🎥 Watch the video
 
The first class of the year is a really important one for me. There is a phrase in teaching “don’t smile until Christmas” that is about starting strict so that children will fear you and behave themselves! I don’t agree with this at all, my classes are built on respect and I don’t feel that fear should have any place in my classes – or indeed any yoga classes.
 
I do believe though that how we start the year can ‘set the tone’ for the rest of the year. This isn’t to say that you can’t make changes throughout the year, because you totally can! BUT, the start of the year is a very powerful and potent time. It’s filled with hope and new resolutions, much like new year and many children and adults can feel like it’s a fresh start, a chance to be a better person!  And I really think it’s good to capitalise on this in our classes.
 
Set yourself up for success:
Ensure that you have enough time to set up and feel ready so that you can start positive- ensure that the very first impression that you make in your class is a positive one, for me this looks like:

• I am regulated and calm  
• I am ready to welcome the class with a smile as they come in- aiming to connect individually as they come into the space.
• Perhaps some calm yet friendly music is playing.
• The space is organised and set up to excite and look inviting- mats ready, props set up a sense of organisation.

 
Set the children up for success:
Be clear about boundaries and expectations I like to do this at the edge of the space, only welcoming children to the mats when I’ve made it very clear what the expectations are.
Let the children know what they can expect from the lessons, what will they be like? What will you include? What will they learn?
Children are looking to you for reassurance. For their own feeling of safety, they need to know that they can trust you, many of them will also feel vulnerable and so sharing what they can expect in the lessons really helps them feel secure.
 
🎁 If you’d like more help here with this you might find the freebie ‘get real with rules’ useful.
🎥 If you are thinking about behaviour and how to make it positive, you may find the video boost behaviour useful.
🧠 If you feel you need more support in this area, consider the training Tame the Crowd, without being loud!
💞 Or perhaps working with me as a one off or as part of a mentoring package.
 
 
Be Positive:
Right from the start and assume that all of the children want to please you, because they do. Have the mindset “If they can they will” so this helps you to be ready to support anyone who can’t. Make sure that you are giving cues of safety and ease – soft voice, open body language, smiling eyes and face.
This is true in all of your classes but especially true in the first one as the children are forming their opinion of you and whether you are someone they feel comfortable with.
 
Don’t Assume:
Even if you have taught a group before, don’t assume that they know you, know your rules and expectations, know what will be included in the classes etc. because it has likely been a while since they saw you last and a lot can happen in that time.
Even a few weeks is a really long time for children and they can feel nervous to see you again. Remember that there might be new children in the group or there might have been significant changes in the lives of the other children that can impact how they feel/ show up. Never assume.
 
I hope that you found this helpful, if you found it useful, check out my range of trainings, resources and mentoring

Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have a question or something that you would like me to talk about.

                                         🎥 Watch the video here
 
As I approach the end of my summer holiday, I start to think about the new school term.
There are three main things that I like to do to prepare for this, so I thought I’d share those with you.
 
Planning
I find planning can sometimes be really boring and time consuming, so I’ve learnt that the way that works best for me is for me to block it and do it all in one go!
I plan either termly or half termly so that I can get it out of the way- there’s always room for adapting plans as I go and adding in any fun creative elements as I think of them.  For each setting that I’m teaching at, I ensure that I look back over what they know and then plan their next steps, check out this freebie for free planning grids.

I’ve also talked about this before, so check out these videos:
🎥 3 types of plan
💗 Love your planning process
💪🏻Make your plan work for you not against you

Getting all of my lessons planned before the term begins helps me to feel organised and positive.
 
Resources check
It’s really important that I ensure that all of the props that I use are clean and safe for use, I usually wash my resources at the beginning of a holiday anyway, but just before the beginning of term is a great time to check that everything is clean, safe and where it should be.

For me this means yoga cards are in the right folder and soft toys are in the correct bags, I count things like bean bags and scarfs to check I have the right amount. Something about the process of this helps me to feel in control!

If you are thinking about using props in your classes this video might be useful: Top prop tips.
Top of the props freebie shares my top 10 props and ideas for using them.
If you would like to know more about using props, you might find the training Props like a Pro useful.
 
Document check
Now is an excellent time to check that all of the documents needed are up to date and appropriate. I already have the dates when certificates expire on my calendar, so that my insurance doesn’t lapse. This is a great time to clear out my folder and check that all of the documents that I need are in there and up to date. At this time, I also review my policies and ensure that what is written there is accurate and reflects what happens in practice.
🎁Get the free checklist to find make sure that you have everything that you need.
🎥This video 'What documents do I need to teach children’s yoga' might be useful too. 
🔍You might also find the editable documents toolkit useful
 
I also work with other kids yoga teachers. If you feel like you need some support to help you feel prepared, get in touch and let’s see if I can help you.
 
I wonder if your approach is similar or different, I’d love to hear from you how you prepare, email me at [email protected] I love connecting with other kids yoga teachers.
 
You have 3 days left to book onto the live training and get the training and resources for less than half price, here’s the link