Top Tips For Teaching Yoga In Schools - Tip #41: Ideas For Supporting Students From Afar
Hi there,
Welcome back!
Life has been happening FAST lately, and it’s hard to believe that we are almost to winter break!
I’ve been in conversations with yoga teachers and fellow educators lately, where they’ve highlighted that some programming is still happening online. As COVID cases surge in many areas of the country, many schools are buckling down on outside providers coming in, or moving programs virtual, or they’ve kept them that way since last year. We’re also approaching winter break, and the end of the semester, which is often a time when programming wraps up before a new session begins.
So, I wanted to share, once again, some ideas for supporting students from afar. Just because your classes are wrapping up or shifting online, doesn’t mean your engagement with your students has to stop. I’m loving the idea of supporting students beyond the 30-minutes or an hour they engage in class.
I hope you find these helpful as we navigate the ever changing yoga and education landscapes!
Tip #41: Ideas For Supporting Students from Afar
This school year has been tough for everyone. With kids back in classrooms, we’re beginning to see just how much of a toll the pandemic has taken on them. Now, more than ever, our kids need a safe space to move, breathe, and connect with themselves.
Below are a few tips (this is by no means a comprehensive list) on ways you can continue to support your students from afar, be it over school breaks, or if your programming has moved virtual once again.
Offer pre-recorded classes to your students (and maybe even their teachers / families) to watch on their own over breaks, or to engage with on their own time.
When teaching virtually consider the following:
Offer shorter sessions (no more than 30 minutes max of asana)
Pre-record short, 2-3 minute mindfulness sessions for students and longer movement based sessions
Teach without music (if you want to offer the option for kids to practice with music, consider creating a public Spotify playlist and sharing the link in the video description)
Offer Reflection Activities: If you can’t teach virtually, or don’t feel comfortable doing so, consider offering your students self-guided yoga reflection activities to support an at-home yoga / mindfulness practice!
When offering reflection activities consider the following:
Create daily journal prompts for students to answer based on a weekly theme like gratitude, kindness, empathy, or love
Ask students to pick a “pose of the day” to practice (or give them one each day) and have them reflect on what they noticed before and after, what was easy or hard, etc…
Encourage students to practice mindfulness while eating, listening, communicating, or walking and have them reflect on what they noticed during the activity
Yoga Challenges: Keep your students engaged with yoga and mindfulness through a yoga challenge.
Post a pose / activity of the day for students and their families to practice, and then have them submit a picture of themselves completing the meditation, pose, challenge, or sequence! Additionally, for older or more experienced students, have them pick a pose to practice (or even teach to a family member) that matches their mood or the needs in the moment and submit it to you / share it with their peers.
Connect Students to Existing Resources: Luckily, there are tons of existing resources for students to access / engage with right now. So, if you’re unable to support them personally, consider providing them with links to classes, activities, readings, and more.
When connecting students to existing resources, consider the following:
Make sure materials are age appropriate (this means, watch videos and read articles before sending links to students and families)
If possible, find resources that are accessible to all skill levels, AND that reflect diversity of students
These tips aren’t at all comprehensive, but I hope they help you consider all of the ways in which you can continue to reflect, serve, and show up for your students and families even when you aren’t with them in class.
Tip Takeaway: You can still support your students from afar, even if you don’t want to or can’t teach virtual yoga classes! Think about what makes the most sense for you at this time, and then get creative and have fun with creating a plan to support your students through yoga challenges, reflections, and age-appropriate videos and readings!