My twenty-something yoga teacher is a great student of her students.  That’s why she is such a good teacher.  She knows what is going on with this fifty-something guy in her class (me) who sometimes has problems with contrary knees…and back…and…and.  What’s important is that she studies, remembers, adjusts, yet always challenges her students to grow.  There is a very impressive organic approach that she takes to teaching.  In addition to the obvious benefits to my yoga practice under this teacher, I learn much about teaching from being her student.

That’s what I want to do in my classroom:  I want to see my students for who they really are.  Right now.  Today.  Yea.  That kid with the green shirt on.  The one who just walked past me smelling like he just came in from fighting a forest fire.  Only there isn’t one.  And his eyes are not red because he has an eye infection.

I want to connect with that kid.  And it won’t happen without my becoming a student of him.  I am still a student in order to be a teacher.