My students are from a rural area of Southern Oregon and many of them struggle socially and emotionally.
It hurts my heart that many of my students are unable to focus on learning and act out due to circumstances beyond their control.
I've made it my goal to teach my students yoga, not only to help them focus, but to teach them about our mindful bodies and how to forgive, how to focus on what they are grateful for, and how to love themselves.
Learning is important, but before students can learn, I need to nurture their emotional needs.
My Project
This is my thirteenth year teaching elementary education. Five years ago, I left my job here in Grants Pass to teach in Taipei, Taiwan. Three years later, I was back teaching in Southern Oregon. I was surprised at a cultural shift that took place in such a short time, especially in terms of behavior. At our school, our staff is trained in ACES: Adverse Childhood Experiences, to help and understand students in crisis. What I notice is that the behavior is worse with my students who struggle day-to-day, or hour-to-hour, to control their anger. I recently was introduced to Yoga Foster, a program for teachers to teach mindful movement and breathing to our students.
Teaching mindfulness via yoga will not only help my students stay centered when they are feeling frustrated, but it will help them deal with their life struggles, help them to maintain friendships and give them the confidence and tools to persevere when feeling challenged both socially and emotionally.
Having yoga mats will help personalize and make this journey more real for them.
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