Recently a friend and newly anointed yoga teacher asked me for advice on how to pick a yoga studio to teach at. I thought it was a great question from a newbie since I see so many new teachers salivate over ANY class they can call their own, even if it's at 4:30am AND 20 miles outside of town AND they have to pay for cleaning AND the list goes on...

After several years of trial and error I think the best way to ensure success is to make sure you consider all aspects of any teaching opportunity:

Do you like the studio & its students? A studio you teach at should be a place you feel at home in and you would want to practice there yourself. Every studio has a very different personality so some will fit and some just won't.

Do you like the owner? The owner/management has so much influence on a studio and your experience in it. Make sure your personalities mesh before committing to a class

Do people like working there? Talk to other teachers and get their experience.

Are you going to get a time slot that works well? While it can be good experience when you're starting out to get any slot (especially at a studio you really want to teach at), it can also be a real bummer to show up and have just a few students (or none at all some days). Figure out what attendance that slot currently gets and what you are willing to live with.

What don't you know yet? Do you get paid per student or a flat-fee? Is there a minimum you will be paid or if you show up and no-one else does do you go home empty-handed? Do they take anything out of your pay per month (like insurance or a cleaning fee)? Are you required to have liability insurance on your own? How often are you paid? Do they have front desk people working or do you have to sign people in? How early are you expected to be there for your class? Are you responsible for getting your own subs? Is there a sub list or can you get anyone to sub? What is the process? Are there any other things you will be expected to do?

For those more seasoned teachers out there—what else do you consider before committing to a new studio or new class?

Need ideas on how to get your chosen studio to notice you? Learn how to catch a studio's attention.