220 • PART III: YOGA FOR EDUCATING FOR SELF-REGULATION AND ENGAGEMENT
trainer, she consults with schools and teachers to help them provide curricula aligned with
mindful and yoga practices.
Clarify Goals and Objectives
Students will take learning during yoga time seriously if you do. Research is currently being
conducted to look at the critical variable of teacher buy-in, yoga teacher home practice, and
yoga teacher value of yoga. Although we are waiting for the scientific evidence, seasoned
yoga teachers know that their commitment to the preparation and discovery of the class
yields quality classes. Recall the Mindful and Yogic Self as Effective Learner (MY-SEL) model
in Chapter 3. Mindfulness and yoga are effective tools for helping students develop skills for
self -regulation and to prepare them for effective engagement in class. These are good over-
arching goals. Other good goals can be related to health and wellness, physical fitness, neuro-
logical integrating, stress reduction, and so on. Within that context, be sure you have clearly
defined goals and objectives just as you would for any other class (Childress & Harper, 2015).
Scaffold your yoga lesson plans to build upon each other (Childress & Harper, 2015). You will
want your lesson plans to encompass all the elements of school-based yoga (i.e., yoga poses,
breathing exercises, relaxation, and meditation) as well as integration of content to meet the
age, diversity, and specific needs of your students (Childress & Harper, 2015). As with all
other lesson plans, include ways to assess your students’ understanding in the moment (i.e.,
formative evaluation) and after class (i.e., summative evaluation; Childress & Harper, 2015).
Yoga programs align well with health and wellness, physical education, and some
history and human biology/science standards. Herrington (2012) suggests aligning your
yoga program goals and objectives with school physical education standards (see pp. 40–41
of Herrington [2012] for an alignment with the National Association for Sports and Physical
Education Standards). Physical education standards often include the following: devel-
opment of motor skills, understanding movement concepts, engaging in regular physical
activity, maintaining health-enhancing levels of physical fitness, demonstrating interper-
sonal respect during physical activities, and learning the value of physical activity for health
and enjoyment (Herrington, 2012; http://www.shapeamerica.org/standards/pe/)..)
Your Presence Is the Most Powerful Teacher
A quote often attributed to Gandhi speaks volumes, “What we do speaks so loudly to chil-
dren, that when we talk they cannot hear us.” Your modeling of the practice will be one of
the most powerful things you do. Center yourself before class (Flynn, 2013). As mentioned
previously, your own mindfulness and yoga practice will serve you well as you do the work
needed to stay steady and centered during instruction (Flynn, 2013; Harper, 2013). Intentions
can involve consistency, responsiveness, awareness, and connection (Flynn, 2013). And have
fun (Flynn, 2013). If you love the practices and are having fun, it is likely the students will as
well. Create a session that you want to be present in.
If you are a school-based yoga teacher working with classroom teachers, encourage
the classroom teachers to participate (Childress & Harper, 2015). There are a variety of
benefits. Students take this as a cue that yoga is valued and valuable (Childress & Harper,
2015). Students may feel safer when their teacher is practicing with them (Childress &