Student Disclaimer Form for Remote Teaching:

for live streaming and pre-recorded classes

 

 Neither your teacher nor the British Wheel of Yoga is qualified to express an opinion that you are fit to safely participate in any British Wheel of Yoga organised sessions or any British Wheel of Yoga trained teacher’s yoga classes. You must obtain professional or specialist advice from your doctor before participating if you are in any doubt.

All of our yoga instructors are appropriately qualified British Wheel of Yoga teachers with high standards of teaching and best practice. Where possible, your teacher may offer suitable modifications or adjustments, and practices to suit different levels of experience and ability.

When you are taking part in live-streamed classes, please note that the instructor may not be able to see you at all times. Please let the instructor know before the class if this is your first yoga class or if you are not confident about your experience and/or ability. Where you have declared a health condition, please contact the teacher before the class if you would like to request that you are provided with suitable modifications or adjustments wherever possible. 

Always follow the safety instructions and listen to your body. Where a movement or class is beyond your experience or ability, feels too difficult for you, or you experience any discomfort, please do not continue the movement or class.

 

Remote Teaching Classes: Live Streamed/pre-recorded session

 

These classes are a beginner to intermediate level and are suitable for most levels of fitness  These classes are not suitable for pregnancy.

 

To take part in these classes you will need [a yoga mat (or something similar), appropriate props suggested by the teacher and some water to hand to make sure you stay hydrated.]

 

If you are about to take part in a class which will be live-streamed to a restricted number of participants. During the class, you (or anyone else who comes into the frame, including children) may be visible to other participants. Please switch off your video if you do not wish to be seen by other participants or may be disturbed during the class by other people. If a recording is made of the video, it will only be of the teacher in view and not the students.

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Although there are tremendous benefits to overall health and wellbeing, yoga can be physically challenging and carries with it risks that cannot entirely be eliminated. These include the risk of personal injury, or the exacerbation of existing injuries or conditions, or damage to property around you during your participation.

Please note that although you may appear on video link during the live stream of the class, the instructor may not be able to see you clearly or instruct you individually as is possible in a face to face teaching scenario.

 

Participant Rules:

The British Wheel of Yoga “Student Guidance – remote sessions” guidelines document.

Being in a remote class is a different experience to being physically present with a teacher in a group setting. You may be attending remotely because it is not possible to physically attend your regular local class, or you may attend a remote class because it offers the opportunity to work with a teacher who ordinarily lives too far away for you to attend regularly.

 The following guidance notes will help to make sure that your experience of remote teaching is as enjoyable as possible. Following these guidelines will enable you to maximise your experience of remote sessions and, in live-streamed classes, to connect with the teacher and your group, albeit virtually.

 

Health Questionnaire and Assessment

Before taking part in a remote session you must have completed a health questionnaire and acknowledged your understanding of the remote learning disclaimer. If you are an existing student you do not need to complete an additional health questionnaire but you will still need to acknowledge the remote learning disclaimer. Teachers draw your attention to this disclaimer in different ways, usually by inclusion in their documentation or emails. If you are a new student to your teacher, you must also go through a brief online assessment interview. This is a one-off process. A verbal screening before each session will still take place and this is when you should bring to the attention of your teacher anything that is new and current, in relation to your health, for the session you are about to participate in.

 

Your Responsibilities:

Remote learning has insurance implications and responsibilities for you as a student/participant. BWY teachers are fully insured to teach remotely, either live streamed or pre-recorded, on a secure platform, to a private audience. However, they are unable to risk assess the space in which you are practising, or you, to the same degree that is possible in face to face teaching.

Therefore, you must be aware that by participating in remote sessions you agree to be responsible for ensuring you are practising in a suitable remote environment, and that you are healthy enough to participate. All BWY teachers follow “best practice guidelines” and it is your responsibility to follow these student guidelines, as your commitment to keeping yourself safe and injury free.

 

GDPR:

If you are taking part in a live streamed session that is being recorded you will be asked in advance to give your consent to this, in accordance with GDPR legislation.

