Yoga and Mindfulness in Schools: Tools to Improve Self-Regulation, Learning, and Classroom Management.
How to grow a generation of empowered, healthy, and happy students AND teachers!
Jeanette Gallus & Deborah Bilzing Jeanette Gallus, MSE, MA, LPC, RYT, CCYI
• Certified School Counselor
• Licensed Professional Counselor
• Certified Spanish Teacher
• Yoga 4 Classrooms® Trainer
• ChildLight Yoga® Instructor
• RYT- 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher Dr. Deborah Bilzing Ed.D, NCC, BC-TMH, RYT
• Licensed School Counselor
• Licensed K-12 Teacher
• Licensed District Administrator & Pupil Services Director
• Board Certified Counselor
• Board Certified Telemental Health Provider
• RYT- 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher & Meditation Instructor
Introductions
• Who are we? • Who are you? • What challenges are you facing in your school today? • What challenges do you face with students in your class or building? • What do you want to learn today? “Your intention”… • What will you learn today?
Overview
Participants will discover
► How useful yoga, yogic techniques and mindfulness can be in our own lives and in the lives of our students. (Even some scientific/research based evidence☺)
► How yoga and mindfulness has been shown to enhance social-emotional learning, self-regulation skills and help students in becoming their best selves! Why this sectional is so important for educators!
We believe that truly transformational social emotional learning, learning that develops self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills, happens when educators embody wellbeing first and then “spread” it out to their students. Throughout this sectional, we will provide you with opportunities to learn and practice some yoga techniques and mindfulness activities that can meet the needs of students and your entire school community. We believe by using yoga and mindfulness as part of your school day, you and your students will be able to manage a sense of peace throughout the busy school day! Before we begin… lets get ready to learn
Sample “Morning Meeting” Sequence: Balancing/Community-Building
Chime Listening / Pass the Chime Mountain (with Balloon Breath, Crescent Moon & Waterfall) Washing Machine King Dancer Special Place
www.yoga4classrooms.com
Centering Grounding Breathe Move & Release FOCUS Relax & Connect What is Yoga and Mindfulness?
What do you know about yoga and mindfulness?
How would you describe yoga and mindfulness?
How can Yoga and Mindfulness help students to learn? What is Yoga? “Yoga is not about touching your toes. It’s about unlocking your ideas about what you want, where you think you can go, and how you will achieve it when you get there.” Cyndi Lee
Yoga is a discipline from India. It is a holistic approach that incudes ethical and moral principles, physical postures, breathwork, and various types of meditation for the purpose of uniting mind, body and spirit. On the most basic level, yoga means “to yoke” or unite. For us, yoga brings breath and movement, body and mind, self and the world, intention and action to transform ourselves, our relationships and our communities. We have aligned our love of yoga and mindfulness with curricular themes so that in working with teachers, you can implement these activities without religious reference. In yoga, a body movement is called an asana, however to be school friendly we call asana simply poses or mindful movements. Instead of using the term meditation, which is the practice of understanding and embodying our whole and most brilliant selves, we approach this practice through the art of mindfulness. Mindfulness centers on present moment where you accept awareness of your breath, body, emotions, and thoughts. (you can also use the term “brain breaks”) Scientific research has demonstrated the benefits of both yoga and mindfulness on teachers well-being and how these impact teaching. Teacher well-being directly impacts their ability to be present, calm and responsive to students in their classrooms. Teacher well-being directly impacts students social emotional outcomes and academic performance. So it only stands to reason, supporting teachers well- being has a direct impact on the academic performance and social emotional outcomes of our students.
(1) Schwarzer, R. & Hallun, S. (2008) Perceived teacher self-efficacy as a predictor of job stress and burnout: Mediation Analysis. Applied Psychology, 57(s1) 152-171. Yoga is…
A system of connecting the whole self: body, mind, and spirit OR the 3 B’s: Body, Brain & Breath
What are the benefits of yoga for teachers and students? Teachers:
► 1) Reduces Stress And Anxiety. ...
► 2) Improves Memory And Attention Span. ...
► 3) Helps To Manage Weight. ...
► 4) Improves Flexibility, Balance And Posture. ...
► 5) Teaches Correct Breathing Techniques. ...
► 6) Promotes Mindfulness. ...
► 7) Encourages Self-Love And Self-Care. https://www.jbcnschool.edu.in/blog/benefits-of-yoga-in-schools/ https://www.breatheforchange.com/about/our-research
How does it help?
►Yoga works on a neurobiological level by calming the physical symptoms of hyperarousal, ►such as increased heart rate, ►exaggerated startle response,
►and high cortisol levels (Brotto, Mehak, & Kit, 2009).
