Teachers: Cases for the Good and the Best

A discussion I've encountered a few times was on the quality of a teacher: do you seek out the best there is (usually far away and/or very expensive)? Or do you go to one that is less than "expert" but more easily accessible (location/cost)? I always thought that if you could get the best, you should. That is the reason I am in Tucson: I sought out the best possible dance coach I could find. Yoga, however, has presented to me a strong case against this idea.

Milo and Ellen

After attending many of his classes, I realized that one of my favorite teachers - MiLo - was not the "best." He's both the artistic director for Yoga Oasis and a hatha yoga instructor. He's been practicing yoga for 20 years, so he has quite a bit of knowledge, but he's not the studio "expert." Yet I attend his classes regularly because of the way he talks and thinks about yoga and life. I think the fact that he's an artist has a lot to do with it: I simply connect really well to the explanations and imagery he uses.

Similarly, I also like his co-teacher Ellen very much. She's relatively new to teaching, having only a few months experience so far. However, she takes an interest in me and pushes me to better myself. For instance, she'll come around and help me extend my back in a backbend or lengthen my arms in triangle pose, because she knows I can. She inspires me to keep going and continue my study of yoga.


Chris


Yet there is something to be said for receiving information from the expert. Chris, at YogaFlow has extensive experience. I don't connect with him in the same way I do Ellen and MiLo, but his knowledge on yoga clears up any ambiguity I have about faster-paced classes. He's simple and logical, and I learn a lot more from him about the details of alignment. I feel I would be missing something if I didn't attend his classes.

Conclusion

Looking at both of these teacher types, I've realized that I need them both. While it's great if you can combine the expert and the inspirational teacher into one person, that may not be possible. For this reason, having several teachers is the most beneficial situation.

Yet, I have to admit that at the end of the day - if I had to choose one kind of teacher - I would choose the inspirational/supportive one over the expert. I would stay with Ellen and MiLo over Chris, just because of the emotional connection I've established with them and their teaching. They've made me realize that an effective and good teacher doesn't have to be an "expert;" connecting with the student and investing in him or her is what matters.  Inspirational teachers can lead me to further my research (which they have), but the "expert" one won't necessarily lead me to inspiration. Inspiration brings fulfillment and, in my opinion, having someone believe in you is worth more than the best knowledge.