Effective Teaching | Part 2
Effective Teaching | Part 2
Part 2 of 2 of Effective Teaching as a Barre Eclipse instructor. Please see Part 1 to get acquainted.
At Barre Eclipse, every ingredient we add into the mixture utilizes the concepts introduced beforehand. Now that we have the basics down, we can layer in a bit more complexity.
These next few concepts are nuanced and specific to our method, and benefits from learning how to teach the way we do. We truly believe that with these skills our teachers have the capacity to teach any workout regime!
SIMPLE FIRST, COMPLEX LATER
In addition to starting slow, we also begin every workout in its most simple, achievable variation. We call this the Foundational Variation (FV). The FV is easy to catch on to and perform. From the FV, we can layer in more complex movements and combinations. Remember, start slow and establish the FV, and once your student body is in cadence with you, are you ready to move on.
Continue to engage with your students, altering your cues, and teaching, based on your observation of the room. It is imperative to ensure that everyone in the room is following along. Recall that our goal of Barre Eclipse's workouts is muscle failure. Should you find that students are struggling to perform the Foundational Variation, then stay with the FV. It is possible to take the students to fatigue in the FV!
If you notice your students latch on quickly to the FV, then, and only then, can you layer on top of the FV, adding in faster variations, more complex movements, and combinations. Important to note: rare is the student who cannot do the Foundation Variation. If you discover your students can not consistently perform the FV, layer in more cues to guide them to a place of cohesion. It is your responsibility, instructor, to choreograph dynamic sequences but also not leave anyone behind!
EFFICIENT & DECISIVE LANGUAGE
The teaching of Barre Eclipse sheds any unnecessary fluff from your cues. Loaded with information, we can spew everything we know onto our students. What we practice, though, is efficiency and decisiveness. We waste no time on roundabout language in our style of teaching!
Our cues are straight-forward and to-the-point. If our instructions are not efficient, we miss the opportunity to move with the music or add in a creative variation or drive the target muscles to fatigue.
Mean what you say and say what you mean. Go on, get on with it. For example, instead of saying, "And now, you will pull your right knee in towards your elbow," you simply say: "Right knee, right elbow, go!"
DEMOING
Barre Eclipse instructors juggle a lot in a class and walk a fine line, balanced between engaging with students and offering demonstrations.
One guideline we follow is this: demo first. That is, every time you begin a workout or offer a new variation, demonstrate it for your students. This way, students can glance at you for guidance without stopping their exercise, guaranteeing they dip and lift the most out of their workouts.
When students are doing a repetitive movement for 15-30 seconds, you can jump off your mat to engage with your students (remember to use the Stay Here Cue). This engagement enables you to exercise alongside them, encourage them and motivate them, and offer positive, constructive feedback to help them find their unique alignment.
