Yoga Breaks for Classroom Teachers

As a former first grade teacher in the NYC public school system, I know what it's like to try to teach over 20 kids how to read, write, do math, treat each other with kindness and everything else expected of teachers, all with very little outside help. The kids I taught came from a low income area of Brooklyn with little resources to help them succeed in the world. I struggled to get them to focus and sit still while also attempting to get them to reach the goals the system had set for them. 

I started teaching them yoga in between lessons, during lessons, in the hallway, after lunch, after school and it seemed to be working. After 5 years in the classroom, I knew I had a higher calling. 





San Francisco was where I started my biz Full of Joy Yoga. I decided that as a former teacher, it would be my mission to get teachers to use yoga in the classroom. 15 years later, now in CT, I'm still working on this mission. I teach a lot of classes in preschools, elementary schools, yoga studios and after school programs. I have done lots of workshops for teachers and facilitate teacher trainings for anyone looking to get certified to teach yoga. I decided last spring that my focus going forward was going to be more about working with teachers to bring it to their classes, then me actually teaching in the classroom. 

There are 2 New Haven public schools that have me coming in to work with their teachers this fall on what we are calling "Yoga Breaks." I am in the process of creating currriculum for them to use that will allow them to feel successfull using yoga in their classrooms, without even having had formal yoga training. 

We've all seen the studies that say yoga & mindfulness help kids to self regulate, focus, calm themselves when needed, feel ready to take tests, get out that extra energy, decrease anxiety, and become present. Our kids will become that much more successful in navigating their life as they grow if they have these tools under their belt at a young age. I know I would have succeeded better in college and beyond had I known how to breathe in stressful situations. 

My introduction to yoga at 23 was a life changer for me. I'm 44 now, so 21 years of this practice has gotten me through some extremely rough patches in life (see last weeks post). If we can bring these simple exercises, games, poses and tools into the classroom, we'll have a happier, more peaceful future generation. 



6 Yoga Breaks for Your Classroom

1) Mountain/Volcano — Stand in mountain with arms straight overhead or hands together. Say "mountain!" 

Rub hands together and bring down and jump arms and legs open into standing star while saying "Volllllcano!"  

I promise you even your 5th grader will enjoy this one.

2) Lion’s Breath — This can be done sitting at desks, or on the floor. Bring hands up near head, inhale as you scrunch hands and face, then, open hands, eyes and mouth and stick out your tongue and exhale with a loud "ahhhhhhh." 

Lion's breath is such a great release of energy. My favorite time to use this when I was teaching was when I started losing kids attention in the middle of a lesson. We would all just stop and do a lion's breath or 3 to re-focus us. It's also a great one to use before a test to calm some of the anxiety. Kids also love to make loud sounds when given permission!

3) Tense and Relax — Ask the students to sit in their seats with their eyes closed. Tell them to tense up all of their muscles at one time, squeezing as tight as they can. Count to 3 and then let go. Let them know that some of their muscles squeeze like that without them even knowing it when they are feeling mad, sad, scared or nervous. Ask them to notice what muscles feel tight and to practice breathing deeply and relaxing them. You can also focus on one body part at a time each day.

4) Alphabet Yoga — Get creative by using your body to make the letters of the alphabet. Kids can try the letters in their own name. Letters can also be made with partners or groups. This one is fun to do during transition times, if you are in line waiting for the bathroom, or if you have an extra 10 min that needs to be filled. I love watching kids get creative with this activity- there is no wrong way to do each letter!

5) Syllable Name Game — Clap out the syllables in your name. Once you determine how many your name has, make up a stretch with the same number of movements as the number of syllables in your name. The whole class can do each kids name stretch. It can become a fun memory game as well- see if you can go back and remember the stretch for each person! This one is great to do at the beginning of the school year when you are just getting to know your students. I learned this fun activity from my good friend and mentor Jodi of Next Generation Yoga. I have grown to love it!

6) Mindful Bodies— Explain that being mindful is paying attention to what is happening at the present moment. When we have mindful bodies, it means we need to get really still. Have the kids push their chairs away from the desks and face the front of the room. See if the kids can get so still that not one body part moves. Ask them what they notice when they are still (it gets really quiet). Once you have still & quiet bodies, see if you can sit like that for 1 minute. It's a challenging practice, but one that makes a big difference in your day. Letting the kids see what it feels like to be present, still, calm & quiet, even for just a minute. This is a great exercise to do the same time every day until its a routine. If you are looking for more mindfulness activities to do with your students, mindfulschools.org has wonderful ideas.

Are you a teacher who uses yoga in your classroom? Or a yoga teacher with more ideas for teachers? Or a teacher who is interested in Yoga Breaks? Please share your ideas with us, and if you are interested in learning more about "Yoga Breaks," please contact me directly at lani@fullofjoyoga.com.