Conversations at the Bar(re) #5: What Makes a Good Teacher

I feel very fortunate to meet and cross paths with so many people in my time as a BarreAmped Teacher Trainer, and studio owner of Barre 2 Barre. Thinking of my mentors, teachers, fellow teachers and colleagues, these are what makes them so special:

Know your stuff, and more
It goes without saying that a good teacher should have completed a teacher training certification, know the theory and exercises and, should come to class prepared and ready. But there is much more to teaching. Delivery of the class is just as important.

Students that come to class want to feel the exercise. They want to improve and get better. An instructor can give instructions to performing an exercise. But it takes a good teacher to teach the correct application and performance of the exercise. He/she knows how to cue the exercise, how to help you feel the work in the right areas of your body, and analyze with the student how the exercise is performed.  A good teacher pays attention to detail and corrects technique and alignment to ensure you are working the right areas. The ability to do these comes with experience, skill and continued education. A good teacher is a lifelong learner.

Know your students
Acknowledge that you are teaching individuals, not a sea of faces and bodies. Everyone is unique. Some may be pre/post partum, returning from an injury, or have a physical limitation. Everyone has different physically challenges.  They are in class for a reason. They want to get stronger, see and feel improvements in their bodies. A good teacher is able to explain why a particular exercise is good, why one should not perform exercises in bad form, and be able to give modifications to suit each student.

A good teacher does not judge or expect perfection and understands that everyone has different limitations and challenges and it takes time to work through them.

Create a positive learning environment
Know your students, and listen to what they tell you. Build a trusting relationship to foster an environment of knowledge sharing. Everyone that walks into class has a wealth of life experience and knowledge to share, including physical fitness experience and knowledge. A good teacher is open to new knowledge, learning and sharing. And together, we can bring about a positive change.

This post is dedicated to all the wonderful teachers and mentors in my life who have been such an inspiration! 🙂

XOXO, Karen