So you want to be a yoga teacher? Below are the top ways to learn in no particular order.
- Teacher Training:Teacher training programs provide a firm foundation in the basics of sequencing, anatomy, philosophy, history, business and presenting a class. Teacher trainings provide ample opportunity to practice your craft and receive feedback and support to make you better.
- Your Own Personal Practice/Taking Other Peoples Classes:This is the most important step in learning to teach yoga. Your own personal experiences with the poses and the sequences provide a level of knowing and wisdom that cannot be found in any teacher training program, website,book or DVD. I find that people have no trouble spending $2500 on a teacher training but getting them to commit to a 3-6 day a week practice for up to year is a problem. Up to about 10 years ago or so, daily practice with a teacher/Guru was the primary way that people learned. In my opinion, these are still some of the best teachers I have ever had the pleasure of working with.
- Teaching Yoga:Once you have the skills, get out there and do it. Nothing beats the real thing. You will soon learn what works and what doesn't.
- Mentor/Feedback :Having someone you know, respect and love tell you that "you suck" is one of the best gifts you will every receive. The biggest leaps in my teaching came when someone had the guts to tell me what I was doing wrong. First impressions are lasting impressions. If you screw up a class, students are not going to come back to see if you will do better next time. You have lost them. Feedback from mentors, students,teachers and studio owners, help you to stop your mistakes sooner rather then later. This results in strong classes from the get go instead of struggling for years. When I first started teaching, no one would give me feedback but yet I knew that my teaching was not as strong as it could be. The best gift I ever received was when I went to work for an outspoken boss, who ripped into the first week I was there. I was angry, pissed and weepy but once I got over myself, I grew as a teacher. After class, make it a habit to have a personal conversation with a few students and ask them how they feel and what they think. Anytime you have a teacher in your midst, ask them to stay a few moments for feedback.
- Books/Videos/Internet:These are great resources to add to your current knowledge base. They keep your classes fresh and provide new insights to your students. While there are books, videos and on line resources that claim to instruct on how to teach, they are not enough alone. They are supplementary.
Video of the Day: Feeling Good
