Complete ChildLight Yoga and Mindfulness for Children Teacher Training in Dover, NH, to -- as the school counselor -- help young people develop body awareness, manage stress through breathing and access an alternative to tuning out through constant attachment to electronic devices.
As a School Counselor, I believe that every student is capable of high levels of success with the right individualized supports in place. A social/emotional support that I began implementing several years ago is yoga. At the time, I knew very little about teaching yoga. Now, after 66 intensive hours of Yoga and Mindfulness for Children training, I am equipped to meet the unique needs of students. This experience will add depth and purpose to the yoga I share with the students I serve.
Before this experience, I taught yoga postures and breathing techniques to students in an after school setting. After this experience, I am equipped with the skills needed to bring yoga and mindfulness to all students in a much more engaging and meaningful way. I learned ways to attend to the different learning styles by utilizing techniques that will benefit visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners while also engaging learners through multiple intelligences.
Connecting with like-minded and enthusiastic professionals who know the importance of social and emotional development of our students was such an unexpected yet exciting part of this experience! I was thrilled to meet such inspiring educators who, like me, want to deepen their skillset in order to meet the social/emotional needs of young people. These relationships will carry on beyond this experience and allow me to have a support system to call on as I implement the tools from the trainings.
I have a strategic plan of how to implement yoga and mindfulness into what I do on a day-to-day basis. One way my teaching will change is that I plan to teach 3 yoga sequences and 3 breathing techniques to all students in the school at the beginning of the year. There will be a seated (on rug) sequence, seated (at desks) and standing sequence that every student will know. This common language will then be able to used school-wide and implemented within each individual class.
I am planning on school-wide yoga/mindfulness implementation. I also plan to alter the language I use to be reflective and mindful of trauma-informed practices to be inclusive of all students and aware of potential triggers due to past traumas. My goal is not to make this "another thing" but instead integrate the tools I have learned into everything I do as a school counselor. Whether I am teaching about emotion management or bullying prevention, I can integrate these SEL tools to benefit all.
Because of my role as a school counselor, serving all students, staff, and families, I will have many opportunities to extend the reach of this experience. In addition to the ways I want to enrich the lives of our students with these tools. I am also planning to implement yoga and mindfulness in staff meetings to benefit our staff members and aid in self-care. In addition, I hope to host a "Social Emotional Learning" Night and invite families to learn about these supports and their benefits.
Trauma-Informed Practices should be an integral part of all schools. However, in my opinion, we spend much of the time talking about the problem and not enough time looking at supports, resources, interventions, and skills we can teach all students, not just those who have experienced trauma. This opportunity has opened my eyes to the ways yoga/mindfulness can be a mindset that sees all students as capable of success with the right tools. We are all continuously in the process of growth.
The very best teachers are lifelong learners! College does not teach the types of hands-on and individualized experiences like Fund for Teachers provides. My future students are the real winners because now I am equipped with the knowledge and understanding of how to teach yoga and mindfulness in a developmentally appropriate and meaningful way. I have research-based tools to utilize and a zest for using these tools to think outside the box as we support each and every student.
I value learning. Because of this, I often attend trainings/conferences. I am always reading and searching for more ways to support my students. However, none of those professional development opportunities have even come close to influencing me the way my Fund for Teachers experience has influenced me both personally and professionally. I feel equipped, rejuvenated, inspired, enlightened, and all around better prepared to positively impact my students because of this incredible opportunity.
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