Module Twelve TEACHING YOGA TEACHING YOGA Module 12

Module 12 Learning Objectives

1. Provide an understanding of the basic qualifications needed to be a qualified yoga teacher

2. Provide a description of the characteristics of a yoga teacher

3. Provide a general understanding of class planning

4. Understanding how to structure a class that allows for changes when appropriate

5. Understanding a range of teaching styles

6. Understanding how to cue and teach for a range of experience levels

7. Sequencing intelligently and planning for progressions of poses

8. Providing poses and understanding their benefits for common areas of tightness Becoming a Professional Yoga Teacher

eady to dive in and become a professional yoga teacher? If you are enthusiastic Rabout yoga and have seen its transformative effect in your own life, it’s natural to want to share that with others. And if you are comfortable in front of a group but also know how to connect one-on-one, teaching yoga may be a perfect fit. A yoga instructor is expected to lead a positive group experience (like a group fitness instructor), while providing ongoing personalized feedback (like a personal trainer). If you have the creativity and business sense to market yourself well, even better! Yoga teachers quickly find that they are responsible for building the size of their classes and must take networking and marketing seriously if they want to develop a client-base for private sessions.

But even more than classroom charisma or marketing skills, what a yoga instructor needs, is a dedicated personal yoga practice. As a yoga teacher, you will do more than lead people through postures. You will be a role model for the benefits of a yoga practice. This is why most yoga teacher-training programs require at least two

Copyright Santosha Yoga Institute v3 All Rights Reserved 2015 4 years of committed yoga practice. Yoga instructors must model a mindful presence, a welcoming attitude and a compassionate approach to working with physical limits and challenges. Your own practice will give you a deep understanding of postures; help you establish a healthy relationship with your body; and teach you how to relate skillfully to challenges (including difficult students and classroom inconveniences).

Journal Entry 21

Think back to a memorable teacher you have come across in your life, they may be a school, sport or yoga teacher. What characteristics did they possess that made them so memorable for you and how did that change your experiences in their classes and beyond? Write a short paragraph to explain.

1. They connect with everyone in The Class A great teacher can lead a class of 50 just as effectively as a class of 5, because they have the ability to make everyone feel connected to them in some way (even the person in the back corner trying to be inconspicuous).

2. They Have A Way With Words A yoga teacher’s voice is perhaps their most powerful tool. Being able to confidently direct a group of people in and out of postures using only words can be challenging enough, but doing it in a smooth and clear way that maintains the flow of the class is a trademark of a top teacher.

3. They Leave Their Ego At The Door They understand that the purpose of the class is not about their own practice. It’s to lead and support their students through an experience of yoga and with this in mind they teach and demonstrate postures that are suitable for the level of the class. Ego-less teachers are happy to share their wisdom and knowledge openly and they can totally laugh at themselves when they make a mistake.

4. They Love (And Respect) Yoga Yoga works on the mind, the body and the spirit. This holistic approach is what makes yoga more than just a stretch class and a great teacher can easily find the balance between the physical and the esoteric. Their deep love and respect for this amazing life science can be a real source of energy and inspiration for their students.

5. They Let Their Authentic Personality Shine Through No matter what we are doing, we do it better when we operate from an authentic space and a yoga teacher is no different. A few well-timed jokes in a class can really relax everyone and bring a light-heartedness to the room (this works better when the teacher has a natural sense of humour). If a teacher’s authentic personality is more about warmth and compassion and they teach from their heart, they too have the ability to create a really beautiful and uplifting class.

Copyright Santosha Yoga Institute v3 All Rights Reserved 2015 6 6. They Are Prepared A good yoga teacher plans and prepares an intelligent practice for their students based on clear goals and intentions for them. A great teacher will have given time and thought to how they are going to lead a class and it results in a better experience for their students. Preparation also considers arriving early, setting the scene and creating an appropriate environment.

7. They Cater To All Levels These days, many yoga classes are open level, which means there will be a range of abilities, from beginners to advanced. Yoga can be intimidating for beginners and it’s a real skill for a teacher to make them feel supported and included, without compromising providing challenge for students who are more familiar with yoga.

8. They Share Their Knowledge They are well-educated about yoga. Whether they explain the medical benefits of postures as we hold them or confidently offer variations for people with injuries or limitations, by demonstrating their knowledge they gain credibility, leading nicely on to the next point.

