After teaching yoga to kids in elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods in DC for over a year, a group of our volunteer teachers got together to discuss lessons learned which may be helpful for other teachers reaching out to this community.  A big thank you to Sarah Walter, Dawn Hennesy, Alexis Mitchell and Scott Carson for compiling this resource.

Suggested Class Format:

• Beginning – intention setting
• Physical warm-up: Sharing a focus/building heat
• Time to work – finding power in the body
• Expansion – play/explore
• Building strength – abs/back
• Winding Down – transitioning to calmness
• Savasana – stillness/release
• Closing – taking your yoga with you!

What Works?

• Timing of classes for kids yoga – 30 to 40 minutes (max) is best to maintain their attention!
• Boundary setting needs to be an important part of first class (and each thereafter)
• Structuring class is a good idea, but also being okay with not following the plan based on the energy of the group
• Games /Interactive learning techniques that have worked well to incorporate:
  • Yoga Freeze Dance
  • Have students teach each other and build upon knowledge of poses (after a few sessions)
    • Yoga Deck
    • Yogi Says
    • Charades
  • Learning Sanskrit words
    • Guessing the right name and how to say it
  • Chanting Ommmmmmm – great technique to center the group
  • Teaching Surya A and Surya B – building on each other each week introducing something new
• For assistant – have this role be more a of a partnership, a co-teaching relationship
• Have at least 1 certified instructor + teacher trainee/dedicated student
• Use no mats/same color mats to minimize distraction of mat selections
• Using music/changing music important during class
• Try to incorporate body awareness/relaxation during Savasana as much as possible

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