26C.6563.5, PE Central, Introduction to Teaching Yoga in Physical Education

Course Purpose/Objectives

The course explores and demonstrates practical ways to integrate the mental and physical aspects of yoga into everyday physical education lesson activities. Objectives include:

• Analyze the benefits and importance that yoga skills have in a physical education classroom.
• Discover innovative and practical methods to equip teachers in implementing yoga with their students.
• Understand how to write an appropriate lesson incorporating yoga in their curriculum.
• Learn how to implement yoga skills in the classroom using a variety of technology applications.
• Understand the basic poses needed to teach yoga successfully in a K-12 classroom.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, users will be able to:

1. Explain why yoga is important and beneficial to teach in a K-12 classroom.
2. Identify the necessary poses needed to teach yoga in a K-12 classroom.
3. Develop an appropriate lesson plan to implement yoga in a K-12 classroom.
4. Identify a variety of pedagogical strategies to teach yoga successfully in a K-12 classroom.

Course Description

Yoga has become a very popular form of exercise that affects both the mental and physical aspects of an individual. Research suggests that individuals of all ages should benefit from participating in yoga and that yoga is considered a lifetime physical activity. Physical education programs would certainly benefit by introducing students to yoga skills. However, many teachers do not feel comfortable or understand how to appropriately implement yoga in their classroom. This course is designed to assist teachers in understanding the value yoga can have in their curriculum as well as help them learn a variety of teaching strategies they can use when incorporating yoga in the classroom. Teachers will leave this course with a better vision of what a lesson or unit may look like with yoga, technology concepts when implementing yoga, a variety of necessary poses too explore, as well as the mental benefits associated with breathing techniques.