Grounding principles of
Secular Yoga 1. Core features are: physical postures, breathing exercises, relaxation, mindfulness
2. The “yoking” of yoga is with mind and body
3. Informed by and responsive to yoga research
3. Access and inclusion for all students (RTI Level 1)
3. Not religious, spiritual or comprised of practices, symbols or narratives from historical, religious traditions
6. Does not integrate cultural artifacts associated with traditional yoga, (chanting, Sanskrit)
Cook-Cottone, C, Mindfulness and Yoga in Schools (2017)
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE Yoga and Mindfulness for students:
• Empirical research suggests that yoga and mindfulness practices at school may have a number of positive effects on student health, behavior, attention and performance
• Addresses the whole child, thus maximizing the development of academic, social and emotional learning competencies
• Supports classroom and overall school climate.
• Educators experience improvements in classroom management, physical symptoms, teaching efficacy, well-being, stress reduction and burnout prevention. www.yoga4classrooms.com/supporting-research https://www.breatheforchange.com/about/our-research
Yoga IS mindfulness
Being present in the moment with kindness and curiosity.
What is Mindfulness? DEFINING MINDFULNESS
Being present in the moment with kindness and curiosity.
Expanded: Being present with what’s happening in the moment, inside and outside ourselves, with kindness and curiosity, so that we can respond versus react. Yoga IS mindfulness
Mindfulness practices improve ability to:
• adaptively and effectively shift attention when needed • successfully self-regulate the feelings and stress • concentrate deeply on an object, task or thought • be open to experience • free the mind from habitual, automatic thinking • nurture and appreciate all subjective experiences
Mindfulness Body Scan Now let’s build off the foundation of your own wellbeing and bring wellness to your students ► This next section is intended to provide you with resources to integrate what you have learned so far into your instruction and interactions with your students.
► Through committing to your own wellbeing and implementing these practices into your classrooms and schools, you are empowering students and teachers to show up as their authentic selves.
► You are developing a generation committed to and capable of overcoming injustices and challenges of our time. Yoga and Mindfulness In your Classroom
Some Components to add to your classroom
1. Settling In
2. Breath Awareness
3. Mindful Movement- Yoga
4. Community Connecting – Partner and community mindful yoga movements
5. Focus- Mindfulness techniques
Settle In Activity 1
► Primary & Secondary Grades: Self Awareness and Self Management
► Settle into a comfortable seat in a circle
► Bring your hands to your heart or one hand to your heart and other to your belly or on your lap
► Focus your eyes on one point or you can even close them if your are comfortable
► Now listen to your breathing- inhale and exhale
► Let’s take 3 collective breaths together
► Now share a smile with your friends across the circle After doing the activity ask these reflective questions:
1. How do you feel after taking 3 collective breaths?
2. Do you feel different than you did before?
3. For Primary grades- what was it like to breath with your friends?
4. For Secondary grades- When might it be useful for you to take deep breaths during the day?
Breath Awareness Activity 1
► Primary Grades- self management, focus, playful learning
► Breaths of joy to energize and clear our minds and have fun
► Find an open space that gives each child room to move and plant their feet firmly on the ground
► As they breathe in (inhale #1) lift arms up to the sky. Inhale a little deeper (inhale #2), lifting your hands even higher. Breathe in the last bit of air (inhale #3) reaching as high as you can.
► Exhale all your air out as you fold forward and swing your arms toward the ground and behind your legs
► Let’s do this one more time together and this last time, bring one hand to your heart and the other to your belly. Notice your energy now. After doing the activity ask these reflective questions:
1. How did you feel when doing the Breaths of Joy
2. How do you feel now?
3. How did this activity change our bodies and minds? Breath Awareness Activity 1
► Secondary Grades- self management, social awareness, and relationship skills
► Circle and settle in
► Share that sometimes we feel overwhelmed with our thoughts, emotions and sensations going inside our bodies. Rather than holding onto this discomfort, we have the power to release whatever is not serving us through our breath.
► First, we are going to release any sensations that are not serving us. Notice where you are holding any tension in your body perhaps where your muscles are tightening. Take a deep breath in, connect to those sensations, exhale and set that tension free, go ahead let it go. Let’s do this two more times.
► Next, we are going to release any emotions that aren’t serving us. Connect to these feelings within you. Feelings like anger, guilt, shame, hurt, to name a few. Now take a deep breath in and then exhale and set all those feelings free, go ahead, let them go. Let’s do this two more times.
► Finally, we are going to do the same with any thought that aren’t serving us. Notice any negative thoughts you have about yourself or someone else. Take a deep breath in, connect to those thoughts, exhale and let them go. Let’s do this two more times.
► Let’s end with 3 collective breaths. Reflective Questions: How did it feel to blow away things that are not serving you? How does it feel to release emotions that don’t serve you? How do you feel now? Mindful Movement Community Connection Activity 1
► Primary Grades- self management, relationship skills
► We are going to create a human heart. Pick a partner and find an open space where you both can move.
► Stand up hip to hip with your other heart’s other half, facing the same direction. Press the edges of your inside feet together, and take a big step out wide with you outer foot.
