My students often come from families who struggle financially which can bring high levels of stress and chaos. In my psychology class, we do a standard unit about altered states of consciousness. Often, yoga is a part of that lesson. Two years ago, I decided to try another type of yoga - Restorative Yoga.
The goal of Restorative Yoga is to find stillness and silence in a chaotic world - something my students need desperately. I wasn't entirely sure how my students would take to it, but they loved it. In fact, they asked to do it every day. They reported feeling calmer, more focused and less reactive to the small and large stressors of daily life - those stressors that often get in the way of being a successful student. Unfortunately, the only mats available to us are ones we borrow from the PE department, and it takes precious class time to procure them if they are even available.
I would like to extend the gift of Restorative Yoga to all of my classes, not just psychology. We may not be able to do it every day, but readily accessible classroom yoga mats and bolsters will allow us to quickly do 10-15 minutes throughout the semester.
The thicker mats will be warmer and more comfortable on a hard and cold tile floor. The washable bolster covers will be filled with thrift store blankets to save money, and the yoga blankets will be used in place of the bolsters, which is economical and allows for some flexibility. While this request isn't a typical one from a school, I have already seen the benefits that a few moments of mindfulness bring to my students' days.
About my class
My students often come from families who struggle financially which can bring high levels of stress and chaos. In my psychology class, we do a standard unit about altered states of consciousness. Often, yoga is a part of that lesson. Two years ago, I decided to try another type of yoga - Restorative Yoga.
The goal of Restorative Yoga is to find stillness and silence in a chaotic world - something my students need desperately. I wasn't entirely sure how my students would take to it, but they loved it. In fact, they asked to do it every day. They reported feeling calmer, more focused and less reactive to the small and large stressors of daily life - those stressors that often get in the way of being a successful student. Unfortunately, the only mats available to us are ones we borrow from the PE department, and it takes precious class time to procure them if they are even available.
I would like to extend the gift of Restorative Yoga to all of my classes, not just psychology. We may not be able to do it every day, but readily accessible classroom yoga mats and bolsters will allow us to quickly do 10-15 minutes throughout the semester.
The thicker mats will be warmer and more comfortable on a hard and cold tile floor. The washable bolster covers will be filled with thrift store blankets to save money, and the yoga blankets will be used in place of the bolsters, which is economical and allows for some flexibility. While this request isn't a typical one from a school, I have already seen the benefits that a few moments of mindfulness bring to my students' days.
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