Guest guest Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 Hi everyone, I am a teacher in a public school and I teach special ed. I have been practicing kundalini yoga daily. Each morning I do it for about an hour before going to work. It helps me to stay calm, focused and yet energized so that I can be effective for my students. Recently, another teacher asked me if I have tried teaching it to the students. I had to admit that I rarely mention yoga to them. I have thought about it but I am concerned that their parents beliefs may be offended. Naturally, I see the benefit of kundalini yoga for them. If I were to teach it to them I would probably have to introduce it in the correct context. I was hoping than some among the KY group would have some ideas to share as to how I might help my students with kundalini yoga without offending parents or the administration at my school. SatNam F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 A few years back I taught some classes in the public schools and I know hatha teachers who currently teach. I currently teach in a University setting that has similar issues. I also recently taught senior high school students at a cultural exchange type of event. The answer is specific to your state, school system and your administration…and the other teachers. Yes, it can easily be done but there is no standard approach. Ideas: 1) talk directly with your administration or not. 2) get other teachers support; is your teacher friend asking you because they see value or because they want to make certain your NOT teaching yoga. 3) set up as " try it " class, see what happens, many organizations are OK with something that is experiment or cultural exchange. 4) try under the radar a few classes in your classroom, then evaluate what happens to students and the reaction from parents and administration. 5) start with simple breath techniques. 6) don't say yoga or make it a class, simple bring the techniques into what you already do. 7) don't teach it yourself, find someone outside to bring in; this way you won't get branded if it goes south. 8) lots more ideas, if you want to contact me to discuss or I am certain there are other yogis willing to do the same…great opportunity for you and your students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 I have taught KY in public schools. I've also had a yoga club at the school. I also get invited to teach yoga to special groups of students and I've had groups of students visit my yoga studio for classes. When at the school I don't mention the word "God." That is the only restriction I put on the teaching. Students have a choice as to whether they want to participate. I taught one group of English as a Second Language class. Many of the students were from Cambodia. They were so happy to see my images of Buddha. Yoga is a household word these days. Even chewing gum commercials use yoga to sell their products. I hope you won't hesitate to bring yoga to your students. Sat Nam, Kartar Portland, Maine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 Sat Nam, Be cautious!! I am temporarily in the public school system now. Yesterday, I watched a movie with the 2nd graders that the guidance counselor showed them. It addressed anger management. It was very basic in solving emotional awareness. 1 stop and talk to yourself, 2 breath in through your nose and out through your mouth 3 times, 3 think of what happened, and 4 try to come up with a solution before acting. I was recently asked to change my teaching format at the World Gym because they found it to be too spiritual. Funny, I never pushed that. However many of the people taking my class experienced powerful feelings. Which they were not expecting to experience and had no way of dealing with them. I found another teacher that is comfortable tailoring her class to that audience to take my classes. I did the best i could and kept my classes basic. When I am taught to do something a certain way and learn it to be effective in one capacity and possibly detrimental in another, I will stay true or let go and go on. The hardest part for me was not taking it personally. In almost every class I have visited in the last three weeks, there has been at least one student that needed me for something more than just a school subject. All I can do is provide them with an open hearted exchange with some compassionate advice. The emotions are running high with all the downward pressure moving out from the oppressive rulers. Like some one said similarly a few posts ago, handle Picean life as an Aquarian. The other person is you. Whatever you think you need to teach the other person is most likely one of your own lessons too. So, listen to yourself!!!!! don't lose your job! Gurupurkh Kaur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 14, 2008 Report Share Posted May 14, 2008 Sat nam F, I think it's great that you're thinking about sharing Kundalini Yoga with your students. As a school teacher myself (currently working as a librarian but going back into classes in September), one of the motivations for me to follow the KY teacher training was to eventually share it with students. There are so many students out there who are living very difficult experiences--think about it: not only are they transitioning into adulthood, but that's also accompanied by the challenges of transitioning into the Aquarian Age! It's a double whammy for many of them, and they're simply not taught how to manage all this energy and stress. KY is a perfect tool to help them manage their anger and other emotions they might be going through, and also get some exercise in their day. All of that being said, I was planning on offering KY to students as an after-school program. Participation is completely voluntary, but I'd pitch it to my classes and particularly to students that I felt could really benefit from those classes. We have Catholic and Public schools here in Canada, and my challenge is chanting " Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo " in a Catholic school. I'm not sure how that would work, with some raising an eyebrow to that. I don't see it being a problem in public schools, however, as all faiths are normally represented in these schools. In love and service, Nadh Singh Kundalini-Yoga , " slothmander " <slothmander wrote: > > Hi everyone, I am a teacher in a public school and I teach special ed. I have been practicing > kundalini yoga daily. Each morning I do it for about an hour before going to work. It helps me > to stay calm, focused and yet energized so that I can be effective for my students. > > Recently, another teacher asked me if I have tried teaching it to the students. I had to admit > that I rarely mention yoga to them. I have thought about it but I am concerned that their > parents beliefs may be offended. Naturally, I see the benefit of kundalini yoga for them. If I > were to teach it to them I would probably have to introduce it in the correct context. > > I was hoping than some among the KY group would have some ideas to share as to how I > might help my students with kundalini yoga without offending parents or the administration > at my school. > > SatNam > > F > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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