DSC07554.jpg

 4. Professional Essentials: 

Teaching Methodology + Practice Teaching

***Please remember videos + assignments must be completed to gain full credit hours. All video/photo assignments can be directly uploaded to our media album here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mBzdTmfV1XBjaGaS6 

SPRING SEMESTER 2022

  • May 19, 2022 Social Media Navigation: the spaces where yoga teachers and social media collide with Chrissy https://youtu.be/Ew3p0WJ9y1o Explore how to create healthy and abundant relationship with social media platforms.

FALL SEMESTER 2021

  • Dec 13, 2021 : Pranayama requirements as a Guide for Practice + Teaching with Chrissy https://youtu.be/kBOzp6qspbI HOMEWORK: Email to chrissylefavour@gmail.com .... Respond to each of the 4 requirements (p 11, YTT manual) with an idea or inspiration for your own practice or in your teaching to others. How can these "requirements" set the stage for the ways in which we prepare for a pranayama practice? Why are these requirements important (or not important? Could 5 rounds of ujjayi breath in a traffic jam also be appropriate?? Hmm...

  • 30 minutes - Surya Namaskara A + B: 

    • A https://youtu.be/gpEtQhycy48 

    • B https://youtu.be/QyXsCNjHxEs 

    • ASSIGNMENT: Record + practice teach EITHER Surya A or B, you may teach to the camera OR have a real human in your video, whatever you prefer. Lead at least 3 repetitions, practice your cues and have fun! This is our first practice teaching assignment, a great way to get comfortable in front of the camera and learn to breathe, teach, smile and relax all at the same time… 

  • 1 hour - Kids Yoga with Chrissy Lefavour: https://youtu.be/E1ruTe6qLFM … Please watch + comment on the video linked here. ASSIGNMENT - Research Yoga for Children (any age group!) and email an article of interest, curiosity or excitement to chrissylefavour@gmail.com with a brief response/reaction/reflection… Are there other styles of yoga you’re interested in knowing more about? 

  • January 27, 2021 Sun Salutations with Mindy https://youtu.be/_dBikjl2TBs. A complete breakdown of various Sun Salutation with accessible modifications. This video includes and reviews the Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskara) and brief history of Sun Salutes. A wonderful opportunity to start to consider your own standing sequences… Homework:  Create a sun salutation for kids or record yourself teaching sun A. Upload a photo/document of your sequencing creation or recorded video to our media album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mBzdTmfV1XBjaGaS6 

  • January 29, 2021 Time Management with Chrissy: https://youtu.be/blUZXuG6N_U  A look at page 7 in the YTT manual and quick chat about Time Management. This is a key for success as yoga students and teachers. HOMEWORK: Share one of your own time management tricks in the comments! **It does not have to be yoga specific, maybe you have a trick for getting to work on time, going to bed at a certain hour or getting your children to the bus stop.... Share something that has helped you manage time in your daily, weekly or monthly routines! 

  • February 1, 2021 Mantra + Identity w/ Chrissy https://youtu.be/4hvd09njIEo Mantras from page 24 of the YTT manual (one liners).... Why do we do mantra? Why do we do anything? Who are we?? It is important to have a sense of self as a teacher… and we want to get to know you also! Homework: READ: http://www.gratefulyogavt.com/instructors then submit a PHOTO of yourself and a BIO (1 paragraph minimum) to our album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mBzdTmfV1XBjaGaS6 When you upload the photo to our media album you will be able to type or paste the BIO in the description of your photo. Enjoy!

  • February 3, 2021 : Ashtanga Standing Series WITH MODIFICATIONS and Sanskrit Translations by Mindy https://youtu.be/nTaLpM-grMA Being able to modify standing postures (and all asanas!) is essential for success as a yoga teacher + practitioner. Adaptation and evolution are natural parts of life and so they also reflect in our yoga!  Homework:  Take 3 postures from the standing sequence.  Write out the pose in English and Sanskrit.  Modify the posture for someone who needs to practice in a chair, a child, or a pregnant woman.  (Or any modification, be specific with your population and think about why this modification might be beneficial)

  • February 5, 2021 Types of Japa + Teaching Mantra with Chrissy. https://youtu.be/OERP1Bv76VA Here we talk about types of Japa, techniques for counting + tracking (like handcounting/mala beads/etc) mantras as well as teaching methodology. HOMEWORK: Practice teach a mantra to a friend or family member, online or in person. Comment below to share your experience including which mantra you taught and how it went!