► Move into a warrior pose by rotating your back foot out, and bending at your front knee. Reach your arms out wide and focus you gaze over your front fingertips. Feel your inner strength, as you take a few more powerful breaths.
► From here, turn your front palm up to the sky, reach your finger tips away from your other heart half. On your next breath create a human heart by reaching back into your Peaceful warrior and clasping hands.
► Now take some breaths and feel your hearts beating together
► Look around and see all our human hearts. Reflective Questions? Community Connection Activity 1
► Secondary Grades- social awareness, responsible decision making, collaboration skills
► Choose a partner about the same height as you as we are going to create a chair pose with our partner. This takes stamina, clear communication, and collaboration and requires that we respect our own and each other’s bodies.
► Stand back to back and hook your arms at your elbows. Press the low part of your backs together.
► Slowly lower down, bending at the knees, until you feel as though you are sitting in a chair.
► Inhale and exhale together in your chair feeling your breaths rise and fall.
► Take a few more collective breaths. With each exhalation, sink just a little deeper into your chair.
► When you feel ready, slowly push your feet into the ground and pull yourselves up to standing Turn around to acknowledge or give a high five to your partner!
► Slowly return to standing. Reflective Questions?
Our Community Poses
Some fun community poses
Sahuarita Intermediate School 3rd Grade Project
►Pre Survey ►5 sessions ►Weekly Lesson Plan ►Post Survey Results
5 sessions
►Breathing… Various breathing techniques/ Group work ►Focus/ Chime Listening/ Candle Gazing ►Poses/ Seated/ Standing/ Floor/ Balancing ►Journal ►Desk Rest/ Visualizations
Pre/ Post Survey ► 1. I can explain what yoga is and tell 5 ways it can help me to be a better learner. ► 2. I know what mindfulness is and I can do it. ► 3. Which of the following are yoga poses: Mountain, Table, Down Facing Dog, All of the above, I don’t know ► 4. Learning yoga techniques can help me to: Have fewer fights, focus better in class, manage my stress, all of the above, I don’t know ▪ 5.I pay attention in class and have a positive attitude about learning. ▪ 6. A “brain break” is: Hurting my head, exercising my brain, doing a different activity, I don’t know.
Sahuarita Intermediate School Results What did students say?
► When my sister and I were fighting, I used some techniques at home that we learned in school. ► Breathing helps me calm down ► Yoga and mindfulness help me to focus and pay attention. ► I know how to clear my mind to be a better listener and focus on the teacher. ► I know more strategies to be a better listener. ► I added a new pose in a play we were doing, the Praying Mantis!
Balancing High Energy www.yoga4classrooms.com
Pre-Testing Sequence www.yoga4classrooms.com
► Yoga, Mindfulness and Self-Care
►PREVENTS BURNOUT! ► A study of yoga on practicing educators showed an increased ability and capacity to deal with negative emotions ► Increased clarity of thought and capacity for reflection were often mentioned as beneficial mental effects of practice.
► Greater capacity for empathy and compassion (Schure, Christopher, & Christopher, 2008) Summary ►Everyone can DO YOGA!!! ► Injecting yogic practices and mindfulness sessions in your class can: ►improve psychological well-being ►improve your ability to cope with vicarious trauma and burnout and improve YOUR psychological well-being
Kids love yoga! Don’t Flip Yo’ Lid!!
► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he-fW9_3egw
► Glenview Elementary, Madison, Wisconsin Resources
► www.yoga4classrooms.com
► https://www.breatheforchange.com/about/our-movement References
► www.yoga4classrooms.com
► https://www.breatheforchange.com/about/our-movement
► Schure, M. B., Christopher, J., & Christopher, S. (2008). Mind–body medicine and the art of self-care: Teaching mindfulness to counseling students through yoga, Meditation, and Qigong. Journal of Counseling & Development, 86(1), 47-56. DOI: 10.1002/j.1556-6678.2008.tb00625.x
► Cook-Cottone, Catherine P., (2017. Mindfulness and Yoga in Schools: A Guide for Teachers and Practitioners.Springer Publishing Company.
► [5] Flook, L., Goldberg, S. B., Pinger, L., Bonus, K., & Davidson, R. J. (2013). Mindfulness for teachers: A pilot study to assess effects on stress, burnout, and teaching efficacy. Mind, Brain, and Education, 7(3), 182-195.
► 8] Roeser, R., Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Jha, A., Cullen, M., Wallace, L., Wilensky, R., … Harrison, J. (2013). Mindfulness training and reductions in teacher stress and burnout: Results from two randomized, waitlist-control field trials. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 787–804.
► [10] Hülsheger, U. R., Alberts, H. J., Feinholdt, A., & Lang, J. W. (2013). Benefits of mindfulness at work: The role of mindfulness in emotion regulation, emotional exhaustion, and job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(2), 310.
► [13] Kirp, D. L. (2014, January 12). Meditation transforms roughest San Francisco schools. Retrieved from http://www.sfgate.com/...