Yoga for Schools

Yoga in Schools
Working in partnership with schools to introduce yoga to children and young adults

In our experience children learn best when happy and relaxed so we use music, story-telling and creative games to incorporate the yoga poses (asana), breathing exercises (pranayama) and relaxation into each session in a fun and accessible way.

Practised regularly, yoga can help kids:

Feel energised and calm
Develop self-awareness
Sleep more peacefully
Become more accepting of themselves and others
Cope with exam pressure and other stresses

The Joy of Yoga in Schools offers:

Yoga for children and young adults in your school
‘Tools for Teachers’ at your school
Classroom visits and kinesthetic workshops
In-service day kinesthetic workshops training staff to use yoga skills with pupils. (1 or 2 hour, half day, and full day)
In-service day workshops for staff to learn yoga skills for personal self-wellness, stress management techniques and improved job satisfaction

What we do

Train teachers in standards-based, Yoga Ed inspired curriculum integrated into Physical Education in schools
Introduce sustainable health and wellness to young people
Support teachers in learning self-wellness techniques and tools for engaging, focusing, relaxing, and energising students in their classroom
Utilise brain-based learning methods
Provide coaching and training for schools in sustainable wellness programming

Yoga Tools

The tools we use in every class for students and teachers include:

Breathing exercises - to calm or to energize, to nourish and integrate the central nervous system
Games/Activities/Stories - creative, systems-thinking based play to activate brain cells, improve mood and support non-competitive action
Yoga Poses/Movements - grounding and invigorating the body and mind to dissipate tension, reduce stress and rebalance all systems of the body
Time-in & Affirmations - time for self-reflection and whole brain processing to restore, recharge, and enhance learning more responsible ways of empowering the mind and body

Youth Programming

Simple yoga tools explained, demonstrated and practiced:

Playing music to which the children love to sing along
Breathing exercises to help self-monitor
Brain-based learning methods employed
Classic yoga poses such as Downward Dog
Kinesthetic games and vocalizing fun self-affirmations: “I am strong!” “I am resilient”
Integration time, lying flat on the ground, to relax and refocus, dim lights and music
Encouraging each student on how well he or she did that class

Tools for Teachers

A typical 2 hour introductory staff development class includes:

Breathing techniques for self and student, for increased mind-body awareness

Yoga poses and movements to balance the nervous system and energise
Kinesthetic games, (some of which may be used in the classroom at students’ desks)
Restoration and relaxation time for the hard-working teacher

A typical 1 day in-service training for teachers and staff includes:

Tools for self stress management through breathing exercises
Unique and practical classroom management tools
Restorative yoga poses for everybody
Yoga tools explained, demonstrated and practiced

The Success of Yoga

Research using quantitative and qualitative methods of yoga in schools has confirmed:*

An increase in students’ physical strength, flexibility, balance and relaxation
Improved individual student capacities for focusing, concentration and retention of new information
Positive impact on students’ social and psychological development as expressed in higher self esteem (confidence, efficacy) and body awareness
Increased ease in classroom management for both students and teachers
Greater management of life stressors for both students and teachers