Confidence For Kids Yoga Teachers

Confidence is crucial for us as teachers, don’t you agree?

On my blog, most of the questions I get from kids yoga teachers are from those not sure how to manage a class or certain situations in a kids yoga class.

Often teachers resort to blaming the child and writing them off as “Un-teachable.” It’s not me, no one can teach them. For instance, this summer in one of my daycare classes, I had a 2 1/2 year who was difficult for me.

This child had developed a habit of not listening, and not only not listening but being disruptive as he wandered out of the group and drew everyone’s attention away from the yoga class. Not only the kids attention – but mine as the teacher as well.

I resisted the temptation of nagging at the child to sit down and listen. Eventually, I gave him the consequence of leaving the class. The daycare teacher took him out, and I was relieved to not have him there for the rest of the class. It went smoothly.

After class, I found out that this problem was happening with this child in all the classes. But the teacher didn’t want to label the child so didn’t warn me about it.

What is Your Belief Level as a Teacher of Yoga?

Here is my challenge as a teacher: Do I believe I can teach this child? or Do I get frustrated and let it build and build with each class, spending my time waiting for this class to be over? As teachers we have to continually look at what we believe, our mindset, as we go about teaching. Are we aware of what we believe?

Here’s what happened in this class:

I felt the desire in me to accept this challenge. Even though I didn’t know how it would happen, I set the intention that I would figure out how to engage this child so he could stay the whole class.

The second class came knowing the challenge with this child, I tried again with new strategies – but I ended up asking him to leave the class again. (Just so you know, he wasn’t crying or upset when he left, I think he was used to it!)

Third class – eventually I asked the teacher to take him out.

Can I teach this child? Should I give up? I don’t know how I will do it but I know I will hold on to the belief that I can do it.

The next week, he was away on holidays. Whew! The whole dynamic of the class changed.

The next week – away again. I almost forget about the issue.

The sixth week – he’s back and going through an adjustment period all over again (he’s only 2 1/2 years old). He stays about half the class this time. But I hold onto my Vision of him staying, although it is only an 8 week session so I’m not sure how it will happen.

Seventh week – he’s away again. This time I’m a little disappointed that he’s not here. How will we get to do the whole class together if he’s not here?

Eighth week – last class. He’s back and joins the class. We’re having a yoga party, playing all our favorite games and activities and songs. He’s joining in!

He’s doing everything!

He stays the whole class!

This may seem like a co-incidence but I don’t think it is. My teacher, Tulshi Sen says:

We don’t get what we want, we get what we are.
– Tulshi Sen

The question is, are we aware of what we are? What we are is our mindset. Do we give up on our belief too early before it has a chance to manifest?

I can’t say exactly what I did differently with this student. But I do know, whenever I started feeling frustrated, I thought of what I wanted. I’ve spent many years in the study of Raising my Belief Level, as a teacher, as an entrepreneur, and as a person and these situations happen more and more often and make it all worth it.

Upcoming Kids Yoga Teacher Training