In a regular classroom, an elementary school student may be frowned upon for dropping to the floor into a downward dog pose.
However, at Walnut Street School in Woodbury[1] , a group of third to fifth graders meet once a week after school to relax, focus and breathe in Caroline Polsenberg’s yoga class.
Polsenberg, a special education teacher at the school, began the program last year.
“I love yoga[2] ,” she said. “After the first class I took, I knew I was stuck.”
After being certified in January, she started the after-school program in February.
“They learn things other than the poses, like how to focus and relax,” Polsenberg said. “And it’s great if they can take that off the mat.”
Several of her students have used yoga breathing techniques during tests, sports and just to relax after a long school day.
One student who was participating in the Sept. 30 class said he thinks yoga is “helpful for kids.”
“And it’s fun,” said third grader Julian Shorts.
The children began class with an “elevator breath” or energizing breath, Polsenberg explained.
“You can sit with your legs criss-crossed, one leg up or on your knees,” she told the children. “Anything comfortable as long as you’re sitting up straight so when you breathe you can take deep breaths. You can’t get good breaths if you’re hunched over.”
Next, the kids laid on their stomachs and Polsenberg led them through several postures, or asanas.
“Never move fast or jerky,” she told them. “Yoga is all careful movement and breathing.”
The children went into the Sphinx asana, then moved into the Cobra.
From the lying position, Polsenberg instructed the children to move into the Cat Cow sequence — an asana done on the hands and knees to stretch the spine and back.
“Put your back up like a cat, then put a slope in your back and that’s the cow,” Polsenberg said. “When you’re done, sit back on your heels, breath and rest.”
Justin Klotz, a third-grade yoga student, suggested they take a breath in when they are the cat, and let the breath out when they are the cow.
“That’s perfect,” she told him.
The children then went into the Sun Salutation routine starting in the Mountain pose.
“Are you getting warm? Do you feel your heart beating? Your blood is flowing,” Polsenberg told the group.
During warm down, she taught the children how to do a cooling breath.
“Take a breath in, then blow it out through your rolled tongue,” she said. “It’s called an icicle breath, a cooling down breath. In any situation where you feel hot or overworked, you can use the icicle breath.”
Polsenberg said she enjoys sharing the benefits of yoga with the students.
“It is truly about body-mind-breath and that is so useful in our daily lives off the mat,” she said. “I know kids have so much going on and their lives can be fast-paced or sedentary. Yoga is a nice way to get them to integrate some healthy habits into their lives.”
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