Yoga instructors are responsible for providing a great flowing class with challenging exercises and safe alternatives. But this alone is not enough to ensure practitioners will return on a continual basis. Other factors greatly affect your instructor's ability to effectively motivate practitioners. In this course we study Ethics in teaching and discuss the Yoga Alliance Code of Conduct

 

Punctuality and Dependability

Your instructors must ensure the classes begin on time and that they are set up and ready to go before class starts. Beginning in class late or ending a class late can completely disrupt schedules and cause havoc in your studio.

Regularly demonstrating that you cannot start class on time or turn up to class late sets a low standard for your practitioners to follow.

  Getting substitutes to teach yoga classes all the time is also not a good option. Practitioners want to know the yoga instructor they have turned up and paid to see is going to be teaching a yoga class. When practitioners continually get exposed to substitute teachers their likelihood to continue to turn up for yoga classes is greatly reduced.

Professionalism

Yoga instructors must adhere to standards of professionalism that are usually higher than other areas in the fitness industry. Professionalism is the act of treating everybody with equality and respect. Yoga instructors must treat even those who talk negatively and bitterly towards them with open arms and an open heart not judging them in anyway. This can prove challenging at times but that is the challenge of professionalism.

 

Dedication

Yoga instructor dedication involves continual education in areas that improve your class presentation. Attending workshops and help educate a yoga instructor on new flows, new techniques, working with people who have special needs such as injury, pregnancy or other common condition. Keeping up-to-date with the latest health tips and news also helps a yoga instructor stay fresh and on top of the latest information affecting health.

Dedication is expressed in many ways punctuality and dependability being one. When one is completely dedicated to a subject one often has time for a little else.

 

Connecting with Practitioners

The ability to be tuned in a connected with every single practitioner is a mastery in yoga instruction. Experienced yoga instructors will be able to tune into every individual in a yoga class on mental, physical and emotional levels. It is easy to become disconnected from practitioners and caught up in one's own mind. High-quality yoga structures have learned the art of fully connecting with all those who attend the class and usually give special attention to newcomers and those with special needs.

Yoga structures that are connected with practitioners often try to find information about how their sequencing is being perceived or enjoyed and if it is affecting the practitioner a positive or negative way not just at that moment but the following day. An example of this would be asking you practitioner that had previously been to your class how their body responded the next day, if they felt muscle pain and if so what kind?   Connecting with practitioners starts the moment they walk in the door with a welcome and when they leave with words of encouragement and a friendly namaste.

Responsibility

Taking responsibility for things that have gone wrong shows strong leadership skills.

An example of taking responsibility is when you turn up late maybe due to some accident or just not giving yourself enough time. When you enter class you must acknowledge you are late and apologize. Another example of taking responsibility is in sequences that have been improperly verbally instructed resulting in an inability of practitioners to follow certain flows laid out by the teacher. Responsibility is recognizing this taking responsibility and correcting it.   There is also a fine art in yoga instruction of removing responsibility from the instructor with carefully selected special choices of words.   With any form of exercise there is a chance of injury, the faster classes move and the deeper the boundaries of yoga postures the greater the likelihood of injury.   Choosing yoga postures that are dangerous in a sequence also greatly increases the chances of injury. Therefore learning to give practitioners an easier option and make sure if they choose the harder option the choice of come from within themselves.   Always encourage light boundaries at the beginning of yoga classes.

Energy Levels

Keeping your energy levels high is a skill that is necessary for every yoga instructor. Simple things like proper sleeping habits and proper nutrition are often overlooked by even advanced yoga instructors. Learn how to keep your energy levels high to prevent burnout and fatigue. Simple things like taking breaks can also help your body heal and help uplift instructor attitude tremendously.

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The Yoga Alliance  Code of Conduct

The Yoga Alliance Registry Code of Conduct is a declaration of acceptable ethical and professional behavior by which all registrants agree to conduct the teaching and business of yoga. It is not intended to supersede the ethics of any school or tradition but is intended to be a basis for yoga principles. As a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT®), Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT®) or representative of a Registered Yoga Schools (RYS®), I agree to uphold the following ethical principles:

• Conduct myself in a professional and conscientious manner. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that I live up to any commitments I make to my students or to the public, and ensuring that my practices and behavior conform to the representations I make about myself in holding myself out as a yoga practitioner who adheres to certain precepts.
• Acknowledge the limitations of my skills and scope of practice and where appropriate, refer students to seek alternative instruction, advice, treatment or direction.
• Create and maintain a safe, clean and comfortable environment for the practice of yoga.
• Encourage diversity by respecting all students regardless of age, physical limitations, race, creed, gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.
• Respect the rights, dignity and privacy of all students.
• Avoid words and actions that constitute sexual harassment or harassment based on other legal protected characteristics.
• Adhere to the traditional yoga principles as written in the yamas and niyamas.
• Follow all local government and national laws that pertain to my yoga teaching and business.

California Code of Conduct PDF

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In this course you will learn how to identify many aspects of an ideal yoga instructor.

Physical Exam
In the physical exam you are asked to demonstrate many of the aspects involved in being a great yoga teacher.

Written Exam
The written exam consists of multiple choice related to the ideal instructor.

 

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