Get Set For Success
Get Set For Success
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin
1.
Class Set Up
● Creating and holding space for students to enjoy and feel safe - both in the asana (pose) and in the yoga practice ● Tips and strategies for creating a Safe Place for students of all shapes, sizes and abilities
2.
Create A Class Plan
● Come prepared: Have a plan for your class ● Create a theme: Students may appreciate a message that they can connect with weaved into the narrative of the class ● Example of a theme: “Come as you are, use what have, do what can - coming to know yourself”
3.
Get To Know Your Students
● Smile, shake hands and initiate conversation ● Learn the names of each student and learn something unique about them ● Listen to your students ● Ask how you can better serve them ● Invite the students into the class and reassure them that they have done the right thing and that you are here to help them ● Introduce new students to a regular student in class; create a connection
5.
Creating a ‘No Judgment’ Zone
● Don’t make assumptions about a student’s abilities or personality ● Lean into your own feelings around judgment and biases and explore how those biases and emotions come up in your teachings ● Communicate to students that you are not judging them and ask that they do not judge themselves
6.
Clarity
● Speak clearly ● Say what you mean and mean what you say ● Move and teach slowly ● Breath
7.
Avoiding Triggers
● Avoiding triggers can be difficult ● You never know what can be a trigger for your students ● Some of the common triggers for people in bigger bodies involve putting focus or emphasis on their size
Teach to who is in the room
1
Teach to who is in the room
● Come with a plan, but be prepared to toss it ● Have your “yoga for all” go-to, back pocket classes memorized and ready ● What is the point of the pose or sequence? Figure out another way! ● Teaching with the bus stop method ● Yogi play time
2
Common problems for students in larger bodies
● Sitting on the floor ○ Elevate the hips on blankets or bolsters ○ Use a chair ○ Find another way - warm-ups on the back or standing ● Transitions ● Coming up and down off the floor ● Larger bellies, boobs, butt, thighs (stuff runs into stuff!) ○ Mitigate by encouraging them to move stuff out of the way, tuck the belly skin, widen the feet ● Compression within the body (pinching, limiting) ● They may be more flexible than their body will “let” them
3
It’s asana time!
● Warm-ups ○ Seated ○ Hands & knees ○ On the back ○ Standing ● Sun salutations that work for different body types ○ Classical sun salutation (lots of options) ○ Surya namaskar A & B ○ Wall ○ Chair ● Other considerations during sun salutations
Lesson 3: Take action ● Create 3 warm up sequences you can have at the ready. ● Practice the sun salutation variations. ● Practice teaching a new variation on sun salutations or breaking down a pose like down dog or child’s pose in one of your classes. ● What’s next: Creating a Yoga for All Class - Part 2: standing poses, backbends, inversions, and savasana
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin
1.
Class Set Up
● Creating and holding space for students to enjoy and feel safe - both in the asana (pose) and in the yoga practice ● Tips and strategies for creating a Safe Place for students of all shapes, sizes and abilities
2.
Create A Class Plan
● Come prepared: Have a plan for your class ● Create a theme: Students may appreciate a message that they can connect with weaved into the narrative of the class ● Example of a theme: “Come as you are, use what have, do what can - coming to know yourself”
3.
Get To Know Your Students
● Smile, shake hands and initiate conversation ● Learn the names of each student and learn something unique about them ● Listen to your students ● Ask how you can better serve them ● Invite the students into the class and reassure them that they have done the right thing and that you are here to help them ● Introduce new students to a regular student in class; create a connection
5.
Creating a ‘No Judgment’ Zone
● Don’t make assumptions about a student’s abilities or personality ● Lean into your own feelings around judgment and biases and explore how those biases and emotions come up in your teachings ● Communicate to students that you are not judging them and ask that they do not judge themselves
6.
Clarity
● Speak clearly ● Say what you mean and mean what you say ● Move and teach slowly ● Breath
7.
Avoiding Triggers
● Avoiding triggers can be difficult ● You never know what can be a trigger for your students ● Some of the common triggers for people in bigger bodies involve putting focus or emphasis on their size
Teach to who is in the room
1
Teach to who is in the room
● Come with a plan, but be prepared to toss it ● Have your “yoga for all” go-to, back pocket classes memorized and ready ● What is the point of the pose or sequence? Figure out another way! ● Teaching with the bus stop method ● Yogi play time
2
Common problems for students in larger bodies
● Sitting on the floor ○ Elevate the hips on blankets or bolsters ○ Use a chair ○ Find another way - warm-ups on the back or standing ● Transitions ● Coming up and down off the floor ● Larger bellies, boobs, butt, thighs (stuff runs into stuff!) ○ Mitigate by encouraging them to move stuff out of the way, tuck the belly skin, widen the feet ● Compression within the body (pinching, limiting) ● They may be more flexible than their body will “let” them
3
It’s asana time!
● Warm-ups ○ Seated ○ Hands & knees ○ On the back ○ Standing ● Sun salutations that work for different body types ○ Classical sun salutation (lots of options) ○ Surya namaskar A & B ○ Wall ○ Chair ● Other considerations during sun salutations
Lesson 3: Take action ● Create 3 warm up sequences you can have at the ready. ● Practice the sun salutation variations. ● Practice teaching a new variation on sun salutations or breaking down a pose like down dog or child’s pose in one of your classes. ● What’s next: Creating a Yoga for All Class - Part 2: standing poses, backbends, inversions, and savasana
