Thursday, April 1, 2021

Learning Environment for African American Preschoolers – Yoga Meditation (part 2)

 Educators you must be a model of implementing different yoga poses as an important element in what is appropriate guidance to calm down and not to hurt self-and/or others in the classroom.  African American preschoolers are using their guidance lens of how teachers respond to various emotions such as frustration, aggression, anger then see how educators resolve the problem.  Again, teachers are assisting African American preschoolers learn how to recognize their own emotions, feelings and teachers expand their strategies we all experience this/ however, yoga is one way to express themselves appropriately.  African American preschoolers can detect when their bodily responses are ready to explode, they should be taught how to self-remove themselves as part of yoga strategies indicate they are building positive ways to their impulse control to restore a measure of calmness to proceed with the daily scheduled activities.   

 

African American preschoolers may be looked upon as having a high degree of energy, short attention span and easily distracted who challenge teacher’s skill set to guide them towards appropriate behaviors instead of requesting they are suspended or expelled from program.  As teachers continue to see the uniqueness in their African American preschoolers as one technique to influence appropriate behavior outcome is yoga. For African American preschoolers calming themselves is part of self-regulation.  Self-regulation refers to controlling impulses, tolerating frustrations, and postponing immediate gratification (Marion, 2003).  Yes, impulse control is to stop and think through a problem rather than doing the action which first comes to mind. 

 

At circle time have a deck of yoga pose cards where either the early childhood educator has researched or checkout Kids Yoga Stories Learn, Be Active and Have fun at https://www.kidsyogastories.com/ for African American preschoolers to select one as a routine.  Then early childhood educators can place and/or display different yoga poses in calm/cozy areas or throughout the classroom and school building so as African American students need to incorporate yoga pose reminders at eye level to regroup their emotions then to regain entry to circle and/or large group times along with throughout the day.

Yoga is a way to help children, educators and non-education staff to self-regulate back to a calm state.  Keep in mind when African American preschoolers have trouble with self-regulation some of the behaviors may be disruptive, unsafe for themselves or others in the surrounding space.  Therefore, various yoga poses will help African American preschoolers reset to manage their own emotions and behavior outcome to regain behavior of self and classroom at-large (go to https://childhood101.com/yoga-ideas-for-kids/ to print free yoga posters.    

Chair Yoga 

Educators, if you are pondering how to incorporate space to introduce chair yoga with all students and particularly African American preschoolers.  Yes, chair yoga is the techniques to incorporate movement, breathing, mindfulness and relaxation to become re-centered for appropriate emotional-social behaviors.  Dissertation research conducted by Dr. Ilana Nankins has created Breathe For Change to empower educators through various techniques of chair yoga.  The YouTube clip, “Chair yoga for slowing down – 10 minute kids yoga ed – ages 3-12” (https://youtu.be/Pbhr0TMmg91) to assist in multiple ways to incorporate in chair yoga.   

 

Yoga books 

The reading and displaying yoga books not only in the reading center but throughout the learning environment.  Also, pictures of yoga poses can be displayed throughout as well reminding African American preschoolers when they feel, or body give signs they are ready to lose control they can select a yoga pose to start so to regain control of the situation.  Here are some books that can be rotated throughout the school year related to yoga are as following: 

1.     Good Morning Yoga by Mariam Gates

2.     Emily’s Day in the Desert by Gisselle Shardlow

3.     Yoga and Mindfulness by Jennifer Cohen Harper

4.     Yoga Bear Simple Poses for Little Ones by Sarah Jane Hinder

5.     Yoga for Children by Lisa Flynn

6.     1 2 3 African Safari by Gisselle Shardlow 

Conclusion

The overall process of yoga processes to be instructed with African American preschooler’s guidance strategies whether yoga poses in large group, small group or individual, discipline methods to stay in control of their actions behaving within the guidelines of the learning environment and culturally appropriate strategies that effect self-esteem and problem solving towards resolution. 

 

References

Breathe for change.  Retrieved from https://www.breatheforchange.com/about 

 

Chair yoga for slowing down – 10 minute kids yoga ed – ages 3 -12 at https://youtu.be/Pbhr0TMmg91

https://childhood101.com/yoga-ideas-for-kids/

https://www.kidsyogastories.com/

Marion, M.  (2003).  Guidance of young children (6th ed.).  Upper Saddle River, NJ:  Merrill/Prentice Hall. 









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