Teaching Large Groups – Sun Salutations

Teaching Large Groups – Sun Salutations

Sun Salutations with a large group of teens – oh YEAH!
Teaching large groups can be a challenge. This group of 70 grade 9 students learned Sun Salutations by taking apart the 9 poses which make up Surya Namaskar A and then putting them together again.
Love that these teens get to learn tools to foster a healthy mind and body as part of their school day.
 

Tips for teaching yoga to large groups

⭐️ set yourself up in the center of the gym to be more easily seen and closer to students
⭐️ to fill a gym filled with teens you’ve got to find your gym voice and project
⭐️ with younger teens pace your class on the quicker side. Keep them moving
⭐️ use lots of positive reinforcement
⭐️ have FUN – these guys loved saying CHATARANGA! with power and authority
⭐️ expect there to be chatter, help to keep students on task with engagement (questions), authenticity (walk the talk) and movement (do yoga, lots of yoga).

Body, Mind, Mood, Breath: A Mindfulness Activity

This is one of my favorite mindfulness techniques. I often use it at the beginning of class to set the tone and allow everyone the opportunity to slow down and check in. The activity can be done anywhere but this script is for a classroom where students are seated at their desks. I highly recommend it, especially for teens and tweens. Speak slowly, allow for pauses and space for participants to look inward.

Body, Mind, Mood, Breath

Invite everyone to get comfortable sitting back in their chair or with heads down on desks. Maybe eyes are closed or turned down to encourage focus and minimize distractions.

Turn the attention inward to how you are feeling.

  • What is going on in your body? Is there any tension? Softness? Aches? Openness? Just notice without judging or trying to change it.
  • Now observe your mind. What is it’s level of activity? It is busy? Calm? Stuck on one thing? Or jumping from thought to thought?
  • Now notice your mood. How are you feeling today? What are you bringing into class? Can you name the mood you are currently in? Allow whatever it is to be without judgement.
  • Now turn your attention to your breath. Notice the inhalation and the exhalation. Is it fast, slow, steady, ragged, smooth, warm, cool? Where in your body do you feel the breath?

Take two more breaths. Simply observe. When you are ready open your eyes.

School Friendly Yoga Partner Poses

School Friendly Yoga Partner Poses

Discover yoga partner poses suitable for all ages and abilities to foster kindness, communication and teamwork. Learn how to partner effectively, best practices and considerations for a safe and wholesome school yoga practice. All poses are suitable for the school environment with age recommendations to cultivate connections and ensure safety. This e-book has been developed from years of hands-on experience working with students from preschool-grade 12.

 

This downloadable PDF includes:

  • Benefits of Partner Poses
  • Classroom Management Tips
  • Creating a Safe Space
  • 8 unique Creative Ways to Partner
  • 41 Partner Poses for ages preschool-highschool with lots of variations, age recommendations, color photos and step-by-step instructions

Special Introductory Pricing

School Friendly Yoga Partner Poses
School Friendly Yoga Partner Poses
Discover yoga partner poses suitable for all ages and abilities to foster kindness, communication and teamwork. Learn how to partner effectively, best practices and considerations for a safe and wholesome school yoga practice. 18 page full color PDF. Includes 41 partner poses.
Do’s and Don’ts of Teaching Yoga in Schools

Do’s and Don’ts of Teaching Yoga in Schools

Over the past few years more and more schools are offering yoga and mindfulness as part of the curriculum. This is in part due to the increase in research supporting the benefits of yoga and mindfulness including improvements in attention span, focus, ability to deal with stress, creativity, confidence and self management, to name a few. When offering school based yoga programs it is important to recognize that schools have a unique culture which is vastly different from yoga studios, recreational centres, private lesson or community classes.

These do’s and don’ts come from 14 years experience working in the Alberta, Canada education system. They are a guide on how to offer yoga in an available, approachable manner to improve the overall health, wellness and learning readiness of the next generation.

Above all support the programs you offer to schools with follow up and additional support for administrators and teachers. We can change the world one moment, one breath, one child at a time with regular practice, open communication and relationship building.

For more information on how to effectively and appropriately teach yoga in schools to kids and teens please join a Yoga In My School weekend workshop.