9. They Gain Trust When we have 100% trust in a yoga teacher, we are willing to push outside of our comfort zone and test our boundaries both mentally and physically. If you’ve ever had a teacher like this, you’ll understand what this means. They can help us take our practice to a whole new level, to a place where we can really start to transform, both on and off the mat.

10. They Share Their Light Perhaps the most important point of all, an amazing yoga teacher is a beacon of light and willingly shares that light with everyone around them, making their class a really special place to be.

very yoga class needs a plan that includes the particular yoga poses that you Eshall focus on, an opening and closing sequence, as well as an array of poses that are accessible for all ability levels in your class.

If you have students with physical limitations or disabilities, or students who are pregnant, you should be sure to plan accordingly, and determine which props you intend to use. In addition, give some thought to which challenging poses you might include, so that your class is also stimulating for your advanced students.

Class planning is a very enjoyable and creative experience. Music, whilst played in a lot of yoga classes world-wide, can be distracting or triggering for students, as we cannot know every student’s background. It is best to omit music in order ensure the classes are an enjoyable experience for all of our students and align with the true teachings of yoga, which did not include music. However, you can enhance the classroom environment by burning incense (mild) or aromatherapy, or candles, and give some thought to how you wish to arrange the lighting in your classroom throughout your session. Other pieces of inspiration such as fresh flowers can add to a warm environment.

Copyright Santosha Yoga Institute v3 All Rights Reserved 2015 8 Also decide how you wish to incorporate meditation into your class, particularly during the opening and closing sequences, as this allows students to prepare, relax, and achieve greater focus.

You will soon find that those with a passion for yoga practice can quickly develop a similar passion for yoga class planning. This chapter, on the subject of class planning, features both technical notes and words of wisdom from experienced Santosha teachers. You should complement your readings here with independent research as class planning for yoga is an ongoing process of learning and creativity for teachers.

Structuring a Class and Allowing for Changes

Patience is most certainly a yogic virtue, and you should call upon it as you structure and then restructure your yoga classes. Yoga classes should be planned in order to allow for changes that may depend on a wide array of variables, two of which will be discussed here.

Note that regardless of the changes that might occur before and during class, you should always aim to include the very basic structure of warm-up, heating and cool down. On some occasions, you may find that you will have to leave out certain asanas you had planned, but always allow students to cool down, and to counterpose if necessary, even if it means that you will perform less asanas on the whole. Be aware that yoga teachers must be equipped with a range of modifications for asanas as well as an understanding of contraindications in order to be able to adapt to their student’s needs gracefully. Armed with this knowledge, teachers can then rely upon their intuitive understanding of classroom needs in order to rapidly make the necessary changes and achieve a gratifying and almost seamless class.

One of the factors that could cause you to change your lesson plan is the energy level of the class. You may have devised a highly energetic class, only to find that, halfway through, the energy level of your students has begun to lag.

In this case, you may need to leave out some of the standing poses and inversions that you had planned for, and instead incorporate a relaxation component into

Copyright Santosha Yoga Institute v3 All Rights Reserved 2015 9 the class. You may also need to make postures last for longer making them more restorative. In this situation, you may also want to offer students the opportunity to perform modifications of their poses.

Other changes that may need to take place in class are those pertaining to student- teacher positioning. Teachers will need to consider where to place themselves during the class, so that students can clearly see them as they demonstrate. Also keep in mind that you must be able to see your students, so that you can carefully monitor what they are doing.

Teachers should be very mindful of proximity to their students when moving and positioning themselves throughout the class. Again, yoga should be a comfortable place for all of our students, so a healthy respect for their individual sacred space is vital. If you would like to offer assistance to a student, teachers should discretely gain their students permission prior to moving closer or adjusting.

In some cases, you must first demonstrate the relevant asanas such as headstand, handstand and matsyasana prior to talking students through. In this case, you may also rely upon an experienced student to demonstrate, so that you can focus on explaining the pose.

Teaching Styles

You will find that not every student learns in the same way. With a variety of different ways of processing information, each student that you teach may respond differently than another to the same teaching style. It is important toalways consider these differences when teaching and try and include teaching methods that will help all the students learn in a way that suits them best.

Below is a list of Eight types of Intelligence that you may observe in your students or your own learning. We all possess these intelligences to varying degrees.

