What prompted you
to participate in the Stretch What Matters Level 1 yoga training?
I am a
Kindergarten teacher and I have a background in dance and was hoping to expand
my repertoire in terms of ways of meeting the needs of the diverse population one
teaches in a public school setting. I
really believe in the mind-body connection and I thought, “what better way to
reach kids than yoga?!”
What did you take
away most from the level 1 training?
Well, first of
all, my hopes for the training were met and surpassed! Elizabeth had a wonderful way of imparting
knowledge and empowering the participants to find and share their own unique
“gift” through the vehicle of yoga. I
also felt that this approach was feasible for many ages and populations and
there were so many tangible, practical applications that I enjoyed trying out
with my students almost immediately! I
loved that we practiced first as students, learning both the theory and then
applying the practice with each other prior to attempting with our own students; it made for a smooth and more confident
transmission of knowledge and practice.
Even the smallest moments relating to breath and mindfulness became so
powerful once I saw my students practicing it themselves!
What makes
bringing yoga and mindfulness strategies to children a challenge, and how have
you remedied it?
The challenge for my particular situation is the sheer class size, range of abilities and time constraints. However, Elizabeth and the other participants all had wonderful ideas about how to cater or modify the practice to suit individual needs. For example, one such activity was to pair a student whom might have a harder time breathing slowly with two others who are able to breath slowly and hold hands as they guide each other—something so simple yet incredibly helpful! I also shifted my approach to fit my needs time-wise in that I use bits and pieces of the training throughout the day or week for smaller chunks of time rather than a “typical” full class period.
How have you witnessed the benefits of sharing yoga and mindfulness with the children you teach?
I took this training toward the latter part of an academic school year and even in the relatively short amount of time in which I had to implement aspects of the training, I have seen students improve in terms of coping skills, relaxation techniques, and focus and attention. There is also a clear correlation to motivation – kids simply love yoga and ask for it because it’s fun and it feels good to them! Some of them even wrote about it as their favorite part of their school year J
How have you
witnessed the benefits of yoga and mindfulness within yourself?
My overall patience, ability to be present in the moment and put all of life’s challenges in perspective has been the most apparent shift in my day-to-day life. Just breathe…
About Jessica Jessica is a creative, inclusive and passionate kindergarten teacher for the Natick Public School System. She is the loving mother of her 2-year-old yogi (on the left) and she and her husband are excitedly awaiting the birth of their second child!
Elizabeth Goranson, M.S.Ed, RYT is the President of Stretch What Matters, LLC and the creator of the first visual yoga system. Elizabeth offers yoga and mindfulness programs for those with special needs. To learn more about her teacher trainings and patented yoga system, please visit: www.StretchWhatMatters.com
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Upcoming Teacher Trainings:
October 18-20, 2014
Roots & Wings Yoga & Healing Arts Center, Natick, MA
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