  • February 9, 2021 : Pranayama Review + Practice Teach with Bibby. https://youtu.be/M5FgwZQ5A84 A review of ujjayi, kumbhaka + viloma (please watch these videos in category #1 first!!) and homework: practice teaching one of these pranayama techniques of your choice. Please leave a comment to ask questions and/or share your experience of teaching pranayama!

  • February 10, 2021 : Modified Sun Salutation A with Mindy https://youtu.be/r1Wu3-m1OLk  Consider how modifying Sun Salutes is a vital part of your ability to modify for all people

  • February 10, 2021 First half of Primary Series with Modifications with Mindy (cont’d from above video!) https://youtu.be/DeB14a9TAa4 … Homework: email Mindy 2 questions regarding the Ashtanga sun salutes (Jan 27), standing sequence (Feb 3) or the first half of primary (Feb 10). mindy.pistacchio@gmail.com 

  • February 13, 2021 Koshas : Review, Questions + Asana with Christina https://youtu.be/sAfYlq-Gz9M **(Watch kosha vids in category #2 A + P first!)Kosha meditation + How yoga works through the koshas. Homework: Think about your own yoga practice and what you have learned so far.  Try to come up with a yoga practice (5 posture minimum) to bring you through the koshas.  Think of it like this if you need a little inspiration: Annamayakosha (physical), Pranamayakosha (breath), Manomayakosha (mind), Vijnanamayakosha (awareness/wisdom), Anandamayakosha (joy): each represents an aspect of posture awareness as you move through a yoga sequence and you can move from one “body” to the next as you move through asanas.  Email me at stinar.morris@gmail.com if you want to make a written copy or you can make a video and add to the photo folder!

  • February 17, 2021 Second Half of Primary series *WITH modifications with Mindy https://youtu.be/J7-H5rBShZY Includes awesome modifications that are essential in helping you navigate the world of sequencing for different individuals.

  • February 20, 2021 : Let’s Talk About + Try Yin with Christina https://youtu.be/mwbVe2tD5CM Yin vs. Yang and trying out some Yin Yoga. Homework: Drawing on what you’ve learned from the chakras, koshas, and other subtle bodies you’ve learned about in YTT, in your own words, describe how you feel all these elements tie together in our practice.

  • February 27, 2021 : Yin Overview + Discussion with Christina https://youtu.be/iVd-RQBUk8M Read “A Brief Overview of Yin” in the Docs + Readings folder found here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JWwGCLm8Jcu4oCR1XDlwUKj0rB958KyI/view?usp=sharing Yin/Yang polarities discussed last week and how they relate to a Yin practice... Tenets of Yin and what do they mean? Why do we practice Yin? Monkey Kung Fu & Daoist Yoga roots… Homework: It’s the ½ way point!  We’ve covered quite a few topics so far, now leading up to integration in a yin practice and I’d like to see if you can connect the dots from what we’ve gone over: chakras, koshas, meditation, yin/yang theories, practice asanas, etc. and come up with how you think we dive deeper in our personal practices using this knowledge, allowing us to be better teachers to others through observation of our own practice?  Journal about this or email me your thoughts/questions.  Keep the wheels turning and really look at your practice from the lens of observation - both internal and external!

  • March 6, 2021 : Intro to Yin Practice with Christina https://youtu.be/n1n1MOz8ov8 Working with Yin yoga - intro to teaching a Yin style class. Homework: How does a yin practice feel in your body/mind/energy?  Journal about what you noticed during practice - whatever came up no matter how much sense it may or may not make.  See if you can identify areas that seem to feel really open and others that may have needed more help releasing (this could be physically or mentally).  Spend some time working with those postures this next week and journal again and see what’s changed.

  • March 10, 2021 : Sequencing with Mindy. https://youtu.be/TTPStL2fPC8  The Bikram sequence + a discussion… Homework:  Thoughts on this sequence...how does it feel in your body without the heat?  What are some benefits?  

  • March 12, 2021 ASANAS : 1 at a time with Chrissy )*** I only have completed the sun salutes so far, more asanas coming soon!) This is a youtube PLAYLIST so it is in order, one asana at a time, following the ashtanga primary traditional sequence with modifications + cueing. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8H-2ruwmjv5QicOPlxcShkax5aUb5Cr_ HOMEWORK: Please upload a PHOTO or VIDEO of you practicing each asana that you watch to our media album here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mBzdTmfV1XBjaGaS6 include any questions, comments or personal favorite modifications!

