HOY Yoga in Schools Pilot Program

“Breathing Room for New Zealand Schools”

The Heart of Yoga in Schools program was launched in New Zealand in July 2021 at a busy multi-cultural inner-city Auckland school with 2000 students on the roll, ranging from age 12 to 18, as well as 200 teaching staff.

The goal of the program was two-fold:

To support the physical and mental wellbeing of New Zealand’s teachers who, even prior to the demands of the pandemic, are subject to high rates of nervous system burnout, stress, and anxiety.
To support New Zealand’s teenagers and their mental health as they navigate years of immense change within an uncertain world; bodily changes, mental changes, changes in relationships with family and friends, changing goals, hopes and dreams.

To accomplish these goals, Yoga classes were introduced into the daily rhythm of the school with a weekly classes for teachers, another for teens, and one for high needs students with disabilities. Sessions were also integrated into the school curriculums of Physical Education — under the topic of “non-competitive sport” — and Science — during a unit on “mental wellbeing.” Finally, open recreational classes were taught during the summer wind-down period of term 4.

In total, over the past 18 months, the program has delivered:

75 classes for teachers;
50 classes for teens; and
35 classes for high-needs disabled students.

All classes have been reviewed by senior management and are scheduled to begin again in the pilot location at the start of the school year in 2023.

Teachers

For teachers, the program offered a weekly restorative yoga class on a Friday morning 30 minutes before staff meeting. Each week, teachers were guided through a simple practice of movement combined with breath. The class included 20 minutes of asana, 5 minutes of rest, and 5 minutes of pranayama, followed by a short guided meditation/visualisation exercise. The practice was designed to be both relaxing and energising; to support clarity of mind; and reduce stress from the work week. Teachers were supported to practice at home for themselves with printed practices and a guided practice video.

With regards to the activities offered, Asana and Savasana (rest) were the most popular. 100% of attendees felt that the practice helped them relax. 100% felt they learned tools to better cope with stress. 100% felt that yoga had helped them cultivate a kind and caring attitude to themselves and others. 100% said they would like to keep taking yoga as taught in this way. 100% found it helped in coping with anxiety and nervousness.

Participants described major improvements in their life as a result of the practice.

Testimonials

“After just one session I felt a significant change. The deeper breathing that connects with the movements made me feel calmer, more centred and balanced. I now do this yoga as a daily practice at home”—Trina Sellers, Music Teacher, Auckland.

“The practice instills a sense of quiet joy within me that lasts throughout the day. The breath brings my attention back to the world that I am so easily distracted from”—Cade Robbins, History Teacher, Auckland.

“Fabulous way to start the day. Can take on the world after a session. Routines are doable regardless of fitness level and flexibility—I have been doing it regularly after a knee replacement. Mood is always lighter and outlook brighter”—Heather Dikstaal, Classics Teacher, Auckland.

“It’s such an amazing start to the day and end to the week. Somehow relaxing and energising at the same time. It’s safe, gentle, not embarrassing, and the practice is adapted to your capabilities”—Margaret Robertson, Music Teacher, Auckland.

Integration into the Classroom

A regular attendee at the sessions started to shared a simple breathing practice with her music class prior to rehearsals and performances. She described how the breathing settled her students’ nerves, increased their concentration, mood, and musical performance.

Expanding through 2021-2022

During the successive Covid lockdowns of 2021 and 2022, the weekly class moved online and was made available to a further 11 schools within Central Auckland, New Zealand, who are part of a shared network of schools. They were attended regularly by more than 30 teachers and provided important relief during an extremely difficult time for educators, having had to shift their teaching practice online and begin teaching from home again.

Due to the success of the program within the wider Auckland network, it was included as a session in the Auckland Wellbeing Expo held at Western Springs College, first in June 2022 and then again in November. On each occasion, 50 teachers from across 11 schools attended the sessions. The most common response received was that they felt much better in mind and body after a breathing practice. Teachers described having more energy during the day, their relationships in the classroom improved, more calmness when dealing with disruptive students, as well as an increased ability to switch off at the end of the day.

Students

In collaboration with the Health Department of the school, a weekly lunchtime class for teenagers was launched in term 1 2022.

