As a yoga instructor, you want to provide a fun and enriching experience each time your students take a class. If your students are not getting the most out of each session, they may decide to find a teacher who gives them more for their money. With that in mind, here are some tips for designing a yoga lesson plan that may help teachers new and experienced alike keep their students engaged and interested.
1) Teach the Students What They Want to Learn
The focus of each class should be on what the students themselves want to learn. While it may be tempting to teach them what you think that they should know, this may cause your class to tune you out. When people are learning things that are interesting to them, it is more likely that they will want to eventually expand their knowledge base.
2) Tailor Lessons That Cater to All Skill Levels
You may run into a situation where some people in your class have been doing yoga for years while others have just started. In some cases, an individual may decide to take a beginner class after taking an extended break as a way of getting back into his or her routine. Therefore, it is important to cater to the needs of the beginner as well as to those who may be dropping down a level or two to refine their skills.
3) Keep the Lessons Fun and Interesting
The best way to keep your students coming back for more is to make each lesson fun. For many people, yoga is a way to relax and maybe meet others who share a similar interest. That means you should be designing a course that gets everyone involved and feeling good when they enter the building as well as when they leave after class.
4) Try to Teach Everyone Something New Each Class
Even if you are only able to incorporate a fun fact about yoga or teach a new way to do a traditional pose, you should aim to teach your class something new every time the group meets. People love to learn something new or interesting that they can share with their friends or family members in the future.
5) Always Allow Time for Stretching Before Class
Yoga requires a lot of flexibility and the ability to hold what might seem to be awkward poses for long periods of time. To ensure that no one gets hurt, it may be a good idea to schedule a few minutes to allow everyone to get warmed up if they haven't had a chance to before arriving at class.
A great lesson plan is fun, interesting and allows everyone to get involved. By catering to the needs of all of your students and letting them control the agenda each class, they will feel better about taking the time to learn the finer points of yoga from you. Additionally, they will feel good about spending their hard earned money on a teacher that gives them the best value for their dollar.
1) Teach the Students What They Want to Learn
The focus of each class should be on what the students themselves want to learn. While it may be tempting to teach them what you think that they should know, this may cause your class to tune you out. When people are learning things that are interesting to them, it is more likely that they will want to eventually expand their knowledge base.
2) Tailor Lessons That Cater to All Skill Levels
You may run into a situation where some people in your class have been doing yoga for years while others have just started. In some cases, an individual may decide to take a beginner class after taking an extended break as a way of getting back into his or her routine. Therefore, it is important to cater to the needs of the beginner as well as to those who may be dropping down a level or two to refine their skills.
3) Keep the Lessons Fun and Interesting
The best way to keep your students coming back for more is to make each lesson fun. For many people, yoga is a way to relax and maybe meet others who share a similar interest. That means you should be designing a course that gets everyone involved and feeling good when they enter the building as well as when they leave after class.
4) Try to Teach Everyone Something New Each Class
Even if you are only able to incorporate a fun fact about yoga or teach a new way to do a traditional pose, you should aim to teach your class something new every time the group meets. People love to learn something new or interesting that they can share with their friends or family members in the future.
5) Always Allow Time for Stretching Before Class
Yoga requires a lot of flexibility and the ability to hold what might seem to be awkward poses for long periods of time. To ensure that no one gets hurt, it may be a good idea to schedule a few minutes to allow everyone to get warmed up if they haven't had a chance to before arriving at class.
A great lesson plan is fun, interesting and allows everyone to get involved. By catering to the needs of all of your students and letting them control the agenda each class, they will feel better about taking the time to learn the finer points of yoga from you. Additionally, they will feel good about spending their hard earned money on a teacher that gives them the best value for their dollar.
Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA.
