Yoga in the Classroom

Thanks to local yoga enthusiasts Jenny Armor Williams and Lynda West, Portsmouth teachers have the opportunity to teach and practice yoga exercises right in the classroom!  Students are learning different basic yoga moves depending on different times throughout their day specific to the activity they are engaged in.  Sometimes students need to energize their bodies and focus their attention, especially if they are being presented with new information.  Sometimes students need to calm down as they transition from one subject to another.  There are specific yoga exercises to help kids transition through these times throughout their school day.  My students look forward to the few minutes we spend during our day, focusing their attention on how their bodies react to specific learning situations.  A visit last week from Lynda West, quickly gave my students the moves they needed to train their bodies to react to different situations the day asks of them.  With Lynda, my students were holding poses, breathing through moves and stretching their bodies all in an effort cope with the stresses of the day.  Students receive 2 days of physical education taught by their regular PE teacher.  Fortunately for them this year, in addition to PE, these yoga exercises take place right in the classroom in their own seats!