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Signs of Good Yoga Teacher
- A good teacher will see and welcome their students before the class, appreciating them for who they are. He or she will have a positive attitude toward the class in general.
- Yoga can be challenging, so people with injuries, even minor ones, should be careful. Because of this, the teacher should ask at the beginning of every class if there are any injuries, strains, concerns or tensions at all in anyone's body, and what that issue is. This way, the teacher can keep that in mind as the class goes through the poses.
- A Good teacher will choose poses for the class so people with injuries get help and the people without injuries get challenged.
- A good teacher explains and demonstrates a pose, especially challenging ones, so the students understand it from beginning to end. The teacher should make sure the whole class is on the same page and everyone is aware of the dangers and mistakes.
- The teacher knows how to explain the poses in a variety of ways so if explaining it one way doesn't resonate with someone, they have an arsenal of perspectives on the poses.
- Good Teacher without sounding too flattering, can give encouraging comments once in a while to give struggling students a sense of “success” or positive reinforcement to keep them coming back to class
- Good teacher will know how to teach. They will see subtle errors and weaknesses and know how to correct them graciously. A positive teacher will assume you are putting your all into the class and gently encourage you, working with whatever energy level you may have. The teacher will use frequent positive reinforcement when he or she checks on students, and will never, ever embarrass or bully a student.
- At the end of the class, a good teacher asks how the students are feeling. Teachers should want to make sure that the class was helpful and challenging for everybody.
- They should have a wealth of meditations for Savasana (Dead/Corpse Pose) at the end of class. Good meditations really enhance yoga, so good teachers should know of several to help their students get the most out of the class.
- A good teacher always thanks their students for attending. It's just common courtesy.
- Good teacher/s most importantly, they practice what they preach. They treat their lives, their students, their emotions and attitudes with the grounding and peace brought forth in good yoga.
Fortunately, there are more good teachers than bad ones in the world, as the very nature of yoga promotes compassion and the pursuit of wisdom. If you're looking for a new class, keep these signs in mind and you'll find a teacher and group that you'll be able to mesh with.
Article written by : Cris C. - Managing Director |