Eight Types of Intelligence • Linguistic Intelligence - the gift of words. Linguistically intelligent people best understand the world through the spoken and written word.

Copyright Santosha Yoga Institute v3 All Rights Reserved 2015 10 • Visual/Spatial Intelligence - the gift of pictures Visually intelligent people best understand the world through visualization and spatial orientation.

• Musical - The gift of music Musically intelligent people best understand the world through rhythm and melody.

• Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligence - the gift of body Physically intelligent people best understand the world through physicality.

• Logical/Mathematical - the gift of logic and numbers Mathematically and Logically intelligent people best understand the world through cause and effect.

• Interpersonal Intelligence - the gift of people Socially intelligent people best understand the world through the eyes of others.

• Intrapersonal - the gift of self Intrapersonally intelligent people best understand the world from their unique point of view.

• Naturalist Intelligence - the gift of nature Environmentally intelligent people best understand the world through their own environment.

Journal Entry 22

From the 8 Intelligences listed above, describe two measures you could take to cater for a student who was particularly dominant in each of the Intelligences.

ou will find that not every student learns in the same way. With a variety of Ydifferent ways of processing information, each student that you teach to may respond differently than another to the same teaching style. It is important to always consider these differences when teaching and try and include teaching methods that will help all the students learn in a way that suits them best.

Get creative with your teaching. Talk your students through poses but try and demonstrate or have a student demonstrate at times as well. Be sure to ask the student discretely prior to the class, so that they are free to decline (remember it is their class ;)).

Four Styles of Teaching Formal Authority This style is used for lectures. The teacher gives the information and the students receive it. There is no participation by the students. The material is not meant to be analyzed or discussed but is offered as fact.

Copyright Santosha Yoga Institute v3 All Rights Reserved 2015 12 Demonstrator The teacher demonstrates, and the students observe and participate in the class. The teacher is still the source of information, but the students have an opportunity to be more involved in the process.

Personal Model Facilitator The teacher focuses on activities in which the students are working in partners or groups. This is more student centered with the students solving problems and making discoveries. The teacher encourages, helps and guides the students towards their given task or goal.

Delegator The teacher is available to help the students, but the students are responsible for working independently on their own projects. This style has the teacher involved the least and the student taking on the most control.

You may notice that you tend to favor one teaching style over another. As you begin to practice your teaching and at times it simply may not be appropriate to employ some of the teaching styles above. For example, it would not be appropriate to have groups teaching shoulder stand for the first time. Give yourself practice teaching in styles that may not feel as comfortable. Use different techniques and vary how you teach to broaden your reach to more students. Teach in a style you feel is natural and then explore teaching in ways that bring out other qualities. A timid type of teacher could try being authoritative, or someone very serious might want to try bringing in some humor and joviality being mindful to remain authentic.

Planning for Different Levels of Experience In order to be well-prepared to engage different levels of experience, it is vital that the teacher be aware of the range of modifications for the various asanas, an overview of which was provided in the earlier chapters. Once you are secure in your knowledge of the asanas, you will be able to plan and provide for a range of yogi’s with diverse needs in your class.

Despite the fact that yoga is ideally a non-competitive practice, many of your students will bring their egos to the class. Therefore, even though some students

Copyright Santosha Yoga Institute v3 All Rights Reserved 2015 13 may not be prepared for some postures, you will find that they want to do what other students in the class are practicing, allowing their ego to get in the way of a safe yoga practice. To avoid this, effective teacher-to-student communication is vital. It is a teachable moment, reminding students of self-honesty and respect for the safety of our bodies.

Here are a set of practical guidelines for classroom planning for different levels of experience:

• Be able to confidently speak about and teach modifications, so that you can provide students with a range of options that are best suited to their needs.

• Encourage students to feel safe and affirm their choice to honour their body.

• Be light-hearted when presenting students with the option of omitting or choosing a gentle option or posture in your class. You could say, for example, ‘If today is your first yoga class, you may want to leave this one out’ or, ‘If you don‘t want to do everything today, we have to leave something for next time.’

• When you are pointing out a piece of advice or instruction that is potentially awkward (such as modifications for women who are menstruating, etc.) be sure to address the entire class, as opposed to simply pointing out one particular student (which could lead to embarrassment) and use neutral and scientific terms rather than slang.

