Self-reflection is a powerful tool for growth. After each class, take a few moments to jot down what worked, what didn’t, and what surprised you. These insights will guide you toward becoming a better teacher, class by class.
Much of the development you’ll see as a teacher comes in tiny, incremental pieces, week to week, as you reflect on your previous class and plan for the next one.
Have you heard of a “hostess diary”? It’s an old-fashioned device to record a personal debrief after throwing a party. (You can find some cute ones on Amazon or at fancy stationery stores.) The great hostesses make notes after each party. What was the theme or occasion of the party? What was served, who sat where, what was discussed? What could be changed for next time?
The same practice works well for yoga teachers. As soon as is feasible after class, and no later than the next day, take some notes of your own in your journal or notes file. Here’s a journal prompt for you. And I suggest you do this after every class—it doesn’t need to take long at all.
Make notes on your last class. What did you plan? What went well? What surprised you? Was there any deviation from your plan, and if so, why? How did it land? What did not go well? If it works for you, you can list these as roses (the pros), thorns (the cons), and buds (things to build on next time).
If you wrote out a class plan ahead of time, either on paper or, better yet, on your computer, this could simply be another column or section in the notes, including the date and your reflections on what happened. And I suggest you do plan ahead of time! For an easy method, see The Art of Yoga Sequencing or join me for Plan a Month in an Hour, my regular lesson-planning co-working session.
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