I’m sure I’ll look back on this piece and smile in a few years time. I’ll think- how sweet, how little I knew.
Teaching online is wonderful! I am really really enjoying it! It’s not for everyone, but right now it feels right for me.
Teaching this way means I can make my own little sanctuary, pop cups of lemon water and cosy slippers out of sight, and show up on the screen ready to teach. I can check my notes in the next window if I need to… And at the end there’s no tidying up, just a lovely chat with whoever stays, and then class closes.
And I can reach people anywhere! I am teaching a friend at the moment who lives on a boat in Toronto- I would struggle to teach her in person (the lap top fits much more comfortably on the top rung of the ladder than I would). Students have said they love being able to practice at home, making their own nests and rolling on to the sofa or into the shower when we are done. I think for some though, it can be difficult to find a quiet space at home, so the treat of heading out to a studio is sorely missed.
I can’t imagine what it must be like to teach in a studio: welcoming people to the space; feeling the energy of the room; being able to see all of people as they move. The thought of walking around and adjusting people, connecting with them individually to hear how it feels for them. Yep, that does sound wonderful.
Though, online there’s no competition or distractions: I genuinely believe I’m seeing more stable balances- everyone united, still, and not phased if someone 10 miles away wobbles in their own front room. Last week a student turned up in her pjs, fresh out of bed on a Sunday morning, ready for a very gentle stretch to start the day. That’s also my favourite way to do yoga (especially outside in the sun).
I’ve learnt some tricks for teaching online:
- Invite students to put the Spotify playlist on their own speaker and play DJ themselves
- Pop everyone on mute so they only need to listen to their own breath. Also, set the meeting to: ‘mute on entry’.
- Sit on a cushion by the laptop and place the mat 2 feet (we all know what that is by now!) behind so that it’s set up for demo-ing
- A few minutes after start time, turn off the waiting room so students can arrive without interrupting
- Zoom has an ‘adjust for low-light’ option in settings which really helps when teaching in the British winter time
- Don’t worry too much about background noise, more often than not it can’t be heard
- Give students as much personal feedback as possible, even if it’s just acknowledgement that you see their adjustment. This really helps them feel taken care of.
- You can put yourself on mute if you need to sneeze!
A mix of online and in person would be fantastic this summer. I’m planning to live out of a van and so still having the chance to teach regulars while roaming the coastline would be ideal. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out!
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