natalia gomez and danica mathis presented by · explore yoga and meditation practices for the...
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Utilizing Yoga and Mindfulness in the Classroom (Grades K-12)
Presented by:
Natalia Gomez and Danica Mathis
About us…
● Graduated from ISU together ● Through our teaching experience we both found the need to make a deeper
connection with students● Hosted “Zumga” classes for kids ● Collaborated on methods to use in the classroom ● Attended several professional developments geared towards social emotional
learning ● We have gained a passion for sharing the wonders of mindfulness with our
students
About Natalia...
● 12 years of teaching experience (Speech and Language , Bilingual Education) ● Dual Language Coordinator and EL Teacher/Coach at CPS’ Hibbard Elementary● Incorporated mindful practices into my own personal life● Implemented mindful practices in my first grade classroom ● Mindful Mondays Yoga Club for 5th/6th graders ● Zumba Instructor ● What I know for sure:
○ Students need a time and space to be mindful
○ Mindfulness is a huge factor in educating the whole child
○ Now more than ever children need to be explicitly taught social-emotional skills
About Danica...
● Joined the Peace Corps teaching English in Nicaragua ● Taught Spanish for 3 years at Austin High School on the west side of
Chicago● Have been teaching Spanish at Oak Forest High School for 7 years● Currently a certified Yoga Instructor, incorporate Yoga and Mindfulness
into my classroom and teach Yoga for Teachers at Oak Forest High School.
● Lead workshops on Mindfulness for Teens● What I know for sure:
○ Students need much more than content.○ Relationships built with students will last a lifetime.○ High School is HARD!
Today's Objectives
● Understand Mindfulness, its benefits, and its impact on teachers and students● Gain tools and creative ways to make the inclusion of mindfulness in your
classroom fun and applicable● Learn how to promote positive student behavior● Experience Mindful practices that can be used daily● Explore Yoga and Meditation practices for the classroom
Let’s check in...
Task: Breath count for 1 minute
A tortoise breathes 6 breaths a minute and lives on average 120 years.
A mouse breathes 50-60 breaths a minute and lives on average 1-2 years.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, without judgment.
We can be aware of our senses, and of our thoughts and emotions.
It helps us to respond, not react.
It is simple.
But it is not often easy.
What Mindfulness is not…
It is not thinking about nothing... It’s being aware of our thoughts.
It is not long periods of passive sitting… It can be active such as yoga, walking, daily routines, etc
It is not living only in the present, never thinking about the pastor planning for the future… It is awareness and deliberate attention – even on the act of planning.
It is not zoning OUT… It’s zoning IN. It is purposeful awareness.
Research shows… ● Teachers who learn mindfulness reported greater efficacy in doing their jobs
and had more emotionally supportive classrooms and better classroom organization.
● Students benefit from learning mindfulness in terms of improved cognitive outcomes, social-emotional skills and well being.
● Mindfulness creates changes in the brain that correspond to less reactivity and better ability to engage in tasks, even when emotions are activated.
● Those who practice mindfulness have shown improvement in the areas of paying attention, self-control, participation and showing care for others.
● Studies find that mindfulness reduces feelings of stress and improves anxiety and distress when placed in a stressful situation.
www.mindfulschools.org
PAUSE… Before we move on, let’s to take a moment to pause,
take a deep breath,
and sense what it’s like to be alive in this very moment.
What is Yoga?
Yoga means “union”. It is the joining together the aspects of ourselves which were never divided in the first place.
Yoga is a practice of:
● Exercise● Breathing● Meditation
*Yoga is contained within religion but religion is NOT contained within Yoga.
Yoga for Everybody
Simple Asana: Poses
Cat/Cow-In chair
Forward Fold-Uttanasana
Tree Pose-Vrksanasana
Elementary setting…
Routines and Practices
● Morning meditation ● Morning meeting (message, greeting)● Mid-morning/Afternoon yoga● Afternoon meeting (sharing)● Affirmations ● Instrumental music● Essential Oils
*Get creative with time and behavior management
High School Setting…
Routines and Practices
● Mindful Minute (Zen Cards)● Instrumental music-Spanish Guitar● Breathing techniques before quizzes/exams● Essential Oils ● Simple Asana-Yoga poses seated and standing● Mudras● Yoga in Spanish● Mindful Workshops for managing stress
Why this works for us...
● When your breath is rapid and shallow, the Sympathetic Nervous System is “turned on” or activated which puts the body in a fight or flight stage containing emotions such as fear, embarrassment, or rage.
● When you do something simple such as breathing deeply, you are going into a place in your nervous system that is CALMING.
● These mindful techniques and yoga practices allow our students to activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System. ○ Students are telling their bodies to be relaxed
○ Students can think more clearly
○ Students are allowed to respond rather than react
Group Practice…
Zen Cards: Practicing Mindfulness together
Choose 1 card.
Place card picture side up in the center of the table.
One person will read the directions out loud to the group.
The rest of the group will perform the task.
Our students say…
● “I like it because when I'm super stressed out, the breathing helps relieve stress.” Raimundo● “It's a small amount of time where I can think about my day and get my thoughts organized. It's
relaxing to just think about our day and go through our thoughts”-Silvia● “It lets me relax and refocus on what's important in life especially on days where there is a lot of
school stress and outside distractions. I use these techniques in high stress situations to stay calm its a lifesaver at work.”-Juan
Resources… Mindyeti.com
Gonoodle.com
Headspace.com
Calmclassroom.com
Overcomingobstacles.org
MindfulSchools.org
Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube
Happy Teachers Change the World: A Guide for Cultivating Mindfulness in Education by Thich Nhat Hanh
Yoga Pretzels
Best of all...
We’ve had such positive work experiences (best we’ve ever had) and we firmly believe it’s because of mindfulness and the environment we have been able to create with our students.
We are ONTO SOMETHING!
Next Steps...
How can I implement mindfulness in my classroom?
Questions and Discussion…
Reach out to us anytime for more information!
Natalia - [email protected]
Danica- [email protected]