What is Your Role as a Teacher?

We’re currently on break between Modules 1 and 2 of my 300hr TT. This year’s training is such a rich experience, we’re all going back to our notes and reviewing the lectures with extra thirst. Simultaneously, we’re devouring the upcoming homework, eager for the conversations we will have around these assignments. I’m so inspired by everyone’s HW submissions, each one contributes to the flow of how the content is delivered.

Since teacher trainings are bigger than a weekend course, we have the time to take a few cherished moments to reflect on and clarify what your role is as a yoga teacher. In today’s social sharing world, it can be challenging to be the teacher who wears all the hats, says all the right things, and does everything for everyone in a single class.

Let me help you ease that burden a bit, while still upholding the dedication and commitment to your students that made you decide to share yoga in the first place.

You are all so unique. You bring different skills, expertise, and styles to our classrooms. Your personal journies, relationships, and histories contribute to your worldview. Ultimately, all that variety comes together to create an experience only you can offer.

Along your teaching path, it’s likely you have studied, learned, applied, assessed, and revised how and what you teach many times. That process helps you define your voice. The better you get at recognizing and appreciating that voice, the more confidence you gain holding space for an incredibly diverse group of people that are all trusting you to lead them through a practice. What an awesome responsibility!

Along with that responsibility, however, often comes a realization that you can’t do it all for everyone all of the time. Yet, if you understand your role is not to fix every student or resolve every individual struggle in every single pose, you can relax a little and return to your voice. You can remove the fear of “doing it right” and remember to highlight the experience you’ve intended for the class.

You still see and appreciate each student as an individual. Only, you shift your emphasis into giving them space to explore for themselves. You get to be there to encourage autonomy and support their curiosity.

As you facilitate in this way, you will witness students problem solving and modifying for themselves. This enables you to see the whole room and each individual at the same time. Your sensitivity and awareness blossom as you ease into cultivating separate experiences in a diverse room. Without even trying.

My goal in the 300 hr program is to guide you to the place where that leadership, confidence, and passion are a part of your own teaching.

Here is a clip from our recent Module 1 to guide you through your own introspection.