 

Guidelines for Optimum Learning in Remote Sessions:

1. You will be sent a private invitation or link to a live streamed secure remote session, or a pre-recorded session will be shared with you personally. No links, passwords or access to any sessions, whether live streamed or prerecorded should be shared with anyone else.

2. There may be a “waiting room” facility on entry to the session in order for the teacher to keep the session private and only available to those people invited.

3. If you are using the technology of the remote session for the first time allow 15 mins prior to the session to begin with, to enable you to get set up properly, be comfortable and in the right place.

4. Use an ethernet cable to connect your device to your router if possible. Close all other web browsers and data heavy applications so that your internet connection is secure and stable, and you minimize any drop in signal.

5. Mute alerts on your phone and the device you are using for the session.

6. Think about connecting your laptop to your TV via an HDMI cable to give you a bigger screen. If you want to do this, have a trial run beforehand to make sure you can do it easily on the day.

7. If you are in a live streamed secure session arrange your screen so that your teacher can see as much of you as possible and then you won’t have to keep moving the screen or adjusting yourself. You will probably need to be a minimum of 6 feet away from your device. You may also need to adjust your lighting so that your teacher can see you clearly and you can avoid screen glare, silhouetting and shadows.

8. Your teacher will let you know in advance what equipment you will need; make sure you have everything ready beforehand. This includes any props (e.g. blocks, belts, blankets, cushions) notebook and pen/pencil and water.

9. Dress as you would if you were attending a face to face yoga class. This will eliminate the possibility of any embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions! Remember, in a live streamed secure session other people in the class may be able to see you on their screens.

10. Make sure you have plenty of room to move your arms and legs and that the space around you is clear and safe.

11. In a live streamed session don’t have any music in the background because it can distort and/or be in competition with your voice if you do need to speak to the teacher. You can mute your microphone when not speaking.

12. If you are in a live streamed secure session opting for gallery view (if your teacher is permitting this) will bring images of all participants onto your screen and you will have more of the experience of a group class. Depending on the size of your screen this might not be practical. Experiment and see which works best for you. The downside of this is that the image of your teacher will be smaller, but your teacher may choose to “pin speaker” so that he/she remains as your main image throughout, with the other participants images much smaller.

13. If your teacher is not “pinned” the main image may switch to whichever participant makes a sound so keep your microphone muted once started, unless you are in a group chanting or philosophy discussion. In a live streamed secure physical session, you can use the chat or “raise hand” button on whichever online platform you are using, if you need to speak to the teacher.

14. All teachers operate differently in remote sessions. You may be able to see and interact with the other group participants or you may not. Therefore, if you cannot see or hear the other participants and you ask a question, be aware that everyone in the session will hear the answer. Please consider this and only ask questions if you are happy for the whole group to hear the answer. You can always speak privately with your teacher either before or after the session.

15. Laugh – it’s a new experience so don’t worry about being perfect. Be human, be authentic, be you and enjoy!

 

• You must act responsibility and sensibly at all times.

• You must not participate if you are pregnant or under the influence of alcohol or non-prescription drugs.

• Neither your teacher nor the British Wheel of Yoga are qualified to express an opinion that you are fit to safely participate in any British Wheel of Yoga organised sessions or any British Wheel of Yoga trained teacher’s yoga classes. You must obtain professional or specialist advice from your doctor before participating if you are in any doubt.

• Clear enough space to safely carry out the exercises without hitting items around you.

• Check that the device you are using is securely positioned and will not interfere with your movement.

• Listen to your body. Follow any safety instructions or suitable modifications or adjustments to the exercise as instructed.

• Never continue with a class or a movement that is too difficult for your level of experience or ability, or if you feel any discomfort.

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In the absence of any negligence or other breach of duty by your teacher, participating in this yoga class is entirely at your own risk. By accessing and participating in this class you confirm that you have read and understood this disclaimer.

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Please click the button to the right to download the file to sign and return.

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Thank you,

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Om Shanti