Saturday, December 15, 2007

Teaching Hatha Yoga - Student Retention Tips

What separates successful yoga teachers from the rest? yoga studios and ashrams are founded on a core of students who keep coming back to classes. We often refer to this as student retention. Lets look at some methods to keep your students coming back for more yoga classes.

learn new techniques and integrate them into your yoga classes. Many yoga teachers think about changing asana sequencing to spice up their classes. You should also teach your students more Pranayama and meditation techniques. The eight limbs of Yoga, described by Patanjali, should all be covered in your classes, so that your students are familiar with the many aspects of yoga.

Observe and develop empathy for your students. Some yoga teachers still have issues with the use of props. In truth, we are all aging at this moment. A yoga teacher, who cannot teach the elderly, the handicapped, or any student with limited range of motion, is also handicapped.

If yoga teachers require students to be elite athletes, they should be coaching Olympic gymnasts. Coaching Olympians is a noble profession and worthy of note, but it has nothing to do with teaching Yoga to the average person, who wants to learn Yoga.

There is a huge population that attends yoga for stress and anxiety. The yoga teacher, without compassion, is not helping anyone by barking out commands in a Brutal Boot Camp yoga Class. Some students do want these yoga classes. However, these classes should be clearly labeled for new yoga students and the unsuspecting public, who want to attend for the purpose of managing stress.

Copyright 2007 Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.riyoga.com He has been a certified Master yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free yoga e-book: "Yoga in practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Kram Yoga Cl Tucson Arizona

Abusive Nannies Caught on Video

Jerry and Sue were busy with their hectic work schedule, so they decided to hire a nanny to take care of their baby girl. When they met a 42-year-old mother of two, named Kara, they thought their prayers had been answered. After interviewing a dozen candidates, they finally found a nanny they really liked. Gradually, as the weeks went by though, the parents noticed certain changes in their daughters' behavior. Although she seemed healthy, she developed certain peculiarities that made her parents suspicious.

Jerry and Sue purchased a hidden camera disguised as a stuffed animal that they placed on a shelf in their daughter's room. When they came home from work at the end of the day, they played the video and were horrified at what they saw. They discovered that their trusted nanny Kara had been shaking their little girl to quiet her down when she cried aloud.

They immediately fired the nanny and called the police who later arrested Kara for endangering the welfare of a child.

Unfortunately, this story is all too common these days. Three other stories that I read about in the news while researching this article were as follows,

New York - A nanny who police said slapped, kicked and smothered a 10-month-old girl with a toy to make her stop crying was arrested this week after an enraged father watched the abuse on a newly installed "nanny cam."

Los Angeles A nanny was arrested and charged with two counts of risk of injury to a minor after she was observed on videotape hitting, slamming and jerking two 10-month-old twins (1 boy and 1 girl) while they were in her care.

Vermont A nanny was arrested after being viewed on videotape dropping an 11-month-old boy from a height of three feet above the ground onto a pillow after becoming upset because the youngster wouldnt eat. This caregiver was also viewed throwing the boy again, kicking him, picking him up by his right arm and throwing him back down again.

These are just some of the disturbing news stories I read while researching this article. In all of these cases, the children were checked out by pediatricians and found to have no serious long-term injuries. (Thank God)

Sadly, some of the other stories I researched did not have the same happy ending.

Its not easy for a parent to leave his or her child with someone else for the first time, and news stories like these dont make it any easier. Everyone wants peace of mind when they choose a childcare provider. Generally speaking, most parents feel uncomfortable and a little guilty about leaving their children in the first place. You should do whatever you can do to eliminate some of the concern. A hidden nanny camera can give you the peace of mind youre looking for and make it easier to leave your children with someone else.

There are many genuinely caring nannies in this world, but how can you tell if the stranger youve let into your home is one of the good ones? Covert camera technology makes it possible to make sure your child is getting proper care.

The hidden camera is available in many different forms. It could be the clock on the wall in the babys bedroom, a teddy bear on the shelf, or even the VCR or table lamp in the living room. They are easy to install, and can be either wired or wireless depending on your situation. If you are considering purchasing a hidden nanny cam, take the time to do a little research and determine the best one for you. Then decide whether or not you should tell your caregiver that there is a nanny cam in the house somewhere.

While it is perfectly legal to use a hidden nanny cam to keep watch over the nanny without her knowledge, should a nanny find out that shes being monitored and recorded without her knowledge; you may run the risk of losing a valuable employee. Studies and polls show that most honest nannies are not against the use of video surveillance, just the use of it in secret. If you monitor them in secret and they find out, then any bond of trust between you and your nanny could be instantly broken.

On the other hand, if you tell them that the nanny cams are not there just to monitor her, but they are there for general home security, then she will feel that you trust her, because you told her. And as a bonus, if she knows shes being video taped, any temptation to lash out at your child may be held in check, even on her most frustrating of days.

When hiring a nanny, parents should complete a background check, which included the persons criminal, employee and workers compensation history as well as licensing verification. But sometimes a check still does not guarantee the children are free from abuse. Parents should try to spend time with a prospective caregiver and observe them in a discreet way. Families should interview the person themselves, not relying solely on the placing agency.

The most important thing is for a parent to know their child and to pick up on clues that something might be wrong, such as a normally energetic child suddenly becoming lethargic or you find unexplained bruises and scratches. Another key sign that something might be wrong is if your child starts to become overly anxious when its time for you to leave them with the caregiver.

Hidden cameras can be used for many other reasons than just childcare. The devices can be used while your home is being cleaned, for security reasons, or just to keep an eye on things when youre not there. However, spy shops indicate the leading reason continues to be to monitor care providers. I personally have noticed a 20% increase in the purchase of hidden cameras over the last two years. While this is good for my business, Im not sure what it says about our society.

Steven Rubin is the owner of North American Security Products, LLC. A company dedicated to providing you with the means to protect and defend yourself against crime.

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