Yoga Education for Schools’ Tools for Teachers professional development workshops provide lecture, practice, constructive feedback, and demonstration on structure, timing, safety, behavior management, and other components of successfully using the program.
The result of Yoga Education for Schools’ thorough, powerful training is teachers who can:
- Relate to children with increased awareness, compassion, and authenticity
- Integrate yoga tools into a school culture, and adapt the tools to the specific needs of the children
- Create engaging 2 to 15 minute yoga segments to integrate into the lesson plans.
Apply our tools and receive the benefits for yourself as well as the children you teach.
Level I: Introduction
Participants learn about Yoga Ed philosophy and approach, research on yoga in school environments, and some of the basic techniques to use in a classroom.
Level II: In-depth practice of the tools for Pre-K or K – 8th grade
Participants practice the tools and know which tools work best at what time of the day. It is geared to managing the class as a whole and creating optimal learning readiness. Individual practice and feedback prepares a teacher to use the tools with confidence.
Level III: Tools for Behaviors and Special Needs
The focus of this workshop is on specific behaviors of individual children as well as children with Dyslexia and related disorders
17 students in the final class (10th grade) of Johann-Winklhofer-Realschule, Landsberg, in Germany were introduced to Yoga Tools by their English teacher, Claudia Sepp.
As Claudia received the Tools for Teachers training only about 2 weeks before the final exam, she immediately began to teach these tools to her class. She used a few minutes of her class time to practice centering techniques in the classroom while the students were seated at their desk. After the final exam, Claudia asked her students the following questions:
1. What did you think about the yoga exercises directly before the final exam?
2. What did you think about them in general?
Although a few children had reservations or strictly rejected the exercises, the vast majority appreciated them, found them helpful and calming.
Here are the students in their own words (translated into English)
…great, because it was calming and released stress.
I found that the yoga exercises were super, because I felt very relaxed so I could concentrate better. This surely helped me in another class too (Managing Commercial Companies).
I have not participated in the exercises, but I appreciate your efforts and am sure that there are students, you helped very much by offering relaxing techniques.
I participated. It was fun, but I do not believe that is had any effect and did not notice any change in myself.
Yoga was helpful, but took some time away from the test preparation. We were calmer during the exam.
I thought that the exercises were great and fun to do. However, we could have practiced something different in this time. It would be better to start these exercises earlier (in the year).
…okay, because I was not quite as nervous and somewhat distracted from (worrying about) the up-coming exam.
…great, because I was better able to concentrate.
I did not participate, because I feel yoga is nonsense and boring.
I don’t think that it is helpful; it is embarrassing.
… great, because it helped us lighten up, and everyone was distracted from worrying about the exam.
…great, because I was more relaxed when I started the exam.
…great, but we should have started these exercises earlier during the school year. Therefore, please start practicing them earlier next year.
…terrific, because we were calmer and could concentrate better.
I did not participate, because I could not remain serious.
… funny and good, because we could calm down somewhat before the exam. Regrettably, some students did not take it seriously.
By: Eva Rosenkranz on August 24, 2010
at 7:36 pm