6 Tips for Yoga Teachers: Boosting Class Size
In the last year, I took a seven-month sabbatical from teaching weekly classes. I had just sold my yoga studio and needed a break from a weekly commitment to recover inspiration for teaching again.
As I returned to teaching, I ended up facing an issue that I thought I was done with. I’ve been teaching yoga since 2001, and I’ve had plenty of times when I’ve had small classes, no-shows, or I’ve taught a private session to the one student who showed up to a group class. But now, I tell myself, this shouldn’t happen to me anymore. I lead successful, weeklong international retreats. My workshops fill up. I lead yoga teacher trainings. I have a strong and loyal local following where I live.
Yet, in my first month back from sabbatical, some of my classes were very small – sometimes only a couple people - and I even had a class for which nobody showed up. I admit that this has been challenging for me. Despite the fact that I had taught a sold-out workshop the weekend before, when nobody showed to my Thursday evening class, it sent me into a tailspin of doubt and discouragement. The negative voice in my head said, “You’re not a good yoga teacher…you should just give up and find a REAL job.”
Then I stopped. I offered myself compassion, and a reminder that there is plenty of evidence that I am a good teacher. Class attendance is not a reflection of one’s skill as a yoga teacher.
Small classes are a reality for many teachers, especially new teachers who are just starting out. And if this happens frequently, it can be incredibly challenging to keep showing up each week inspired and ready to teach. After years of teaching, I have evidence and experience to assure me that it’s not about me - but for a newer teacher, it’s often easy for self-doubt to creep in. They might question their teaching style or skills, especially if a student shows up one week and doesn’t return the next.
If this is you, here is what I want to tell you:
You have something unique to offer to the world. Do not give up. Take action.
Increase Class Attendance with These Key Questions
There are many factors that influence class attendance. For example, when I returned from taking extended time off, my students had established other routines and needed reminders that my weekly classes were available. I also returned during a busy winter season when people are often focused on holidays and vacations. If you’re having a hard time drawing students to your yoga classes and aren’t sure why, here are some questions to ask:
Are you inspired? Are you planning your classes with a clear theme and sequence? Are you sharing your inspiration with the world, letting everyone know what you are offering? Use social media, make flyers, and tell everyone how excited you are about what it is you are teaching.
Who is your audience? Is your class titled appropriately and clearly to draw those folks in? Is the time of day a good match for your style?
Do you need more training? Or do you just need more practice? On a rare occurrence, you may need more training, but more than likely, you just need more practice. Teaching yoga is a skill, and just because you went through a 200-hour teacher training doesn’t mean that you have mastered it. Give yourself time and practice to gain confidence.
In addition to the above questions, there are some outside forces to consider:
Studio Management: Is the yoga studio or gym management promoting you and your class?
Competition: Who is your competition? Are you offering diverse class options relative to other classes offered at a similar time? Or are you competing with a successful class that is very similar to yours?
Setting: Is the studio, gym or community a good fit for your style? If you are teaching level-3 power yoga in a community of older people who are beginners, it might be time to consider a change.
Whatever you do, don’t quit. Keep going. Even if you aren’t the most polished teacher and feel uncertain about the quality of instruction you are providing, if you show up with authenticity and heart, the students you are meant to teach will find you.
Sharing Your Gifts as a Yoga Teacher
There is a quote from Martha Graham, the great mother of modern dance, which I recite to myself whenever I am riddled with doubt:
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and be lost. The world will not have it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.
You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urge that motivates you. Keep the channel open.”
Remember: You have something unique to offer to the world. Do not give up. Take action.