Yoga Calm meets children's developmental needs by applying five guiding principles. This focus on principles - the themes and goals that underlie all Yoga Calm processes - lets the activities be adapted to many ages, abilities and environments.

Stillness
Stillness is the ability to quiet the mind and body; to be self-aware; to develop sensitivity, self-control and self-regulation.

Listening
Listening is the ability to tune in to what the heart, mind and body have to say. This is important for developing self-understanding, discrimination, self-regulation and imagination. Appropriate listening reduces the chances of injury and self-destructive behavior.

Grounding
Grounding is the ability to connect to the earth, to be physically present in the body and to develop a sense of competence, physical safety and security. A strong sense of balance and other healthy sensory-motor functions are building blocks for academic, behavioral and emotional growth.

Strength
Physical Strength helps prevent injury and disease, and develops capability, confidence and self-esteem based on measurable outcomes. Mental Strength is the use of positive self-talk, respecting boundaries and monitoring the things taken into the mind and body. Emotional Strength is the ability to feel, identify and express feelings without harming oneself or others. Emotional Strength is developed in the social/emotional processes and counseling strategies used in Yoga Calm.

Community
Community nurtures the ability to give and receive support, as well as develop compassion, communication skills and other abilities necessary to live cooperatively with others.

Breath Work slows the nervous system, helps develop self-control and connects children with their feelings and inner world.

Yoga-Based Activities release physical and emotional energy and help children learn teamwork and develop strength, concentration and self-confidence, as well as physical and mental flexibility.

Social/Emotional Activities develop skills in identifying feelings elicit compassion and sensitivity and help students learn teamwork and communications skills.

Guided Relaxations use storytelling, relaxation and quieting techniques that calm the body and mind, allowing students to develop their imagination and integrate emotional and cognitive experiences.

Emotional Guidance acknowledges and appropriately responds to emotion as it rises, which is essential in helping children understand and integrate their emotional experiences.

Yoga Calm for Children: Educating Heart, Mind, and Body by Lynea Gillen, MS, and Jim Gillen, RYT

Ready...Set...R.E.L.A.X. by Jeffrey Allen, M.Ed., and Roger Klein, Psy.D.

Teachers and counselors report seeing more and more children coming to school without good training in social and emotional skills. Respect, managing conflict, trustworthiness, honesty - all these and more must be taught. For children diagnosed with autism, ADHD and other behavioral disorders, these social/emotional skills need to be specifically broken down and practiced on an ongoing basis. For children who don't naturally possess the skills, basic strategies such as identifying and expressing feelings - or reading another person's facial expression - must be taught. And all children need opportunities to learn self-esteem, self-care and effective communication skills.

Yoga Calm provides a full set of social/emotional skill-building activities and games for practice. By combining these with yoga and cognitive skill development, the Yoga Calm method helps address children's basic needs of community, safety, structure, discipline, personal health and self-control. As children gain skills in these areas, they begin to naturally care for themselves and others. Their academic productivity improves. The outcome is a calmer, more productive classroom and support and hope for teachers, counselors, parents and - of course and above all - students.

Social/emotional skills-building is kind of like learning how to drive. The Yoga Calm games and activities parallel the early part of the process: reading manuals, watching others and maybe experimenting with accelerating, braking and steering in a driving simulator. Then comes the moment when you finally get in a car and take the wheel. It's no longer a simulation. Hopefully, the past practice has been sufficient to help the student drive successfully and safely. And just as we don't want non-drivers guiding student drivers, we don't want adults who lack practice in understanding and appropriately expressing emotion to be guiding children in this area. This is where Emotional Guidance comes into play: the ability to acknowledge strong emotion when it arises in oneself and others, and the skill to respond appropriately to that emotion. It's not that teachers should be expected to be counselors. But it is important that they know how to "emotional first aid" when needed in their work with children.

Yoga Calm gives teachers and others who work with children a basic understanding of mind/body psychology and how to apply simple counseling techniques - to provide emotional first aid.

While academic learning is important, something is clearly wrong when it comes at the expense of children's emotional and physical wellbeing. For children to truly thrive, all aspects must be addressed. And when they are, they are mutually supportive. We see this, for instance, in the well-documented benefits of physical activity on fitness, learning and emotional health. And new research shows what we have intuitively known for years: that the reduction of stress, the development of social/emotional skills and a sense of wellbeing have corresponding health and academic benefits.

• A growing body of literature suggests that a deliberate and comprehensive approach to teaching children social and emotional skills can raise their grades and test scores, bolster their enthusiasm for learning, reduce behavior problems and enhance the brain's cognitive functions.


