10 Tips for New Yoga Teachers

keep a notebook

During your yoga teacher training, you may keep a journal to fill in your class notes. Just because you’re no longer in a teacher training program doesn’t mean you should give up your journaling habit. Having a notebook on hand is great for jotting down sequence ideas you want to share with your students, inspirational quotes or passages, ideas for class themes, or any other inspiration you come across throughout the day.

When you start teaching, you may even want to get in the habit of taking notes after class. Take note of things that went well in class so you can continue to build on those strengths and emulate them in the next class. It is also important that you write down what you are trying to do so you can continue to improve your teaching and learn from your mistakes. Your classes won’t always go exactly as you envision them, so these notes will help you track your progress and actively improve your technique.

You are still a student, even a teacher

You may be a certified yoga teacher, but that doesn’t mean your learning process has come to a standstill. As a yoga teacher, you should continue to learn new styles and concepts to develop and advance your personal practice and teaching.

Find workshops near you to increase your knowledge of a particular pose or style of yoga. Take classes in different studios to get a feel for a variety of teaching styles, and challenge yourself to take classes based on technologies you’re not familiar with. Create a list of books and video resources to review the physical and mental practices of yoga and learn how to incorporate new concepts into your classes. Listen to podcasts for fresh perspectives on a variety of yoga topics. As you study, you may discover a new style of yoga that you enjoy teaching, or you may discover new and interesting ways to organize your classes.

There are a variety of resources at your disposal, so don’t let your learning process stand still. As you continue to learn and grow, you will become more enthusiastic about sharing your new knowledge with your students. Learning will help you develop and define your unique voice and style as a teacher, which leads to the next key piece of advice…

find your specialty

The 200-hour yoga training course is a great way for teachers to dig deeper into the wisdom of yoga and build a solid foundation for their teaching. However, each teacher has their own strengths, interests, perspectives, and unique knowledge to share with their students. Go beyond what you learned in your education to find out which style of yoga interests you most. Once you’ve explored and narrowed down a specific avenue of interest, continue working on these styles. As a teacher, you don’t want to simply rely on the teachings of a basic yoga training program. You want to find a major that you want to share with your students. This passion will not only drive you to be a better teacher, but it will also resonate with your students.

Beyond Posture and Alignment

Strong breathing, variety of postures, and correct posture are obviously essential components of a successful yoga class. However, there is much more a teacher can offer a student than just physical asanas.

Incorporate a multifaceted approach into your teaching as your studies progress. Look for topics for classes that address not only the physical aspects of the practice, but also the mental and spiritual aspects of the practice. If you come across a quote or passage that speaks to you, share it with your students at the beginning of the lesson and incorporate these concepts throughout the activity. Share the intent that you have incorporated into your own practice so students can incorporate it into their own practice as needed. A yoga class can and should be more than just a physical exercise, so find ways to share deeper knowledge with your students that resonates with you.

keep practicing at home

As you start teaching more classes, you may find that your home practice is being put on hold. Becoming a teacher, however, is not giving up license to practice personally—in fact, practicing at home can enhance your teaching.

Continuing learning is more than attending seminars, reading books and taking new courses. It also means turning inward and cultivating new ideas from your own mind and body. The freedom to develop sequences in your own practice can open up new ideas that you didn’t know existed before. Just as importantly, home practice is more accessible – constantly spending time and money on workshops and books isn’t always the way to go. Exercising at home allows you to keep using and developing your brain power without breaking the bank, and it also allows you to practice in your spare time, even if you only have 15 minutes.

Use your exercises to inspire the sequence you teach your students and further personalize your style. While the fundamentals you learn in teacher education are great, you can build on this foundation with your own personal style and develop a teaching style that is truly your own.

Connect with other teachers at all levels

While much of yoga focuses on looking inward, reaching out to your community is just as important. Chances are you have met many like-minded people in your yoga training program. Cultivate these relationships, especially with peers who have followed a similar path as a teacher. This new teacher community on the same blog