You might wonder, "Will they like me and my class?" You might be afraid that you can forget the entire lesson plan during the class, or you might think that you might make a mistake in the middle of the lesson. You might get so nervous that you won't know what to do next and might even forget all the asana cues. Remember, it's normal to feel and experience all this, but there are a couple of tips that will make your life easier and help you succeed from day one!
First of all, remember that advanced asana does not make you a great yoga teacher; your class preparation does! I always advise you to spend some time planning the class and outline the main sequence of asanas you'll be teaching, considering the level and needs of your students. Maybe set a theme or intention for the class to guide your sequences and inspire your students. But don't overdo it; don't start your first classes with complex, long sequences and some fancy transitions. Make it simple.
My thumb rule is: build a lesson based on your personal practice and teach what you preach. This will make your life even easier. First of all, since you will be familiar with the sequence, you won't need to memorise it. Secondly, even if you get nervous and forget something, you can close your eyes for a moment, visualise yourself on the mat, and ask yourself, "What do I usually do next? What natural movements do I make after this asana?”. The answer will come quickly, trust me!
Another piece of advice I often give is to utilise notes or hold a cheat sheet. Holding a cheat sheet next to you is not a bad thing, and it does not make you a bad teacher! On the contrary, it makes you a responsible teacher who strives to give their students their best.
If you’re really embarrassed and you don’t want your students to see that piece of paper, hide it in your leggings pocket or keep on your phone notes (if available), and while everyone is breathing in downward dog, take a look there.
I still use cheat sheets, not in yoga classes but during webinars, teacher courses, and workshops. Because teaching someone yoga is already a responsibility, training yoga teachers—here the responsibility doubles, because these new teachers then carry the acquired knowledge to others, and for me, it is very important that this knowledge is correct!
Last but not least, remember that everything comes with experience, and the skill of conducting classes comes much faster than you think!
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Namaste!
Sviatlana Y.