Yoga In Schools

Don’ts

Don’t Be Too ‘New Agey’

Keep your words and approach grounded and real. Offer straight up yoga and mindfulness skills without fluff, illusions, artistic interpretation. For example with Sun Salutations don’t say, “Reaching tall to the sun embrace it’s loving radiance and hold in within your heart.” Save the poetic cueing for the yoga studio.

Don’t Teach Whatever You Want

Always co-ordinate with the classroom teacher as to their goals for the class. Every school period has specific educational outcomes. Teach within these parameters.

Don’t Be Surprised by the Religion Issue

Have alternative ways to offer yoga and mindfulness that will appeal to all participants. This may mean reframing and rephrasing the experience into ‘mindful movement’ or ‘stretch & relax’ sessions and avoiding trigger words such as ‘Om’. Always offer a non-dogmatic approach being open and welcoming of all traditions.

Don’t Use Sanskrit Terms or Chants

Yes, we in the yoga world love our Sanskrit but to many these terms can be foreign and scary. Use English. Save Sanskrit and chanting for studio classes or high school Yoga 15, 25, 35 classes.

Don’t Wear Revealing Clothing

Keep things ‘G’ rated. Check your clothing in the mirror before you leave the house. Too much cleavage? Too tight? Too revealing? Is it appropriate for a 6 year old or a hormone riddled teen? Ask yourself what would a PE teacher wear?

Do’s

Do Know the Curriculum

The Alberta Program of Studies is available online. Do your research and know what needs to be taught for each grade level. When teaching Grade 3 students its wonderful to explore bhramari breathing knowing that it supports the Grade 3 Science curriculum regarding learning about sound.

Do Know the Language

Knowledge of the language of education is essential in order to express how yoga and mindfulness can address the challenges faced in today’s classroom. Know what it means to be coded, what is RTI (Response to Intervention), an IEP (Individual Education Plan) and other terms common to education.

Do Use Child Friendly Terms

Your teaching style and language will change depending on the age of the students. Use terms appropriate for the age, abilities, understanding and maturity of the kids in your class. For example be very concrete when working with younger students, ask them “Please sit down criss cross, eyes on me.”

Do Include Relaxation and Mindfulness

Kids today are over programmed, over scheduled and over stimulated. They are in desperate need of relaxation tools and mindfulness practices to invite peace and calm into their lives. Give them this gift. Movement is a form of meditation. So is stillness.

Do Link to Kids Lives

Include stories, games and activities linking yoga asana, pranayama and relaxation to kids’ interests and life. Many poses are named after animals and pranayama can be tailored for specific needs such as finding calm, before bed, or test prep.

 

Best Practice for Yoga in Schools Interview with Jennifer Cohen Harper

Best Practice for Yoga in Schools Interview with Jennifer Cohen Harper

Want to bring yoga to your school? Don’t know where to start? Join us to learn best practices for a safe, effective school based yoga program.

We chat with Jennifer Cohen Harper, one of the editors of the newly published Best Practices for Yoga in Schools.

Based on the collective wisdom and experience of 23 contributors this guide supports all who desire to help students thrive.

Original Air Date: December 8, 2015

 

Find Best Practices for Yoga in Schools HERE.

Learn more about the Yoga Service Council work, conferences & publications.

Yoga in Schools Symposium Live from Kripalu

Yoga in Schools Symposium Live from Kripalu

Want to bring calm & focus to your classroom?

Get the low-down on all the happenings at the Yoga in the Schools Symposium. Join host Donna Freeman, founder Yoga In My School & Kids Yoga Academy and guest co-host Karma Carpenter, founder K-12 Yoga (IASYM), as we chat live with delegates at Kripalu during the 1st ever Yoga in the Schools Symposium.

Anne Buckley-Reen of Get Ready to Learn and Lousie Goldberg of Relaxation Now share their insights on the Yoga in Schools movement, the energy of gathering with leaders in the field of Yoga and Mindfulness for Youth, and what’s next for yoga in schools.

 

itunesYoga In My School podcast on iTunes

If you enjoyed this interview rate and review the show so others can find it.

