? “I returned to work on a part-time basis for the local council as a project manager when Marlon was 18 months old. And although I enjoyed working there I wanted something more flexible to fit around school hours in preparation for Mary starting school in September.
Whilst on my first training weekend, I met a colleague who had done the YogaBugs training and was so enthusiastic about it, that I contacted them straight away. It hadn?t occurred to me to teach children. The minimal requirement to train with them was two years continual yoga practice, which I had and so I could train, start teaching and earn an income straight away in a much quicker timescale.
From my initial mailshot to the schools, I received two quick responses. A private school pre-booked a taster session ? they were my original lifeline and booked a term of lessons to follow the taster class. I now teach one class a week during term-time as part of the curriculum enrichment programme. I have 12 children in the class form Reception, Year 1 and 2. At the same time, spoke to the head teacher at my daughter?s state school. She was interested in YogaBugs as their recent OFSTED report showed that their early years curriculum was deficient in this area and she booked a provisional lunch-time class as long as I qualified. They children loved the taster and I now take the regular lunch-time club teaching up to 12 children from Year and Year 2.
I now teach six half-hour YogaBugs classes per week, most of which are lunchtime and after-school clubs charging between ?3.00 and ?3.50 per child. This seems to be in-line with the cost of other extra-curricula and curriculum activities that are already in place. I’ve also made links with special needs schools in the area, tailoring programmes to their needs.
For the hours that I am currently able to work, I earn enough money to contribute to the basic household costs whilst I build my reputation and take care of my children. The income also means I can sometimes put a little money aside to help contribute towards family holidays.
The cost of taking the YogaBugs course was ?495 and I earned this back in the first six weeks of teaching which I felt was very reasonable. I?m now ready to put more hours in and from September 2007, I have developed a marketing plan to provide schools with a programme to make YogaBugs part of their curriculum classes so that I can teach within school hours. YogaBugs has been such a success that the parents of children in my classes have asked me to take the Yoga?d Up course so that I can continue to teach their children as they reach age 8 to 12 years, and so I have committed to doing the second course. I?m very happy to continue with YogaBugs and Yoga?d Up for the next 2 years. I enjoy teaching this age range and it fits in with my own children. When they become more independent, I will probably place the emphasis on adult teaching and I?d like to bring the stress relieving benefits of yoga to the business forum.