Description
This course aims to familiarize educators with Yoga practice as a powerful tool for handling stress, improving their teaching skills, and increasing their physical, mental, and emotional health. While it is suitable for absolute beginners, it is also meant to be enjoyable for those who have already taken basic or intermediate yoga classes.
By experiencing different yoga styles, and thus several poses, breathing, and meditation techniques, throughout the course, participants will learn how these practices can enhance their ability to maintain a favorable climate in their school community and support resilience in and out of the classroom.
Teachers will be also provided with the latest scientific evidence about the benefits of Mind-body interventions, especially in school environments. Finally, a part of the course will be dedicated to the best practices of introducing children and teens to yoga and meditation techniques.
Learning outcomes
The course will help the participants to:
- Prevent the effects of stress on educators and develop healthy strategies for dealing with the daily work demands;
- Foster participants’ ability to relax;
- Learn the best practices to improve student’s emotional balance, through practical and experiential activities which can be adapted to any classroom;
- Favor students’ search for self-awareness and identity and thus promote changes in brain areas associated with attention and decision-making;
- Learn about recent research findings in Education.
Tentative schedule
Day 1 – Course introduction & intro to Yoga
- Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;
- Icebreaker activities using drama for trust and ensemble building;
- Identification of needs and goals for each participant and relevant populations;
- Learning easy yoga exercises you can do on your own- anywhere, anytime;
- Yoga – an overview;
- Effects of stress in educational environments;
- Discussion and group activities;
- Presentations of the participants’ schools.
Day 2 – Start your day off right
- Gentle yoga sequence to start your day off the right way;
- The science of yoga: what research has proven and why it matters to you and your school discussion and group activities;
- Exercises for achieving deep relaxation.
Day 3 – The science behind Yoga
- Gentle yoga sequence to start your day off the right way;
- The science of yoga: what research has proven and why it matters to you and your school (part II);
- Yoga postures: a basic sequence;
- Guided meditation.
Day 4 – Yoga and relaxation
- Energizing Morning Yoga Routine;
- Yoga and meditation in the classroom: best practices for children;
- Breathing exercises;
- Yoga postures: a basic sequence;
- Guided meditation.
Day 5 – Yoga for your students
- Energizing Morning Yoga Routine;
- Yoga and meditation in the classroom: best practices for teens Breathing exercises.
Day 6 – Course closure & cultural activities
- Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
- Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
- Excursion and other external cultural activities.