15 Ways to be a More Effective (Yoga) Teacher

Photo: BodyLogique.com 

We all strive to be more effective teachers and there are so many different ways we can do that.

The following 15 tips are written in the context of children's yoga teachers but can be applied to all educators and Para-educators. What others can you add to this list? (Please feel free to add your own ideas in the comment section!)

Room Check: Be sure that equipment is working properly and that here are no spills, unsecured area rugs or furniture or other potentially hazardous items in the instruction area.

Smile & greet each student individually as they come to class. This puts students at ease and helps them feel comfortable coming to class each week.

Introduce new students to the class and welcome them. Let them know where to put their things, and what the process is so they know what to expect.

Know your subject! Educate yourself as often and from as many different sources as possible.

Adapt & modify instruction and activities for students who need it. This helps create a more inclusive environment & allows everyone to participate on their own level.

Keep it fresh! Use familiar sequences & warm-ups as weekly standards, but also incorporate a progression of new postures & activities each week to keep it challenging and interesting. (In an adaptive class, introduce one-three new postures and one new activity per week.)

Keep it moving! Too long of a sequence or activity or too much explanation or instruction will de-motivate and dis-engage your students. Keep the class flowing-transition quickly to new postures or activities after a brief ( 30-60 seconds) of rest/questions or introduction. 

Vary the Pace to match the students' varying energy levels. Kids move in short bursts-while adults gradually build and sustain activity for a longer period. Observe your group to see when that energy level comes up and when it dips. Have a library of activities on hand to help release energy as it builds up-and to bring it back up when it begins to decline.

Follow a general routine so kids know what to expect from week to week. If you start with a greeting activity-then do that consistently each week (you can vary the actual activity-just keep it as a greeting activity) If you follow the greeting activity by a warm up game-then do that second each week- and so on. Keep your class structure simple, consistent and easy to follow. 

Be Flexible! Sometimes the kids will want to play a game longer than you planned for. Let them. The point is that they are engaged and learning. If you planned for them to learn 5 things-but they are completely engaged and will only learn 2 things-that is much better than rushing through so you can check off items on your lesson plan. Relax and allow the kids to show you when to move on (such as when a game does not thrill them as you thought it would!) and when to let them finish exploring the concepts they are interested in.

Be positive and supportive! The class is not about you-its about the kids. Don't bring your personal troubles or worries to class, and be attentive to NOT project your frustrations onto the kids. Kids sense when we are angry or frustrated and will personalize and internalize that and think its their 'fault'. You might be the only person that day-or at all-that has supported and motivated that child, so keep it positive & sincere. Its not our job to make them into perfect yogis-but it is our job to guide & support them in their exploration.

Be Kid-Friendly. There is so much to learn about asana, pranayama, doshas, the sutras, the chakras, the Yamas and Niyamas, the Sandskrit terms for every asana... Ayurveda & even chanting mantras...but the kids don't care about any of that. They just want you to play with them. Use games, art, props and simple, everyday language to break complex concepts into simpler ideas that they can actually use. Show them how it can help them in "real life" outside of yoga class. Figuring out a way to combine Super Mario or the Legend of Zelda into your yoga class, will go  much farther than teaching them obscure words & concepts they are not ready for. Introduce it here and there, and wait until they start asking specific questions to elaborate.

Laugh. Don't take yoga, teaching, or yourself - too seriously. Have fun & laugh. It releases tension & breaks down barriers to learning. It improves oxygen flow to the heart and brain and boosts efficiency & immunity. It really is the best medicine.

Answer questions as simply and directly as possible, even when you are in a hurry. When you take that time to respond to a student, it goes along way not only for learning but for their self-confidence. It encourages them to explore and learn more. If you don;t know an answer, tell them so-and tell them that you will look into it. Keep your word, and come up with an answer by the next class.

Always end with relaxation. This is the time when students can assimilate & process the exercises, breathing and information they have participated in during class. Its a time for them to re-charge their batteries and re-set their thermostats. Do not rush this process as it is the most important! Play soft background music, give foot or hand rubs (if time allows) and let them know that this is their time to just rest. Allow plenty of time for them to come out of relaxation slowly, re-orient and give feedback at the very end.

Contact: Barbara@bodylogique.com

To Find a printable version  of this post click the link at: BodyLogique.com 

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Giants, Wizards, Dwarfs...and Mermaids?

Today, after a wonderful weekend of teaching, learning & laughing with friends, I am experiencing a "Twlight Zone" kind of day; a day where I feel much like many of the children I work with must feel: at odds with everyone, disconnected from everyone else's idea of reality & like I just don't "fit in". I seem to be on another realm of existence, communication & understanding than the adults I have come in contact with today and I can't seem to get away from it except to retreat to the woods, to my writing & to my yoga mat.

This is a feeling I am familiar with, that has carried with me from childhood. My name, Barbara even means "a foreigner, a stranger" in its Latin form and that is exactly how I've felt today. Like a foreigner-a stranger in my own life.

There is no need for alarm. The fact that I am aware of it and that it brings me to a deeper understanding of the children I teach is the hidden silver lining. The fact that I know I don't need to fit in and the fact that I know when I need to retreat and when I need to be with those who love, accept & understand me is the blessing in disguise.

