hour-long class. As soon as I had the date and location for my first class set, all of the anatomy books, study guides, and flash cards I’ve been toiling over fell by the wayside as I agonized over what I should teach. Even more than what I should teach, I couldn’t get out of my head what kind of teacher I will be—what kind of teacher I want to be.
“Should I teach a strong vinyasa-style class or take things at a slower, more thoughtful pace? Will I focus on getting students deeper in a particular pose or part of the body? Should I bring a mixed CD or invite my students to use silence as a tool to help them turn their focus inward? Maybe I’ll bring candles for a little ambiance. No, a smoke smell might be irritating or distracting—or worse, could set off the building's sprinklers.”
I carefully considered the “students” (a small number of my friends and co-workers) who had agreed to attend my first class. Some are beginners, some are experienced; some have injuries, some are the epitome of health. “Somehow, someway, I have to teach something that will serve them all . . . ”
My mind had been racing like this for a week, and I was beginning to wonder how on earth I was going to pull everything together to provide my students with a cohesive yoga experience, when I finally threw up my hands in surrender. I realized the mistakes I make will make me a better—and more humble—teacher.
So, last night I pulled out my mat with the intention of practicing for an hour. I guided myself through a series of yoga sequences—whatever poses happened to come to mind—as if I were teaching a class to myself.
Low and behold! It was like the ideal sequence popped into my mind naturally! I drew on everything I’ve learned in the last six months. When I was done with my practice, I knew I wouldn’t need to change much about the sequence. I don’t need music or candles. I don’t need to think of jokes or try too hard to impress anyone. I am the teacher I am in this moment and when I get up to teach I will be who I am in that moment, and no amount of planning or analyzing will ever change that.
I’m no longer nervous about my class, now only three days away. I don’t think I’ll even create a cheat sheet. I don’t think I need to. My own practice will guide my intentions, my words, and my teaching.
Wish me luck!
Five months have passed since the first night I was introduced to my fellow wannabe yoga teachers. This week concluded the lecture portion of my teacher training. I'll spend the next month assisting teachers, learning CPR, practice teaching, and studying for my final test. In other words, for the next month I'm basically on my own.
I won't be seeing as much of my classmates to casually bounce ideas off of them each week—no more long discussions about yoga philosophy while we wait in traffic on the Bay Bridge during our carpool back to Oakland on Sunday afternoons. I won't be able to stop my teachers mid-sentence to ask them my burning questions about energy channels. It's just me, my notes, my books, my mat—and my computer, where I will still be receiving e-mails about occasional study groups and practice classes.
Even though I can't officially call myself a yoga teacher yet, I can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. After all, I've been in classes Friday, Saturday, and Sunday three weeks each month for five months. And I'm proud to say I almost never cheated on my six-hour-a-week yoga practice commitment. No matter how you look at it, it's been an intense schedule. As happy as I am to have a Friday night all to myself again—I'm so overdue for a pedicure it's not funny, and I can't believe I've missed almost half a year of my guilty pleasure, What Not To Wear—I'm still not sure what to do next. In fact, I'm not completely sure the last five months real at all. Am I dreaming? Am I going to wake up in my bed at my parents' house in Tennessee and think to myself, "Maybe that's a sign that I should immerse myself in yoga"?
Even though my training has been amazing, and I've grown in so many ways, I still know I need a lot more experience before I will feel comfortable teaching my own class.
This is my plan for the next month:
- Find a willing mentor. I'm going to spend some time really contemplating what kind of yoga I want to teach. Then, I'm going to take classes from as many teachers as I can until I've found an experience teacher I feel comfortable enough around to latch onto. When I've found my teacher, I will absorb as much knowledge from them as I possibly can. I realize this could take years.
- Volunteer teach. I want to start with beginners, maybe a group who's never heard of yoga. I'm really interested in working with people who might not be able to afford yoga otherwise—seniors and students.
- Get my name on gym sub lists. Again, I just want more experience so I don't freak when I'm in front of people. I think I might just go to all the gyms in my neighborhood and beg them to let me teach.
If any of you have any suggestions or leads on the above items, please let me know. In the meantime, I'll be studying for my final exam. I'll keep you updated on my progress until my graduation in September!
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