Author Sage Rountree is well-known in the field of yoga for athletes, with several prior books and other media specific to that subject.  In The Professional Yoga Teacher’s Handbook: The Ultimate Guide for Current and Aspiring Teachers, Rountree calls upon her expertise as a yoga studio co-owner, trainer of teachers, and founding partner of YogaVibes.com to offer a detailed instruction manual on the business of teaching yoga.

Given Rountree’s background as a frequent magazine contributor and yoga blogger, it is no wonder that this book reads like a series of informative articles addressing virtually everything one might wish to know about establishing a career in yoga.  Rountree’s insights break down into four main sections:  Part 1: Charting Your Course, Part 2: Building Your Career, Part 3: Hosing a Class, and Part 4: Leveling Up as a Teacher.

The first section is geared towards those who are merely considering training as a yoga teacher.  Although Rountree calls this “the big picture,” she opens with the most basic of topics “So You Want to be a Yoga Teacher.”  In this chapter, the first “Workbook” prompts appear, exercises in which Rountree encourages the reader to develop their vision for teaching via journaling responses to specific inquiries.  The dominant points relate to obtaining training as a yoga teacher, considering factors such as mentorship, styles of yoga, schools of yoga, Yoga Alliance registration, and advanced training certifications.

Parts 2 and 3 are most appropriate for newly trained yoga teachers.  These chapters delve into the nitty gritty of finding yoga teaching jobs and planning a yoga class.  Rountree walks the reader step-by-step through the business of yoga, starting with “Promotion” in Chapter 4.  She provides specific tips on creating a bio, taking promotional photos, and developing a website.  Surprisingly, she talks very little about social media here, mentioning it mainly in the context of finding yoga role models online.  (She does briefly return to use of social media later when considering “content creation” in Chapter 10, “Beyond the Regular Class.”)  Rountree proceeds to discuss how to obtain a yoga class “gig,” reviewing various options such gyms, yoga studios, and other forums.  As a part of this analysis, she also offers suggestions for establishing a pay rate and preparing for auditions.  Delving more deeply into the business aspect, Rountree explores payments, bookkeeping, waivers, liability, and insurance.  From a more practical perspective, she speaks to scheduling, obtaining substitutes, filling small classes (or limiting larger ones), and managing burnout.

After so much information on the professional practice of yoga, Chapters 7 and 8 (“Developing Your Class: Planning and Reflecting” and “Nailing It: Executing Your Plans in Class”) felt out of place.  At this point, Rountree presents information that most yoga teachers will learn as part of their yoga teacher training, such as developing the class plan, timing/pacing the class, setting up for class, using props, and managing the classroom.  Chapter 9, “The Student/Teacher Relationship” does impart more specific details that teacher training might not cover, such as managing difficult situations.

The final segment of the book, “Leveling Up as a Teacher,” contains the most relevant information for the more experienced or veteran yoga instructor.  The first chapter here covers how to teach yoga beyond regular weekly classes, exploring opportunities such as workshops, corporate settings, and teacher trainings.  The last chapter of the book builds on this with a discussion of making yoga a full-time job, which Rountree admits is rare (she notes that she does not see herself as a full-time yoga teacher!).  The book concludes with appended information, including a personal teaching timeline and recommend readings.

In her Introduction to this book, Rountree suggests that in addition to new yoga teachers, this book might also be helpful to those with decades of experience teaching.  I disagree.  I am a relatively new yoga teacher myself, having taught for just over four years.  During this time—and in my many years of practicing yoga that preceded this—I acquired virtually all of the knowledge contained in this handbook, both through my teacher training program and my own online research.  Still, Rountree has gathered this knowledge into one easy-to-read manual, and this book could definitely prove useful for the newly minted yoga teacher.

Beth Cholette, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist who provides psychotherapy to college students.

Categories: Wellness

Keywords: yoga, wellness, teachers