• You could also try saying, for example, ‘If you really want to feel what the asana is like, and develop a deeper understanding, you may like to stay with this variation’.

• Encourage additional effort from more experienced students. Try saying, for example, ‘For those of you who have been coming for quite a while and know the full variation, you may come into that now if you wish or continue following me with the rest of the class.’ This allows you to be inclusive of all students.

Copyright Santosha Yoga Institute v3 All Rights Reserved 2015 14 • Find subtle ways to let students who are pregnant, or menstruating know that they should do gentler poses, and avoid inversions. Create a warm, supportive environment in which people are not embarrassed about changes to their particular physical states and capacities.

• Embrace diversity. Each human has different experiences, feelings, changes to their physical abilities, gender, beliefs and so on. The diversity of your class provides it with its’ richness. Being inclusive and compassionate and open creates an environment for everybody to safely enjoy the benefits of their practice and be part of a warm and loving community.

This will mean avoiding statements that refer to some students as more advanced than others. As you have learnt, all bodies are very different and result in different strengths and opportunities for growth, and our language should reflect the ongoing evolution of each students practice. In addition, be aware that injured students will find it hard to be constantly reminded of their injury, so develop sensitivity for handling this.

Planning for different levels of experience can sometimes be an emotionally taxing experience for a yoga teacher. However, keep in mind that an important part of any yoga practice is the cultivation of patience and compassion. Therefore, these occasionally worrisome experiences will serve to enrich your experience as a yoga teacher, as well as your own yoga practice.

Intelligent Cueing Earlier modules have described embracing diversity, cueing safely, developing a sense of sensitivity to the experiences students bring to yoga classes and being open and compassionate towards ourselves and others. Yoga classes are an accessible, open and accepting space to all and as teachers we provide classes which open up the doorways of opportunity to students to explore the range of movement available in their bodies. It is therefore, important that our cuing remains unambiguous, safe and clear in order to provide them with this wonderful opportunity of self-exploration and healing. Therefore, cueing should always be:

• Safe: Students arrive each day, differently on their mat. We are not their to push them, to describe one pose as more ‘advanced’ than another. We offer

• Anatomically correct: Students cannot ‘see’ their bodies at all times when practicing asana and some are more or less aware of their bodies. Therefore, it is important to use unambiguous cuing using the names of anatomical parts and positions of the body rather than cues that are not clear or practical for students. For example, as mentioned earlier, asking students to ‘position their shoulders in-line with their ears’ is actually not possible as they cannot see their shoulders! We need to provide cues that allow students to put themselves in the correct position alone. We are there to empower their own movement and practice.

• Unambiguous: As mentioned above, students should not be left wondering whether or not they are placed safely in a position. Ensure cueing remains clear and anatomically correct. ‘Grounding through the feet’ does not mean the same thing to each student. In fact, if it is a student’s first time in a yoga class, they may not understand at all - or just guess! Use correct cueing so that students feel confident, safe and can build trust in your teaching and their practices.

Sequencing and Progressions Every contemporary school of yoga features particular variations on how to sequence a yoga class.

Most sequences are referred to as linear in nature, which means that that one posture follows another in a smooth and step-by- step fashion. Each posture has ‘progressions’ that can be built upon when practiced safely.

Generally, each asana in any given sequence or progression is performed just once. However, you could opt to perform each posture two to three times, focusing on a different element of the asana each time.

Take, for example, the case of Triangle Pose. In this asana, you can begin by practicing the pose with a focus on your feet or legs. Later in the sequence, you can repeat it by focusing upon the spine or the arms. However, it should be noted

In yoga classes, sequencing works in many ways. For example, you can design a sequence for a specific ‘goal’ asana, meaning that all prior asanas are selected to lead up to that goal. You can also sequence for a purpose, focusing on goals such as twists, back arches, arm balances, standing poses and inversions.

Sequences can also be designed for an effect. They can be calming (Langhana), invigorating (Brahmana), restorative, etc. A sequence can also be designed for a certain sport such as running, surfing, or tennis. Finally, you can stick to the suggested sequencing order providing in earlier chapters. This has been designed in such a way to provide the safest and most beneficial practice for your students.

