Energy in teaching is like…

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...Chocolate to Espresso: A GREAT combo!

Reiki Workshop Singapore
Capoeira Kids Singapore class
Small Kids - Big Fun
Workshop Energy Danspiratie
Teaching Musical Class


I’ve been a teacher for more then 25 years. And I still teach a wide range of subjects: languages, music, vocal coaching, art and energiestyling, capoeira, reiki and energywork. And last but not least, my audience is vast as well! From the age of 3 years old up to adults 🙂

From a marketing perspective a real nightmare: because what’s your niche? 

How many times marketing lovers and professionals told me: focus.  Create a niche where you start with. 

But; what if that’s just not me? What if your talent is multi and diverse and has facets like a gemstone with different shapes and sides?

Still the gem has one core, even if it shows in all variety of itself when light is shining on it. 

And for me the core of all activities and educational projects I go along with its - you’ve guessed that - energywork!

So what does that look like then? Energywork In a language lesson for instance? 

Let me show you some examples. 

The students come into the class. I check in on them and I feel their energy. Are they energetic? Are they tired? Do they need excitement and enthusiasm? Or Calm and soothing energy? Or focus? That’s my starting point. And from there I adapt my routines and class management to the need of that group. 


So: is enthusiasm and excitement needed? I will put my energy into the working space by making jokes, entertaining style of teaching, by grabbing them energetically and make them cheer and laugh. And: in using the educational techniques and skills I’ve developed and learned by my teacher training. 

For a language lesson that would mean in these examples: 

  • Tell a joke
  • Mimic a story
  • Find an online comic
  • Show a crazy TikTok
  • Share a YouTube
  • Do a crazy moving game,
  • Create a minidance etc...


But what if calming energy needed? And focus?

Then I will make my energy field  smaller by moving less, sitting down at the desk, talk softer and make sure that the energy in the classroom is grounded and safe. 

This works in a lively class like capoeira as well. My capoeira school- Capoeira Kids Singapore, Açao Quilombo, run by May Ooi, was invited to the Rainbow 🌈 Centre in Singapore for an introduction class. This school and institution is specialised in all kinds of needs form children with disabilities (mental, physical or both).

It was amazing how these students - some with cerebral palsy and some also equipped with different features of ASD, reacted to the challenges and moves we offered them. It was incredible and magical to see how they opened up to us, the capoeira  crew,  as a team. What I did mostly was guarding the safety by managing the energy field. Checking in where needed with the students, move a bit to another side if I see that the training field is leaking from the build up community vibe. Put energy in, by connecting with eye contact to students, stand next to them if needed when they are doing a exercise. The Amazonas Roda, the big circle where we played ‘animal moves style’ of capoeira with them, was a challenging, energetic, safe and exciting energy field for them. Guarded by me, but also by the whole capoeira team - with Master Sensai May. Don’t forget - here are martial art warriors at work, they now how to handle energy! 

For a music class I would rather start with a grounding exercise with breathing techniques. A warming up in combination with a body scan for instance.  

For a capoeira class for small kids a focus oriented game with hands, toes and copy paste in movements. 

For languages? A mini first question or interview that gives 2 minutes of calmth and focus to start the class. Connected with an fidget to play with. 

All these examples are taken from the start in the lesson.

So what will happen at the end? Or if something changes? Or a student misbehaves? Well, I tap into the energy of the group again and adapt accordingly to what is needed. 

Maybe another blog soon on more examples and energy exercises for teachers in class!

Lernen 
ist
der Sinn
des Lebens....

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Who – What – Where and the big Why

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At all times and ages, people have been searching and looking for wisdom, knowledge and help in there struggle with Three Big Questions, which define us:

  • Who are we?
  • Where do we come from?
  • Where do we go?

In the brilliant book #EatPrayLove by #ElizabethGilbert, the search for these three questions are thoroughly investigated. And at the end of the book, our lovely lady lives in Indonesia, and she tells us that everybody just keep her asking these three questions. It is like these three questions are needed to define her, to give her a background. To make sure to put her in the right position upfront them, so everybody can actually see who she is, there in the #focus of the moment.

And that is what our #groundingexercises are always about. To make sure you are just there, in this ongoing spot where future and past melt into the Big Now.

So what does this imply when you move?

If you change your physical position, in other words we say we re-locate or we move abroad, your #grounding changes with you. Your path differs from the one you went before, you walk other soil and you eat other food. You smell others herbs and spices and you are put in a totally different grid as where you came from.

When I moved to Brazil, I noticed what it means: a #Socialconstruction. It is a term I never understood at University. And day two in Brazil my emprugada, the lovely Rosy with her broad smile and warm heart, called me “Donna Grandaõ, uma Sereia”.

In one – ONE – yes just 1 –  Portuguese sentence, my yearlong status changed!

From being a small, chubby, roundbreasted, dark eyed woman to a Tall Lady, no more, even to a mermaid!

Needless to say that it changed something in me as well. And that it did something to my energy.

And now I moved some half year ago to Singapore, I felt a change in social construct again. I am a ‘Ang Mo – Expat Woman’ here – a ‘western woman’. And that made me feel very weary in the beginning. I didn’t feel anything, no male and female energy. No looks, no talks, no words or glimpses. It made me hollow and clueless about e and my boundaries. Like the sea shapes the shore, I needed my counter-energies and people on the street to help define me again. I was lost in orientation in my energy field. I didn’t feel male or female or me, since the grid I was walking in, was so different. 

So what was this biggest difference then?

It felt completely calm here on the streets. No stress. No need for eyes everywhere, on stroller, kids and purse in one time. No checking in on people if there might be a dangerous situation. No attention to check in on your belongings every second of the minute. No worries if your bag is open and not zipped up. No stressed feeling if you just stroll around and end up somewhere you didn’t expect to go.

The word everybody uses here is #safe. And yes, it is safe, no stress in or on the streets. It made me go deep to my roots. I had to learn a complete new way do define my new me – my new Who I am, Where I came from and where I am going.

And the grounding and focus exercises I did daily, helped me so much.

The made my Roots grow strong again. And as our dear Goethe already put it in earlier days: ‘Gebt den Kindern Wurzeln damit sie fliegen können.’ (Give the children roots, to make sure they can fly)

So, now I can fly and I can look from this nice helicopter view, for other lovely expat ladies who want to work on this field. The ‘Who you are, Where you Go, and Where you came from’ quest. Or in one word: the big Why?

I developed an expat program, called #RootzandWingz and I would love to tell you more about if, if you’re interested.

For now: all the best, Kind Hugs,

Carola x

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