The class was advertised via the school’s social media, a school-wide video presentation, and student designed posters. Teens often came with their friend groups and the class grew through word-of-mouth. Those attending ranged from age 12 to 18.

Each week, a small group of teens were guided through a simple practice of movement combined with breath. The class included 20 minutes of asana, 5 minutes of rest, and 5 minutes of pranayama, followed by a short guided meditation/visualisation exercise. The practice was designed to be principally a releasing, anti-anxiety practice with an emphasis on long exhalations, twists and forward bends.

To support students to practice for themselves daily, the program included take-home print-outs as well as a guided practice video. Over the course of 2022, 5 students began to practice at home for themselves.

By word-of-mouth, one other school in the Auckland region contacted the program. Two yoga workshop was then held for their senior students delivered in the context of Physical Education lessons.

Testimonials

“After practicing I find my thoughts are much calmer and I’m less worried. Peaceful. The breath is peaceful”—Student, 15, Auckland

“Before the classes I didn’t think yoga was something I could do. But now that I know how simple it is and how good the breath feels I’m going to do this every day”—Student, 16, Takapuna Grammar School, Auckland.

“I sometimes feel stressed by everything that’s happening at school and at home. The practice helps me put myself together in the morning”—Student, 14, Auckland

Reflections

During the video advertising the class to the school, a particular invitation was extended to those experiencing difficulty in their mental health. This was in response to a 2020 survey done at the school reported that 70 percent of their teens were experiencing anxiety on a daily basis. Upon reflection, it would perhaps be better to make it a general invitation as students with mental health issues can often be reserved about revealing this to peers and teachers.

High Needs Students with Physical and Cognitive Challenges

“Yoga for Every Body”

Together with the Learning Support Department, the program designed a weekly session for kids with physical and cognitive disabilities including ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Aspergers Syndrome, and Down’s Syndrome. The goal of the class was to help students “get into their bodies more,” develop motor skills and coordination, and learn how to find stillness during the day. The class was a great success and is scheduled to begin again in 2023 as a core part of the student’s body awareness education.

The mood of the class was lighthearted and playful with asana described with metaphors of animals, planes, and nature activities. The students particularly loved “pick the apple,” “surf the wave,” and “fly the plane over your home town.” The emphasis on controlled ujjayi breath was dropped for this demographic and the focus turned to simple movements and learning coordination between opposite sides of the body. For example, a variation on cakravakasana (kneeling on all fours) in which one extends one’s left leg whilst also extending one’s right arm proved challenging and useful to them. Translating verbal instruction into their own actions was the learning curve for these students.

Visualization and poetic description of stillness during savasana was popular. For example, “Imagine you are lying in the forest by a quiet river hanging out with the birds and animals in the grass.” Students reported feelings of relaxation and enjoyment, and said they looked forward to their weekly session.

A total of 9 students attended each week. They were accompanied by a teacher from the Learning Support Team who would often assist the students with the yoga poses.

Conclusion

The HOY in Schools Pilot Program was a step into the unknown. Although mindfulness meditation practices have been circulating in schools for several years now, the introduction of breath-focused asana practice is relatively new. The past 18 months show that teachers and students are responsive to wellbeing technologies that do actually empower and support a person’s mental and physical wellbeing, and build a positive relationship between mind and body. As we know, there is a real demand for wellbeing practices in our communities. The practice quickly spread to nearly all corners of the school and was accepted as a normal educational resource for everybody. The lead yoga teacher for the program, Andrew Raba, was surprised at the pace at which the practice spread, starting at one school before quickly spreading to more than 11 other schools in the Auckland region.

The major question for the program is to what extent it can reach school communities from the ‘outside’. Andrew Raba is a school librarian employed by the pilot school and was able to launch the program from within that position of trust and prior relationship. Based on experience, it seems likely that the best way for HOY in Schools to develop is to train existing school staff members, parents, or students themselves to be yoga teachers within their school.

In this way, the teacher will have a relationship with the students, understand their daily demands and culture, and be able to adapt the practice appropriately. The school can be reassured there is no external agenda being imposed as there is a prior relationship of trust.

In conclusion: the best way for Yoga in Schools project to advance is to offer trainings for teachers and school staff to offer the practice in their own home environment.

Any questions or if you would like to be involved: contact project lead Andrew Raba andrewraba@gmail.com

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