Subbed a rather cozy class – My mind wondered as I had sacrificed something else dear to me to cover for a teammate – Is it a cozy class regularly to begin with or do students stay away when they hear “sub” to misunderstand that a class led by a sub is somehow less in quality? If that’s the case, you might be wrong. Granted, when I go all the way out to the City for a certain teacher’s class and if that all the sudden became a sub’s class, I may want to make a u-turn and just not attend. When I travel a distance to fight traffic and worry about parking to get to a class, I am going because of that teacher … to me, a yoga class is not all the same and replaceable – it really matters and depends on who teaches it. For me, it’s to really learn. Or to be inspired.
But – sometimes, I am wrong. Sometimes, as my friend mentioned – he really likes a class covered by a sub for exposure to a new refreshing methods and teaching style. I too actually prefer that the sub not copy or mimic the regular teacher – that’s so boring. Besides, it’s better to be that authentic self to bring what’s uniquely your own from your own journey of learning and attaining. Be a breath of fresh air and be totally different while sticking to the menu/style set forth – that would be ideal but perhaps that’s because I am attending a class not for a routine practice which I have at home but for something that I cannot get from my own routine practice. That might be a different intention than from a student who is there for that “routine” practice not for any inspirations.
To be honest, sometimes, the sub may be more experienced with way more training and skills under her/his belt, just covering as a favor so … don’t miss your rare opportunity colored by prejudice unfounded on truth. Check who the sub is, his/her credentials, experience level and … go for it… try the class and see. Obviously, if the sub turns out to be a trainee or someone very green, or someone who does not put out with care anything deemed not “owned” by her/him, then, maybe your prejudice is well founded so save the trip and wait for the return of the regular teacher. Yet, sometimes you might be pleasantly surprised by a very capable sub.
Anyway … it’s a waste of my precious time to just be that routine to “babysit” a class if students are too inflexible, rigid and fixated on a routine of sameness – yawn – but if they are open to new perspectives, a shift, a petit-transformation, then, it’s well worth my time to cover.
A student – a young lady with not a flaw to her body-line who had rushed in harried – when leaving said : with a smile and evident relief, “I had such a stressful day today. This was just what I needed. Thank you.” Those words made it all worthwhile. It’s about getting out of our own way and … showing up.
