Calma School Programme.
Join the Calma Llama and get flexible with our yoga in schools programme.
Why?
Bringing Yoga into school as part of the learning day is an effective and affordable strategy for supporting a ‘whole child’ approach to education, focusing on cognitive, social, emotional and physical development. Calma supports and enriches the curriculum in fun and imaginative ways that are inclusive and accessible to all, encouraging healthy habits and reflects on the importance of compassion and community.
How?
Through a structured programme, children and staff develop a toolbox for lifelong health and wellness, using a range of activities based on the four basic elements of yoga: Movement, Breathing, Mindfulness and Relaxation. The sessions are adapted to suit the age groups and include games, songs and teamwork exercises. Purposeful pauses are introduced to allow children to reflect. Most sessions take place in the classroom, making use of tables and chairs. The programme can also be offered as part of the PE curriculum.
Key Benefits
Children who participate in yoga programmes at school show improvements in many areas including: social interaction, concentration span, managing anger, dealing with stress and anxiety, confidence and self-esteem and even academic performance. Staff are welcome to participate, taking the opportunity to focus on their own wellbeing and gaining access to strategies for maintaining a peaceful, positive classroom.
Practicalities
The benefits of yoga are cumulative, and for this reason it is best to structure the programme over 6-10 weeks. In this way, staff and pupils are able to develop a common language and set of skills that can then be practised and applied outside of their weekly sessions. For the same reasons, it is recommended that multiple classes have the opportunity to participate. No specialist equipment or clothing is needed for classroom yoga, but for yoga during PE a non-slip mat is recommended.
“I know it sounds funny, but I find I forget about anything that is worrying me.”
– Comments from the children
What Staff Are Saying ...
“I thought it was a fantastic way to show the children what they could do, without having to be in the hall. The Yr 6 classroom was a very peaceful environment, with everybody involved. It was all very intimate. I plan to use some of the exercises in the classroom in the future.”
“Really enjoyable session that opened my eyes to the possibility of yoga within a school environment. Natalie is a brilliant teacher whose explanations make sense to even a complete novice! All the exercises you could do at your desk or in a classroom and were highly beneficial for the teachers as well as the children, helping them learn coping mechanisms for their anxieties at a young age.”
““The yoga was great - uplifting, energising and engaged all of the class. I thought it was very simple but effective and have already used it in bringing calm to the classroom. I think the breathing techniques are really helpful especially when the children are anxious/upset.”
“Natalie struck exactly the right chord for the Yr 5 children. Child-friendly and very do-able in the classroom setting. Can’t think of anything which could be improved!”
