Instructor: Greg Sicheneder
Community: Grades 4, EBD center based classroom with 4-6 students, 30-40 minutes
Setting: classroom for 6 EBD students. While all of the students in this room have issues with emotional regulation that come from different places. Two of the students have anxiety disorders with generalized or NOS. Another has a diagnosis of reactive attachment. Several have a diagnosis to ADHD. One of the boys is very low academically and defensive about this. There is a teacher and two to educational assistants supporting this classroom. Students have more or less mainstream time depending on their success at school. This lesson is designed for the morning after the students come down from breakfast. While I have a Zen Chime and posters of the poses I can turn off a bank of lights for the sessions. Some of the students who have been doing well may be in mainstream and miss the Yoga Calm lessons.
Plan Creation Date: October 1, 2012
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Grounding
Props/Music: CD with relaxing music and picture of ocean or wildlife scene on smart board.
Lesson Plan:
Introduction: Review rules and use of Mats
Calm
- Volcano Breath – I always started with volcano breathing – then when students said they were bored with this I integrated in Bee breathing; Moon breath and Sun breath.
Activate
- Wood Chopper – Chop away any negativity or silliness or bad feelings or whatever is appropriate
- Mountain – Feel your feet connected to the ground and stand up strong as a mountain.
- Roots – focusing on someone who is emotional, mental or physical strength
- Crescent Moon
- Warrior I or II (Star & Side Angle as alternates) – focus on the strength of the person you centered around earlier.
- Tree, Dancer or Eagle – Your feet are strong and supported by the people that care about you.
- Cat/Cow
- Down Dog (alternate plank or dolphin)- feel the strength in your arms and legs as they hold up your body
- Child
- Bridge (this group’s favorite)
- Boat – Feel the strength in your midsection as you hold this for 8 counts.
- Laying Down Twist
Calm
- Visual Imagery/Relaxation – Either a made up imagery from things the students have come up with or one from Ready Set Relax from the Positive Thinking, Peer Pressure, or Self-Esteem sections.
Future Sessions: Social Emotional Activities – Strong Voice worksheet, Tree Challenge or Circle Tree, Partner Pull, Harassment Prevention
Potential Solutions: If the class is having a lot of difficulty at breakfast or had a rough end to the previous day, Have them start out with Wood Chopper and go right to Down Dog. If one student is not following along give them a choice to go and sit quietly in the peace corner or go for a walk with one of the staff. Encourage all the staff in the room to join in – if they refuse, talk with them later about the need to learn these routines so they can eventually lead them, and about setting an example for the students. Maybe if there is one staff who is not interested in doing it they could go and make copies or take their break during this time.
Addendum: When the class is having a particular difficult time I will have them do an abbreviated session at their desks. This came out of struggles to get the mats out etc. that were not successful.