  • March 13, 2021 Integrating Yang with Yin with Christina… First, read “The Practice of Yin” in your Docs + Readings folder (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rJoJZFEKJB3d8pBzT6CcSKaLeLMNzST8/view?usp=sharing)- this is a good read that goes into detail about the 3 tenets of Yin, called “tattvas” (principles). Form any questions you still have after reading this and let me know so we can discuss in class. We will go through a practice of Yin/Yang and this time I will talk less during practice, allowing room for you to explore your own practice/koshas while holding postures, based on the 3 tenets of Yin, and we will begin to integrate Yang movements too https://youtu.be/l53FCGMxOIU … Homework: Work on your practice, journal about how you see/feel growth in your mind/body/spirit, notice how these changes inform your direction as a teacher and how you want to teach, opportunities for verbal queueing based on what you’ve experienced in your own practice (think about your adjectives when describing sensations, etc), and start to understand how your own experience in your practice informs your direction as a teacher to someone else’s practice.

  • March 17, 2021 Teaching with Themes with Mindy https://youtu.be/r2B9Z8njYoI Teaching with a theme helps with lesson planning, continuity and making classes fun!  Homework: List 5 themes. Choose 5-7 postures to fit your theme. What postures did you choose? Why did you choose them? How can you tie it all together? Email Mindy your response!

  • March 20, 2021 Stages of the Theme with Christina https://youtu.be/ikM6XJDhURE  Before/During/After Class: Exploring types of themes, Introducing a theme, Reflect and refine Homework: Plan a class around a theme. Choose a theme and combine elements we discuss in class,  asanas, etc. as well as opening statement and closing class out. Email me your ideas/thoughts/plan: stinar.morris@gmail.com 

  • March 24, 2021 Backbends + Arm Balances with Mindy…. https://youtu.be/1aPvkhvy5oA With modifications, of course! Looking at the backbends and arm balances of the Ashtanga Second Series with variations + modifications. Homework: Practice second series (or watch) either with Chrissy or search for another version to mix it up! And EMAIL Mindy questions on the sequences, asana or modifications. mindy.pistacchio@gmail.com 

  • March 26, 2021 Healing Mantras with Chrissy. https://youtu.be/_CPBHQmfOjU  As yoga teachers, we can not be responsible to heal others, but we can supply yogis with all the tools they need to heal themselves. These mantras may be helpful in handling fear, addiction, anger, dullness, lethargy, lack of focus, chronic illness or any overall healing. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k-lgPyxyZezLsZ5mfQOFygTIugOXD1W_/view?usp=sharing 

  • March 26, 2021 Types of Yoga with Chrissy https://youtu.be/W6TQkZNpZXo A look at New School and Old School styles of yoga. Tradition and Evolution. Classic and New Age. Homework #1: Choose 1 "old school" style discussed in the video to research. Does the practice change if we study yoga as a piece of human history? How? Can we gain knowledge of self through this study? Respond to Chrissy via email: chrissylefavour@gmail.com Homework #2: BRAINSTORM 5 styles of "new school" yoga and write what comes up in the comments below!

  • March 29, 2021 Marketing 101 with Chrissy https://youtu.be/W2_c51T3uxs  An intro to navigating the world of yoga teachers creating meaningful + sustainable communities. Marketing as avenues of communication, sharing, storytelling and togetherness. Homework: visit https://patriciabohl.com/blog/ and choose at least one post to read that interests you. Respond to me via email with QUESTIONS and any other comments arising from this intro to marketing segment.

  • March 31, 2021 Kids Yoga Toolbox with Mindy https://youtu.be/pWygjhFW45Y Props, games and stories to get you ready for teaching young kids. Homework: Choose your own adventure.  Modify a game for yoga.  Find a children's book, and convert it into a yoga class.  Or... watch a cosmic kids class and review it.  What did you like/dislike?

  • April 21, 2021 Chair Yoga with Mindy https://youtu.be/odmZOOj6HaY CHAIR YOGA is a super useful tool for all yoga teachers for students with limited mobility or stamina. These students may include elderly, injured, overweight, and many others. Enjoy this class and consider how you could work a chair into your teaching.

  • April 28th Yoga for Beginners! with Mindy https://youtu.be/2SQx3X_HSRY Things to consider, setting up a class, etc for beginners … Remember, we were all beginners once!

RISE + VIBE ASSIGNMENTS…

COMING SOON!

Activities, readings, writing, practice teaching, research + more all for YTT hour credits!