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| Hi, I recently started my first teaching job at a local gym/rec center teaching a class 2 nights a week. I took this class over from someone who taught this particular class for many years and had a pretty extensive following. I made sure that I attended at least a month of this teacher's class prior to taking it over so that I could get a feel for his style and see how it would mesh with mine. He communicated that the students were worried about a new teacher that would be vastly different from him. Actually, my style ended up being quite similar to his and I think that I've been able to mesh the two together quite well.
Well, I've been teaching the class for about a month now and I am suddenly being approached by a few students after my class saying that the old teacher used to do this and that a certain way and couldn't I do it that way too. One student in particular takes it upon herself to throw her mat down in front of my mat at the end of class and procedes to show me how the old teacher taught a pose, etc. I've been very open to suggestions and have happily taken some of their thoughts into consideration and have actually adjusted my lesson plans some. The thing is, I'm beginning to fear that this is going to become a regular senario and that they may never be 100% happy. Ie: one student says the music is too loud on the same day that another says it's not loud enough.
So, I am just looking for some advice on how you all handle student complaints about your class and I am also looking for any thoughts about the best way personally for me to handle them. Thank you and Namaste. |
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| well, it depends upon so many factors. first, you can simply indulge it and say 'thank you' and then continue to do your own thing. or, you can say "i prefer to teach it this way" and offer a reason or not. i've also given the "experiencing the posture in new ways takes us to different physical, emotional, and spiritual territory."
but, there was one occasion where i was quite forward--i guess. lol anyway, the young woman complained many times that i didn't teach like the old teacher. she would give me feedback before, during, and after class. finally, at the beginning of a class when she was about to give suggestions about what her former teacher would do (this teacher moved to another state), i stopped her and said "you know, if you don't like my classes, perhaps i can suggest other teachers and studios who teach at the same time. you could try them out and see if you are happier there."
she closed her mouth, put down her mat, and practiced. it was the last time that she ever said anything--except asking questions respectfully--and she continued to take class until i moved on (i don't know, she may still be there). |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Yeah - I think you need to take control and not let this get too crazy. Sometimes people think they are helping you out by giving these suggestions, some are asking for validation that the other teacher's instructions were ok and safe and some have no idea that it is really pretty rude to make those sorts of comments. Its like going to someone's house for dinner and telling them how someone else you know cooked the same dish so much better!
One thing you can do is show the pose both ways, have them do the pose both ways and see how it affects them. Most people, for example, like to lay their arms down alongside their legs in child's pose. In Iyengar yoga, we lengthen the arms out in front of the head. While the first way can be seen to be more restful (for some), the second way creates more space and length in the side chest. And for what I am teaching and why I am teaching, that is the more important factor. Therefor "now we do it my way!"
I am keen to know how this turns out. Please keep us informed! |
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| Hello Linda.
The answer to this question is found in balancing the following two concepts:
"The teacher of yoga does not sacrifice her truth for that of the student" AND svadhyaya or self-study.
We, as yoga teachers, practice in a certain way, train in a certain way, bring yoga into our selves in a certain way, and embody yoga in our living in a certain way. To forsake this and teach to the "flavor of the day" of the student is to move away from integrity. Moving away from integrity creates disharmony. Disharmony is not yoga. So we stay true to what we are sharing, why we are there, what we have to offer, what our skills and gifts are. Ultimately, when we stay true rather than placating, we direct students to the proper teacher - sometimes it is us and sometimes it is someone else :-)
At the same time this must be countered and balanced by the self-study that allows a teacher to explore and discover themselves and make adjustments where needed. Without knowing the self it would be very difficult to make appropriate choices in line with one's svadharma or life purpose.
Some feedback from students, in addition to the questions we must constantly ask ourselves, can be very helpful in moving us forward as students and teachers of yoga. In this context consider the feedback, then either accept it as a truth for you or not and operate accordingly. But do not become consumed with such things. Consider, decide, act, over.
Your reaction to the student behavior has to be both authentic (meaning absolutely you and radiating from within) and it has to model yoga. So over-reacting in either direction would be out of balance. I'd neither throw a fit nor be completely passive (ends of the spectrum). Listen to them, care about them, but be firm in who you are, what you do, and how you do it.
Permissiveness and hedonism do not deliver freedom and teaching yoga is not about making friends.
