Meet Your Students Where They Are
I met Josh at the Functional Range Conditioning training I took at the first of the year. (He is a Prescott College alum so I immediately felt a bond with him. I mean, really, if you choose a small liberal arts college in the middle of Northern Arizona that allows you to design your own degree after your 21-day wilderness expedition/freshman orientation and you meet someone else who made the same choice, you have a high likelihood of getting along well.) Anyway, a few months ago, I hired Josh to coach me and help me apply the FRC principles to my own goals, quirks, and imbalances. In his coaching services intake, Josh asked about my nutrition and I said, "Oh, that is good, I am fine with that." I figured that I was maintaining my weight, eating my vegetables, and given my food history, I wasn't interested in a new food plan.
So that is the back story.
Last week Josh started our session by saying, "You know, I have been thinking about your knee and I was wondering about your nutrition." After my typical, "Oh, it's decent" he specifically asked me about my protein intake, telling me that when people have injuries that are slow to heal, they often benefit and recover better with additional protein. He outlined a good target for me based on my body weight and activity. I decided to give his recommendations a try.
Almost immediately, I felt better.
A week later, I feel significantly better— less knee pain, more power in my lifts, more energy throughout the day, better sleep, and dare I say it— I think my mood has improved.
To be clear, I am not a fitness coach and I am not a nutritionist and this is not a post about protein recommendations. (Nor is it a call for help or advice about my knee.)
However, I am a teacher who also works with teachers and this story is a great example of "meet your students where they are.... and help them go further."
Personally, I think most teachers I work with forget about the second part of the formula. If you come to my class I want to meet you where you are. I also want to offer any insight I have that might help you go further-- whether that “further” is resting more, learning some more, working harder, refining a pose, and/or finding a good modification/alternative for a posture. I don't think the teaching principle is sufficient with "meet students where they are" only. I think very little is possible without it, but I see the principle as the doorway one must walk through, but not as the boundary of the room.
It's kinda like "being open" as a student. Yeah, if you are not open, not much can happen. But if all you are is open, you are a sieve and everything you learn will just flow through.
See what I mean?
On my bike ride this morning, it occurred to me that a few months ago, Josh 100% met me where I was and didn't offer me any advice about nutrition in his coaching. But last week, he seized a teachable moment and made a suggestion. And, because we had some trust and rapport and he gave me a compelling podcast to listen to to support his suggestion, I was willing to give it a go. And now, I am thinking, "Shit, what else can he help me with?"
Maybe it is the same in asana classes. Seize a teachable moment and when it “works” the student may just want a bit more. I can think of many times where I benefitted from the safety and acceptance that comes from being met where I am as I am, as well as from the guidance and expertise of a teacher/coach/mentor that has helped me grow beyond the boundaries of what I already know. And, as a student, I do not always know the fullness of what I need and what is actually possible. For instance, I would never have ever signed up for a restorative class if it was up to me to chose it from a schedule and knowingly pay money to lay around. The only reason I know anything about bolsters is because 25 years ago, one of my Iyengar yoga teachers taught supported forward bends in a class in which I was expecting strong standing poses and I found the approach immensely beneficial. (I am not, however, advocating a “bait and switch.” Seriously, if it says hot vinyasa on the schedule, please deliver the class as indicated.)
To be clear, I am not talking about a big agenda or imposing my will on anyone because of course, there are shadow sides to any approach we offer. I am talking about meeting people where they are, watching for teachable moments, and helping how, and when, we can. I am also talking about the value of expertise, experience, and training that is different than my own and having the humility and interest to avail myself of that in an empowered and clear way.
Anyway, I do love skillful means when I see it and I am always happy to get help along the way. I wish for you the same.
All right, that is it for now. Keep the faith. More soon.
Also, I set a goal for 2023 for an unassisted pull up and I managed to to do2. Next goal, 6 in a row.
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