Mindfulness and Yoga in Schools A Guide for Teachers and Practitioners

312 • PART iii: YogA foR EduCATing foR SElf-REgulATion And EngAgEMEnT

Program WebPage brief DescriPtion

Next

Generation

Yoga

nextgenerationyoga

.com

Next Generation Yoga encourages children to use their

whole bodies, minds, and intuitive senses as they learn

through embodied practice. Founded by Jodi Komitor, MA,

E-RYT 500, RCYT, a special educator with a master’s degree

in learning disabilities from Teachers College, Columbia

University, the program uses an interdisciplinary approach

that integrates ideals of traditional yoga with creativity and

fun. This includes playful yoga poses, animated breathing

exercises, and relaxation techniques along with the use of

books, props, and sensory elements. The program offers

free lesson plans, for-purchase lesson plan books, props,

music, and more in its shop. The teacher training for

school-based educators is an RCYS through Yoga Alliance

program.

Niroga http://www.niroga.org/

education/school/

The Niroga Institute is a non-profit organization that offers

mindful yoga to individuals, families, and communities.

Founder and Executive Director Bidyut Bose received the

Jefferson Award for Public Service. Programs serve up

to 2,000 students per week in public schools, alternative

schools, juvenile court placements, and drug and alcohol

rehab placements. The program offers 15-minute

transformative life skills in-class sessions, 30–70 minute

dynamic mindfulness classes, after school enrichment

classes, and transformative peer leadership class

during academic school time. The program is designed

for underserved schools. Programs are described as

trauma-informed and integrate mindful yoga, breathing

techniques, and meditation. For more on the program see

Bose (2013) and Frank (2012).

Om Schooled om-schooled.com Om Schooled trains yoga teachers, classroom educators,

and others to teach age-appropriate yoga to grades K to

5 with classes that align with state and physical education

standards. Om Schooled teacher trainings were developed

by Sarah Herrington after years of developing, managing,

and teaching yoga classes in New York City public, private,

and charter schools. Training can be completed in person or

online. Herrington wrote the book, Om Schooled: A Guide

to Teaching Kids Yoga in Real-World Schools (2012).

School, Inc. school-yoga.org School, Inc. is an acronym for Smiling Calm Hearts Open

Our Learning, Inc. It brings social and emotional learning

programs rooted in heart-centered mindful movement

to underserved public schools by providing professional

development for public school teachers and classes for

children. Founded by Kelly Wood, E-EYT200, RCYT, RPYT,

it offers training for school personnel in mindfulness

techniques of storytelling, simple coordinated movement,

and calm breathing. The program meets Common Core

and California Health and PE Standards.

TABlE 13.1 Additional Yoga Programs for Schools and Youth (continued )

(continued )