| The Art of Teaching | | | | movement and musical cadence. A perceptive |
| I've been contemplating the art of teaching. I | | | | student will listen for the entry and exit of |
| myself have taught various movement arts, | | | | instruments and watch the instructor carefully to |
| including yoga, fitness and dance for over 24 | | | | identify the intention and flavor behind the |
| years. I am also a student of these disciplines. I've | | | | movements and sound. If the student pays |
| attended countless seminars, workshops, retreats | | | | attention and the teacher is authentic, the process |
| and schools in my disciplines of choice. I've read | | | | will strike a chord within the student and enkindle |
| books, magazines, traditional texts, and online | | | | their inner rhythmic flame. Soon the student will |
| snippets in an effort to deepen my knowledge | | | | learn to listen inwardly and outwardly. They will |
| and refine my teaching skills. I've noticed that | | | | allow the music to move them and discover their |
| some teachers, authors and dancers resonate | | | | unique expression of the dance. Once this process |
| strongly and drive their point home with efficiently | | | | takes place the student and teacher roles |
| and authenticity. Others seem to fall flat. | | | | dissipate and they are truly able to dance |
| Spotting a Good Teacher: | | | | together within a single rhythmic flame. |
| You can recognize gifted teachers immediately. | | | | Good Teachers Tell Stories: |
| For one, they seem to choose their words | | | | Third, good teachers tell good stories. Stories are |
| carefully. Their sentences spring forth like arrows | | | | an excellent way to drive home a point and are |
| that land squarely in the heart of each student. | | | | excellent transportation vehicles for authentic |
| It's apparent when you have been with a good | | | | truth. The ancient disciplines of yoga, Ayurveda |
| teacher because you feel inexplicably changed in | | | | and dance abound with good stories. They have |
| some way. Good teachers have a strange way | | | | been recited, scribed and danced for thousands of |
| of following you home. Even after you finish the | | | | years and convey many layers of meaning. A |
| book, place the CD in its case or pass through the | | | | good teacher will have a few of those to offer |
| exit doors of the seminar they stay in your head | | | | you. |
| and continue to teach. As you practice your art, | | | | Some teachers choose to share personal stories |
| their words often stream back into your | | | | from their life experience. This can be extremely |
| consciousness and help you to refine your | | | | effective and allows the teacher to connect to |
| understanding of the art form and unravel layers | | | | the student on a profound level. It can create |
| of meaning. | | | | honor, respect and reverence between student |
| Authentic Teaching: | | | | and teacher. The student may recognize |
| Second, good teachers have authenticity. They | | | | themselves in the teacher's "humanness". The |
| are able to shift their voice inflection and volume | | | | process gently lifts the teacher down off the |
| and offer gestures and pauses to convey to the | | | | teaching pedestal the student may have placed |
| student the truth inside their words. They are | | | | him on (or the one he hopped on to all by |
| often able to offer authentic connection with their | | | | himself!), and raises the student to a level where |
| audience by revealing their own experience with | | | | they can see eye to eye. It creates a doorway |
| the body of knowledge they are teaching. One of | | | | for the two in which information can be shared |
| my favorite yoga teachers often said "Everything | | | | without the pretense of "I know more than you |
| flows nicely as long as you teach only what you | | | | or you know less than me". Some of the most |
| know." You can detect when a teacher is teaching | | | | important information I ever learned came from |
| something they have not experienced for | | | | my students. |
| themselves. Their teaching will be unable to | | | | Good Teachers En-kindle the Student's Inner Fire: |
| directly connect with the student and it will lose its | | | | So, good teachers teach what they know. |
| ability to move them. It seems to me that if you | | | | Whatever their medium; speech, the written |
| have not experienced something directly, it is still | | | | word, soundless movement or music, they ring |
| theory to you and you have no business teaching | | | | through as authentic carriers of wisdom. They |
| it. | | | | have reverence for their students and their |
| Authentic teaching does not only come through | | | | chosen disciplines. They convey good stories and |
| words. I teach a style of dance that has no | | | | send them like arrows to stir the heart of the |
| verbal cuing whatsoever. The teacher must be | | | | student. They offer themselves to the student |
| able to convey the seeds of truth non-verbally | | | | selflessly. Good teachers stay in your head and |
| through their own direct experience of the piece. | | | | follow you home. Finally, really good teachers |
| The student must rely on their inner instincts and | | | | enkindle the inner flame within the student's |
| cultivate keen observation and listening skills to | | | | intelligence so that knowledge is illuminated and |
| uncover the silent kernel of truth in the dance. | | | | transformed into wisdom. Then the student is |
| They are required to detect subtle changes in | | | | inspired to shine forth brilliantly. |