This week has been a particularly challenging one for me. I started the week at a local prep school teaching six 30-40 min classes in the course of a morning, then 2 more classes in the afternoon at different schools. By the time the day ended, I was exhausted and re-thinking my chosen profession. I taught lots of classes of kids who just weren’t responding in a way that made teaching fun for me. Was it me? Was it them? Probably a bit of both. Mid week, I had to leave super early to get to the Bronx where I’ve been teaching at a school where my friend is the Assistant Principal. I was slated to teach six 30 min classes in a row to be able to leave by noon so I can get back in time to teach my local classes. The 2 1/2 hour drive to get there… Read More »
Mother’s Day Yoga
At one of the schools where I teach, every year we do Mother’s Day yoga. It’s my favorite classes of the year! Both the kids and parents love it, and I love it because I actually get to meet the moms of kids I teach all year. Some I’ve been teaching for the last 3 years. And besides, it’s super sweet for all parties involved. Here is the Mother’s Day sequence I did this year: 1) Name Stretch: We do a little rhyme – movement activity where we stretch in all different ways to say hello to everyone. Who doesn’t love to hear their name said out loud and get to stretch your body in the meantime!? 2) Partner Breath: The moms put their hands on the kids back, then we switch. We take deep breaths, trying to feel our partner’s breath in our hands and then we try to sync up… Read More »
Yoga Fun with Props!
After all these years of teaching, I’m working hard to get creative and keep my classes fun and fresh. Props are a great way to infuse a little fun into your teaching. Here are a few of my favorites and how I use them: 1. Paper Suns. As you have been able to notice from my photos, I LOVE using the paper suns. They are a staple in my teaching. Kids and parents love them and they are especially great for preschoolers in getting them to focus. The suns help bring stillness as the kids stand like tall, strong mountains while I place a sunshine on their heads. They work so hard not to move or wiggle so their sun won’t fall. We use the suns to take a big warming sun breath. The suns are helpful as a body awareness exercise as we touch all the different body parts… Read More »