Edited by purnayoga 2009-02-07 1:25 AM
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| Thank you so much for your thoughtful answers. I will take this to heart and continue to search for my path and bring that forward in my classes and let go of the outcome. I'm so happy I found this forum. Namaste, Linda |
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| Linda,
You mentioned that the former teacher was a "he". Since you give your name as Linda, I assume that you are a "she". Some people find it easy to accept the authority of a male and find it more difficult to accept the authority of a woman. If the male teacher taught with authority, some people in the class may be questioning yours, especially since you seem to encourage feedback (which is NOT a bad thing). Some people may interpret your open mindedness as weakness. Be aware whether you are being open minded or simply giving in to pressure.
My suggestion is to simply listen to what they have to say and respond with your honest answers, always keeping in mind that you are the teacher. You can always suggest trying a pose several ways for everyone to experience the differences themselves, but don't let the students sway you from what you know is right or safe even though you are open minded to their feedback.
In some ways you may be like a second wife or a step parent to some of these students and they just have to get used to the reality that the other teacher is gone and you are now their teacher! Many people find change difficult. Give them time, but stay true to yourself. Some of the old students may leave and some of the new ones will find you to be their "model" teacher that they judge all other teachers against. That's just the way it is. You are not the "right" teacher for everyone and neither is anyone else.
As a teacher, you need to be open minded and open to discovery, but you also need to encourage open mindedness and a sense of discovery in your students.
I believe that teachers need to accommodate each class to the students (it's the student's class, not mine) but NEVER waver from what you know is safe and true. Truth is new from moment to moment, so there are no set rules other than awareness; being aware of what you want to teach and being aware of how best to reach each and every student at that particular moment. This will change from student to student and from class to class.
The real art in teaching is being flexible in your methods while you stay constant in your core message. Your methods must be fluid based on your students and your core message must grow or evolve with you as a person.
I hope that this helps in some small way,
Jim |
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| its like prison, you gotta beat someone up the first day, or you'll have to become someone's b**ch...
sounds like you didn't assert yourself off the bat, and these students walked all over you.
if they're longtime students who followed a certain teacher, they're probably more likely to cling to that teacher's ways.
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especially students at a gym, i've seen a lot of them with pretty bad etiquette.
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its not too late, though.
get in there and show them whose boss |
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| I'm with Andrew here. Plus, should you go to the slammer, make sure it's for murder so nobody messes with you |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
|  dhan - prison yogi extraordinaire. Does this advice come from first hand experience? |
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| sisTourist-yes indeed. although being able to bend over and grab your ankles has different, umm, applications...in prison as opposed to a yoga studio.
seriously, though, with the class i teach for the university, i came out the first day as a stern taskmaster. and now, halfway through the quarter, i have a well disciplined and focused group of students.
some of them are even starting home practices! |
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Expert Yogi
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| I am not very stern and it takes a bit of work from time to time to make sure they behave. I asked the class to watch from behind me the other day and only half of them moved. I just looked at them with a grin and said "behind me is over there..." and waited. When I asked them to watch from the front, they all moved.  |
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| As a teacher (of any kind) you need to teach with authority. That does NOT mean that you are strict or a disciplinarian, it means that you are in charge. Weak people usually teach with strictness (hardness) or are taken advantage of. Strong people do not need to be strict because they have the respect of their students.
Respect has to be earned and strength often has to be learned. Your students will react to what you project, not your thoughts. If you project confidence, they will follow. If you project indecision, you will be in trouble, no matter how well thought out your class was. (It was thought out with imaginary students anyway.)
If you want your students to respect you, you must first treat each and every one of them with respect. You can then expect the same behavior from them and will usually get it. On the odd occasion where you do not get the respect that you've earned, you need to remind the student, just like you need to remind the student to breathe or open, relax and extend in a pose. These reminders are much more effective as gentle reminders (I often use humor) than as orders that should be obeyed. Remember, you are teaching more than yoga asana in your class and you are doing it through your example!
If you want honest, respectful, strong, flexible, balanced, open (mind, body & heart) students whose keen awareness is leading them into self discovery, you need to model that behavior. Your job as a teacher is to motivate, not discipline; encourage, not censure. Your own example is the strongest way to teach yoga philosophy. |
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| so being strict automatically means one is callow and weak willed?
