Teaching Teachers Yoga

Submitted by Lani from Full of Joy Yoga

I first realized how powerful yoga could be when I was teaching first grade in Coney Island in Brooklyn, NY about 15 years ago. My students–who were at-risk and full of energy–came in needing to learn to read, write and do math. They could barely sit still, had tantrums, were disruptive and made the classroom a very challenging place to learn.

I began using the yoga I was practicing for myself in the classroom with my students. The kids absolutely loved it!  I did lion’s breath or warrior in between lessons with them and got them out of their seats for a quick vinyasa.  I used yoga for all transitions, put some books in a center and watched the kids read them and teach it to each other. It was life changing.

After 5 years of teaching I knew it was time for a change.  I went on to achieve my 200-hour certification from the Nosara Yoga Institute in Nosara, Costa Rica.  Building on my extensive experience with young children, I took classes at Next Generation Yoga in NYC, the Radiant Child Yoga Program, Street Yoga & Circus Yoga Teacher Trainings and became a certified teacher in all of those programs.

In 2004, I moved to San Franciso and founded Full of Joy Yoga. Over the next four years I taught yoga to children in preschools, elementary schools, yoga studios, homes, homeless shelters, and after-school programs all over the Bay Area. In 2007 I relocated to Connecticut and brought my expertise to the East Coast, while continuing to grow my business in California.

Training others to teach yoga to children is now my passion.  I realized that I can reach many more children by sharing my skills and talents with other adults, especially teachers, and I love hearing from them how their classrooms are transformed by including yoga in their lessons.

I am offering workshops for teachers all summer long, in hopes that you may be able to find ways to keep your students calm & focused when needed, build self-esteem, teach cooperation & trust, combine literacy with movement and help create compassionate, empathetic, peaceful children.

Here is what people are saying about Lani’s workshop for teachers:

Lani, you are so good at what you do! Thank you for sharing it all with us. I loved all of it, the creativity in all the poses, games, etc.
-Karen, Aces Mill Road School, Hamden CT

I found the training to be full of inspiring and creative ideas. There were lots of things to explore and more than enough tools to use when planning a class.

–Leah, Bright Horizons

I loved the yoga for transitions. I will use a lot from this workshop in my classroom.

–Saniya, The Caedman School, NYC