What… Me… Teach?!

I’ve never been a teacher. I’ve never wanted to be a teacher. Several years ago, when my T’ai Chi Chih teacher suggested in passing, “You’d be a good teacher,” I thanked her and dismissed the idea pretty quickly. But she had planted the seed.

As I became more aware of the tremendous benefits that TCC provides, I began wanting to spread this knowledge. With the help and support of Carmen, my wonderful teacher, I set out on the long path to becoming an accredited TCC instructor. 

After accreditation in November, I wanted to use what I had learned while the lessons were still fresh in my mind. I signed up to offer my first class right after the New Year. I sent a flyer to friends who had expressed interest in learning TCC and got twelve students including several new people.

Would I be nervous? No. Teaching is fun and I love it. Would I know what to teach, and how to teach? Yes. I was well prepared thanks to years with Carmen and Dora, and because of what we learned during accreditation from teacher trainer Pam and the other experienced auditing teachers.

There are challenges, of course. Sometimes I can’t put my hands on a quotation I want to share because it’s buried somewhere in Justin’s books, DVDs and my hand-written class notes. I printout handouts and forget to hand them out. I get home from class and suddenly remember a really important tip I forgot to share about a new move. When I do my own practice, I find myself analyzing every movement from a teaching standpoint, even making notes, rather than grounding myself in the practice. 

These will iron out in time, as I gain experience. I attend as many classes, reviews and practices as I can, to keep my own movements correct and to continue learning how to teach. Every practice is a learning experience.

But the important question is: are my students learning? Yes. They are beginning to relax, to feel the movements, to move with softness and continuity. A whole room full of students moving in harmony is a beautiful sight.