Friendship, love & belonging are so vitally important to all of us, but especially children with cognitive & social challenges, and I am vividly reminded of this as I look back over the events of this day. Humans are social creatures & need other people to share whether it is friendship, love, affection or sense of belonging, from a single person or a group of people. We need to give & express love and to be loved by others. If this need is not satisfied, many can become anxious, lonely & depressed.

I first became aware of how it felt to be left out in the 4th grade. It was the first day of middle school and all of us were in the (noisy) cafeteria, listening for our names to be called to go with our new teachers to our new classrooms.

Every child was called except me and a boy who had just moved here from Peru. (His name was Pedro and he was terrified-he spoke very little English.) I was suddenly afraid & aware that I belonged nowhere. Of course it was just an oversight and the principal cleared it up and escorted me to my classroom. My teacher (an angel-wherever she is now) Miss Drew, was the one who first influenced me to become a teacher, through her compassion & kindness to me that first day of 4th grade. This has always stayed with me,  however so has that feeling of "I don't fit in."

While I loved to play sports, I was shy and not very coordinated, so I didn't fit in with the "athletes". I was smart but not exceptionally so I did not fit in with the "smart kids", and I certainly did not fit in with those other kids-you know the ones. The ones that were always getting attention, clowning or getting into trouble. I had no idea where to look for friendship, because I did not fit the norm-was not in any of those categories. Even now, my diverse circle of friends illustrates my inability-or rather my refusal- to be defined.
 
This is my motivation to continue to educate children about how to build friendships & to create fun, inclusive enrichment activities and games where all children can be included and feel unique, accepted, cared for & successful.

A Robert Fulghum story came to me as I contemplated all of this & relaxed on my mat. I can think of no more appropriate story for a commentary on love, kindness, belonging & friendship than this one. It's from Fulghum's All I Really Needed to Know I Learned In Kindergarten book. The story has many messages: accepting oneself, being unique, wanting to fit in, etc.

I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

~Barbara


"Giants, wizards and dwarfs was the game to play.

 Being left in charge of about eighty children seven to ten years old, while their parents were off doing parenty things, I mustered my troops in the church social hall and explained the game. It's a large-scale version of Rock, Paper, Scissors, and involves some intellectual decision-making. But the real purpose of the game is to make a lot of noise and run around chasing people until nobody knows which side you are on or who won.

Organizing a roomful of wired-up gradeschoolers into two teams, explaining the rudiments of the game, achieving consensus or group identity-- this all is no mean accomplishment, but we did it with a right good will and were ready to go.

The excitement of the chase had reached a critical mass. I yelled out, "You have to decide now which you are--a GIANT, a WIZARD, or a DWARF!"

While groups huddled in frenzied, whispered consultation, a tug came at my pants leg. A small child stands there looking up, and asks in a small, concerned voice, "Where do the Mermaids stand?"


Where do the Mermaids stand?

 A long pause. A very long pause. "Where do the Mermaids stand?" says I.

 "Yes. You see, I am a Mermaid."

 "There are no Mermaids."

 "Oh, yes, I am one!"

She did not relate to being a Giant, a Wizard, or a Dwarf. She knew her category. Mermaid. And was not about to leave the game and go over and stand against the wall where a loser would stand. She intended to participate, wherever Mermaids fit into the scheme of things. Without giving up dignity or identity. She took it for granted there was a place for Mermaids and that I would know just where.

Well, where DO the Mermaids stand? All the "Mermaids"-- all those who are different, who do not fit the norm and who do not accept the available boxes and pigeonholes?

Answer that question and you can build a school, a nation, or a world on it.

What was my answer at the moment? Every once in a while I say the right thing.

"The Mermaids stand right here, by the King of the Sea!" says I. (Yes, right here by the King's Fool, I thought to myself.)

So we stood there hand in hand, reviewing the troops of Wizards and Giants and Dwarfs as they roiled by in wild disarray.

 It is not true, by the way, that mermaids do not exist. I know at least one personally. I have held her hand."





*(From All I Really Needed to Know I Learned In Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum, Villard Books, New York, 1988, pp.83-85)

10 Tips for Paraeducators

For about 10 years before I was a self employed movement educator & children's yoga teacher, I was a Paraeducator (sometimes called a 1:1 Aide, Pareprofessional, Classroom aide, Teacher's Assistant or Instructional Assistant). I supported children in a classroom inclusion setting-(that is, a mixed classroom with typically developing children and children with varying degrees of autism and other learning challenges). I also provided support and ABA therapy (Applied Behavioral Analysis) in a self-contained classroom setting (that is a setting in which all the children have learning or physical challenges.) I still consider myself as a Paraeducator, working along side of parents, OT's,  PT's, Teachers, counselor's & therapists etc. to provide enrichment activities that enhance overall education of all children. So to say that I have a soft spot for 1:1's and Paraeducators is an understatement.

Paraeducators support students in the classroom and provide many other direct services to children and youth and their families, under the direction of a certified teacher or professional practitioner. Many also volunteer to spend time with families outside of these services, such as accompanying the family to a shopping trip or other outing, as an extension of the child's learning in different Life Situations & environments. The end goal is to support the student in becoming as independent as possible, in learning, socializing and self care.

