Welcome back to my instructor in training log, log number 2. Today I’m going to talk about changing your mindset and training your brain to be an instructor. I had training earlier and we started going through the beginner pole curriculum. Paula gave all of us the beginner cards to look through again because let’s be honest, if you’re an upper level lady, when was the last time you looked at your beginner pole card? While some things on there now seem like a no brainer, there are things on those cards that when you or I first started pole were probably new moves and had to learn how to do them. When’s the last time you thought about doing a Madonna back slide or doing a Tango? Depending on your level, maybe it’s been a long time or maybe it’s still fairly fresh. But I can say for myself, it’s been a hot minute!
While going through the card and the beginner level curriculum, we were being taught all the moves over again but this time, from an instructor’s perspective. It was super interesting to hear Paula explain how to teach the moves and her favorite phrases to use. Looking back to when I first started (which feels like ages ago) some of the memories came flooding back of how body rolls were taught, or bracket kick away was taught. During the training, I had to mentally remind myself that the women who take beginner pole are all different and have different backgrounds. Some women may have a dancer background and others may have never stepped into a studio of any kind before. We’re teaching these women the foundations of pole and what will be used in all upper levels to come. So learning the specific movements or phrases to help explain a “simple” move will be key in their pole journey.
Training your brain to be an instructor is a whole other world of learning on top of what we’re being taught in our instructor classes. I’m really grateful for tips and tricks other instructors have given me so far as well because they’re things I haven’t thought of or considered yet! Such as turning the student to face the mirror when doing inverts, or key phrases to say for certain inverts. There’s so much knowledge around the studio and each instructor has found what works best for them, and whatever they’re willing to share with us trainee’s, is always greatly appreciated. I know in time that my brain will mesh and mold into the instructor’s brain I know it can be, but that’ll come with time and practice.