7 mistakes to avoid when teaching yoga to Gen Zers on a college campus

As my last student walked out of the studio that Sunday, my inner critic was on noisy. I was worried that the playlist I chose wasn’t cool enough. I wondered if the students liked the series enough to come back. I hoped they didn’t think it was strange that I had put them through several rounds of duct-clearing breathing.

My experience teaching yoga on a college campus to a group of student-slash-peers began shortly after I entered my graduate program. Suddenly I had the opportunity to teach people I had seen on campus and offer them a chance to de-stress during finals week or find community while managing the loneliness of college life.

While teaching yoga on a college campus was a rewarding experience, it also brought its own challenges. Whether you are an experienced teacher or a complete newbie, it can be like this rather the learning curve. But if teaching a group of students sounds intimidating, don’t let that stop you. Campuses need dedicated instructors who want to share the gift of yoga.

Instead, let these mistakes I made while teaching yoga to Gen Zers serve as lessons to support your own educational journey in college.

7 lessons from teaching yoga on a college campus

It’s about staying calm and confident. And don’t forget to ask your students how the final exams are going.

1. Try not to make assumptions about your students’ needs

I assumed that teaching a predominantly younger age group would mean that my students wanted fast flows that would make them sweat. But the best feedback I got actually came after I taught a slower flow, which gave my students enough time to go deeper into each pose.

Remember that students often have hectic schedules and attending a yoga class can be the one part of their day to relax and slow down.

2. Enforcing class rules

It’s never fun to enforce class policies. It’s even less fun if it’s for a group of people around your age.

When students used their phones or showed up well after our gym’s closing time, I let it slide. I didn’t want to be known as the bossy yoga teacher. Plus, it just felt awkward telling someone my age what to do.

But I was actually doing the rest of the class a disservice by staying quiet. As instructors, it is important to create a soothing space without distractions. Even though it may feel awkward, it’s okay to gently remind students not to use their cell phones or to make sure they arrive on time.

3. Feel free to deviate from your planned order

Students taking classes on a college campus can vary greatly from week to week. This meant that it was not a good idea to carefully plan my series days in advance and teach them exactly as planned. When I realized that my lesson plan wasn’t working for my students, I often didn’t feel confident enough to deviate from the script.

Now I realize how essential it is to be flexible. As instructors, we need to be able to tailor each lesson to the students who want it Actually showed up that day, not the ones imagined in our heads.

4. Don’t be afraid to give a demo

Demonstrating poses can be intimidating, and I’ve tried to avoid this as much as possible. I was afraid that if I demonstrated Chaturanga or Upward-Facing Dog, my students would feel like I was talking down to them. But my lack of demos only led to confusion and I had to increase the number of cues I gave during class. If I had taken the time to demonstrate proper alignment, my students could have focused more on their breathing, less on my constant cues.

5. Cultivate community

Most colleges are divided into two semesters: fall and winter. I knew that the students I would get to know in the first part of the year might not come to my class in a few months. Because of this, I didn’t take the time to learn the names of all my students, which led to a missed opportunity for connection.

One of the main reasons so many people turn to yoga is because of the supportive community. It doesn’t matter if a student shows up just once, or is a regular student, we should try to foster community and connection with the people who take the time to attend our classes.

6. Don’t worry about judgment

Teaching yoga can be a vulnerable experience.

For me, this fact was compounded when I started teaching my peers. I was constantly afraid that my students would judge me, and I focused too much on how nice I was. This was just my ego getting in the way.

Do teach yoga not a popularity contest: it’s an opportunity to connect with our students and support them on their yoga journey.

7. Allow time for Savasana

While Gen Z is notorious for their terribly short attention spans (myself included), this doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate the power of Savasana.

It occurred to me that my students did not have the patience to lie in silence for several minutes. I often kept Savasana to three minutes or less. But now I recognize that Savasana is one of the most important parts of a yoga practice. Savasana offers students the opportunity to go within and refocus before continuing with their day.