Recognizing an anatomical term in a textbook does not always mean you can explain it clearly in a room full of moving bodies. Effective class preparation includes a moment of actively trying to retrieve information before you look at your notes.
Start with a Specific Question
Choose a concept relevant to your next class: an anatomical term, a specific transition cue, or the safety steps for setting up a prop. Close your notes and give a short answer aloud. Then, check what was missing or incorrect.
Return on Separate Occasions
The Learning Scientists describe retrieval practice and spacing as learning strategies. Apply them to your yoga teaching by distributing a few questions across several review sessions throughout the week, rather than cramming by rereading your whole manual the night before.
Distinguish Knowing from Teaching
Creasana · Workshop
Try it in your planning
- Write three specific questions directly related to your next class.
- Answer them out loud without looking at your notes.
- Correct your answers using a reliable, authoritative source.
- Revisit the same questions later in the week and explain them as if speaking to a beginner.
References for further exploration
These planning examples should be adapted to your group and training. References provide context for the topics discussed; they do not validate every example sequence.
