In our last post we talked about how to ensure that as an aerial instructor, you continue learning yourself. We know you’re incredibly busy…aerial instructors need to be experts at the material they teach and that means keeping up with your own training and research. We also need to class plan, we need to do all of the behind the scenes admin that goes with running classes or a studio, and beyond all that, many of us have day jobs as well! This post is all about how to be consistent when the realities of life get in the way.
Let’s say you teach a class every Monday and Wednesday night at 6pm. Your calendar needs to include that of course, but it should also include time that you set aside in the aerial studio for the following:
Your calendar needs MORE than just your one-hour class blocked off! Make sure you are scheduling studio time for yourself, and keeping it consistently.
Why are you teaching aerial?
Is it because you love it and want your students to love it too? Great! Set a long-term goal for your current students, and then class plan based on that goal.
Your students’ goals should figure into this as well. If you plan long term (for example, “I want to get my students ready to learn drops”), that will make your class planning easier and more rewarding because you can plan each class with a longer term goal in mind.
And keep in mind that even if a student doesn’t want to eventually learn drops, your process of getting them there should still be incredibly valuable because it will teach them all about core engagement, aerial theory, safety considerations, and so much more in the process.
You can do this! You have already learned how to make the impossible look easy. So, setting consistent habits is definitely something you can do.
It’s so easy as an instructor to let your own training fall by the wayside. To avoid this trap, set personal goals for yourself that have nothing to do with what you’re currently teaching. This will help you get out of “teacher brain” and into your own personal practice space.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Things rarely go to plan, and motivations change over time. Revisit your goals as often as necessary, so you stay inspired and inspiring.
Lastly, remember to give yourself time to do things that are unrelated to aerial. It’s so important to have balance, and when you love what you do, it’s even more important to check yourself and make sure you can still have a broader perspective on things.
Having trouble staying consistent? You can always reach out to chat with us during our office hours! We promise, we’ve seen it all.
And, to make it easier to train from home any time, anywhere, join Aerial Fit Online for access to hundreds of our video skills, drills and sequences.
