How Music and Yoga Bring Calmness and Focus to the Classroom (Interview)
In a fast-paced world where educators are navigating unique challenges, integrating music and yoga in the classroom has become increasingly popular!
The benefits of yoga and mindfulness in promoting focus, emotional regulation, and overall wellbeing among students are well-known (and scientifically proven), yet some teachers are still unsure of how to incorporate these practices effectively into their busy curriculum. This is totally understandable.
However, there are efficient and effective ways to integrate these ancient practices into the classroom without adding more stress to your overfilling plate!
GET YOUR 3 POSTERS HERE
3 Tips to Bring Calmness and Focus to the Classroom
In the interview below, I chatted with kids yoga musician Bari Koral of Yogapalooza and asked her for her three top tips for calming the classroom with practical and accessible strategies for teachers looking to easily incorporate music, yoga, and mindfulness into their daily routine:
1. Be Calm: Prioritize Self-Regulation and Preparation
Addressing educators’ role in creating a calm classroom environment, Bari emphasizes the importance of cultivating self-regulation and preparedness.
By demonstrating a sense of calm and confidence, teachers can effectively shift the energy in the room and guide their students toward similar states of being.
Through consistent implementation of mindfulness activities such as Candle Breath, Starfish Breath, and the Listening Game, teachers can not only model self-regulation but also prepare their students for moments of chaos.
Bari also stresses the influence of music in organizing and calming the classroom. Utilizing engaging and purposeful songs, educators can effectively guide students toward a calm and focused state.
2. Be Creative: Embrace Pattern Interruptions and Quick Mindfulness Practices
The concept of pattern interruptions points to the significance of music and mindfulness activities in calming the chaos and bringing focus and attention to the classroom.
Whether it’s through music, finger snapping, or quick mindfulness practices, educators can introduce short, engaging activities to redirect and calm a dysregulated classroom.
The role of humorous and engaging cues, along with breathing exercises, visualization, and themed mindfulness activities, can leads students toward a state of relaxation where they are ready to learn.
Bari shares the story of a teacher who effectively used mindfulness strategies to calm a dysregulated child, illustrating the simplicity and potential impact of such practices.
By engaging the child in breathwork and connecting with them through mindful, interactive activities, the teacher helped the child return to the classroom, demonstrating the power of short, simple mindfulness practices in the classroom.
3. Connect: Seek Quality Over Quantity and Start Small
In a time where educators are often under immense pressure to cover academic curriculum, acknowledging the value of quality and consistency over quantity is essential.
Bari highlights the significance of seeking a 2% improvement, emphasizing that small, incremental changes can lead to meaningful shifts in the classroom environment.
By selecting a few mindfulness activities and committing to consistent practice, educators can prioritize the holistic wellbeing of their students without feeling overwhelmed by the need to add more to an already-extensive workload.
By embracing the idea of small improvements and seeking quality over quantity, teachers can gradually integrate yoga and mindfulness into the classroom, establishing a sustainable framework for promoting a calm atmosphere where students are ready to learn.
Integrating music, yoga, and mindfulness into the classroom is a journey that requires dedication, creativity, and a focus on creating a nurturing environment for both educators and students. By following the insights shared by Bari Koral from Yogapalooza (https://yogapalooza.com/), educators can prioritize self-regulation, incorporate quick mindfulness practices, and seek gradual, sustainable change. Through these strategies, teachers can effectively cultivate calm in the classroom, promoting a positive and focused learning environment for their students!
Watch “How to Create a Calm Classroom with Music and Yoga“ here:
MAY WE SUGGEST
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
SAVE FOR LATER
