Propper Student Etiquette

Photo by Green eyed monster portraits 💜

I’ve had the pleasure of having so many lovely star students in my life who have become my life long friends, and who have taught me more about what it means to be a high quality instructor. I’ve also experienced my fair share of uncomfortable, unpleasant, and just damn right rude students as well 😅. It comes with the territory of working with group classes. So many people who are coming from all different walks of life who just went through god knows what; it is to be expected. Through the whole entire spectrum, I’m grateful for it all. Because it has taught me how to be an effective, assertive leader who is still kind and light hearted, and not someone who gets pushed around by the room.

My hopes for this blog are to bring awareness to the humans who just don’t know what proper etiquette may be in a classroom setting, because not all “common knowledge” is common to all. We come from different backgrounds and experiences, and what is obvious to others is not obvious to some. Plus, it can’t just be me that needs things laid out clearly to comprehend sometimes so that I don’t end up making mistakes that I could have avoided. That is why I am creating this blog, because it is the age of information honeeeeeeey, let us have open conversations and do our best to uphold high standards. I’m the kind of individual that likes to make classes as open, good energy, educational, and as fun as possible for all. I can do nothing for you but work on myself. You can do nothing for me but work on yourself. So! let's get into it. From my 8 years experience as an aerial instructor I’d like to share with you what not to do in a class as a student - based on real life events.

1. You’re always late and think you’re above the late policy. Listen, I get it. You’re running late. The alarm didn't go off. The traffic was bad. Your kid puked on you. Things happen and we know this! There are always courtesies available for the one time weird things. But if you are consistently late, asking for passes, missing part of the warm up and delaying the class - then this is an issue that you need to work on personally. I love you so much my dear students, but be on time please. You are not above the policy that everyone else adheres to, and asking us to do that is kinda rude and unfair. I’m not saying I'm perfect when it comes to timing, but when I’m going to take a class I'm most certainly not late if I can help it. And if I am late I don't ask for a pass, I take the L because it was my fault. I take accountability and don't project it outwards. I’m usually early because early is on time, and on time is late when it comes to classes. Let's do our best please, and if I turn you away I don’t hate you I’m just following studio policy. <3

2. You are on your phone during demo’s, warm ups, and explanations. We unfortunately live in a world where people's attention spans are getting smaller and smaller. I know individuals that can't go 20 seconds talking to someone without opening a social media app. But if you are coming to my class (of your own free will might I add), then I expect your full attention. If I see you constantly on your phone and not listening to directions because of it, I will ask for your attention and to put your phone away. I don’t mind you glancing at your phone of course to look at the time or check messages. Especially if you’re a mom with kids in school or you’re on call for work. I absolutely understand that you need to be close to your phone in these instances. If that is the case, please inform your instructor ahead of time. But I can literally see when all you are doing is scrolling tiktok or instagram. Please stop. It's rude, scroll when you are done with the class. It is one hour, your scrolling can wait for 1 hour of the day. 

3. You are talking when I am giving an explanation to the class. This can be especially rude, and very much so gets under my skin. I am here to give you direction, I am giving you direction so that you are safe, other people are trying to listen so that they can be safe, and if you are talking over me and keep asking me what to do next because you weren’t listening - that's on you. I will address this head on because it is quite literally a safety issue, and if you do not stop I will ask you to leave. But pleaseeee quiet down when I am speaking, it's just common human courtesy. If you’re with your bestie and you are kiki’ing all class and no one can hear what I’m saying? That's a problem. I do not want to kick anyone out , I just want peace and love and safety 😩 do not speak when
I am speaking, please.

4. You think the group class is a private for you. Often in my classes when we are learning harder movements, I will tell you to wait for me if you feel unsure or unsafe. Most of the time students listen to this direction, but I often get students who do not. While I am in the middle of spotting and walking someone through a movement, they will yell at me asking me to come to them - asking me to tell them what to do next - yadadada. Shawty, this is a group class. Not a private. Which means I am teaching the group. I will go in order of who requested my assistance first. If I am literally in the middle of assisting a student, do not demand me to come to you. I will tell you to get down, and I will tell you to wait. When I am done with the students who requested assistance before you, then I will come to you. There are exceptions to this rule, like if I see someone potentially falling out of a move, I will run over to them if the person I’m working with is not in any type of danger. But please read the room, all of my time is spread between everyone for an hour. I love you but you are not the star of the show. Wait your turn, and do not beckon or demand me to come to you when there are other people in the room who need me just as much as you do. 

5. You are trying to teach my students my curriculum in my class. Ahh this is the kicker. This one especially grinds my gears. The one that I continuously have to address. It is usually always the individuals who are new to the world of teaching as well. And I get it. You have the new found knowledge and passion and energy and you want to just jump in and teach someone something - usually when the instructor is working with someone else. You see them waiting and can't help but want to give them direction. But for this hour you are a student! It would be a different story if I asked you to help someone for me because the class is very full and I’m being pulled in many different directions. It's a different story when I’m across the room heavily spotting someone and someone close to you looks like they might be in trouble. It's a different story when 2 friends are taking a class together and they’re trouble shooting or asking “wait what's the next step? I forgot” with each other. I of course want that collaboration amongst students so they can problem solve together. But I recently had a student in my class who could not do the move I was teaching, but kept going over to someone else to try and teach them and ended up giving them very confusing cues. How frustrating, right? 🫠 When this happens, I will say “thanks but I got it”. Or when they’re trying to talk while I’m talking and giving a student a cue I will say “only listen to me right now and no one else ok?” in a very discerning voice so they get.the.hint. If it continues, I will pull you to the side and kindly address the issue. I love that you have this passion, that's great! Teach when you have your own class. 🙂

So , how did you do? Are you a student who has done one of these things, some of these things, or even all of them? I’ve personally been the late student 🫣 Especially during times in my life when I was not as self aware and introspective as I am now. My adhd comes with some gnarly time blindness. But that's something I’ve been working on 😁 No human is perfect, but I hope these concepts encourage us all to think about how we show up in a group class. I’m so fortunate to have more incredible and fun experiences than bad ones, so thank you to everyone who does their best to be a positive influence when in class! 🥰

What is something you as a student wish to improve on? What is the trigger that makes you act in a way you would like to change? Assess your environment prior to the negative action so that you can better understand yourself, instead of staying in an automatic response. Write it down somewhere, and see where it leads you. 

Thank you for being here 💖

All my Love,

Katie Torres 🌷