Input requested: What makes a good yoga teacher?
I have been thinking a lot lately about what makes someone a good yoga teacher. When I was doing my teacher training at Om Yoga Center, we were told that a good teacher possesses the "Three C's": Confidence, Clarity and Compassion.
I think that those qualities are critical. But being a bit abstract, they don't shed all that much light on what makes a teacher someone from whom we want to learn and enjoy learning.
Some questions I have been thinking about:
1. To demonstrate or not to demonstrate: To what degree should a teacher rely upon her words to do the teacher, rather than demonstrating the poses and the transitions? Is it better for the teacher to demonstrate more? Or better for the teacher to demonstrate less?
2. To adjust or not to adjust: To what degree should a teacher adjust her students? If a student is having a hard time getting the poses, should the teacher spend more time with that student? Or should she give equal time to all? I have heard stories of some teachers simply going down the rows and adjusting each student, one at a time, in whatever pose comes up when it is that student's turn. But doesn't that lead to a sort of mindLESSness to the adjustments? Shouldn't adjustments be purposeful, not incidental?
3. Getting Started...Dharma Talks and Chanting: Do we like them? Or do we just want to get moving? Would it be better ot integrate the talk within the class? To chant at the end?
4. To control or to let go (and despite that the concept of "letting go" is a good one in yoga, this is not intended to be a leading question): If a student is doing "his own thing" in class, should the teacher let him? Or should she try to bring him back to what the other students are doing?
5. The teacher's practice: Do we expect, even demand, that our teachers are significantly more advanced yogis than ourselves? Do we expect our teachers to teach only what they are able to do well? Or do we allow that our teachers will be practicing their whole lives as well? Do we like to see our teachers practicing? Or would we rather not have them as students in class with us?
6. The teacher's gender, age, apperance: Would we prefer that our teacher be female? Male? Younger than us? Older than us? Our peer? Fabulous physique? Visibly flawed physique? How do we feel about learning yoga from our outside-the-studio friends?
7. The flipside: What has really turned you off to a teacher? I know that's broad, but it would be interesting to hear whatever thoughts pop into your head...
Thanks!
I can't wait to hear!!!!
YC