+100 more on the Yoga In My School podcast on iTunes.

Fostering Positive Behavior and Leadership in Youth

Fostering Positive Behavior and Leadership in Youth

Donna Freeman hosts as Karma Carpenter Shea of K-12yoga.org leads a discussion about how mindfulness and yoga in schools foster positive behavior and youth leadership skills.

Discover how to develop leadership skills, improve self-regulation and build social emotional skills in children. Teaching mindfulness and yoga skills in schools reaches 100% of kids, as well as teachers, parents and the greater community helping all to live healthier lives, get along better, reduce anxiety and succeed at life’s many challenges.

Special guests include Amy Haysman of Grounded and Susan Solvang of Growing Minds.

 

 

For more information about Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) visit PBIS.org

For more information about Response to Intervention (RTI) visit National Center on Response to Intervention

 

itunesYoga In My School podcast on iTunes

If you enjoyed this interview rate and review the show so others can find it.

+100 more on the Yoga In My School podcast on iTunes.

Toe-ga Kids Yoga Sorting Game

Toe-ga Kids Yoga Sorting Game

This easy to play kids yoga game develops the dexterity and flexibility of the feet while also working on core stability and balance. Add in a sorting/classifying element (an early math skill) and you’re golden!

How to Play Toe-ga

For years I’ve been playing Toe-ga with my kids yoga classes. This is where you scatter a number of craft pompoms on the floor and then have children pick them up and put them into a container using only their toes. Toe-ga is always a hit and is often requested again & again. Usually I use small plastic baskets or cups as the container.

Then I found this creative use of a muffin tin to sort by color and develop fine motor skills on Raising 4 Princesses. I knew immediately that this would work like a charm for Toe-ga. So I dug out a mini-muffin tin and my pompoms and got to work.

I’ll be using my fine new Toe-ga Kids Yoga Sorting Game whenever I teach a colors kids yoga class. For tons of great yoga ideas to teach colors check out My Many Colored Days on Omazing Kids.

Toe-ga and over 100 other fun and creative kids yoga games will soon be available for download in our fabulous new resource Yoga Games Galore, scheduled for release late September 2012. Like us on Facebook and watch for the announcement.

Yoga Beats Bullying, Teaches Peace

Yoga Beats Bullying, Teaches Peace

Bullying and violence are a major problem in schools and among youth. This special episode will focus on how yoga-based techniques are proving effective in bully proofing our children and classrooms.

Dee Marie, of Calming Kids, will share her ground-breaking program that teaches yoga and conflict management skills to youth giving them the skills needed to be calm and compassionate, strong and resilient. We’ll also discuss the recent Harvard study results of the program. Also joining us is Cheryl Crawford (Grounded), with the program Quest for Elevation which is used in schools to teach yoga based techniques to combat bullying.

Find out how yoga can empower your children and stop bullying.

 

 

Enjoy this Shanti Generation video of teens talking about how yoga helps counter bullying


Yoga in Schools: Turning Research into Effective Programs

Yoga in Schools: Turning Research into Effective Programs

One of the most often asked question for school-based yoga programs is “Does it really work?” The International Association for School Yoga and Mindfulness (IASYM) responds with a resounding “YES!”

Our distinguished panel of quests will discuss some of the current research being conducted and how that research is translated into powerful school-based programs, bringing calm, focus and learning readiness into today’s classrooms. Karma Carpenter, Director of IASYM, Lynda Meeder, Director of YogaKids, Anne Buckley-Reen, OT & founder of Get Ready to Learn, and Cheryl Crawford, founder of Grounded, join us to share their experiences in researching the effects of yoga and mindfulness in schools. Discover how yoga is impacting kids, teachers and administrators through innovative programs proven effective by University research.

 

 

 

Our panel of amazing guests can be found at:

Karma Carpenter

Facebook

 

Anne Buckley-Reen

Facebook

 

Cheryl Crawford

 Facebook

 

 

Lynda Meeder

Facebook

 

 

 

itunesYoga In My School podcast on iTunes

If you enjoyed this interview rate and review the show so others can find it.

+100 more on the Yoga In My School podcast on iTunes.

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