Usually at the beginning of the class, we are reminded of the following:
“This is your practice, your body. Listen to your body and adjust poses according to what you can do. Encourage yourself to try your best and push away negative judgments.”
So, how does practicing yoga relate to the practice of teaching?
Three inspirations that I had:
1) Differentiated instructions
We are always encouraged to listen to our own body and respond accordingly. If we happen to be recovering from an injury, we are suggested to try the modified pose instead. If our body has reached its limits, we are suggested to try the modified pose instead. For example, lower the knee if you are having trouble doing a lunge or bend your knees if you need to during downward-facing dog. And of course, at any point necessary, you can go back to child’s pose and take a break before starting again.
In a similar way, as teachers, we modify our teaching content and strategies in a way so that it gives our students “stepping stones” that guide them to an understanding. From teaching little learners to teaching college students, I observe to determine what my students are and are not able to achieve. I modify and simplify a math problem in a way that lets them “lower their knee” until they are able to raise the knee and “do the full lunge”.
In a way, the modified poses in yoga are also like offering students different ways to learn. It’s hard to almost remember this, but I remind myself to accommodate all types of learners by using various teaching approaches. Always teach one concept through multiple approaches: number sentences, diagrams, hands-on representations, group activities, different examples, different types of problems, etc.
2) Metacognition
One challenge I face in yoga is maintaining mindful breathing – focusing on the rhythm of the breath. Sometimes, it is really hard to shut off the brain chatter that goes on in your mind!
But it is through mindful breathing that I recognized my own negative thoughts, my judgments of myself and of others, my resentment and ungrateful feelings. I feel that without this recognition, it’s hard for one to reflect and learn to become a better person. Thinking about your thinking.
Metacognition is thinking about your own thinking. More formally, it’s an awareness of one’s own thought processes.
It is one of the most important skill to have that helps students in successful learning. Many college students struggle with metacognitive skills and colleges offer learning services that teach students to develop this skill. This suggests to me that metacognitive skills should be taught to young learners at an early age.
To develop metacognitive skills, help students in developing a plan prior to handling a learning task such as studying for a test, solving a math problem, or completing a project. In addition, students need to learn to monitor their own understanding and evaluate their own thinking after finishing a learning task.
3) Empowerment
In yoga, we are taught to embrace who we are. It is okay that the body has its limits. It is our own yoga practice for our own body. The onus is on us to make our practice the most worthwhile for ourselves. It is our responsibility to find meaning during our practice. It is up to us to put our best foot forward.
This philosophy needs to be transpired more often in the classroom. In my teaching practice, I am guilty of not communicating this idea enough to my little learners and college students.
We need to involve students in setting learning goals and give them opportunities to reflect how they are doing in the path to achieve those goals. Allow self and peer assessments opportunities so they can learn from their own feedback. Give choices and invite ideas. Most importantly, it begins with teachers freeing themselves from the mindset of being an authority figure.
Written by Mandy Lam
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