Thursday, January 05, 2006

Subbing for the Big Guns / Thoughts on Teaching



Wow - I am absolutely spent.

I know that's certainly been the flavour of this blog as of late - but that's how I feel.

It comes part and parcel with teaching yoga. I've always laughed when people have asked how much I teach, and when I say something like "10 classes", they retort, "wow - you only work 15 hours a week! That's soooo slack".

That's pure bullshit.

Teaching, when it's done right, is one of the most challenging things you can do - and if you find it super easy, then chances are, you're half-assing it somewhere. Real teaching forces me to be 100% present, with my mind and body working in seamless unison. I'm juggling the constraints of the class, reading the room, looking out for people, adjusting students, etc, etc, and on top of it all, I want to be engaging and eloquent. I want to get my point across.

Not to just one or two people - but to everyone. It's communication to the nth degree.

I'm not whining, I'm just stating an expression of my passion for teaching, and the high standards I hold for it. I love to teach. Teaching kicks ass.

So all those desk jockeys can ask themselves when was the last time they had to truly concentrate for 90 minutes on something - anything - where they were under watchful eyes the whole time. Where their boss is looking at them every second. Then try doing that 10 times a week. Puh-leeeeez.

***

Regardless, where I'm coming from is that I'm teaching my most challenging classes right now.
Absolute nail-biting situations.

With the tail-end of the holidays, I've been very fortunate to get lots of classes to sub - but these classes are for the best teachers in Toronto. Like JP Tamblyn or David Robson (see picture). These are guys who have been teaching for a long, long time, and have properly distinguished themselves as being the best - no small feat when you consider there are a zillion yoga teachers out here.

They are talented yogis and great teachers - and as such, they have popular classes. Not just lots of students, but lots of students who know their stuff - who know their yoga.

At times, I feel like that unknown guy who had the thankless job of having to shadow Wayne Gretzky, or guard Michael Jordan. These last few weeks, I've been walking into rooms where everyone looks at you and right away, their guard goes up. You can almost hear the gears grinding in their head, going "Who the hell is that? Where's Dave?" Looks of disappointment, even before you've opened your mouth.

It's been nervewracking, but in the end, it's been exciting too. I've been teaching the best yoga of my life thus far, and winning people over. Teaching the best classes that I can. Classes where I leave everything out there, and try and reach everyone out there.

The studio owners have been impressed, the students have been happily surprised, it's been all good thus far. I had two ladies clap this morning. When people come up and ask when they can see you again, or how they had a fine yoga practice, it makes it all worthwhile.

But at the end of the day, I sure get tired.

j