• Because the emotional centers of the brain are very connected to the thinking and learning centers of the brain, we know that people who are better able to control their emotions and moods are more effective learners.


• Prosocial behaviors exhibited by students in the classroom were found to be better predictors of academic achievement than were their standardized test scores.


• School interventions that increase social and emotional competence result in higher achievement levels, although the reverse is not true (i.e., academic enrichment does not increase social responsibility).


• Studies dating back to the 1960s show that high anxiety has a negative impact on test-taking and academic performance.

One key reason for Yoga Calm's effectiveness - and what distinguishes is - is its commitment to the balanced development of students' physical, mental and emotional aspects. Its activities are highly experiential and designed to allow for expression in all three of these areas. It also recognizes that physical, mental and emotional processes are at work in every activity and values them equally as sources of information and intelligence.

Students and teachers are also encouraged to listen to the needs of each individual, as well as the community, and always respond to the current situation. The program as a whole, in fact, is designed to respond to the present needs of teachers and students, and to take advantage of "teachable moments" that present themselves. It is likewise designed to balance structure and freedom, encouraging students to develop independence and freedom while understanding the interconnectedness of the community and the natural environment. Yoga Calm thus places itself at the center of the three aspects so students can be successful in all areas: physically health, academically successful and emotionally sound.

• Movement and play develop the sensory-motor intelligence that supports intellectual, social, and personal development. (Ayres, 2005)


• Many studies have shown that the greatest yield of nerve growth factors happens when the body engages in complex movement patterns. (Ratey, 2003)


• Over one-third of schoolchildren have a kinesthetic-tactile preference, indicating that movement helps their learning. (Sousa, 1997; Swanson, 1995)


• Higher levels of fitness are associated with higher academic achievement. (California Department of Education, 2002)


• Exercise affects mood, vitality, alertness, and feelings of well-being. (Ratey, 2001)

• Social and emotional skill development-which includes knowing one's feelings, managing emotions, motivating oneself, and empathy and skill in communicating with others-are at the heart of all learning and of primary importance in long-term happiness and health. (Salovey, 1988)


• The emotional centers of the brain are firmly connected to the thinking and learning centers of the brain. People who are better able to control their emotions and moods are more effective learners. (Greenberg, 2004)


• A comprehensive approach to teaching children social and emotional skills can raise grades and test scores, bolster enthusiasm for learning, reduce behavior problems, and enhance the brain's cognitive functions. (Education Week, 2003)


• Up to 50 percent of children in schools with social/emotional learning programs show improved achievement scores, and 63 percent of students demonstrate significantly more positive behavior. (Goleman, 2005)

• Cognition develops self-understanding and awareness of our mental processes and of other's motives, as well as the ability to put these insights to use in conducting one's life and getting along with others. (Gardner, 1989)


• Positive self-statements are important in developing self-confidence and connecting effort and success. (Sousa, 2001)


• A learned positive outlook on life, encompassing hope, trust, self-esteem, and optimism, is a major predictor of subjective well-being. (Lawlor and Fischer, 2006)

Most recently, a 2007 study out of Purdue has provided additional evidence of how school-based yoga benefits kids. Looking at K-5 student outcomes at six US and Canadian schools that had incorporated the Yoga Kids Tools for Schools program, the research team found significant positive effects on the children's academic achievement, personal attributes, relationships and general health.

As of this writing, the Portland State University Master of Public Health Program is collaborating on research to assess the benefits of Yoga Calm for students and teachers. Lewis & Clark College Graduate School of Education and Counseling interns are also assisting in research for the project.

There are several ways to implement Yoga Calm. The simplest is to read the award-winning book Yoga Calm for Children . This indispensable guide for introducing yoga to children includes 60 practical, easy-to teach activities, over 170 photos and illustrations, alignment and safety principles and "emotional first aid" tips. For classroom teachers and counselors, it includes information on integrating Yoga Calm with regular class work, modifications for specific classroom situations, and anecdotal examples from the authors' direct experience to illustrate and inspire.

To gain a deeper understanding of Yoga Calm, you can attend a workshop . There, you will gain more instruction and experience in the philosophy, principles and tools of Yoga Calm. Professional development credits are available for all trainings .

The Yoga Calm staff is also able to lead inservice trainings at your school or conference facility, and is likewise available for conference presentations.

Yoga Calm website

Excerpt from Yoga Calm for Children: Educating Heart, Mind, and Body

Sample Activity from Yoga Calm for Children: Back Drawing

Sample Activity from Yoga Calm for Children: Pulse Count

Sample Activity from Yoga Calm for Children: Strong Voice

Sample Activity from Yoga Calm for Children: Warrior I

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