True Success with Tweens
Tweens (10 – 12 year olds) can be a real handful to teach. If you haven’t worked with this group then read my post for a preview of what you may face. But when you know how to teach tweens you can have a lot of fun.
Trying to Control Them?
Trying to make the kids behave a certain way is like swimming upstream. They are not adults who will sit and do whatever you tell them. When the urge to control a group of tweens (or any age group) hits, take control of your thinking and remember what you really want. You want a class where the kids are doing yoga, calm and relaxed.
“Success in life is to take control of your thinking process.
To think the thoughts you want to think
and bring them into physical manifestation.”
and bring them into physical manifestation.”
Success as a Yoga Teacher
A teacher must take control of their own thinking instead of trying to take control of the students. When you look at your own thinking and find out you are feeling frustrated, upset, or angry you see that was likely how the class felt too.
A teacher must take control of their own thinking instead of trying to take control of the students. When you look at your own thinking and find out you are feeling frustrated, upset, or angry you see that was likely how the class felt too.
If you want a class where everyone is doing yoga in a calm relaxed way –think that way.
What is a calm relaxed way of dealing with a group of tweens? I find using their natural tendencies to my advantage works very well. For instance:
Solutions that are Natural
Natural Tendency: They like to talk to each other.
Natural Solution: Partner Yoga
Natural Tendency: They like to talk to each other.
Natural Solution: Partner Yoga
Natural Tendency: They want to make their own decisions.
Natural Solution: Give them lots of choices (everyone doesn’t have to do the same pose all the time).
Natural Solution: Give them lots of choices (everyone doesn’t have to do the same pose all the time).
Natural Tendency: They like to play games.
Natural Solution: Ask them to turn their favourite game into a yoga game (you can play in your other classes!)
Natural Solution: Ask them to turn their favourite game into a yoga game (you can play in your other classes!)
Tendency: They want to be independent.
Solution: Have them teach the class.
Solution: Have them teach the class.
Tendency: They want to follow the leader of the tweens.
Solution: Ask the tween leader to demonstrate the poses.
Solution: Ask the tween leader to demonstrate the poses.
Taking Control and Creating the Class You Want
This summer I have a tween class in a daycare and I remind myself often to take control of my thinking every time the kids start interrupting or talking to each other. Having a good yoga class depends on my ability to take control of my thinking and not get upset or angry.
Being firm with the kids is important, but being firm with myself and showing kids how to think the thoughts they want to think, well, that is more important.
