Bell rings, Yoga is in Session
The emergence of attention deficit disorder (ADD), decreased emphasis on physical fitness, and increases the stress level of our children, to worry us all. With this in mind, several educational programs and public schools provide opportunities Yoga, by allowing their students to practice from an early age.
Parents who enjoy Yoga is pleased to share with their children. Even the federal government supports efforts: “Education Yoga” Federal Physical Education Program (PEP) grant valued at approximately $ 750,000 has helped train some 200 teachers nationwide in.
According to an article in News of Education, in October 2010, Yoga classes for different students from year-long regular exposure, as part of a Physical Education class standard for elective classes, usually less intense and sometimes offered during the school day, or before or after, school. Providing Yoga instruction costs, on average, $ 70 per class, but the cost to the school varies depending on the student’s ability to pay.
Nonprofit organization, which recognizes the value of Yoga exercises, has jumped on the bandwagon to support it. Charitable groups, Bent on Learning, raised $ 325,000 for kids Yoga in school in June 2011, through fundraising elite, with guests like Gwyneth Paltrow. Other organizations raise money on a smaller scale or “match making” opportunities between local volunteer yoga instructors and schools in need.
Best of all, there is definitive evidence that Yoga in schools leads to positive outcomes for students. Program Evaluation and Research Collaborative (PERC) is an independent entity, overseen by the California State University, and provide program evaluation and research services to local, state, federal agencies, and schools.
In 2003, they evaluated the “Yoga Ed” program in The Accelerated School (a California charter school). The study subjects were 405 students from kindergarten to 8th grade, and 18 core subject teachers. The Accelerated School is located in South Central Los Angeles, with a student body composed of 62% Hispanic and 36% African-American students.
Highlights of the results of this study are mentioned below.
“Yoga class participation appears to help students’ improve their attitudes toward themselves.
Yoga class participation helped improve students’ behavior.
Yoga class participation helped improve students’ physical health.
Yoga class participation helped students perform better in school academically.”
Conclusion
The introduction of Yoga programs has not been without controversy. Some critics of Yoga see its historic base, in Hindu spirituality, as a conflict with the ban on religious activity in public schools. To avoid this, the Yoga programs have developed alternative terms for components that have traditional names or supposed spiritual aspects. Hence, breathing techniques are now called “balloon breath,” “bunny breathing” and “dragon breath,” for example.
Therefore, if you are a Yoga teacher, who has been invited to teach Yoga in a public school, be aware that extremist objections can possibly surface. In such a case, it may be impossible to reason with the unreasonable. One option for public schools is “Yoga Fitness” or “Stretch and Breathe Classes.” At the very least, our children will learn to be fit, focus on their studies, and deal with daily stress.