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i guess i thought it was my dharma to break my foot off in rich white people's a$$es
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and now i'm involved in a pissing contest!
not a bad way to start the week... |
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| As I stated in my original post, I am a new teacher - this is my first teaching job and I have to say that I am also somewhat introverted and self-consciencous, which I am sure they are probably picking up on. I am trying to apply the "fake it to make it" approach and trying to keep my fears to myself, while at the same time trying to mentally help myself become a stronger teacher. I think that this is something where only time and experience can help. I will keep structuring the class in my own way while listening openly to their suggestions, but ultimately stay true to what type of teacher I want to be and what type of class I want to teach. Thank you all for your thoughtful answers, it has been very helpful. |
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| If your goal is to whip the students into shape like a drill sergeant, strictness is a pretty good approach. If your goal is to teach a lifelong process of growth, strictness will only produce hardness, inflexibility, blind dogma and the need to follow rather than discover. If you are a strong teacher, you can relax and be flexible. If you are a weak teacher, you are afraid of losing control and must therefore be strict or lose control. You become a strong teacher through experience (life experience as well as teaching experience) and self-analysis. Feedback from others is also useful if you are able to put it into perspective. It takes a lot of strength to be vulnerable in front of a class. It also takes strength to not be fearful of losing control.
Students will usually act as you expect them to. If you expect self discipline and respect, you will probably get it. If you expect to have to discipline the students, you probably will have to.
Dhanurasana
I'm sorry if you felt personally criticized as that was not intended and am also sorry about your fixation with anal rape (which you oddly mentioned in each of your posts in this thread). I don't understand your anger (or is it humor that I am just not getting?).
Namaste,
Jim
Edited by jimg 2009-02-09 7:39 PM
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| Hi Jim.
probably a little bit of both (humor and anger)
and you're right, it does seem to be a bit of a fixation, hmm?
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i realize (even as i posted this morning) that i'm really only in a pissing contest with myself.
i find the things you say very well thought out and insightful, and am likely somewhat jealous of the knowledge and equanimity you display.
linky-
sorry to hijack your thread.
your confidence will improve with experience
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| Hi, Linda --
I'm still a relatively new teacher myself (app 1.5 years); but I encountered an almost identical situation to yours when I first started out. The students going so far as to say, "Can you do bird of paradise like (previous teacher's name)? Well, come on, let's see it." Things were said in a nasty tone, and that surprised me because I thought everyone who practiced yoga would come in to class with openness & light, love & truth in their hearts. Did I ever get a wakeup call!
But among those students who complained, and some left to find an instructor who resonated with them, were students who were appreciative, stayed, and my particular teaching style worked for them. Even some of the initial complainers stuck around & we all got through it.
Now when people complain, which is pretty rare but it does happen, I do take into consideration what they say but still teach the way I teach. If I don't, it isn't genuine, and it comes across as robotic & stilted. Your genuine teaching style will flow. And it will evolve.
Meditation - and I won't go into a long detailed account here - along with my own yoga practice has helped me move towards not attaching my personal emotions/feelings to any complaints that may arise; although I'm not completely there yet, I have to admit . But it has helped, and I don't "carry my classes home" with me like I did in the beginning. That took entirely too much energy better spent on other things. Now I regard their words as "interesting," something I will take into consideration, and move forward, conducting my classes in the best way I can. Any feedback you receive becomes an opportunity to build strength & resolve. Strangely enough, I often now am happy about a complaint because it's fun for me figuring out how I will handle it & how it fits into my life & teaching. I don't want to go off too much of a tangent, but perhaps that may fit in with your situation somehow.
It's been said before that the teacher is the conduit for yoga. Yoga moves through you to the students. We care about the well-being of the students, & it shows to those who choose to see it. The complaints can be steppingstones, helping us evolve into stronger teachers (and students ourselves). Stay true to your genuine style so it continues to resonate with you & you will grow infinitely and have fun doing it.
Just my experience, so far.
Edited by mettagrl 2009-02-10 10:58 AM
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| Kim,
Thank you for the insight, very helpful and informative. I do meditate everyday and have been concentrating on being kinder with myself which inturn helps to not take complaints/suggestions personally. I'm still finding my way as a new teacher and I know that in time and with more experience I will find my yoga-grove. I have to admit that each day prior to my class, I am somewhat nervous and practice a lot of deep breathing and self-talk to help myself through it. Again, I really appreciate your response - it is really helpful. Namaste, Linda |
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Advice about student complaints/suggestions
