Apply to join the
OHYA Teacher Directory

Effective Teaching Standards

OHYA has established universal standards to guide our worldwide teaching community. To ensure clarity, we’ve refined and expanded the standards for Level 2 and Level 3 teachers, supporting their growth and development. These standards are designed to maintain unity across our community and ensure all Original Hot Yoga students receive clear, consistent, and concise instruction, especially for consistency for our trainees in our OHYA Approved Teacher Trainings.

Effective teaching standards are seen by OHYA as a universal goal throughout our community.   

Standard 1: Effective Delivery using Commanding and Clear Dialogue: Use simple, direct and clear language, and commanding action verbs in the correct sequence from setup, to execution, to exit. Incorporate voice projection, inflection, calm breathing, and control of yourself to offer a great experience.
Level 2 / 3 teachers : Dialogue should be productive for all students, allowing them to integrate the instructions in the correct sequence, while also providing time to support students in modifications and/or in progressing their practice. 

Standard 2: Appropriate voice and energy:  Teachers use breath and personal experience to create calm yet strong energy and to inspire trust and discipline in students.  Using your verbal and non-verbal skills to inspire trust in your students so they quiet their minds and follow instructions for a strong and effective class. 

Level 2 / 3 teachers: Should demonstrate effective body and breath control, along with an experienced command of the room, while also staying aware of the needs’ of students to progress at their own pace or to offer modifications/progressions at the appropriate time.   

Standard 3: Student Awareness: Adapt instructions, corrections, and encouragement based on students’ needs to create an inclusive and supportive environment.
Level  2/ 3 Teachers: Demonstrate adequate understanding that teaching is aimed at the students’ needs and their experience. Teachers understand they are teaching  to the class in front of them and can adjust accordingly.

Standard 4: Authentic Connections: Ensure every student feels seen, supported, respected, and included for an exceptional experience.
Level 2 / 3 teachers:  Use their knowledge and experience to build trust in the teacher/student relationship and to stay curious, ask questions, and learn before appropriate modifications/progressions are given.

Standard 5: Consistency:  If teachers adhere to Standards 1-4, their studios will offer consistent and successful classes.  Teachers should avoid introducing unrelated concepts from other yoga or fitness disciplines that can cause confusion.
Level 2 /3 teachers: should offer consistently-effective classes that include all participants and demonstrate respect for everyone’s experience.  Students should all feel supported, seen, and encouraged.  

Standard 6: Professional Boundaries (in-studio for owner/ management): Teachers should focus on students’ experiences and growth without projecting their personal issues.  They should both honor and support the policies of the studio’s Mission and Core Values. 

Level 2 /3  teachers: should respect personal boundaries and positively contribute to the business of the studio, while supporting and encouraging newer teachers.  Teachers should keep their own personal preferences, spiritual/religious practices or the need to share all their yoga knowledge out of their class. Sharing relevant experiences of OHY can be appropriate and add value to class.  There are some studio specific issues that may include studio specific guidelines and boundaries around understanding how to teach special populations including, but not limited to: pregnancy, disabilities, wheelchair access, hearing/vision impaired etc.  

Examples of ineffective teaching practices:

• Bringing in your personal yoga knowledge in ways that are not relevant to OHY.

• Adding advanced concepts you are personally working on, into a beginning OHY class.

• Rapid-firing dialogue - dialogue should be delivered with clarity, timing, and connection—not just fired off.

• Sharing concepts inaccurately and out of context; avoid adding phrases or sayings not rooted in OHY., “seal your practice.”) 

• Giving instructions that are anatomically incorrect and not meaningful for the practice. I.E., discussing the tail bone. 
  

• Overcomplicating the practice or focusing only on extra rules (such as water breaks) that make the class harder than it needs to be.
  

• Counting down 3-2-1 in all or many of the postures. Instead,  guide students with dialogue that helps them finish strong in the posture.

• Comparing or dismissing other yoga methods - instead focus on what we do in OHY. 

• Endless, general and undirected compliments, i.e. “beautiful,” “good job”. Compliments are most effective when tied to actions, e.g., “strong focus in Balancing Stick” or “steady breathing.”
  

• Favoring descriptive language instead of active commands. Use clear, direct commands rather than overly descriptive explanations.

All CBYT and OHYT earn an OHYT Intern seal upon graduation and must complete an internship fulfilling the Class Recorder (showing 75 classes) while receiving feedback to have a Level 2 or 3 CBYT (preferably studio owner) sign the Certificate of Standards to confirm that our Interns teach an effective OHY class. Internships must be completed at OHYA studios or at studios with CBYT mentors that meet our standards. All Interns are responsible to find an OHYA studio (or a studio that qualifies under our standards) Internships can take up to 2 years but the minimum is 6 months. Once our Interns earn their Level 1 seal, their names go on the OHYA Teacher Directory as a Level 1 OHYT.

If you need help finding a mentor, please reach out to ohyateachers@gmail.com so we can help connect you with one. Please reach out to OHYA for any clarifications.

The OHYA Teacher Directory is organized by Level 1, (completed an internship of 75 classes), Level 2 (5 years or more teaching and taught 1,000 or more classes), Level 3 (completed 10 years and taught over 2,000 classes). Classes are self reported and may be verified by OHYA by connecting with the studios you report teaching at. OHYA now has an application to earn both Level 2 and Level 3 seals. Please email ohyateachers@gmail.com for an application (Please review our Effective Teaching Standards to review what our evaluations are based on)

✔ Recognition for our unique teaching community that is dedicated to OHY.

✔ Permission to access and use the trademarked Original Hot Yoga seal on any and all marketing materials, giving instant credibility to your studio and your teaching qualifications.

✔ A free way to connect to your original hot yoga community – we never sell our lists, and our directory members have access to private support in our OHYA Teachers FB group

✔ Access to our private Facebook teacher page. A great place to have private conversations and get support for any issues facing our teaching community today

✔ To be the first to know about continuing education seminars offered by senior teachers and authorized studios to complete your furthering education requirements. (30 hours every 3 years)

✔ Stay in the loop on retreats, workshops and further education programs offered by Original Hot Yoga members

✔ The support of an association whose standards meet or exceed those of other yoga organizations, ensuring you, as a member, should qualify for a grandfather clause that protects against any changes in state regulations on yoga teachers.

We are very sorry that you did not attend an OHYA Approved Teacher Training. Our OHYA Teacher Directory is only for those who have met our standards and follow our guidelines so our OHYA community feels confident about your training supporting our mission and vision.

Continuing Education (ConEd) is a cornerstone of The Original Hot Yoga Association. OHYA Teachers are required to earn 30 hours of ConEd every three (3) years to stay in compliance with OHYA’s standards for teachers. While all continuing education is beneficial for personal growth, the vision of OHYA Continuing Education is to have teachers invest time in reviewing and improving their teaching for an effective, simple, and ultimately universally relevant, Original Hot Yoga class. To learn more please see our Continuing Education page: https://www.ohyassociation.com/con-ed