Build upon your foundational teaching practices and sequencing. Should you wish to sequence for specific requirements, the texts used in this course, Yoga for Body, Breath by A. G. Mohan and Yoga for Wellness by Gary Kraftsow, provide safe and intelligent sequencing for a range of needs.

Specific benefits for common areas of tightness in the body

The human body is a movement system. We can tell if our body is in balance by means of surveying posture and alignment. We can also tell if it is out of balance by detecting problems in these areas.

The muscles that surround each joint create what are called ‘force couples of equal and opposite forces’ that affect that body parts to which the muscles are attached. When one of these muscular forces is altered, a change occurs in how the joint functions about its axis of motion. A result of this can be faulty joint mechanics that can result in excessive of insufficient stress on joint and supporting ligaments and tendons. This can cause irritation to the joint or soft tissues, which may lead to episodes of pain, aching, and/or stiffness.

• Downward Facing Dog – stretches feet, shoulders, hamstrings, and calves, while strengthening your core, arms and abdomen. People often experience

Copyright Santosha Yoga Institute v3 All Rights Reserved 2015 17 back pain as a result of chronic tightness in the hips. Downward facing dog releases these areas, and it also builds upper body strength. • Warrior I – stretches shoulders and hips and strengthens the upper and lower body. This increases space and mobility in the areas in which it is needed the most – shoulders, hips and knees. This pose also generates great stability in and around the knee • Bridge – stretches neck, chest, spine and hips. This pose releases the intercostal muscles, and connective tissue surrounding the rib cage. It opens the chest and allows for fuller, easier breaths, and is helpful for upper respiratory issues.! • Boat pose – strengthens abs, spine, arms and hip flexors, which strengthens the core and back muscles. • Bow pose – stretches the hips, shoulders and thighs, and strengthens the back. This pose reduces the risk of back injury resulting from muscular imbalance.

1. How much effort is required to become a professional yoga teacher?

2. Describe what you believe to be the 3 most important in a yoga teacher and explain why. Provide a brief answer (no more than one paragraph).

3. Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

a) Yoga teachers always have training in other sports. b) Teaching yoga can transform the life of both the student and teacher for positively. c) Providing information about the benefits of a pose is more important than providing correct breathing cues to students. d) A great yoga teacher allows all of their students to feel connected in some way, as part of their class. e) A yoga teacher is expected to be a counsellor to their students.

4. List and describe three reasons why it is important to be prepared for your classes by planning intelligent sequences with a clear intention and goal.

5. What might be your most dominant teaching style? Think of a scenario where you might employ each of the teaching styles described earlier in the chapter in a yoga class. Were there any that were inappropriate at any time? If so, why?

Copyright Santosha Yoga Institute v3 All Rights Reserved 2015 19 6. Build a bank of cues and statements you can use to ensure your classes remain inclusive of your student’s individual needs and diversity. To get you started, come up with some inclusive ways of addressing: • Menstruation • Pregnancy • Injury • Varying physical capacities

7. Download the Observation Checklist that will be used to mark your final video assessment. Take note of relevant cueing checks that will be used to mark and make a list of focus points for your teaching. For each point, explain why these might be considered as critical to being a safe and intelligent yoga teacher.

Observing other teachers’ yoga classes and watching yoga DVD’s can be a great source of inspiration for our own teaching. Paying careful attention tothe techniques of others can help us to refine our own style and techniques, as well as providing the opportunity to tune in to subtle aspects of a class such as mood, pace and tone.

Choose a yoga DVD or online class to watch and analyse. Base your analysis on the principles taught in the Santosha Breath and Movement Manual. Think about what parts of the class were effective or ineffective in your opinion and answer the following questions:

1. How would you describe the mood of the video? For example, is it upbeat or calming? What sets the tone for the class?

2. Does the teacher adhere to the classic sequencing pattern of Breath Awareness, Prep Poses, Standing etc.? If not, where do they deviate from this pattern? What is the effect of such a deviation if it exists?

3. What techniques or ideas does the yoga teacher employ that you might incorporate into your own teaching? Make a detailed list and describe when, or why, you might use these techniques.

4. Is there anything that you would change about the class? If so, what would it be?

5. When you finish the final video of yourself teaching, revisit and watch the same video you have chosen for this assignment and send us a description of your experiences, now through new eyes ☺ What other observations did you pick up or miss the first time? Would you change any points? What are your observations of this class at this moment?