Any yoga instructor who has been teaching for a while has experienced low moments. There was the time I demo'd Kapalabhati breathing a few days after getting over (so I thought) a head cold. If you don't know, Kapalabhati breathing is a pranayama focused on rhythmic, sharp exhalations through the nose. This tones the abdominals, stimulates energy, and, yes, clears mucus from the lungs and sinuses. Which is exactly what happened in front of the class. It was a powerful moment.
Then, once while leading a teacher training class in the Gayatri Mantra I totally blanked the words. This is a mantra I had practiced many times in meditation, repeating 108 times. I knew this chant. Until then.
There have been several blunders and bloopers in my teaching career, and I'm happy to say I've lived through them all. But, does the thought of experiencing similar low moments leave you paralyzed, second guessing your desire to teach? They say we learn through our difficulties, not through our triumphs. So, here are some things my difficulties have taught me:
Your class wants you to succeed. Believe it or not, your class is not willing you to fail. They want you to feel confident and comfortable. You are their teacher. They are in your corner. When I forgot the words to the Gayatri Mantra, there was a moment of silence. Then, guess what? Someone picked it up and the moment was over. Not to say we didn't have a good laugh later. But that's all it was, a funny moment.
Chances are, your students are not fluent in Sanskrit. If you do not feel comfortable using Sanskrit, then don't. I do believe in developing enough comfort with the Sanskrit names of poses that you can use them easily, but this may take months or years to learn. Take your time. As teachers, we want our instruction to be perfect, but in all honesty, little imperfections are most likely unnoticed by our students.
But, don't feel afraid to correct yourself in class. Maybe I take a chance and teach something I'm less familiar with in class and it doesn't go well. Maybe I forget what side we are on, or blank a sequence, or find that a direction I am taking the class in is not going as planned. Well, darn it, I have the right to say "Hold on! Back up! Let's make this better!" It's your class, you are the teacher, and if something isn't going well, hit the pause button. My class and I have had a few good laughs (at my expense!) and admitting that you are not perfect can add a lightness to class. Then move on.
Remember, this is not about you. This is the most important thing to remember. Teaching isn't about you and your confidence. It's about developing your student's confidence. It isn't about you feeling good, it's about helping your students to feel good. Once you take the spotlight off of yourself, and do everything you can to help your students feel strong and empowered, your insecurities will melt away.
As the instructors of the Focus Yoga Yoga Immersion and Teaching Skills training, it is our job to help you feel confident in your teaching abilities. This confidence we cultivate during the training will flow into other aspects of your life as your communication skills improve. To learn more, register for our Yoga Immersion Sampler, a taste of the type of information covered in our training. The next Sampler is Sunday, August 19, 4:00 - 6:00pm. For more information, click here.
Great post. Thanks, Judi!
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