Sample Yoga Ed. Curriculum
The four tools for teachers are Breathing, Poses, Time In (visualization) and Games. Four times throughout the day where Yoga Tools can be used are in the morning, in transition, before tests, and at the end of the day.
Here are a few samples of Yoga Tools for Teachers:
Simple yoga poses brought into the classroom can re connect body and breath, support learning and health, or make transition times restorative or energizing. Each yoga experience with Yoga Ed. Tools for Teachers can take less than 5 minutes, or only up to 15 minutes from the day! No experience is needed, these are easy to learn, and the children love to stretch and move.
Simple Morning Yoga Stretches:
Mountain Pose: Stand tall with your hands at your heart in a prayer position, press your feet firmly into the earth, and feel your head press up to the heavens. Then lace your fingers together in a steeple position and raise your hands up over your head, straighten your arms, and point your fingers to the sky. Close your eyes and imagine that you are a mountain, tall and strong.
Sunshine Breaths: Stand tall like a mountain, but with your hands by your side. Inhale, raise your arms up over your head, exhale, release them down along side the body. Inhale and Exhale slowly, continuing to reach your arms up and down, like you are gathering up the sunshine and bringing into your body for energy and strength and balance.
Hula Hoops: Place your hands on your hips and swing them around like you have a hula hoop, really slowed down. Like a hula dance! Move first in one direction and then the other. Stop and place your hands over your heart and listen quietly and feel your heartbeat.
Breathing Techniques to use during the day: It is important for teachers and students to regularly center themselves, just as artists or athletes do before they perform. Bringing in breathing exercises can help to establish a ritual of centering before a new task or activity. Breathing can be used as a centering technique, and taking time to focus on the breath takes just a few moments, and will help you and the students "come into the present moment." Breathing exercises help to develop awareness and strengthens the ability to release tension and to focus.
Balloon Breathing
Take a breath as you normally do. What do you notice? Is it shallow or deep? Tight or fluid? Is it short or fast or long and slow? Most of us only use a small portion of our lung capacity. This robs us of oxygen needed to think and to move. So, when you inhale, breathe all the way down into your belly. Imagine your abdomen is a balloon inflating and deflating. Let your whole torso fill up with air so that your ribs and chest expand. When you exhale, expel all the air from the lungs. Now try balloon breathing with your eyes closed. What color and shape is your balloon? How slowly can you inflate and deflate it?
Bear Breath
Inhale through the nose for 3 5 counts, hold for 1 2 counts, exhale through the nose for 3 5 counts, hold out for 1 2 counts, and repeat. Do this as slowly and smoothly as possible. Activate the power of the breath by choosing what they are breathing in, such as light, energy, love, strength or a color.
To learn more about how to bring Yoga Ed. Tools for Teachers into your life,
write to Sheila Magalhaes
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