The services and support that a paraeducator supplies are a vital part of academic, social & Life Education. Some of these services include: one-on-one tutoring; assisting with classroom management, instructional assistance in a computer lab, library or media center; facilitating parental involvement activities; acting as a translator & encouraging & facilitating inclusion among typical peers. Sometimes they are there to listen to a parent to brainstorm ideas, to provide encouragement or simply allow them to vent frustration.

Most of the Paraeducators I have had the pleasure of working with are dedicated and go over and above to ensure the safety, well being & highest potential of their student. We are a careful blend of  protector, teacher, and disciplinarian. We are one of the first to get blamed when a child gets teased or hurt, yet usually will not take credit when the child learns a new skill. (We give that glory to the student themselves.) We employ "tough love" and "conflict resolution" on a daily basis, feel pain when the student does and we cry tears of happiness when that child progresses-and ultimately moves up and on.

However, there are so many others that feel an overwhelming sense of isolation, division & frustration when they want to help, but simply do not know what to do for a student, or they disagree with other staff members about what to do. Some lose sight of the reason we are there in the first place. I have been in the situation where there is complete dissent between staff members, making for a counter-productive environment for both the staff as well as the students that need our full attention in the interest of everyone's well being.

One of my goals this year is to provide a special workshop series for Paraeducators that will support them in their work, improve interpersonal relationships,spark ideas, help them manage their own health & stress and reduce the frustration that we have all felt to some degree at one time or another.

For now, I have put together these tips especially for Paraeducators everywhere. If you are an experienced Paraeducator, consider taking a newly hired assistant  under your wing and show him or her what to do. Show support. If you are a newly hired assistant, focus on the students & know that there are people who will help you learn along the way. Seek them out & ask for guidance.

If you know someone who works hard to support the education & inclusion of children of all abilities, pass this information on, and please remember to thank all support staff for the very important work they are doing!

1- Risk/Mistakes: Let students be independent, take risks & make mistakes.Stay supportive, keep the child safe & let natural consequences be a part of their learning. Find what interests each child and be a motivating force &partner in their learning.

2-Voice/Volume: I have come to the conclusion that most of us talk too much so this is my new mantra: "Talk less-say more". Excess noise in the form of conversation is disruptive to the lesson & the overall learning environment. Save important discussions with staff for the hallway. Give as few prompts as possible and resist temptation to give verbal direction for every aspect of the task. Pair verbal directions with pictures or hand over hand prompting.

3-Discretion/Dignity:  Be attentive to the student's physical needs & do not verbalize comments. Be aware of facial expressions and your own body language. Do not express anger, disgust or inconvenience in any way, shape or form, verbally, facially or bodily. Schedule bathroom breaks, tube feedings or splint changes between classes & activities.

4-Communicate/Consult:  Keep families & other aides or caregivers informed. Many classrooms us a "Communication Book" that goes back and forth between home & school. Be there to listen to a family's concerns. Be willing to share strategies so that there is consistency between the school & home environments. Some strategies may work in both!

5-Positive Interaction w/ Peers : Encourage other students/staff to speak directly to the student rather than you. If the child is able, either through words, PECS or other communication device, encourage them to respond. Seat students & peers together during activities & lunch/snack time. Give students space (and maybe a little active prompting) to encourage students to socialize & develop friendships. Model positive interactions with staff members for the students to emulate.

6-Time Management: With a little practice, time management will come easily. Use class lecture time to make copies, get PECS or other materials together or program a communication device. A little time away from the student's side will also help to encourage independence.

7-Foster Independence: Use verbal & physical prompts to teach a child how to do a task but do not complete the task for the child. This ultimately dis-empowers the student and limits their abilities even more. Limit hand over hand assistance as soon as possible  & give praise & encouragement for effort. A Good way to encourage independence and reduce pressure & fear of failing a task, is to simply say "Just do your best!"  (More about positive communication at this link: "Saying It Better" )

8- Allow Choices: We all like to exercise our right to choice. Children are no different. Give the student opportunities for choices, no matter how small or insignificant they seem to be. Teaching all children how to make choices is a vital part of development of responsibility and emotional maturity. It allows a child to exercise control over their environment and ultimately their reactions to their environment.

9- Authentic Work: Students learn best when they actively participate in their assignments. Motivate your student to "do their best" rather than push and impose learning. This allows them to be actively involved in their own learning. Never complete assignments, take a test for or answer questions for students. Praise effort and show family & other caregivers the child's authentic work progress.

10- Ask For Help: We teach the kids all the time to "ask for help" and yet we never follow this advice ourselves. You are not alone! Request assistance when you need it and take a break if you feel overwhelmed. Sometimes we have to stop being the aide, teacher or therapist for a minute, put our own fears and insecurities aside and just observe and listen to what that student needs. Then we can find a way to give that student what they are asking for.

Above all, take care of yourself: eat, sleep, exercise and manage your stress. We want to help the students by setting the example for them to follow. We cannot to that effectively if we can't first help ourselves!


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