Thoughts on The Practice of Learning to Teach

...so the final post from my week of practice with my Mysore teacher...

I usually spend some time watching David teach when I attend Mysore practice weeks with him. He usually teaches at least 2 classes a day when teaches the "Mysore weeks" and I generally practice at one of the sessions and watch the other. He has always been very supportive of this. Watching my teacher teach is one of the ways that I learn to be a better teacher myself. I am in awe every time I watch a group of students grow in their practice over the course of 5 days with David as their guide.

It is a particularly special week when I hand David the reins and turn my own students and studio over to him. His ability to see what is going on in a students physical and mental practice always amazes me!

Watching David teach always reminds me of how much I have to learn as a teacher. Here are a few things that I was reminded of during the week:

1. Teaching is a practice and it is a lifelong practice just like asana practice.

2. There are no short cuts to being a good teacher. I will only continue to grow as a teacher, by teaching, acknowledging my mistakes and learning from them. Time, patience and practice are the only way.

3. What I teach comes out of what I practice.

4. I need a teacher to guide my teaching practice just as I need a teacher to guide my asana practice.

5. A sense of humor is absolutely required for teaching this practice :)